RTC Complex Mechanics

Questions about how to create your own dungeons and replacement graphics and sounds.

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BinaryMan
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Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:08 am

RTC Complex Mechanics

Post by BinaryMan »

I've been slowly learning the RTC editor from the examples (all the links to documentation on the stickies don't seem to work). It's a fine tool, but some things were not obvious until I played around with it. These are my observations and questions, so I can learn more.

* Some sounds work initially and then cause an error failing to load in the editor (they still work in the actual game test). This includes many sounds from the default sound library (not imported). Seems to be a minor problem with the sound module.

* The graphics/scaling confuses me (and still I'm not sure why the graphics are in separate lists, maybe for categories of objects?). For instance, you must import a bitmap with 6-scaling to use for creatures, but I don't know which tabs/lists are for which type of object. Small, medium, and large seem to be for organization only (does it affect anything else?). I figured out how to use position/offset, the transparency option, and adding transparency to the actual image with RGB(255, 0, 255) on my own. I'm not sure how to import an image for object icons yet.

* I'm having difficulty sometimes choosing the appropriate mechanic for some spells/attacks/methods. They both invoke an action, which may contain objects as parameters, but this is where documentation would have helped a lot in choosing the correct thing via a list/description of all base methods. It seems that you must prototype all new actions to a base action, but sometimes the behavior acts in unexpected ways.

* It took awhile to realize that relays weren't appearing in the edit list because you can only do them in walls, not on floor tiles.

* The menus for relay, action, and counter all have some similarities, but I would like to know how each one works. Looks like action is just a single triggered event by a relay, relay is a conditional trigger for multiple events/objects, a floor trigger activates from an object in the game environment, and the counter is a periodic timed event (am I right about all of these?)

* How do I change the location of [Party (entrance)] and [Party (import)]? It won't let me edit these like normal objects.

* How does spell strength affect the triggered events? For instance, I've tested that a "summoned" monster's HP is roughly proportional to the strength rune, but how does this relate to the default HP of the monster? I saw the relay example where the spell is relayed via its strength to create different effects; what is the exact strength of each power rune (to use 6 relays using the "strength equal to" condition for 6 different spell effects)? For instance, I could make 6 fireball strengths precisely, but if I link a spell directly to the spell trigger, I assume it will just add the power rune strength to the spell's power (less control).

* I will be trying to do conversations using that trick in the example where you manually invoke a menu of things to say (actions). Problem is you can walk away and the menu is still there; can you close the menu using a scripted event to prevent this?

* Can you make NPCs move from one place to another without it looking like a teleport (maybe counters/teleport single spaces)?

* How does the tab/category of an attack method affect anything (party, monster, spell, etc)? I'm having trouble sometimes putting newly created methods/objects/graphics in the right area for use in another menu/function.

* Anyone know the heirarchy of objects or relationships used in the program to make it easier to understand what to use? Lists/descriptions of the usage of all the base methods? It's complex, but also very powerful. I'm sure it's still much faster than doing it by hand, so I like this tool :)
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beowuuf
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Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Post by beowuuf »

Welcome to the foums!

Only have time to quickly answer some, someone else will hopefully be along short;ly!

- the main game info lets you edit party entrance and import info, what's in the dungeon is just a graphical rep of this, not a hook to edit it by

- there is an 'action_close_menu somewhere to automatically close menu options I believe, trigger it all aroudn the NPC

- the centry example does show how to put monsters on a path, you might be able to do soemthign with randomly swapping over monsters with different paths assigned to create better movement?
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