Is it possible to create an animated font?

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

I am using RPG Maker VX Ace, and I was wondering if it is possible to create an animated font for use in message windows. For example, a message where the font changes every 0.5s. It's not creating a new window, it's actually changing the font within the message window. I've thought about actually creating a loop of message windows, that automatically close themselves after a period of time, and open the other ones, but then there is no way to quit out of it. And I want the player to be able to press space at any time to stop the message.

So I was wondering if there was a simple way to make animated text without having to draw every frame of text in Photoshop? Is there a way?

 

[??????]

So I was wondering if there was a simple way to make animated text without having to draw every frame of text in Photoshop? Is there a way?

Short answer - No.

 

[ShinGamix]

What kind of animated text are you trying to do actually?

 

[Laptopdancer]

Oooooh... I dunno Dekita. I know yur awesomer than me but could it be done with a script that used the same custom font where each was labeled say 1-4 and the script cycled them at an interval. You could make them change colour by using photoshop and modifying each of them for colour or make them move by altering each file and changing the graphics slightly..

You could use some kind of coding to make them call different types of effects in the text box. So If you labeled one script effect "colour change" and another "dancing letters" you could assign each a shorthand to call in the text box in brackets like (cc) and (dl).

And each effect could correspond to a set of fonts that are numbered and cycled through..

Am I wrong. (Not that I could actually do this myself)

I guess the only concern would be performance yes?

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

What kind of animated text are you trying to do actually?

Just a text that changes font every 0.5s.

 

[♥SOURCE♥]

It is possible. You would have to use an image for each character instead of a font file but yes, it can be programmed. You can also go the event route and have an image for each text, cicle through them, etc.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

It is possible. You would have to use an image for each character instead of a font file but yes, it can be programmed. You can also go the event route and have an image for each text, cicle through them, etc.

I already have gone the event route and it looks fantastic. But I want it smaller, and in order to go smaller than 32x32 tiles, I'll have to place two characters in the same event, and that would mean a LOT of sprites. Almost impossible to go below the 32x32 mark.

 

[??????]

@Laptopdancer

Its not impossible, its not just something that I would class as 'simple'.

For an example, my animated map name script (found here) makes each letter individual and then applies various effects to each letter. Simple, and only works for map names, but its features could inspire for other text type scripts...

Something similar could be done where-by it simply cycles though various fonts or whatever, but realistically, if your coding it, theres no major need for swapping over the fonts as you could easily code some sort of hue change over time into it.

You could even go a step further and make each letter a custom image with frames. I done that with pokemon 'unknown' letters and made a title screen with the unkown letters for newgame etc..

Kind of strayed off topic slightly there...

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

It's like this:

That's the evented version. But I want a font-sized version.


Please ^_^

 

[Shaz]

Are you going to use events or scripts?

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

I don't think events will do the trick. It's an actual font that I want. I've already created events that do what I demonstrated above. I want to know if it's possible to have a tiny font that animates just like that, and if so, how?

 

[Shaz]

I've moved this thread to RGSS3 Script Requests. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.


I'm sure it would be possible using scripts, but I'm not sure it would be wise.


Most of the text windows don't refresh everything on every frame. They only refresh the bits that NEED to be refreshed - the bits that change because of an action you've taken.


To make a whole window change ALL of its text to a new font would require the WHOLE window being refreshed every frame (or every X frames).


I have done this accidentally when trying to get something working once. It introduced an incredible amount of lag by clearing and redrawing the entire window every frame.


What you need to consider is WHY do you want to do it? Is it ALL text, or just specific text that will be visible every now and then in the game? Are the results really worth the effort to implement it and the potential lag you're going to introduce?

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

I didn't know it would require a script when I posted it. :I

 

[Shaz]

That's template text. I didn't type all of that

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

Ah, right. It's actually kind of nice now knowing that those are generated because sometimes the message can seem a little stern, like a teacher telling you, "Don't do that again, y'hear? Or there will be consequences!"


Lol.

What you need to consider is WHY do you want to do it? Is it ALL text, or just specific text that will be visible every now and then in the game? Are the results really worth the effort to implement it and the potential lag you're going to introduce?

I was thinking of using it as text for the whole game. If it's going to produce lots of lag, then it's not worth it I guess.

 

[Laptopdancer]

@ Dekita... As I said your awesomer than me! LOL  BD