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Literally...

-and I do mean "literally" in the true sense of the word...

my jaw dropped when I saw that first photo. It really dropped right open. Not to the flor, but wide open, and that doesn't happen so often, even when I'm surprised by something. I had no idea the ice statue would be that amazing when I opened that link. Holy hell, that's impressive @_@

I'm going to bo so impressed if this works. Really, I may very well explode. Scooby, this sounds like a kind of game never seen before... I think you may have just invented a whole new genre!

Good luck with it, anyway ^_-

I can't speak from a police perspective (but I really agree with Darth on those points).

One other thing you have to consider is what would -you- do in such a situation? Some guy is standing near you with knife poised. You dont know what he's going to do, I mean... you REALLY don't. If you make the wrong decision, you could be stabbed and killed. All I know is that if anyone ever puts me in a situation like that, I won't be thinking one iota about the criminal's civil rights, or whether I could go to jail. If someone puts me in a situation that COULD be life threatening, I'll do whatever I can to MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE they can't do it. If that means shooting them (and not in the leg, because I'd miss, and it might not do the job anyway), or scratching their eyes out, or breaking their neck, I'll do it.

Sometimes, I think it's fine to take an action you -know- will work (or at least has a 99% chance of working) rather than trying something clever, classic american hero style that will disarm them but save their life.

I'm sure we all appreciate what all you mods do it there, Rich ^_^ I've wanted on occasion to start answering questions in the beginner's forum myself, only to find that apart from all the questions that had already been answered adequately, the rest were cases of people stating the same questions over and over.

I've had at look at the tech forum properly since starting this and all the posts except mine were pretty much answered and it was the case that it was just people not posting any new questions. So... perhaps people have started answering their own questions o_o I'm just the dumbass who still needs help.

Thanks for that. I can see now how it works with multiple characters ^_^ I'll assume for the moment until I get multiple characters working myself that it will display the different dmgreports for different characters...

["something"]

Thaaank you, Gilbot ^_^ I'll give your code a go right now. You picked the right number with 10, I've set that as a monster per room limit myself so that's perfect.

My biggest problem I think is that the concept of 'array's is still quite a mystery to me.

While I'm gonna try your code, I'll just post what I'd come up with myself (which I guess would only work for one character so... not much good).

Code: ags

function DisplaySpeechBackgroundAt(int charid, string message, int x, int y) {
Ã,  int overlay_id = DisplaySpeechBackground(charid, message);
Ã,  MoveOverlay(overlay_id, x, y);
}

function DamageChar (int charid) {
Ã,  buffy = DisplaySpeechBackgroundAt (EGO, dmgreport, character[charid].x, character[charid].y);
Ã,  MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y);
Ã,  }

Then in repeatedly execute:

Code: ags

if (IsOverlayValid(buffy)) {
Ã,  it = 0;
Ã,  it++
Ã,  
Ã,  if (it == 5) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-1);
Ã,  else if (it == 10) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-1);
Ã,  else if (it == 15) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-2);
Ã,  else if (it == 20) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-4);
Ã,  else if (it == 25) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-6);
Ã,  else if (it == 30) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-9);
Ã,  else if (it == 35) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-12);
Ã,  else if (it == 40) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid]x, character[charid].y-16);
Ã,  else if (it == 45) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-20);
Ã,  else if (it == 50) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-21);
Ã,  else if (it == 55) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-18);
Ã,  else if (it == 60) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-17);
Ã,  else if (it == 65) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-16);
Ã,  else if (it == 70) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-18);
Ã,  else if (it == 75) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-19);
Ã,  else if (it == 80) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-20);
Ã,  else if (it == 85) MoveOverlay (buffy, character[charid].x, character[charid].y-21);
Ã,  }

Right now, I can't even text it because I keep getting an error relating to "buffy = DisplaySpeechBackgroundAt (EGO, dmgreport, character[charid].x, character[charid].y);", telling my "dmgreport" is wrong and I must use string functions. No matter what I put in that slot, whether I use "something", or something, or even a number... it's always the same error message.

EDIT: Okay, tried your code. It seems to work fine, as far as I can tell. The only problem I can see is that the damage appears over the character's head for a quick moment before appearing at it's feet.

I'm gonna do something I hate and bump this. Seeing as there's absolutely no other currently running topic in this forum, I figure it won't be a problem, and I seem to have the only currently unsolved problem here.

Sorry everyone!

Yes, yes. Of course plenty of people post those questions that shouldn't be posted because they didn't bother going through the tutorial/manual. Some of us still have questions we need help with, despite reading the manual and knowing individual functions quite well.

Is it just me, or has there been a severe lack of activity in the beginner's/tech forums lately? Is it because fewer people are asking for help or are all the people who used to give help on these forums dead, or getting lives or something? Not that I'm demanding activity or anything, but it just seems to have been a sudden change that happened just about after the forums moved o_o

His dialogue sucks >_< It's just like listening to Kevin Smith's Live Journal.

Not the kind of games I'm thinking of, but thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a think about them ^_^

EDIT: Okay, had a think. I really need someone to tell me how to do this in detail. I'm not a scripting virtuoso and this is all still very confusing to me.

So, say I create a function like this:

Code: ags

function DamageChar (int charID) {
  int buffer;
  buffer = DisplaySpeechBackgroundAt (EGO, dmgreport, character[charID].x, character[charID].y);
  MoveOverlay (...);
  }

When a particular character is hit, the string "dmgreport" is created with the value inside. After that, say I have the line "DamageChar (MOLERAT);"

I know the code for moving the overlay needs to go in RepeatedlyExecute, using a system of a constantly increasing integer, and "When int = something, MoveOverlay (...)" etc

I don't know how to create a system where several different overlays can be on screen at once. starting and ending at slightly different times. Doesn't that "buffer" variable have to be generated for each character/hit differently? ie A different named variable each time?

