Really odd Glitch

[NPC Thad]

This topic will be both my first inquiry to any advanced(at least more so than I am) users of RPGMaker and my own introduction around here.

I'd like to apologize in advance for the unprofessional nature of this first post(I'm sure if and once the problem is resolved it will be moved elsewhere, so maybe it won't be much of an eyesore then.)

Anyway, onto the problem.

I've been working for a while on my game for the Indie Game Maker contest(all 18 days thus far) and so far it has been a breeze. Collecting scripts that work, making recourses and eventing.

Only today have I run into an odd problem that I can't seem to remedy on my own.

This problem has to deal with simple boulder moving eveting. 

When moving the boulder now the character will get stuck facing the right, and will even move around backwards from then on. The character is then unable to interact with anything else on the map and is just sort of broken.

This is extremely odd considering this problem didn't exist earlier for the very same event and seems to have varrying results. I playtest it over and over again and it doesn't always result in this problem, maybe just a little over half

Now this wouldn't be an issue had the glitch been caught earlier on, but for days it hasn't presented itself as a problem until now.

I don't believe it is being caused by any scripts as these scripts have been implemented the same way the entire time.

The method of pushing and pulling is from: http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/27322-intermediate-how-to-make-pushable-and-pullable-objects/

 

[Kes]

Could you post a screenshot of your event, the full page, not just the commands section.  If there are multiple pages could you post them all.

Do you have other events on that map with any sort of move command that might be interfering with this one?  Anything on a parallel process?

 

[NPC Thad]

I have plenty of events with move commands, and a number of events with parallel processes.
Could that have something to do with it?  I mean, it didn't become an issue until I added a fourth parallel process event. Is there a maximum number that RPG Maker VX can handle and or keep track of?


Here are my images:

 

[Shaz]

It's a very complicated event. Why are you using all the scripts, and why are you setting direction fix on the player? I'm about 99% sure that your Direction Fix commands are what's causing it. I don't see any reason to have them.


In fact, I'm 100% certain of it. You say to skip the move route if it can't complete, and turning ON direction fix will ALWAYS succeed, but the MOVE after it may not succeed, and if it doesn't, turning OFF direction fix will be skipped.


I would either rethink the need to do it that way, or explain why you're doing it that way and see if we can help you come up with a better solution.


I'm also not sure why you would want to put all of that into a loop. If the C button is being pressed, the event will trigger. If it's not, the event won't trigger. You don't need to have a loop that continually checks if the C button is being pressed, when your trigger is Action Button.

 

[NPC Thad]

My reasoning is simply: "That's how the tutorial did it."
I probably should have put more of my own thought behind it, but instead I copied and pasted pretty much the method used here: http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/27322-intermediate-how-to-make-pushable-and-pullable-objects/

Maybe this method is flawed by design?

 

[Shaz]

Yeah, it could be.


Maybe if you just do a Set Move Route on the player and turn Direction Fix OFF right at the end of the event, after all the conditional branches, it will solve your current problem.


However, I still think it's a long way to go about it. I've posted in the other thread to see if I can find out why it's done this way. Once he replies, I'll either have a better understanding, or be able to figure out how to do it more easily

 

[NPC Thad]

Thank you so much for the help. : ] It looks as though it is working with Direction Fix OFF being added to the end of the tree....but it has been pretty inconsistent, so I won't say the problem is 100 percent solved until we hear from the other thread.


Thanks so much for the help thus far.

 

[Shaz]

Okay, I'll go ahead and lock this then, and if it does happen again, just report the thread and ask for it to be unlocked


This thread is being closed, due to being solved. If for some reason you would like this thread re-opened, please report this post and leave a message why. Thank you.

 

[Andar]

Opened at OP request

 

[NPC Thad]

Okay, I had the thread opened back up again.  I felt it'd be neater to continue talking about the problem and a similar problem here instead of starting a new thread for it.

I assumed that the problem would occur again and it did. 
It happens at random intervals and there doesn't seem to be one thing that instigates it.

This time something appers to be blocking the boulder event and preventing it from moving.

This is odd because the exact same event is going on just above it with a similar process and works fine.

Furthermore, I'm running these events in another RPG Maker VX project and the problem isn't occuring there at all.

This has led me to a lot of confusion as it can't be something inside of the eventing, cause it works elsewhere. I've implemented the scripts from the glitched RPG Maker VX Ace and the problem doesn't occur, but it continues to occur 3 out of 5 times in the master project I started.  Is it possible that this is just a glitch with no get around? Or is there possibly something amiss somewhere in my game?

