NOOB Questions: 1st Quest

I just downloaded ZeldaClassic and I'm trying to teach myself the ropes. My ultimate goal is to create a quest for my nephew that is entirely based on the 1st quest.

Anyway, I have version 2.5, and I already have a few questions (I'll probably have several), but these are to start.

1. I downloaded the "Example1st" template, but every time I try to run the game, it says "Error - not a custom quest!" I'd like to start making some edits to the dungeons and where items are located, but if it is going to say, "Error - not a custom quest!" how will I be able to load the game?

2. Whenever I just try to start from scratch, it places link in square #00, as opposed to 77. How do I change this?

3. Instead of the basic NES screen that shows rupies and keys, this one appears to have several items that it's showing, including what appears to be a red bomb, as well as saying "Magic." Is there a checkbox where I can just see the basic original NES screen, instead of these enhancements?

That's a start. I'd sure appreciate your insight if you can help me - thank you!

1.) This is caused by the quest number. Zelda Classic identifies the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quests by their quest number when looking for the default quest files. Every custom quest has a quest number of 0, which lets the player open it with the file selector.

The quest number can be set in the Header, but it was hidden to prevent users from becoming confused by the numbering system (some people were numbering their own quests 1, 2, 3, ... and then being unable to play them). Unfortunately, the Example_Nth quests have not been set to quest number 0, which makes the hidden feature more confusing.

Here's how to fix it:
In ZQuest, hover over the Header option in the Quest menu, but do not click it yet. Instead, hold the SHIFT key and then click it. The header will open, but it will have an additional box that says "Quest Number". Change the number in that box to 0, and your quest will open in Zelda Classic.



2.) It's placing Link in Screen #00 of Map 0 because that is the default starting position. You can change the map and screen in Init Data, which can be found in the Quest menu. There are several tabs (Starting equipment, level items, and a bunch more that I can't remember off-hand), and one of them lets you specify which screen the player should start on.



3.) This is a DMap setting. DMaps (dungeon maps) let you set certain environmental states of the game, such as the functionality of the door sets, the color set (cset) that will display in game in that area, and the active and passive sub-screen. DMaps are also important because all non-cave warps use DMaps as targets, not the maps themselves.
In DMaps (which is in the Quest Menu), you can change the Active Sub-screen (which pulls down when you press start) and the Passive Sub-screen (which is always present at the top of the screen) with the pull-down options. They can be found in the Appearance tab.

Experiment with the ones available. If after you've changed them you are still seeing something that you don't like, we'll discuss the Sub-screen editor which you can use to lay out your own active and passive setups.



Finally, welcome to AGN!

CJC - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Next question. I want to try and sample just one screen from the "Example 1st" qst file. So let's choose screen #76. This is the screen directly to the left of the start screen where link gets his sword.

If I wanted to remove the BOMB feature from this screen, how would I do that?

Thank you again, SO MUCH!

Okay.

Go to screen 76 in the file in ZQuest and click on the Screen Menu.

To change what the cave does, you will want to change the room type. You have a few options here: Guy, String, Room Type, and 'other' (which changes based on room type).
Click Room Type and select 'Shop'. Be sure you don't pick potion shop, otherwise you will need the letter to talk to the guy. Then return to the Screen menu. You'll see the 'other' option has changed to shop type. Click it. A window will pop up with a list of different shops. They generally have names, like Bomb/Bait/Heart M/X/C. These names are traditional (it means the shop has a bomb, a piece of bait, and a heart, and that the bomb costs a medium amount, the bait is expensive for the game, and the heart is cheap), but if you make your own shop type you can name it whatever you please.
Pick the shop you want and then click okay. Finally, you'll want to change the message the guy says. This is the screen's String. In the Screen menu, click String and select a new message for the guy to say.

Let's take a little aside to discuss custom shop types and custom strings. You can make new messages and shops in the Quest menu. Let's discuss Strings first.
To make a custom String, go to the Quest menu and select 'String'. Scroll down on the list until you see <New String>, click it, and edit it. If you leave the attributes alone, it's essentially just a text box where you can type your message (which will display as it appears in the editor). If you adjust the width or height of the string box, though (in the attributes tab), I can't guarantee that the message will appear in game the way you intend.

