Question about MV engine limitations

[Snarkyfork]

I noticed the limit on switches and variables is 5000, I imagine you could make a very complex and fairly large game with that number. I am trying to wrap myself around just how much scope that gives devs in creating their games, how hard would it be to hit that cap?

 

[Zerothedarklord]

I noticed the limit on switches and variables is 5000, I imagine you could make a very complex and fairly large game with that number. I am trying to wrap myself around just how much scope that gives devs in creating their games, how hard would it be to hit that cap?

Obviously not impossible, but I wouldn't worry about hitting that cap.
In VX years ago, I completed 2 15-20 hour full games, neither of which even surpassed 300. Mind you, they were rather basic games, but still. To even come close to 5000, you have to be REALLY trying.

 

[MushroomCake28]

I don't think you have to worry about hiting the cap for switches and variables. And even if you did, there are ways to bypass that limitation if you use script calls and/or create your own plugins.

 

[Mewgles]

You also have to keep in mind that you could probably recycle quite a few switches with proper planning. There really is nothing to worry about. Even without any planning at all it's highly unlikely you'll get even close to running out of switches.

 

[Andar]

under any regular development it's impossible to get to that number.
However there have been cases where developers got into trouble with not having enough variables due to specific design decisions (bad decisions in my opinion, but that is beside the point).

For example there was one person who decided to use variables to get every actor assigned with new skill values and new parameter values, because with variable he could do whatever he wanted.
And then he ended up with twenty variables needed for each single actor, and tried to make a game that had twohundred different actors.
As far as I know he never got it anywhere near to finish, but that would have used up 4000 variables just for actor values, just because he planned it that way instead of using plugins and keeping to a reasonable number of actors...

 

[Tiamat-86]

you can make 18hour game on handheld with 100switch/variable limit. so wouldnt worry about that to much. more likely to hit the 999 map limit but still only on very large projects.
but theres plugins to break all those limits.
wouldnt event think about a project that large until after done a few sample projects(2-5h) and 20hour projects

 

[ScorchedGround]

If you really are scared to hit either of these caps, also keep in mind that you can use variables as
pseudo-switches.
Basically set a variable to 0 for "switch off" and to 1 for "switch on"

I say this because in my experience its more likely you would hit the switch limit first and so you can recycle variables to use them for switches.

But as others have said, it is very unlikely to hit that limit, even if you don't use switches and variables as efficiently as possible.

My game has about 4 hours of gametime now and I am not even close to being concerned about switch and variable limits.

 

[akoniti]

If you really are scared to hit either of these caps, also keep in mind that you can use variables as
pseudo-switches.
Basically set a variable to 0 for "switch off" and to 1 for "switch on"

I say this because in my experience its more likely you would hit the switch limit first and so you can recycle variables to use them for switches.

Right out of the gate with MV I did just that by accident lol. Shortly after creating a pile of 0/1 variables, I discovered switches! Agreed, it typically takes more switches than variables to make a world work.

Ultimately I couldn't imagine ever hitting the 5K cap, and if I did I'd have to take a hard look at my design decisions as @Andar mentioned.