I'm pretty lost here. Can someone please give me some specific help?

Blech! I can't STAND Kevin Smith or any of his stupid films ^_^

That's my two cents.

Well, now I remember why I was trying to do it the way I originally proposed. Your code seems to be working fine now, except that the reason I was using DisplaySpeechBackground. My game's usual speech is using Sieera style w/ background, so I need to use displaySpeechBackground to get the HP damage text as normal non-border text. Also, of course, that solves the problem of removal given that DisplaySpeechBackground now uses automatic removal.

So... back to square one, I guess. I should have been more specific, sorry.

So... I have DisplaySpeechBackground looking right, automatically being removed and with x and y positioning. I just need to be able to, while the text is on screen, keep it moving with the character it's attached to, and to, -if- possible, have it "drop" a few pixels once it appears, just for visual effect.

Radiant: That 'while' code apparently just keeps going and going and causes my game to crash.

poc: Uh yeah, but the problem I have is exactly like the line where you say, "...and then you report the damage", if you know what I mean.  THAT'S what I need help with. Whether it's a DisplaySpeechBackground, an overlay, or another character saying it... the 'what' isn't the problem, it's the 'how'.

I -am- thinking about overlays but... that's my problem. I'm still trying to think of exactly how to do it.

I'm trying to create a little text damage report that appears underneath said damaged character everytime it takes damage. Most people familiar with RPGs will get what I mean here...

Using this:

Code: ags

function DisplaySpeechBackgroundAt(int charid, string message, int x, int y) {
  int overlay_id = DisplaySpeechBackground(charid, message);
  MoveOverlay(overlay_id, x, y);
}

I've managed to get part of the way there, but there are still a couple of things I'd like to do and I'm not sure if they can be done. Say, I have character MOLERAT take damage. After calculating the damage into dmgreport, I'll use this line:

Code: ags

DisplaySpeechBackground (MOLERAT, dmgreport, character[MOLERAT].x, character[MOLERAT].y);

At the moment, this text appears over MOLERAT, and stays in that screen position even if MOLERAT moves elsewhere, until the text disappears. I'd like to be able to have that text sort of glued to MOLERAT so it's constantly checking MOLERAT's x and y positions, and ... being there.

Another thing I'd like to achieve (IF it's possible) is to have the text "fall" a little after it appears, which again means altering the y position of the overlay, WHILE still following the x and y of the character. I figure that if I can achieve the first thing, I can work out how to do the second.

Given that this is going to be a blanket code for all damage reports, I was thinking of creating a string or an int identifying the CHARID of the damaged character at the time of damage, and inserting that into all the required lines of code in the function. That way, I hope, the function will work seperately for multiple characters on screen at a time.

Can anyone offer any advice on this?

Scummbuddy: Sorry to correct you but I love that quote too

" You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel!"

I'm just DYING to use it one day when someone calls me while I'm in the shower.

Ahh, the desert temple? Then things are just about to get interesting ^_^ Do you have the Us version? Then you have to put up with "Dellltaaa Sttooorrrrmm" and such things, right? *shudders*

That game has a lot to offer for people who like playing games to their full. I spent easily 70 hours at the very least on it the first time around. I think...

My all time favourite would probably have to be Zelda - Link's Awakening on the Game Boy. That was just a beautiful game. Action RPGs in general work better then turn-based combat systems, I think.

I like both action and turn-based, but I have to agree... Zelda is just one damn good complete-feeling game. It's still one of my favourites. Hopefully, you'll be happy to hear that my game will be action-based.

By the way, I have this community to thank for leading me to the wonderful Terranigma (which I'd never even heard of). That game just kept surprising me from start to finish. Shame it's so insanely hard, though.

Oh, Paul. I'm SO happy to hear you found Terranigma. Isn't It wonderful? I think I should start up a church for Terranigma, I believe in it so strongly I'm still trying to get some of my friends to play it... stubborn bastards.

To this date, I've still never played one second of a Final Fantasy game after VI. As soon as it became 3D, I knew it was time to let Final Fantasy die for me. My favourite will always be FFIV... it's one of those games where the story really reaches me, and the game itself has so much depth while still being so simple. FF6 is also pretty good but 4 will always reign supreme for me ^_^

Los: I like your attitude! I hate people dismissing a whole genre just because they saw one or two games and didn't like them. Genre is a nice way of helping you find similar games to what you generally like, but I hate it when it stops people from experiencing an individual game's charm. Windwaker, for example, is what I consider to be one of, if not THE greatest game on the GameCube. It's not my personal, all-time, classic favourite but it's just a wonderful, wonderful game and so many people who have never liked RPGs before find themselves falling in love with that game - and with good reason!

If only Giftpia was translated and released overseas, I feel that game would break so many boundaries over here in the West. It can't be places into a genre, it's such a unique and fun game... ah well.

Has anyone played Skies of Arcadia? Even though the American dubbing is atrocious (I've played both US and Japanese versions so believe me, I can tell you the difference is huge), it's a REALLY great game. I was so skeptical of it at first because I still hated 3D at the time it came out, and it looked a little lame. It's actually got one of those big, almost Grim Fandango-like storylines that really envelopes you. I love it, personally. One of my favourite modern RPGs.

I've always thought a feature for people to look up all the games done by a particular person would be a good idea ^_^ Nice!