Now, let's discuss custom shop types. Again in the Quest menu, go to the Misc Data sub-menu and select Shop Types. A list will appear. Scroll down to an empty shop and click edit. You will be able to assign up to three items, as well as prices for each. Be careful! You should pick items top to bottom; the game will center them automatically. That is, don't leave the first pull-down 'none' if you want the item to appear in the middle; if the shop has only one item then it will automatically appear in the center. Be sure to give the shop a name that you can identify, then go back to "Screen->Shop Type" and change the shop to the one you just created.



Okay! Finally, let's discuss Enemies. Enemies can also be set through the Screen menu. Go to Enemies to open a list. To place an enemy, double-click on the 'empty' slot or on an enemy that is already on screen and then select a new enemy from the list that opens. If you wish to copy an enemy, press the 'c' key and then click on where you wish to place them and press the 'v' key. If you wish to delete an enemy, click on it and press the 'delete' key.

Two other enemy pointers:
1.) Just like with shops, you shouldn't have the first enemy be 'none' or nothing will spawn on screen. Any enemy that is listed after a 'none' enemy also will not spawn, avoid leaving gaps.

2.) Enemies are spawned in the order on the list. When you defeat an enemy and leave the screen, the screen's number of enemies is reduced, but the enemy defeated is not recorded (this is just like Zelda 1). What I mean is this: If you place two octoroks and a darknut on the screen, kill one of the octoroks, and then leave the screen, when you return there will only be two octoroks (They're at the top of the enemy list for the screen, and the screen records that there are two enemies left, so only the octoroks spawn). Experiment with this a little; sometimes if you want a screen to be difficult you put the strong enemies at the top of the list. If you want players to have a break, then the weaker enemies can go on top and the stronger enemies lower, so that leaving and returning makes the room easier. Finally, bubbles are generally placed at the top of the list as good practice (though you don't HAVE to do that!).



Always glad to help!

Wow, you are such a HUGE help. And another question. If I want to remove the fact that you can bomb on screen 76, how would I do that? In other words, this will just be a basic screen with NO secret.

In the main editor there is a flag with a skull and a number on it. Click it to open the flags list. To remove a flag, select flag 0 (None) and you will get a 'flag' mouse pointer. Click on the flags you wish to remove and presto! The secret is gone.


To add secrets, select the appropriate trigger flag from the list (like say a burn flag if you wish the candle to reveal the secret) and click on the screen to place the flag. When the flag encounters its trigger, it will switch screen secrets on, replacing all flags with their secret combos. To set up a secret combo, go to Screen->Secrets and click the box that corresponds to the secrets you intend to use on screen. It will open the combo menu; pick the combo you wish to be revealed when the secrets are triggered.

By default, you can only have one secret per screen (That is, once one trigger is hit all the flags will go off). There are options to create more than one secret on a screen (Trigger->Self only inherent flag and Tiered secrets), but those are advanced techniques that can be explored later.


Finally, you can toggle the display of the flags on the screen by pressing the 'f' key (You can also toggle the display of where Link can and cannot walk by pressing the 'w' key).

This should keep me busy in the overworld for the moment. I think step one is going to be to remove all of the "secrets" so I can start fresh. In essence, give myself a blank canvas to work with. I'll let you know when I get to level one!

Welcome, @suncactus9 !

Glad to see another new face around ZC forums. You should check out Nick's update of Alphadawg's ZC tutorial.

http://zcguides.celestialrealm.net/t...s/main/ch01-01

Of course feel free to ask any questions here. There's always someone ready to help.

Thank you very much!! CJC has been such a huge help, and I appreciate your welcome. I'm proceeding to build my first dungeon. I would like Abei to say something in the second room. I selected the Guy (Abei) and string (what I want him to say), but I can't get him to show up when I demo my walk through.

How do I get Abei to appear to speak the quote I've given him? Thanks!

Never mind figured it out!