Interruption Event

[CobeSlice]

Hello all,

I havent touched an RPG Maker game since the Playstation 1... with that in mind, I've recently purchased the game and am having some issues creating an event I want and despite my (lackluster) Googlefu, can't seem to find an answer.

I am trying to create an even that when the PC is on the stairs, the NPC who is also in the house runs over, moves the character back, stops the PC from going up the stairs, and then has a short text blurb. The problem is... I cant figure out how to initiate the event and tie it to that specific location. And if I start the event on those stairs, I can't figure out how to get the NPC to run over without creating a duplicate of him. Can anyone help me?

 

[Shaz]

Moved to VX Ace Support (Tutorials is for ... tutorials)


Set Move Route will let you apply a move route to ANY event, not necessarily the event the command is on.


Check the blog tutorial called Events Aren't NPCs: The Biggest Mistake in Cutscene Events to see how to make one event control the movement of others (including the player)

 

[CobeSlice]

I figured out that 90% of the problem was that I forgot to establish the event was triggered by EVent Touch, which was causing most of the issue. In, what I'm sure amounts to, a very crude way I solved my own problem. It's like a call and response... but I'm sure there's a much simpler solution to it. Any chance I could ge a link to this tutorial?

 

[slimmmeiske2]

Events aren't NPCs.

 

[CobeSlice]

Thanks. I got this one squared away! It's probably a little more rudimentary than it needs to be, and probably a little crude... And I didn't fully understand that link that you posted Slimmmeiske2. But thanks all the same.

 

[RyokuHasu]

The link was meant to show you that you can Remote control the other event from the one on the stairs using the set move route command on the second page of the commands. The same event on the stairs can be used to to do any follow-up test and movement for anything else in the cut scene. 

Cause events are not NPCs they are controllable figures.

 

[CobeSlice]

I'm confused, still, by what you both mean?

Currently I have the event on the steps basically to create a variable I've called "Stairs" which gets switched to 1 if stepped on. This then triggers a page on the NPC's event logs where he is scripted to rush over and stop the character and deliver some dialogue. This then resets the variable "Stairs" to 0.

If I have a vague understanding of what you mean, you're telling me that I can have all of this happen within the event on the stairs tile instead of spanning 2 different events?

 

[RyokuHasu]

yes! Yes you can Have ALL of it in just the stairs event. It's easier than making a Control Switch or Variable every time you want something else to move.

you only ever need a Single event doing all the commands in any cut-scene. the rest of them just need to have a graphic on them if you are going to use them.

 

[CobeSlice]

Is there a layman's terms way of explaining this to me, or a step by step guide? I guess I'm a little more then dense when it comes to this because the subject matter is so foreign to me.

Edit: I was originally hoping to have it all in one event, but I'm so unsure of how to do that it's not even funny.

 

[RyokuHasu]

we gave you one and you said you didn't understand it...

Read it again, CAREFULLY. if this doesn't help (again) then you should go read a few basic tutorials about RPG maker.

http://blog.rpgmakerweb.com/tips-and-tricks/events-arent-npcs/

 

[CobeSlice]

Hahahaha... Ooh boy... This can only end badly... Lol.

Edit: My problem is that the NPC already exists in the house with his own dialogue. Will, by doing this, I be able to keep him in the house but not have 2 of him pop up when this event triggers?

 

[Celianna]

Events aren't NPCs, by saying that, we mean to say that events are all the same - you're the one making them seem 'different' by giving them a graphic, or by entering in event commands. So one event can appear as an NPC, and another event controls the game.


Anyways, by having your NPC event with its own dialogue is just fine. What you need is to create another event (this is the trigger!) on top of the stairs, leave the event graphic blank. Set it to player touch and same as player. What this means is, when the player tries to go up the stairs, as soon as they touch the event that is hidden there, it will trigger and start running. Anything you put in this event will overrun everything else, so you can make your NPC event move towards the player by using the command 'move route' and selecting said event in the drop down menu, and either picking 'move towards player' or set out a path yourself if the NPC doesn't move on his own at all. Be sure to tick on 'wait for completion', and the next command should be the dialogue that follows for warning the player about not going up the stairs. Use the move route command again to force the player to take a step back, and to return the NPC to its original position.


And that's all.

