Making Cutscenes Happen When Certain Conditions Have Been Met

[Kitesis]

I hope I've put this in the right spot. Sorry, I'm pretty new to these forums.
So basically, I'm having event trouble.
In my game the protagonist and the party go to talk to an npc. The npc tells them something, and they go to a different area. In this area a cutscene needs to happen, but the problem is that the player can walk into this area before they talk to the npc.
Is there anyway to make the cutscene only happen after the player talks to the npc? Or is there anyway to block off the area with an event before they talk to the npc?
I'm very new to rpg maker, but I have a basic understanding of switches. I don't know too much about variables. Thank you!
(I'm using VX ace)

 

[bgillisp]

You need variables to do this well. I'd suggest going to the tutorial in my signature and work through all of them. It will take about a month. Once you do that, you should be comfortable enough with switches and variables to do this scene.

 

[GreyStone84]

You can do this with variables, switches and/or events. It depends on how you'd like the flow of your game to go. I suggest looking through tutorials because they could help with many other ideas you come up with or help to solve other problems you encounter. They are a great way to learn.

That being said, if you want it simply done, this is how I set one up using only switches and events.
I placed an event to block the path. I made it "Same as Character" and activated by "Player Touch". I also made the event a "Parallel Process".
I created a second page that was blank and was activated when "Self Switch A" was on.
On the first page I put a conditional branch that checked to see if a switch was on, lets say "SwitchAccess" for example. If it was on, it turned the Self Switch A on.
Under the "Else" conditional, I put a text message like "This area is not available yet." or something like that.

Now on the person you'd like to talk to, it could vary, depending on what you'd like to happen. But basically, right after the line the NPC speaks that gives the player access to the new area, you would turn the switch "SwitchAccess" to on.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any other help with it.

EDIT: I forgot to mention something. When you use "Parallel Process", it uses more memory (I think - it's been a while since I had to explain this) and it could cause soem lag. I personally haven't had any problems with one or two events with Parallel Process on a map at a time, but I've heard that a few of these could cause lag and to use Parallel Process sparingly.

 

[Kitesis]

Hey, thank you for answering! I've done all the steps you've said to do, but after I talk to the NPC and gone back to the blocked off area, it won't let me continue. It acts as an invisible wall. Am I doing something wrong? I have the Npc with the switchaccess switch on, the event blocking off the area, etc. I have the second page on the blocking event too.

 

[GreyStone84]

Okay, on EV030, on the blank line right about "Else", you'll want to add in a "Self Switch A" = ON. Then, on your page 2 of the same event, on the left under "Conditions" you will want to check the box beside Self Switch and choose "A". Also, on the second page, you will want everything blank and mark the Priority as "Below Character: and switch Trigger to "Action Button".

That should probably do it.

 

[Kitesis]

Thank you! This worked perfectly.

 

[GreyStone84]

Hey, no problem! Don't forget to check out some tutorials. Also, post a reply in here that says "You can close this thread." if you feel your issue has been solved.

 

[Kitesis]

You can close this thread.

 

[Andar]

@Kitesis It might work that way, but it is also needlessly complex.

Delete the content of page 1, it doesn't need a conditional branch. Only have the show text command "this area is not available yet", nothing else on that page.
Then on second page, remove the condition of self-switch A and add a condition of "switch 004" is on.

Finished, as soon as the switch is turned on the second page will become available, without any need for an additional self-switch or conditional branches.

 

[GreyStone84]

@Andar Thanks for that. Cuts alot out.