[XP/VX] Ability Grid

[Guardian]

I've decided to create an ability grid. I got the inspiration from Final Fantasy X's Sphere Grid by Square Enix, so I feel I should credit them. This is made almost completely with events. The only things that require scripts are optional.

Demos/Resources:
Ability Grid (XP)
Ability Grid (VX)

Instructions:
This requires a little work on your part, but it is completely customizable to your liking.

1. Export TileE from the resource manager in the demo, then import it to the game you want to use it in. These tiles are essential to using the system, but can be replaced by your own or other graphics if you so desire.

2. Create a variable to be used as the party's AP.

3. Create maps for each character's ability grid, like you'll see I did in the demo. I used a parallax for the background.

4. Arrange the tiles based on how you want each character to advance. I added the tiles as graphics, but you can put them in the events if you want. For RMXP, you must make one of the invisible tiles unpassable and encircle the ability grid with it in the third layer to prevent the player from being able to walk anywhere.

5. Create a single tile event. You can follow my outline, or you can edit it however you'd like.

6. Copy that tile and paste it on one of each kind of tile. Then, edit those tiles for their respective advancements and copy and paste them to each of their similar tiles. This is much easier than creating each event individually.

7. Don't forget to include a way out of the grid! You can use whatever you want to teleport you out. I used a magic circle since that was easiest.

8. Create an event that teleports the characters to their respective grids.

Optionals:
Ability Crystal - this item increases the AP of the party by a certain amount.
________________________________________

Grid Key - this will unlock the locks on an ability grid.
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Increase Party AP with Each Level Gained - this small script increases a variable each time a character levels up.

XP:
Go to Game_Actor in the script editor and find line 462 (@level += 1). Create a new line below this by clicking on the end of line 462 and pressing Enter. Paste this script into the new line:

Code:

$game_variables[id] += value

Change "id" to whatever the id of the variable is and change "value" to the amount you want to increase it by with each level.

VX:
Go to Game_Actor in the script editor and find line 525 (level_up). Create a new line below this by clicking on the end of line 525 and pressing Enter. Paste this script into the new line:

Code:

$game_variables[id] += value

Change "id" to whatever the id of the variable is and change "value" to the amount you want to increase it by with each level.
________________________________________

Increase Individual AP with Each Level Gained - this script increases AP for individual party members each time they level up. No work is required to change this, but you must be aware that the variable that is used for a character's AP corresponds to their ID in the database. EX: If Ralph (ID: 001) levels up by 1, Variable 001 will increase by 1.

XP:
Insert in a new section above main.

Code:

class Game_Actor

  def exp=(exp)
    @exp = [[exp, 9999999].min, 0].max
    # Level up
    while @exp >= @exp_list[@level+1] and @exp_list[@level+1] > 0
      @level += 1
      # increment the corresponding game variable
      $game_variables[@actor_id] += 1
      # Learn skill
      for j in $data_classes[@class_id].learnings
        if j.level == @level
          learn_skill(j.skill_id)
        end
      end
    end
    # Level down
    while @exp < @exp_list[@level]
      @level -= 1
    end
    # Correction if exceeding current max HP and max SP
    @hp = [@hp, self.maxhp].min
    @sp = [@sp, self.maxsp].min
  end
end

VX:
Insert in a new section above (Insert here) under materials.

Code:

class Game_Actor
  def level_up
    @level += 1
    # increment the corresponding game variable
    $game_variables[@actor_id] += 1
    for learning in self.class.learnings
      learn_skill(learning.skill_id) if learning.level == @level
    end
  end
end

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HUD - This script works in both XP and VX. It will display the variable used for a character in their ability grid. In XP, place this in a new section above Main. In VX, place it in a new section under (Insert here) in the Materials category. Just replace the Map IDs (top and bottom of script) and the Variable IDs (top of script).

HUD Script

Code:

#==============================================================================
# ** Window_AP
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#  This class creates the window and writes the current "AP".
#  You can customize all the "Grid.." ID's and "Variable.." variables
#  so they suit you. here are some instructions:
#
#  Grid_One   - The ID of the first Ability Grid.
#  Grid_Two   - The ID of the second Ability Grid.
#  Grid_Three - The ID of the third Ability Grid.
#  Grid_Four  - The ID of the fourth Ability Grid.
#
#  Set all the "Grid.." variables to the ID's of your four Ability Grid map's.
#  
#
#  VariableOne   - The id of the variable for "Grid_One".
#  VariableTwo   - The id of the variable for "Grid_Two".
#  VariableThree - The id of the variable for "Grid_Three".
#  VariableFour  - The id of the variable for "Grid_Four".
#
#  Example: When the player is on the "Grid_One"'s map ID, it will show the
#           "VariableOne"'s value, and when the player is on "Grid_Two"'s
#           map ID, it will show the "VariableTwo"'s value.
#
#==============================================================================
class Window_AP < Window_Base
  # The map ID's of the Ability Grids.
  Grid_One = 1
  Grid_Two = 4
  Grid_Three = 0
  Grid_Four = 0
  
