Disabling the Default Battle Menu

[thetruecoolness]

I was wondering if anyone knows of an easy way to not use the default battle menu. I would like to continue using the battle screen so I can use the enemy models in battle, and not have to use character models on the world map. I will basically be using a custom battle system that uses the default battle look, in which I would like to have my own custom menu in. Also the enemies would walk around on screen as character models and then when you touch one a turn based battle would ensue.

A way I have found to currently get around it is to use an event battle and turn off the default enter and exit scripts, and set constant win to be on. Then in Battle fade I call a script which will be the start of my battle. Of course I could also use this with a default battle by editing battle success script to call mine. The main drawback to this is I would be unable to use the scripts set up in any of the items, direct effects, indirect effects, and battle, so essentially I would have to make scripts to mimic all of those, which although I would be able to do this, once I really dive into the inner workings of the battle system, it would be a lot nicer to just use my menu system in the battle, and be able to invoke attack, and magic.

Through toying around with this I have found a fairly efficient solution for displaying items, and magic/skills, without the default menus (basically 3 at a time using the message box at the bottom.). The items listing would also allow someone to use a bag item during battle.

The main reason I want to do this is because I don't really like the default battle menu, and I would like for a person to be able to have two weapons, and choose which one to attack with each turn and each one takes a certain amount of AP, similar to a Xenosaga style battle. I know there is an easier way to do this through magic and such but I really would like to have menu options to use the two different attacks, or just have buttons map to each command, but still not have the default menu there.

So any help is appreciate, and I am happy to explain anything that is confusing in the post should any of it need clarification.

[Rodak]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

I am not yet advanced enough to do what you mention, but I may have a way to give the illusion of so doing.

Use the default menu, just change the command names in Game Settings: Custom: Menu Text. Then edit the direct effect for each "one handed" weapon to offer the option of using a second weapon (by calling the script for it's direct effect?). You'll need to make lots of contitions for all the variations, but it can be done. Editing other direct effects and scripts can modify the system dramatically.

Many people have gone much farther with this, but I am still struggling with debugging custom messages in the default battle system, so take that advice with a pillar of salt.

Peace.

[Dungeon Warden]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

I am heavily modifing the default battle system and can tell you that it is a lot of work. You seem to be on the right track, as modifing the default scripts is the way to go.

What I did was set up a menu system using traits. This allows the battle system to run "as is" and still allow customization. Actually, you don't need to use traits as you can set up each characters battle system under the advanced tab. I used traits so that my menu would come up during the characters turn; allowing the player to choose the characters actions in real time, instead of choosing all actions before each battle turn.

Although RPG Maker 2 allows for a lot of customization on the battle system (including allowing each character and enemy to have there own battle menus and actions), there is no command to bring up the item magic or skill menus. This means that if you are creating your own battle commands, you will need to set up your own menus as well. You can get around this by customizing the attack commands but allowing the other menu options to stay as it.

You can allow for two weapons by putting that option in the weapon scripts and battle formula. It will take a bit of work, but it can be done. You can put menus in any of the battle scripts although making those options work will require full knowledge of the battle commands, variables and flags. Check out my FAQ (it is under the Tutorial secton) for more information.

If you have a way to do it download my demo, Crown of Order, to see my battle system in action. I have sinced modified the battle system further, but the demo will give you an idea of how it can be done.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

Yeah those both sound like good ideas. I'm still fishing around the battle system and looking through the various scripts (and I am looking through your faq and printed it out). I think I'll try editing the various direct effects first and see how I like that, and if that doesn't work, take the long and hard path of making my own.

As a short question, which commands set Insti Member/Enemy, and Target Member/Enemy. I'm just wondering how to set up an attack without using the DBS menu in case I have to go that route.

[Dungeon Warden]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

As a short question, which commands set Insti Member/Enemy, and Target Member/Enemy. I'm just wondering how to set up an attack without using the DBS menu in case I have to go that route.

Insti Member/Enemy is set when it is that characters turn in battle. You have no control over this beyond setting Agility (or Attack Order) at the begining of the battle turn (attack order is based on Agility).

