Singular Flags

[Joe123]

Can someone please explain exactly, leaving out no details how these are supposed to work, what they are meant to do and how they are used please?

Because either I'm being decieved by a too-good-to-be-true feature, or I'm doing something wrong, or it's just a bug.


On my screen I want to have some bushes that you burn that are on singular that don't affect
A flag 16 which you activate via RSC.
So I had the singular flag on the bushes, which works fine, and the Flag 16 doesn't activate.
Then when you leave the screen and return, it's been activated.

I tried putting the singular+ 16-32 flag on flag 16, which did nothing

I tried putting it on the bushes, which then activated the flag 16, although they burnt on their own

I tried putting in on both

I tried putting the normal singular flag on the flag 16 and the 16-32 singular flag on the bushes.

AND if I burn one of the normal singular flags placed on a burn flag, then leave the screen and re-enter, all of them are burnt, and the flag 16 is also triggered.

[Joe123]

Hello? I really need to know this....

[Russ]

I think pmnfrk's website has a tutorial on it. I believe the website is zctut.com. Check his signature.

[C-Dawg]

Here's your answer: SELECT THE "SECRETS ARE TEMPORARY" SCREEN FLAG.

If you activate any singular flag, the game still registers secrets as being triggered. So just make secrets temporary and the problem is solved.

[pkmnfrk]

http://zctut.com/singular.php - Everything you need to know about singular flags, including step-by-step instructions, and demos

[Joe123]

Pkmnfrk: I've already looked at that (russadwan posted it if you check) and I've already tried it set up like that.

CDawg: I want to have 3 singular burn flags (preferably permanent but that's not essential) and I NEED to have a flag 16 that changes via RSC and is permanent. Is this possible with the system's current limitations? Do I need to look into scripting?

[ShadowMancer]

Yeah, that sounds like a scripting project to me. My comp is down at the moment (on my g/f's Mac :computer: ) but when my PC is up I can help you out if you still need it.

[Joe123]

yeahhh, I do. I might have a go myself (which will probably fail miserably) and when I've got past worry about that, then can you help me out? :)

This wouldn't be for a while though, I'm caught up in side-side-projects at the moment.

[ShadowMancer]

Well my comp is back mostly, I lost most everything from a most EVIL! virus, I probley won't be doing any serious ZQ work until the 8th (my next day off). This should be simple enough to script, I am thinking of two possible ways to script this, one involves replaceing any fire weapons with FFC weapons and then it is very simple to make any flag react any way you want it to.

So I had the singular flag on the bushes, which works fine, and the Flag 16 doesn't activate.
Then when you leave the screen and return, it's been activated.
Now that I look back, if this is they way it reacts then my first option may be the only way to do it. I have been working on this technique for makeing 'burn/next' style bushes so you can burn any bush in the game just as you would be able to slash them.

[Joe123]

YES!

BURN COMBOS! BOMB COMBOS! ARROW COMBOS! WHYYYY ARE THEY FLAGS WHEN THEY COULD JUST BE COMBOS?!

It would be sooo much easier. Or at least both. I had this idea like a year ago, but then decided it was stupid. Please do that.

[Joe123]

Shadowmancer? Would you still be up for scripting this please?
I don't think I'm capable of it, and I also don't really know how I'd go about doing it either.

[ShadowMancer]

Yeah, I've been away from my comp for the last few days but I may have some time tonight to start this. Just remeber you will not be able to use any built in fire weapons (candle, din's fire) but FFC simulations can be made. I've got one script to type up and test before I start this project. (just a simple FFC weapon, already got it written on paper) Then I can see how this burn->Next script is going to work, I've got some rough ideas just need to formulate them into working code.

[C-Dawg]

You can make a bush that reacts to as many items as you like.

Here's how:
(1) Make an item script that activates a global variable, called "BURNING" maybe.
(2) Put the item script on all the items you want to be able to burn things.
(3) Make an FFC script that creates a bush combo at it's location, and an invisible fire enemy with 101 hit points at -16,-16.
(4) When the BURNING script activates, move the invisible fire enemy to the FFC's location for a few seconds. Then reset BURNING and stash the enemy.
(5) If the invisible fire enemy's hit points drop below 100, the FFC stops reacting to fire and changes the ground under it to a burnt bush combo.

Limitations: While fire is on the screen, any weapon will "burn" the bush. Can we limit what items damage the invislible fire enemy?

You could get fancier by making custom item scripts for each fire-based item that check Link's direction and position relative to FFCs before even setting BURNING - that is, the candle only sets the variable if Link is 2 spaces away from an FFC and facing it.

[ShadowMancer]

You could get fancier by making custom item scripts for each fire-based item that check Link's direction and position relative to FFCs before even setting BURNING - that is, the candle only sets the variable if Link is 2 spaces away from an FFC and facing it.
That is very similar to what I was thinking, so I suppose it could be done with built in items bieng used, I will have to see exactly what din's fire does (I never played with it yet) As long as its pattern is perdictiable this method can be used no problem.
Plus with this added:
Now you can edit an item's ZScript arguments, D0-D8, and A0-A1. Item scripts just became more workable! I can create just one item script and use the item arguments to alter it as needed.

[Joe123]

If you're going to do this that's great, thankyou :)

I think I personally only need the candle, do you have to script a new candle to do this :confused:

[ShadowMancer]

do you have to script a new candle to do this Nope, useing C-Dawg's suggestion it should be simple, It will require you have one FFC free on every screen (I will set it to use #32, you can eaisly change the number) Script is about 1/2 way done, just need to do some more tests and add in the bush->burn reaction (easy). Since we cannont access the secret combos from script (i.e what is the under combo after you burn a bush etc) I will use a simple algorithm for determineing what the undercombo will be (basically bush combo id + n = undercombo) All you will have to do is find a blank combo page put your burned bushes there then subtract the burned id from the regular bush id to get n. That is about it, time to get to testing...