  VariableOne = 1
  VariableTwo = 4
  VariableThree = 0
  VariableFour = 0
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * Initialize
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # Self.opacity - This is the opacity of the window, you can change this
  #                to whatever you want between 0-255.
  #                0 = Fully transparent
  #                255 = opaque                            
  #
  # Self.visible - This will make the window invisible as default.
  #                So that the HUD won't show on every map.
  #              
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  def initialize
    super(0, 0, 200, 70)
    self.contents = Bitmap.new(width - 32, height - 32)
    self.opacity = 150
    self.visible = false
    refresh
  end
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * Refresh
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  #  This will display the "Current AP:" text, and the variables of the
  #  Party members based on which map the player is on.
  #  You can change the "Current AP" text to whatever you want,
  #  but the rest you should keep as it is.
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  def refresh
    self.contents.clear
    reset_variables
    self.contents.draw_text(0, 0, 100, 32, "Current AP:", 0)
  if $game_map.map_id == Grid_One
    self.contents.draw_text(120, 0, 32, 32, @variableone.to_s, 0)
  else if $game_map.map_id == Grid_Two
    self.contents.draw_text(120, 0, 32, 32, @variabletwo.to_s, 0)
  else if $game_map.map_id == Grid_Three
    self.contents.draw_text(120, 0, 32, 32, @variablethree.to_s, 0)
  else if $game_map.map_id == Grid_Four
    self.contents.draw_text(120, 0, 32, 32, @variablefour.to_s, 0)
  end
  end
  end
  end
  end
  def reset_variables
   @variableone = $game_variables[VariableOne]
   @variabletwo = $game_variables[VariableTwo]
   @variablethree = $game_variables[VariableThree]
   @variablefour = $game_variables[VariableFour]
  end
  def update
    super
    refresh if (@variableone = $game_variables[VariableOne] or
                @variabletwo = $game_variables[VariableTwo] or
                @variablethree = $game_variables[VariableThree] or
                @variablefour = $game_variables[VariableFour])
  end
end
#==============================================================================
# ** Scene_Map
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#  This will add the HUD in Scene_Map.
#
#  Grid_One   - The ID of the first Ability Grid.
#  Grid_Two   - The ID of the second Ability Grid.
#  Grid_Three - The ID of the third Ability Grid.
#  Grid_Four  - The ID of the fourth Ability Grid.
#
#  NOTE: the numbers in these variables "Grid_One", "Grid_Two", etc.
#        Should be the same as the ones in the beginning of this script.
#
#
#  This will make the HUD visible whenever the player is in any of the four
#  "Grid.." map ID's.
#
#==============================================================================
class Scene_Map
  # The map ID's of the Ability Grids.
  Grid_One = 1
  Grid_Two = 4
  Grid_Three = 0
  Grid_Four = 0
  alias yourhud_main main
  alias yourhud_update update
  def main
    @yourhud = Window_AP.new
    yourhud_main
    @yourhud.dispose
  end
  def update
    if ($game_map.map_id == Grid_One or
        $game_map.map_id == Grid_Two or
        $game_map.map_id == Grid_Three or
        $game_map.map_id == Grid_Four)
      @yourhud.visible = true
    else
      @yourhud.visible = false      
    end
    @yourhud.update
    yourhud_update
  end
end

________________________________________

Ability Grid access through menu (VX only) - Dargor has generously agreed to help me create this script, but I'm not going to post it here because of its length. You can find it in the demo, though.
________________________________________

Ability Grid appears in menu after a switch is turned on - In Dargor's script, named Ability Grid in the demo, search for the method "create_command_window" and replace that whole method with this:

Code:

def create_command_window
    commands = $game_system.menu_commands
  if $game_switches[1] == true
    $game_system.add_menu_command(commands.size-1, Vocab::AbilityGrid)
  end
    dargor_vx_ag_menu_create_command_window
  end

Just change the number in "$game_switches[1]" to the ID of the switch that you wish to have activate the ability grid menu command.

Notes:
*You can replace the ability grid with teachers that would increase a character's stats and give them abilities.

Credit:
Please give credit to the following people:
Marpy for helping me with obtaining scripts and giving me some very good suggestions.
Gando for creating the Increase Party AP with Each Level Gained script, the Variable HUDs, and the script edit that allows access to the Ability Grid through the menu after a switch is turned on.
Brewmeister for creating the Increase Individual AP with Each Level Gained script.
Dargor for creating the menu script.
Me for creating the events and tileset.
(If I forgot anyone, please PM me so I can add you to the list.)

If you have any questions, comments, or problems, feel free to PM me or post in this thread.

This is an old event system and I'm working on updating it at the moment. If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know!

[deathangelmagnus]

this grid is like heaven thank you alot