I will post screenshots if the breakdown of my problem didn't make sense.
Screenshots


In my project the boulder will not go over the 'pit' like 3 out of 5 times, but will randomly function correctly once or twice every so often..
In the "regular" project the problem never happens.


Here is the eventing:


 

 

[Andar]

OK, here is the most important advice in all such cases:


Allways name your switches and variables, and whenever you add a script check it for variable or switch configurations.


The long page of the first event shows that you're using switch 0002 without having named it - bad mistake.


And keep in mind that there is no randomness in the computer - it simply doesn't exist. Whenever something appears to be random, that only means that there is an effect added that you have not yet checked.


And in the case of switches and variables that usually means that the same switch or variable is used and changed at a different place in addition to the events where you are currently controlling it. This could be other map events on the same map, common events in the database or scripts - and you need to check where that might be.


Make a list of all switches and variables used in these events, and then check all other events, the database and the added custom scripts for where else the same numbers for variables or switches are used.

 

[NPC Thad]

Wait, I didn't name a switch? 0-o

All of the switches being used in the event are named ( Boulder 2, X and Y. Pit 2, etc)
Unless the reference is being made to the switch being used in the conditional branch...yeah, that is the switch you're referring to.  That switch isn't be used for eventing at all.

It is being used in conjuction with the push and pull system here: http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/27322-intermediate-how-to-make-pushable-and-pullable-objects/ 
To be honest I didn't even know that was effecting or messing with any of my switches.  The first 9 switches are blank as I wasn't planning on using them until much later on. I assure you I've been naming all of my switches and variables thus far.

Maybe the script call: $game_switches[2] = $game_map.check_passage(@x,@y,@passable)  But even that doesn't make sense as I have upwards 20 other boulder events running on the same eventing, but the problem is only occuring with this one every third or forth time. And the oddest part is that not much is being done.  I start up the game and go right to moving it. Other times I've tried interacting with other boulder events and then going back.

And the oddest part is that it functions in other RPGMaker VX ace projects. 

The same(or at least, radicallly similar events) fucntion just fine as well. They all have the same conditioanl branch of needing Switch 2 running. There is no difference between any of them. So if the process is the same thorughout what is causing the single hiccup with this event. 

 

[Andar]

That switch isn't be used for eventing at all.

It doesn't matter what the switch is used for - the name is the signal for yourself that that variable or switch has been used somewhere, and that is the reason why you need it: to be able to see that the switch has been used somewhere before and that you can't use it again.

And the oddest part is that it functions in other RPGMaker VX ace projects.

That is not odd, that is the proof that something else in this project is changing some of the values you assumed as unchanged.
Have you done what I suggested? Made a list of the used switches and variables and checked every event, the database and the scripts to find where else they're used?


I guarantee you that there is something affecting the events variables and switches if it wasn't the map block discussed farther above, and you have to search for that.

 

[Shaz]

Galenmereth has taken a look at these issues and found some issues with the tutorial. He said he's rewritten it, so you might want to check out his changes and apply them, and see if that resolves your problem.


Of course, that's all apart from Andar's mentioning the possibility of using switches or variables for different things due to not naming them or not fully checking scripts you import. Those things could still be a problem.

 

[NPC Thad]

It doesn't matter what the switch is used for - the name is the signal for yourself that that variable or switch has been used somewhere, and that is the reason why you need it: to be able to see that the switch has been used somewhere before and that you can't use it again.

That is not odd, that is the proof that something else in this project is changing some of the values you assumed as unchanged.

Have you done what I suggested? Made a list of the used switches and variables and checked every event, the database and the scripts to find where else they're used?

I guarantee you that there is something affecting the events variables and switches if it wasn't the map block discussed farther above, and you have to search for that.

Yup, I did as advised and went through all my events and scripts. I got rid of any script that involved switches.

Got rid of other events with similar functions.

The problem persist and still every so often. It isn't very consistent and doing one thing doesn't seem to trigger it.

It just happens every other time.

 

[Shaz]

If you want to load up your project, someone might be able to take a look at it.


However, either place one map only in the project, or put the starting spot in the correct position on that map, and get rid of ANYTHING that is going to make it difficult or annoying to test (ie the darkened screen). Set it up so someone can download your project, hit play, then start pushing and pulling bounders around immediately.

 

[NPC Thad]

Here is a test project with a good chunk of non boulder based events removed.

Test.zip