Shadow Partner

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Started by Kaliya 104 posts Page 3 of 6 View original ↗
  1. lonewolph
    #41 Source
    if you could add the shadows on the layer below the character, thats all. Everything else looks covered!
  2. Kaliya
    #42 Source
    lonewolph said:
    if you could add the shadows on the layer below the character, thats all. Everything else looks covered!
    This was already planned :)
  3. Roguedeus
    #43 Source
    I really REALLY like the way that shadows are currently handled... Is there a way I can convince you to keep that as the primary mechanic/feature? (If not, can you maintain a core version as is, and add a plugin that changes it to this new way?)

    Each shadow takes one hit. It is very intuitive that the level of protection is displayed by the number of shadows rather than a floating variable over their head (or whatever).

    ...

    I don't mean to suggest you haven't considered these points, only mentioning them in the slim chance you haven't:

    If its a matter of adding multiple hits to shadows... If your shadows can absorb 6 hits and they are set to 2 per shadow, you'd have 3 shadows. (rather than one shadow with a number 5 over its head)

    If its a matter of multiple shadows being a pain to follow the player around. You can add an option to enable mimicking action rather than make it the rule. Personally I don't care that the shadows stand still while the player performs an action. It actually sort of makes sense... The real actor is the one hitting things. But when the actor is with their shadows, they simply blend in.

    I can only imagine how difficult it is, in the first place to make this plugin, as I have never tried working with graphics. I am curious how complicated it is to treat each shadow like a separate actor for the sake of movement. If the shadows must mimic the player in every way, cant the shadows and the player converge on their target and retract separately to their origins, or possibly slightly randomize origins?

    I don't mean to over complicate this. I am actually hoping you'll just keep the current functionality, but add the new features like regenerating shadows and the like. Rather than totally remake it.
  4. Kaliya
    #44 Source
    I could probably work it in so that a state can have multiple shadows as you say, but if I were to do it.  I would end up making it so that you could only have that 1 state. The only reason for that ultimately comes down to again, if you have 5 states, each with 3 shadows, that is 15 shadows on screen. Some of those shadows won't even appear on screen, simply due to the shear amount. If that is okay, than yeah I can make it happen. In regards to the shadows standing still it will also be an option to turn off in the parameters. It won't be per shadow basis, at least for the time being just due to the fact that currently there is no way to get the state of the sprite itself.
  5. Roguedeus
    #45 Source
    In your shield plugin, you have the state with the highest priority take damage first. Is it possible that only the highest priority state draws its shadows and loses them first?

    edit:

    Possibly adding a HP bar to the state icon showing if it has all its shadows or not.
  6. Nohmaan
    #46 Source
    Roguedeus said:
    I really REALLY like the way that shadows are currently handled... Is there a way I can convince you to keep that as the primary mechanic/feature? (If not, can you maintain a core version as is, and add a plugin that changes it to this new way?)

    Each shadow takes one hit. It is very intuitive that the level of protection is displayed by the number of shadows rather than a floating variable over their head (or whatever).

    ...

    I don't mean to suggest you haven't considered these points, only mentioning them in the slim chance you haven't:

    If its a matter of adding multiple hits to shadows... If your shadows can absorb 6 hits and they are set to 2 per shadow, you'd have 3 shadows. (rather than one shadow with a number 5 over its head)

    If its a matter of multiple shadows being a pain to follow the player around. You can add an option to enable mimicking action rather than make it the rule. Personally I don't care that the shadows stand still while the player performs an action. It actually sort of makes sense... The real actor is the one hitting things. But when the actor is with their shadows, they simply blend in.

    I can only imagine how difficult it is, in the first place to make this plugin, as I have never tried working with graphics. I am curious how complicated it is to treat each shadow like a separate actor for the sake of movement. If the shadows must mimic the player in every way, cant the shadows and the player converge on their target and retract separately to their origins, or possibly slightly randomize origins?

    I don't mean to over complicate this. I am actually hoping you'll just keep the current functionality, but add the new features like regenerating shadows and the like. Rather than totally remake it.
    I agree, since I only planned on having 1 shadow state active at a time (again, if you had too many the game is probably not balanced well).  Perhaps if you release an updated version you can make it 'Advanced Shadow States' and leave this one floating around?  I also agree entirely with that point about the shadows staying put-- I don't care if they move or not.  They are there to absorb attacks and if they move with the actor or not isn't important to me.

    Otherwise what Roguedeus suggested would be good (to assign multiple hits per shadow) and perhaps display that with the Shield State mechanic's HP bar representing the number of shadows left.  But the visual effect was perfect and exactly what I expected.
  7. Kaliya
    #47 Source
    I will probably make two separate versions of the plugin, I don't mind. I do this for fun, so its just nice to see people using them lol. I can't guarantee that they will be able to have the same feature set completely, because currently the rendering for the shadows is not designed for more than 1 shadow per state. I'll be able to add regeneration though as previously requested.
  8. Roguedeus
    #48 Source
    I hope I don't come across as pushy or demanding... I only get this excited about something when I genuinely like it. Or in this case, LOVE IT.

    Your plugins exceed ALL my expectations. :) If you simply walked away and all I had was whats already done, you'd still have my deepest thanks!
  9. Kaliya
    #49 Source
    Haha no, no its okay. As I said this is for fun for me, so whatever I can do to help make someones game be made is nice.
  10. Kaliya
    #50 Source
    I'm not entirely ready to call it "released" yet, however I can call it "BETA". Here is the new and improved Shadow Partner Plugin.

