Skill section: how do I make the skill message specify the target?

[BlossomStudios]

I'm trying to make a skill called Bite, where the message that displays when it is used is, "[User] takes a big bite out of [target]!" But I am very new to RPGMaker and I do not know what I need to type to get it to specify the target's name when the skill is performed in battle.

In my below picture, I am using B as the placeholder in the message.


I'm hoping this will be a simple question to answer. Any help is appreciated, thank you!

 

[ic1025]

Nvm, my suggestion didn't work

 

[ATT_Turan]

You can't just type something, you need a plugin. If you do a Google for it, there are a few posts on here that have provided this functionality.

If you can't find one that does what you want, please provide links to what you tried and how it didn't work for you.

 

[kyonides]

Ehem, here's my solution to your humble request.
EDIT: I have published the Full version on the corresponding subforum.

//===========================================
// * KMessageTargetMV.js
//===========================================
/*:
 * @plugindesc This plugin will let you add the enemy's name to a skill's
 * action message by using a tag or wildcard.
 * @author Kyonides Arkanthes
 * @help Date: 2023-01-30
 * # * Free as in beer. * #
 * The regular expression or regex is %e by default.
*/

function KMessageTarget() {
  throw new Error('This is a static class');
}

KMessageTarget.regex = /%e/i;

Window_BattleLog.prototype.displaySkillTargets = function(subject, item, targets) {
  let target = 0;
  let msg = "";
  for (var i = 0; i < targets.length; i++) {
    target = targets[i];
    if (item.message1) {
      msg = subject.name() + item.message1.format(item.name);
      msg = msg.replace(KMessageTarget.regex, target.name());
      this.push('addText', msg);
    }
    if (item.message2) {
      this.push('addText', item.message2.format(item.name));
    }
  }
}

const KMessageTarget_win_btl_log_displayAction = Window_BattleLog.prototype.displayAction;

Window_BattleLog.prototype.displayAction = function(subject, item, targets) {
  if (DataManager.isSkill(item)) {
    this.displaySkillTargets(subject, item, targets);
  } else {
    KMessageTarget_win_btl_log_displayAction.call(subject, item);
  }
};

Window_BattleLog.prototype.startAction = function(subject, action, targets) {
  let item = action.item();
  this.push('performActionStart', subject, action);
  this.push('waitForMovement');
  this.push('performAction', subject, action);
  this.push('showAnimation', subject, targets.clone(), item.animationId);
  this.displayAction(subject, item, targets);
};

 

[BlossomStudios]

Ehem, here's my solution to your humble request.

//===========================================
// * KMessageTargetMV.js
//===========================================
/*:
 * @plugindesc This plugin will let you add the enemy's name to a skill's
 * action message by using a tag or wildcard.
 * @author Kyonides Arkanthes
 * @help Date: 2023-01-30
 * # * Free as in beer. * #
 * The regular expression or regex is %e by default.
*/

function KMessageTarget() {
  throw new Error('This is a static class');
}

KMessageTarget.regex = /%e/i;

Window_BattleLog.prototype.displaySkillTargets = function(subject, item, targets) {
  let target = 0;
  let msg = "";
  for (var i = 0; i < targets.length; i++) {
    target = targets[i];
    if (item.message1) {
      msg = subject.name() + item.message1.format(item.name);
      msg = msg.replace(KMessageTarget.regex, target.name());
      this.push('addText', msg);
    }
    if (item.message2) {
      this.push('addText', item.message2.format(item.name));
    }
  }
}

const KMessageTarget_win_btl_log_displayAction = Window_BattleLog.prototype.displayAction;

Window_BattleLog.prototype.displayAction = function(subject, item, targets) {
  if (DataManager.isSkill(item)) {
    this.displaySkillTargets(subject, item, targets);
  } else {
    KMessageTarget_win_btl_log_displayAction.call(subject, item);
  }
};

Window_BattleLog.prototype.startAction = function(subject, action, targets) {
  let item = action.item();
  this.push('performActionStart', subject, action);
  this.push('waitForMovement');
  this.push('performAction', subject, action);
  this.push('showAnimation', subject, targets.clone(), item.animationId);
  this.displayAction(subject, item, targets);
};

Oh my goodness, thank you so very much! I just thought there might be something I could type in that I didn't know about--I didn't realize it would require a plugin and definitely didn't expect someone to go so far as to make one to help me. You're very kind; thank you SO much!

 

[kyonides]

Oh my goodness, thank you so very much! I just thought there might be something I could type in that I didn't know about--I didn't realize it would require a plugin and definitely didn't expect someone to go so far as to make one to help me. You're very kind; thank you SO much!

You're partially right, there was the %2 wildcard BUT you still needed a plugin to implement the string replacement process. Anyway, using %a and %e seems to sound more natural to average people IMHO.

Probably, you haven't noticed this, but that version is the Simple one. I've posted the other version , the Full one, on a separate thread in the JS Plugins Releases (MV) subforum.

 

[BlossomStudios]

You're right; I hadn't noticed. Thanks for letting me know!