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View Full Version : NPC Editor



idontknow
11-25-2004, 11:50 PM
Here's how what an NPC editor would look like & how NPCs would be implemented:

n the Quest->Misc drop down menus, add an option called "NPC Types"

-This calls up a new menu where you edit NPCs just as you would a dmap. A list of NPCs appears (possibly have like a maximum of 50 or something) By default, there is a list of numbers, but just as you would a dmap, you can edit an NPC to have a name by which it can be listed.

In the NPC editor, it would have the following Tabs:
General Info, Appearance, Movement, Special Behavior, Strings, and Misc Properties

In the General Info Tab, you can give the NPC a name that will appear in the NPC list, as well as other general information that may be needed.

In the Appearance Tab, you would select the first tile for the NPC and then type in its number of animation frames & animation speed like you would a regular combo. You could also check its walkability, as well as transparency (for ghost-like sprites)

In the Movement Tab, you would specify whether it walks around the screen, whether it paces up and down, or left and right, or if it flies on a layer, or if it follows link when he is on the screen, or if it simply just stands still.

In addition to movement pattern, you could change its movement speed, so you could make a sprite that slowly paces around, or the hurries around the screen--it'd be totally up to you!

In the Special Behavior Tab, you could make the NPC do the following:
-Steal Bombs: Put in a number (if 0, nothing will happen), and if greater than 0, Link will lose so many bombs after colliding with this sprite.
-Steal Rupees: Put in a number and this is how many rupees Link will lose upon colliding with the NPC.
-Steal Potion: A check box, if checked, Link will lose one potion.
-Projectile: A drop-down menu where you can select any of the enemy projectiles for the NPC to shoot at link.
-Projectile Speed: Enter in a variable for how fast the projectile will go.
-Approach: A check box, if checked, the Sprite will approach Link when Link is within a certain distance from him.
-Link Waits: A check box, can only be checked if the Approach box is checked; if both checked, then link will stand still when the sprite is approaching link--good for cutscenes!

In the Strings Tab, there will be a drop-down menu where you can select "No Trigger", "Trigger Automatically" or "Trigger Upon Pressing A". The Trigger Automatically option will trigger a string right when Link makes contact with the NPC. If Trigger Upon Pressing A is selected, link must also press the A button to trigger the string. Then you must also select the string from your list of strings. The string will disappear upon the player pressing A after the string has finishes.

In the Misc Properties Tab, you may choose to have the Sprite be "killable" and if so, how many HPs will it take to kill it (the number goes by how many wooden sword hits) More ideas for this tab will be coming soon...

To Place these NPCs then, you could have a new menu underneath "Tools" and then a list of all your NPCs (by default, simply has them as numbers 1 through 50, but if you name them, it'll show they're names) Then you can select which NPC you want to place. Then the cursor will turn into something that looks like a flag and you can then place your NPC like you would a flag. (And this way, you may also place a flag where an NPC might also be)