    Video:

    http://youtu.be/dl4fU8_gFgo

    Please note that I made this video somewhat into the process, and that it was more to show off the new movement and such than actual "protection". In the video the shadow is a persistent (passive) shadow type (even though I made them get it via skills). It is set to restore a shadow at the end of every turn, and when the amount of shadows does reach 0 and sometimes falls into the negatives and no damage done has been fixed, however the displaying of the shadow still has not, and that will remain in this version till I fix the bug before i move out of "BETA".

    Due to me calling it "BETA" there is obviously some bugs, some missing features, etc. The known issues are listed in the plugin help.

    Also in the plugin help is a detail help guide on how to create shadows in this version.

    So if you are interested in trying the new version, and giving me feedback/bug reports you can get it here: https://bitbucket.org/liquidize/anima-framework/raw/c81f7f2b96f04fa71701f36f0208ac2e10d86ea7/ShadowPartnerRewrite/Anima_ShadowPartnerRewrite.js

    For those looking for the old version style of drawing the shadows, I should have that version possibly tomorrow -  I needed to complete the basics of this one so I can just use this as a base and rewrite the rendering/handling of the shadows outside of the actual protection logic. I would make it an all in one plugin, but would rather not make the plugin a mess.

    Please do give me feed back and bug reports!

    P.S: I apologies for my horrid grammar, i shouldn't write these things after a long day and at 3am haha.
  11. SirCumferance
    #51 Source
    I likes it, the pure black is nice and how it follows. Is there an option for it to be in front?
  12. Kaliya
    #52 Source
    Not at this moment no.
  13. SirCumferance
    #53 Source
    Ah, no worries, I will probably try and tweak the X and slide it around, see if it works
  14. Rex Tenebris
    #54 Source
    Just seen the updated video, amazing!

    I guess that the pure black was a set tint with the notetag, but it is possible to choice the transparency of the tint?

    Also, what about add an "aftereffect"?  I don't know how is called exactly that effect, I seen it on Victor's Saint Animated Battle for VXAce and on one script of Source but for the map scene.

    I mean, these kinds of effects:



    (From Source).

    Would be really awesome to see that effect on the shadow partner while is standing and is extended while the actor moves.
  15. Kaliya
    #55 Source
    There is an opacity tag that you can use to change the transparency level of the shadow(s).

    In regards to the after effect thing, maybe I don't know. I want to finish all the main features of this for now and stabilize it.

    Here is an updated version of the BETA: https://bitbucket.org/liquidize/anima-framework/raw/49de56f60bd9e5f4a69f24402e4793b3891a8ed4/ShadowPartnerRewrite/Anima_ShadowPartnerRewrite.js

    Changes:

    - Added "Shadow Count: true/false" attribute to enable or disable the old style of rendering shadows (as requested).

    - Fixed some issues with displaying shadows

    - Changed how shadows were added

    - Fixed some issues with persistent shadows.
  16. Roguedeus
    #56 Source
    The beta plugin is causing my test to hang indefinitely upon startup. Just a black screen... Isolating it now. :)

    edit:

    It does hang on a clean project... But only after a state is assigned note tags.

    Here is the test note tag.

    Code:
    <Shadow Partner>Hits: 1Tint: #ccccccTypes: physical,magicShadow Elements: 1Shadow Opacity: 100Dont Mimic: trueShadow Count: true</Shadow Partner>
  18. Roguedeus
    #58 Source
    Somethings not right here... :D

    (First round... 2 misses, 1 hit... took full damage even when guarding)

    In that screen this note tag:

    <Shadow Partner>Hits: 1Tint: #ccccccTypes: physical,magicShadow Elements: 1Shadow Opacity: 100Dont Mimic: trueShadow Count: true</Shadow Partner> Is generating 3 shadows not 1.

    Is not blocking physical damage.

    Is not losing shadows when hit.
  19. Kaliya
    #59 Source
    It is working just fine for me, ill try to explain your note tag setup real quick:

    <Shadow Partner>

    Hits: 1 - Make 1 shadow (you are correct, there is more than 1, the default is 3. Meaning that it isn't parsing this tag, i'll fix that. Try one of the alternatives to this for the time being :( )

    Tint: #cccccc - Makes tint....

    Types: physical,magic - Shadow will protect from PHYSICAL OR MAGICAL attackers IF (see below)

    Shadow Elements: 1 -  the attack element is ID 1 (check this!)

    Shadow Opacity: 100 - Makes opacity...

    Dont Mimic: true - no mimic 

    Shadow Count: true - makes shadows per the amount of hits

    </Shadow Partner>

    Make sure the attack element is set to be one of the elements in "Shadow Elements", in this case the element with ID 1. If you want it to protect from ALL elements, set it to be 100.

    Picture that it works :o :

    Spoiler
    lzuWr.jpg
  20. Roguedeus
    #60 Source
    I appreciate your explaining the note tag. Your documentation is very clear though. Better than most plugin documentation!

    The attacks in my testing are all 'normal' element base attacks. Each enemy is set for physical ID:1 element.

    15_1126_shadowIssues_2.PNG

    (If you are saying that every ability must be assigned an element explicitly, thats going to break a lot of stuff)