 

[CobeSlice]

I'm sorry you guys. I must be a complete idiot. I totally don't understand this at all. I guess I'm gonna shelve this project and read up on Events as much as I can until I can figure out what it is you're all talking about.

 

[RyokuHasu]

@celinnna, I dissagree. While you CAN do it that way it adds a lot  of variables or switches that clutter and fill up the variables and switches needlessly. It's easier to see game flow in switches if you are only using them when you have to. This can make it easier to plan game progression. Only time variables and Switches need to be used for triggering one event with another is in an interactive Puzzle or Minigame, other than that cut scenes can be handled buy 1 event, which also make it easier to edit said cut scene instead of going to every event wondering where that par of the scene is.

@CobeSlice, no you're not. It took me a few years to understand events as I do now, you are just starting so it's understandable. It takes time and practice to understand these terms and ideas. Best way to understand is make a project and call it "Sand Box" then start testing different events and their effects.

 

[CobeSlice]

@celinnna, I dissagree. While you CAN do it that way it adds a lot  of variables or switches that clutter and fill up the variables and switches needlessly. It's easier to see game flow in switches if you are only using them when you have to. This can make it easier to plan game progression. Only time variables and Switches need to be used if for an interactive Puzzle or Minigame, other than that cut scenes can be handled buy 1 event, which also make it easier to edit said cut scene instead of going to every event wondering where that par of the scene is.

What you're saying is that I'm basically creating a cutscene, which is not entirely what I want to do. I think I have the right of it, by what Celianna is saying. I have one event which sets the variable (the call) and then the second event, nested into the NPC that is wandering the home which activates when the variable is set at 1 (the response). This helps to avoid having the event move around with the NPC, and allows me to keep from having duplicates of him on screen when the event is triggered. By creating a cutscene (which I CLEARLY don't understand) I'd still have to either make the current NPC transparent or find some way for him to run up, say his stuff, and go back to wandering.

If I try it your way, there is no way I could have the NPC wander his house AND keep the triggering event stationary at the stairs... could I?

EDIT: In a completely related matter: How would I go about locking the character in that spot until such a time as the speech was done?

 

[RyokuHasu]

 anything that happens that the player has no control during is a "cut scene". Even if it's just a simple as someone coming over to stop you from doing something, that is a cut scene.

"Wonder" around the house, no. it's best that you keep any thing you want to move to a specific location stationary. But yes it is 100% possible to to have the Trigger event be on the stairs. One moment while I make a mini-tutorial for you...

 

[CobeSlice]

 anything that happens that the player has no control during is a "cut scene". Even if it's just a simple as someone coming over to stop you from doing something, that is a cut scene.

"Wonder" around the house, no. it's best that you keep any thing you want to move to a specific location stationary. But yes it is 100% possible to to have the Trigger event be on the stairs. One moment while I make a mini-tutorial for you...

That's what I'm trying to avoid. I don't want the NPC to be stationary just guarding his stairs. I want him to wander around his house doing whatever, but the second you step on a step he's like "HOLY GOD NO!" and comes running over. Obviously he has something to hide, and I'm trying to make that apparent, but at the same time, I dont want to stop the NPCs ability to be an NPC and look autonomous.

 

[RyokuHasu]

Then have him doing something that requires him to be stationary, like looking at papers on a table, or cooking!

Let me see if this helps, here I have my Man at the table doing his work, looking like hes doing something, but not moving around



We open up the man and see he's empty, except for his movement speed and frequency has been set



then we open up the event by the stairs, it has all the actions you need/want all in 1 place for easy editing later. It controls "Man" from the event on the stairs.



Does this help you visualize what we are talking about?

As for wondering that would make your task 10 times harder to complete, so like I said, make him look busy and keep him in 1 place works better for your skill level.

 

[CobeSlice]

I do understand what you're talking about, now that I see it in place.

I have nearly figured out the events for this specific thing now that I've really knuckled down and read some stuff. The only issue I'm having now is that when I set "Event 008" (aka The Old Man) to "Move towards player" in the move route, he literally takes like 2 steps towards the player before his speech text pops. Is there a way to make this happen AFTER he reaches the player, and stop popping prematurely? (If it would help I can upload some screens of what I have).

 

[RyokuHasu]

Look in the move route you made,do you see the "wait for completion" check box? turn that on and nothing else will happen until he stops moving.