Target Member/Enemy is set by the target choice made in the Direct Effect editor. You need to run a Direct Effect in order to target someone.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

Ok well I think I will try the Trait idea since that seems to do what I want to do and I can still use direct effects and such. I think with the way I was doing it there would be no way to target the enemy, since the game thinks the battle is over, unless there is a script commant to call a direct effect but I didn't notice one. So traits seem to be the way to go for me.

Yeah this is pretty much exactly what I wanted to do, thanks for the help. i didn't realize the trait made the battle menu not come up and then you can highjack the trait script and use battle action to do all the things in the battle menu. This will save me a lot of time and hassle.

[Dungeon Warden]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

This will save me a lot of time and hassle.

You have no idea what you are in for. You can't just change a few scripts and have everything work the way you want to. Hijacking the battle system is a lot of work. I suppose I've made it easier for you with my FAQ, but you still have a lot of work ahead of you.

I look forward to seeing what you do with this idea. Two other people tried to use my idea of hijacking the battle system and gave up - well, not completely. One of them did succeed in altering the battle system, just not to the extent that I did. I wish you good luck on your project.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

Well I'm sure there are a lot of unexpected things, and it will probably take at least a week to pour through all the battle effects and scripts, and then another week or so to be able to use the script commands and variables correctly. I'm a fairly experienced programmer so I already have a good base for things like this, and have run into my fair share of fun things and other oddities in various languages. I also took an Operating System class and messed around with the Linux kernel with varing degrees of success. We made the 2.4 kernel scheduler look like the 2.6 scheduler, added in ACL (access control lists to files) and did a couple of other things, all on a PDA. Messing with the scheduler was fun, as debugging is quite a nightmare, as anytime you do something wrong in the scheduler the thing doesn't boot.

So yeah it will probably be a lot more difficult than it first seems but I'm up to the challenge. I've already made regular attack work, now I just have to figure out how to check for the persons secondary weapon, and add in AP. And I pretty much already have a way to display abilities, and items and make them useable, and defend was really easy to make work, though I think I'm going to change defend to double the characters evasion instead of adding to defense. So it will be a while but I think I will end up getting close to what I want.

[Dungeon Warden]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

One problem with debugging RPG Maker 2 is that some of the problems are caused by the system itself. Dispite the flexability to alter the battle system, some commands don't work right if used in an unusual way.

For example, I need to use Check Who Goes First in several battle scripts, but this messes up the battle order and some commands stop working correctly. I found the Change Back Active Member corrects this, but there are times this command came mess things up as well.

The point is that sometimes you can do everything right and it still doesn't work. The less you change the system, the better it will work. I guess I'm running into these problems because I'm pushing the battle system to do things it was never meant to do.

Attacking with two weapons is one of those things that goes against the battle system's design, so I suspect it will give you lots of problems. Use Add Thunder as an example of how to add an extra attack. Good Luck.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

Well I haven't tried it yet, but basically I'm going to try to set a flag somewhere as to whether the person has their secondary weapon on them or not. I'm going to try to make it so all normal items will only go into the bag, and a person will only be able to carry one secondary weapon or primary weapon at a time. Then in the attack part of the trait script I will see if they have the correct weapon available in their inventory, and then change the direct effect that is going to be applied accordinly. Hopefully in the next couple of days I will get this to work.

I have gotten AP to work correctly, and found out that putting a 2D cloud behind text makes it readable over any terrain, as one of the problems with the menu is some of the commands were hard to see on certain terrain (basically this is the easiest effect to make a background for visual effect text). Of course now I have to check for AP and will probably just not show commands that take more than the charcter has, as each command is a seperate effect since multiple 2D texts in one effect really slows things down. Also it seems battle variable 0 does not work for any character as I tried to use it for AP but it would not load or save it correctly. Battle Variable 1 worked fine though.

I also hope to make it so that a chracter can do more than one attack per turn if they have enough AP, but that will take a while.

Here is a screen shot of the current Battle Menu.

[WilliamKirk]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

Wow! That screen shot looks r e a l l y good (especially for not having used rpgm2 for that long). Please, even if you can't make the battle system exactly the way you want to, make at least a demo with what you succeed at making.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Disabling the Default Battle Menu

Well I'm not going to stop till I get something decent out of it, so once I finish, and get a MaxDrive, I'll definitly post a demo of it, or if I finish a lot sooner than expected I'll just make a short low quality video and find someone to host it.