IN THIS ISSUE:

1-RPG Final Fantasy Fight-System
2-A look at top-notch B&D
3-Map Design Article - Trees on the Rocks

RPG FINAL FANTASY FIGHT-SYSTEM

This is going to be a long, long read.
*NOTE: For most of these Triggers, Looping will be on. I'm sure you'll figure which ones
do.
*NOTE: This system will seem very alien to most people, however, with an experienced
designer, this task can be long, tedious and extremely worth your while. To the less
experienced designers, this is exceptionally tough to understand. This took me quite a
while to perfect, but I'm busy with other projects... on average, an advanced version of
this will take up to 5 hours of pure trigger work. It took me 12 hours to find everything
and make it work.

First of all, place a unit e.g. Archer. Give Archer +X number of HP since attack will not
really matter in this case.

Then create two Flags e.g. Flag A.

Create three or more pavilions (depending on how advanced you want your fight system).

Rename the Pavilions:
1. Attack
2. Attacking Magic
3. Defensive Healing Magic

*The more ambitious of you might want to add "items".

Create a small map for your fight-system area. Including Eye-candy is suggested, however it
can go to a point where it is not worth the effort.

HERE'S WHERE THE SYSTEM BEGINS

Trigger - Attack Strength
Display as Objective (DAO) = NO
Starting State (SS) = ON
Trigger Looping (TL) = OFF

Condition = Timer 10
Effect = Change Ownership - [source player] to [target player] Flag A

*Create numerous triggers so that the flag may change up to 7 times. In the example, we'll
only do 4 different. (Number of different attack strengths/hits)

Loop the above trigger (changing ownership to four other players), until it returns to
the original player.

Follow this trigger for creating enemies, too.

Trigger - Attack Power
Display as Objective (DAO) = NO
Starting State (SS) = OFF
Trigger Looping (TL) = YES

Condition:
Timer 5

Condition:
Objects in Area [source player] = Flag A
Quantity = 1

Effect:
Activate Trigger = Attack Power = (e.g. Critical)
Deactivate Trigger = All other attack strength triggers (including itself)

Redo this Trigger so that it meets all the Flags. E.g. player four flag = Miss etc.

To create an enemy:
Follow the above example - Flag [source player] = Berserk (for example).

FOR ACTIVATING THE DAMAGE COUNTER =

Flag A in area 1 source player e.g. 4 = miss
No damage. If it were three, we'll say that's critical hit and does 25 damage.

Effect:
Damage Object - source player = player 7 - AREA = Where your enemy is created.

Trigger - Fight Begins
Display as Objective (DAO) = NO
Starting State (SS) = ON/OFF
Trigger Looping (TL) = YES

Condition:
Timer X number of seconds for however long you want the character to be walking around
OUTSIDE of your FFFS (Final Fantasy Fight System) area.

Effect:
Display Instructions: You have been attacked!

Effect:
Change View: Source Player = Player 1 [location where you arena is].

Effect:
Activate Trigger - Trigger (Fight Start)

Deactivate Trigger:
Itself

Trigger - Fight Start

Condition:
Objects in Area: Flag A [source player] Example 3
Quantity = 1

Effect: Create object: Eagle Warrior [source player] = (Example) 7. Make sure player 7 is
allied to both player one and the "placeholder" (when you are not in the battle arena)
player.

Effect Activate Trigger = Enemy Detection

Effect Deactivate Trigger = Itself, and all other Enemy creation triggers.

Trigger - Enemy Detection:
Objects in area: Eagle Warrior (for our example)
Quantity = 1
Source player = 7

Effect
Activate Trigger - EAGLE DEATH (there will be [UNIT] DEATH for each enemy created.

Effect
Deactivate Trigger - All other [UNIT] DEATH Triggers.

Effect
Activate Trigger - Prepare For Fight/Walkthrough (sort of)

Effect:
Deactivate Trigger - Itself

Trigger - Prepare For Fight/Walkthrough

Condition:
Timer - 11

Effect:
Display Instructions: Select Your Character

Effect:
Activate Trigger - Select Character

Effect:
Deactivate Trigger - Itself

Trigger:
Select Character

Condition:
Object Selected: Archer

Effect: Activate Trigger "Gather Strength"

Effect:
Display Instructions: Gathering Strength...

Effect:
Deactivate Trigger:
Itself

Trigger - Gather Strength

Condition:
Timer - 15

Effect:
Display Instructions: You may now select a command.

Effect Activate Trigger - Command Triggers (all of them)

Effect Deactivate Trigger - Itself

Trigger - Command Triggers (multiple triggers)

Condition:
Object Selected (e.g. "Attack" pavilion)

Effect:
Display Instructions: Firing Arrows...

Effect Activate Trigger - Attack power (all of those ones we talked about above).

Deactivate Trigger - Itself

The attack power triggers will take care of everything. Plus, you should add an effect to
them now; Activate Trigger - Select Character.

NOW FOR OTHER COMMANDS
Object Selected:
"Attack Magic" pavilion

Effect - Have a spell (or activate triggers "spell A").

SPELL IDEAS
Fireball
Earthquake
Poison

Each uses the Damage Object trigger to attack.

DEFENSIVE/HEALING SPELL IDEA
Monk Heal. Create and task monks to you units, then remove them after a period of time.

Basically, when a command is finished, it should activate: select you character. You should
also include the number of Damage HPs you did to your enemy.

EAGLE DEATH - The trigger
Condition:
Own fewer objects - player 7 Eagle Warrior less than 1.

Effect display instructions: You recovered:
Gold/Food/Stone (MP maybe? (Stone))
and [item] (if you want to go that far)

Effect Deactivate Triggers:
All of the FFFS area triggers.

Phew!

BTW - This can have endless variables with more flags! ;-)

*NOTE: You can create this trigger to insure the player will not use only attacks etc.

Condition:
Timer - 5-15
Effect
Display Instructions: (make sure the number is '1') Your foe hits you with his/her (example
knife.
Effect
Damage Object: Source player - 1
Quantity Defined #
OR
Have a Critical/Normal/Weak/Miss system, like the players (tedious as it may
be).

2. A LOOK AT TOP-NOTCH B&D

Once again we see ourselves in awe of Ingo van Thiel, Gordon Farrell and Mark Stoker. In
both their B&Ds, we find ourselves moving to a destination, and then building up from there.
Try it! Also, add RPG side-quests before and after the B&D begins. Have a "movie" before
the actual B&D begins to have more of a story. Also, change variables. In Gordon Farrell's
"The Last Viking Prince Book I", I notice that the player NEVER advances past the Feudal Age.
This limits the player to some fairly weak units, and a whole bunch of strategy. It is also
kind of important to take Gold away from the player(s) (not all of it though!). This
increases the difficulty level. Try to find ways around giving the player gold, but not
making it impossible. Look at Ingo van Thiel's "Gyda's Challenge" for an example. Gordon
Farrell's "Last Viking Prince Book I" also displays an excellent way to get around it. Mark
Stoker's B&D scenarios A) Give you some Gold Mines, or B) Allow you to trade (not without
difficulty, though!) and Bonuses.

3. MAP DESIGN ARTICLE - TREES ON THE ROCKS
When placing trees near bodies of water, it can help if A) they are on cliffs, and B) They
have Sea Rocks in them! Yes, Sea Rocks 1 and 2 look like they're expanded water, should the
trees be nearby the water body! Sticking Pine Trees behind Rocks (normal) makes them look
nice.

-Ultima_Knight