Quick Damage Formula Button Suggestions!

[Archeia]

Alright! VXAce had a very handy feature called Quick Damage Setting. Unfortunately as we all know, MV doesn't have this feature.


Since I want to pitch its return, I would need the community's help in what you guys want to be in it! Is there anyway we can improve upon this feature and make it more usable? In VXAce, this is what it looks like right now:

In my opinion, it's very bare and while it does its job well, needs more expansion.


Here are some of my ideas, feel free to expand on it or tell me why it's a bad idea~

• Let's add a reference list. for example a.atk, etc. This way the user doesn't have to search the helpfile (which has no search function right now and is barebones in documentation) or look at the code.
   
  
• Add conditions. In case your formula needs a switch/variable/state check.
  

This is all I can think of right now. But I encourage everyone to pitch in and make our damage formula making easier

 

[Uzuki]

How about a testing function? Say we make the formula a.atk - b.def in put it in a testing box. So when we put in numbers like, 12 - 6, we'll get the solution 4. Basically a calculation button. Would that be possible? 

 

[Archeia]

I did thought about that too, but you would have to set an actor an enemy to do that.


As much as possible we want to put less strain on the editor. It's not as strong or as fast as its C counterparts.

 

[EternalShadow]

A simpler way to implement the above would simply be to manually input values for testing, rather than a direct enemy/battler (because such calculations for the latter are best done during gameplay itself, though a quick check of damage vs say, 40 def, would be nice)

 

[TheGamedawg]

Yes!  This is one of those small things I would like to see return too.


I agree with a few of the people here so far.  The ability to maybe set a couple parameters on the spot and test them would really help out.  It would certainly be a lot less tedious than closing menu, making a test enemy that only does that move, setting up a troop of only that enemy, set up the level you want yourself to test at, and then test it.  Being able to click a button a few times and get a result would be a lot less redundant.


The ability to change the formula depending on certain parameters would be really interesting.  Like say an "if statement" where you can put a second formula if a certain condition is met, such as if the target has a certain status ailment.  That does seem rather technical though and may be better for plugins.

 

[Archeia]

Yes!  This is one of those small things I would like to see return too.


I agree with a few of the people here so far.  The ability to maybe set a couple parameters on the spot and test them would really help out.

I really hate doing this but I have to. We cannot do a simulated damage formula because there's a possibility that the database could crash when you are doing it, especially really fast. MV isn't as strong C created programs like Ace


Usually stuff like that is better with an external program using Excel. We need to remember the expansion of quick damage is to make it easier to make damage formulas to what you want.

 

[Andar]

• An option to select a variable number instead of a fixed number. The result would be something like a.atk*$game_variables[set number] instead of the a.atk*(set number)
  
• allow independend numbers for b.def and b.mdf instead of a single checkbox "ignore defense"
  

 

[kaine]

• An option to select a variable number instead of a fixed number. The result would be something like a.atk*$game_variables[set number] instead of the a.atk*(set number)
  
• allow independend numbers for b.def and b.mdf instead of a single checkbox "ignore defense"
  

good idea!

 

[lohenien]

The ability to include things other than just attack and defense (ie luck and agility as well) would be a good thing.

 

[Subzero Dragon]

There is a way to use things other than attack and defense already. In my game, many skills use agility as a calculating factor instead of attack ( a.agi * 2 - b.def for instance). The main thing I'd like to see, is a simple code to use a variable in calculations, similar to what Andar said. (ex. <var_01> - b.def) I'm fairly sure there was a way to do this in VX Ace, but it involved more complex calculation code If I remember correctly. Another thing I'd like to see is slightly more support for grouping. For example, the formula: (a.mhp  + (a.hp  - a.mp) * 2) - b.mdf will mot calculate correctly at all.

 

[stupid enough to like FF13]

I've never used the "Quick..." button because I had no idea how it worked, even with hovering over the tooltips. But having poked around with it (and, to be honest, seeing how painfully limited it is), my main suggestion would be to give more control in how defense stats factor in. VX Ace's only does "a.atk * 2x - b.def * x". Give the option to have separate multipliers on attack and defense stats, or support for different types of damage formulas rather than simple subtraction.

 

[Solis]

The ability to include things other than just attack and defense (ie luck and agility as well) would be a good thing.

You already can 0.o

 

[Archeia]

You already can 0.o

You can but you have to know the formula syntax to do so. The default Quick Setting button can be seen on the op

 

[Solis]

You can but you have to know the formula syntax to do so. The default Quick Setting button can be seen on the op

Oh. I see what he means. my bad . 

 

[NeoPGX]

Why the heck was this feature even removed in the first place is what I want to know. I hate it when developers remove useful features from a newer version of software and this feature sounds especially useful. Isn't RPG Maker MV meant to be "Simple enough for a child" while also being powerful enough for a developer? The removal of this feature in the first place seems to make it less "Simple enough for a child".

I didn't even realize it's missing until I saw this topic.

 

[Archeia]

Because MV was rewritten from scratch to a new framework. So some features are missing.

 

[NeoPGX]

Because MV was rewritten from scratch to a new framework. So some features are missing.

Mainly because it switched from RGSS to Javascript right?

Anyway most of what I said earlier was just me ranting and raving. I really need to cut that crap out.

 

[Victor Sant]

Mainly because it switched from RGSS to Javascript right?

Anyway most of what I said earlier was just me ranting and raving. I really need to cut that crap out.

Not only that, they could have keep the editor in C and make the script system in javascript. They had to re-do the editor from scratch to make it usable on Mac.

 

[NeoPGX]

Not only that, they could have keep the editor in C and make the script system in javascript. They had to re-do the editor from scratch to make it usable on Mac.

What coding does the editor use now if it isn't in C?

 

[Andar]

Another idea I just had, I hope it's not too late to add that option:

• Add state to user - should result in added code like a.add_state(number); in front of the damage formula
  

That is probably the single most often asked for option in the coding topics for the damage formula, and it would be easy to add the code for that in front of the regular damage formula if a box with the state ID contains something other than zero.