Display partie's location

[Notus]

Windows BoA doesn't have the menu to indicate the location where the party stands on.

 

How about making a pattern on the floor changing floor type? It'll help to count the coordinate mesh. For example, change floor type every five line or dot.

 

 

Another approach is making a custom item which indicates coordinate on the text area.

 

Code:

 'your_scenario_name'data.txtbeginscendatascript;begindefineitem 450;   clear;   it_name = "Compass";   it_full_name = "GPS Compass";   it_variety = 21;   it_floor_which_sheet = 1027;	// from hour glass   it_floor_which_icon = 1;   it_inventory_icon = 1;   it_ability_1 = 207;   it_ability_str_1 = 10;	// state number to be called   it_value = 10;   it_weight = 1;   it_identified = 1;'your_scenario_name'.txtbeginscenarioscript;variables;string cood_string;body;....beginstate 10;	// should be matched the state number defined in custom item   clear_buffer();   append_string("(");   append_number(char_loc_x(who_used_custom_item()));   append_string(", ");   append_number(char_loc_y(who_used_custom_item()));   append_string(")");   get_buffer_text(cood_string);   print_str(cood_string);   break;

[Dahak]

Or just create a special ability. Saves an item slot.

[Kelandon]

I like the special ability idea. This will be implemented for the next version of Bahs. The main code is here:

 

Code:

 beginstate 18;	change_custom_abil_uses(who_used_custom_abil(),2,1);		i = 0;	while (i <= 5) {		if (char_ok(i)) {			clear_buffer();			append_string("Character number ");			append_number(i);			append_string(" is located at (");			append_number(char_loc_x(i));			append_string(",");			append_number(char_loc_y(i));			append_string(")");			get_buffer_text(dlgstr);			print_str(dlgstr);			}		i = i + 1;		}break; 

[Lilith]

I find it vaguely amusing that special abilities are being used mostly for preferences and other user interface improvements instead of scenario-related features. Not that it isn't usually a more productive use of them than the intended use, but still.

[-silver-]

Personally, I've seen special abilities used twice. Once in practice, once in theory.

 

In practice, Kel provided a special ability when Phaedra is in your party to identify items.

 

In theory, Kel is providing a special ability for an "interface improvement" later.

 

50% may be a lot, but the sample size is so small that I wonder why you're using the word "mostly"

[Lilith]

Canopy and Bahssikava also have Set Cutscene Speed abilities.

 

And Phaedra Identify is an interface improvement too, in a sense -- it's a workaround for the fact that you can't initiate dialogue with your NPCs.

 

The only custom special ability that really does something scenario-specific is the Unicorn Call in ZKR.

[-silver-]

okiedokie. that makes sense.

[DreamGuy]

Ok, so... Why is it important to be able to display the party's location? Is this just to provide any easy way to follow a FAQ giving the walkthrough on how to solve the scenario?

[Notus]

Why isn't it a good reason?

Anyway, floor pattern or locator item/ability will provide a good assistance on alignment, even if you would solve the puzzle without FAQ or a walkthrough. Even on Mac that has the locator menu.

Player can choose (s)he uses it or not.

[Kelandon]

A lot of people have been having trouble with the beam puzzles in Machinery, and Windows users can't use the walkthrough effectively because the walkthrough relies on coordinates. That's why I'm going to include this.