Post by raithwall on May 6, 2008 6:07:46 GMT -5
This is general discussion about the random operations in RPGM2 and ideas for making games seem massive and/or adding replay value with randomness.
1. What is a Random calculation? Computers are programmed a certain way, so how is it they are able to be random at all? In RPGM2 I have noticed that the computer will make a random calculation the exact same way every time. And if you repeat that calculation it will do another that will also be the same way every time.
2. Fake Random Calculations: One way to make a fake random calculation is to redo the random calculation one time for each number in another variable, one that might increase and be reset each time the party takes a step.
3. True Random Calculations: I have noticed that by setting a 7 frame delay and then redoing the random calculation that 2 different results are produced instead of the same one every time. It could be the system is scrolling through numbers and a random calculation is an error caused by trying to measure time too closely. It is kind of like how measuring a particle changes the outcome in Quantum Mechanics.
Random Names: You probably dont need to use the names of direct and indirect effects in game for anything, so why not turn them into random names? But you can get a lot more then 100 names out of 100 direct effect titles. If you make 10 prefixes that work with 10 suffix you will have 100 different names by way of multiplication. For instance, the prefix "Mar" should be between the male and female prefixes as it can go both ways. When combined with "io" you get Mario, when combined with "y" or "ia" you get Mary or Maria. This system works even better for random monster names.
Random Moods: If you use gender for race / clan, Origin becomes a nice little input to mess around with. I made a script that shifts the party between 16 random moods each of which have a minor effect on the game. Here are some ideas: Worried - a worried leader avoids traps in the world setting. Lucky - a lucky person gets a bonus when stealing or opening random chests. Inspired - an inspired person gains mp when they walk. Happy - hp per step. Other moods could produce random text strings in some form of conversation with party members.
Random Treasure: By setting a random range on the Item number you can produce many combinations of random treasure. You need a bogus item called "take treasure" in a merchant script. After display buy list in the merchant script change the item number so that the buy command buys any item you desire. Use a temp variable to store the item number before the buy list then revert it back after it.
Random Weather: designing it is pretty straight forward. The downside is having it snow when your over a desert.
Random Water: when making an indoor cavern on the map editor time of day is something you don't need, but its effects on water can be quite a significant contribution to randomness. Along with water theres lava, slime, ice, a black ditch, other water and slime. This along with shifting the sea level can make the same dungeon into a completely different place.
Random Conversation: There are 2 types of conversation every npc should have: 1) specific text string for that world only, 2) random text strings. Reverse a villager type flag so you can talk to each villager twice and see both.
Useful Random Text: Make a script branch or use random item and ability descriptions. These are excellent for hints, rumors, and other useful conversation.
Meaningless Gossip: Just for Ambiance, you may want your villagers to tell the party all sorts of random meaingless gossip. These are setup with descriptions and direct and indirect effect names.
Examples:
(random name) (random emotion) 's (random name).
(random name) defeated the (random monster name)
(random name) (random opinion) (random action) (random place)
Odd Battle Occurances: At sea when encountering a certain unit number there could be a chance you are teleported to a pirate ship. At land you could be teleported to some random place also.
Help Needed:
Random Dungeons: The process of randomizing a dungeon based on blocks, walls, rooms, etc I have to work with. If anyone has done this successfully in a way that doesn't get the party stuck somewhere please let me know.
Random Abilities: I need some help in understanding how the Set as random Ratio and enable random affect work in the advanced section of the ability editor. The help file was confusing and I have yet to find any working or applicable use for them. It seems you can't have an ability that does all the other abilities randomly, instead all of those abilities all do random ability, but on testing it seems like none of them do anything random.
Anyway, if random ability settings can result in randomly applying different direct effects then it has potential.
1. What is a Random calculation? Computers are programmed a certain way, so how is it they are able to be random at all? In RPGM2 I have noticed that the computer will make a random calculation the exact same way every time. And if you repeat that calculation it will do another that will also be the same way every time.
2. Fake Random Calculations: One way to make a fake random calculation is to redo the random calculation one time for each number in another variable, one that might increase and be reset each time the party takes a step.
3. True Random Calculations: I have noticed that by setting a 7 frame delay and then redoing the random calculation that 2 different results are produced instead of the same one every time. It could be the system is scrolling through numbers and a random calculation is an error caused by trying to measure time too closely. It is kind of like how measuring a particle changes the outcome in Quantum Mechanics.
Random Names: You probably dont need to use the names of direct and indirect effects in game for anything, so why not turn them into random names? But you can get a lot more then 100 names out of 100 direct effect titles. If you make 10 prefixes that work with 10 suffix you will have 100 different names by way of multiplication. For instance, the prefix "Mar" should be between the male and female prefixes as it can go both ways. When combined with "io" you get Mario, when combined with "y" or "ia" you get Mary or Maria. This system works even better for random monster names.
Random Moods: If you use gender for race / clan, Origin becomes a nice little input to mess around with. I made a script that shifts the party between 16 random moods each of which have a minor effect on the game. Here are some ideas: Worried - a worried leader avoids traps in the world setting. Lucky - a lucky person gets a bonus when stealing or opening random chests. Inspired - an inspired person gains mp when they walk. Happy - hp per step. Other moods could produce random text strings in some form of conversation with party members.
Random Treasure: By setting a random range on the Item number you can produce many combinations of random treasure. You need a bogus item called "take treasure" in a merchant script. After display buy list in the merchant script change the item number so that the buy command buys any item you desire. Use a temp variable to store the item number before the buy list then revert it back after it.
Random Weather: designing it is pretty straight forward. The downside is having it snow when your over a desert.
Random Water: when making an indoor cavern on the map editor time of day is something you don't need, but its effects on water can be quite a significant contribution to randomness. Along with water theres lava, slime, ice, a black ditch, other water and slime. This along with shifting the sea level can make the same dungeon into a completely different place.
Random Conversation: There are 2 types of conversation every npc should have: 1) specific text string for that world only, 2) random text strings. Reverse a villager type flag so you can talk to each villager twice and see both.
Useful Random Text: Make a script branch or use random item and ability descriptions. These are excellent for hints, rumors, and other useful conversation.
Meaningless Gossip: Just for Ambiance, you may want your villagers to tell the party all sorts of random meaingless gossip. These are setup with descriptions and direct and indirect effect names.
Examples:
(random name) (random emotion) 's (random name).
(random name) defeated the (random monster name)
(random name) (random opinion) (random action) (random place)
Odd Battle Occurances: At sea when encountering a certain unit number there could be a chance you are teleported to a pirate ship. At land you could be teleported to some random place also.
Help Needed:
Random Dungeons: The process of randomizing a dungeon based on blocks, walls, rooms, etc I have to work with. If anyone has done this successfully in a way that doesn't get the party stuck somewhere please let me know.
Random Abilities: I need some help in understanding how the Set as random Ratio and enable random affect work in the advanced section of the ability editor. The help file was confusing and I have yet to find any working or applicable use for them. It seems you can't have an ability that does all the other abilities randomly, instead all of those abilities all do random ability, but on testing it seems like none of them do anything random.
Anyway, if random ability settings can result in randomly applying different direct effects then it has potential.
