CTB by Charlie Fleed v3.2

Instructions

Table of contents.
Installation.
Advanced targetting.
Configuration of Individual Battle Commands.
Configuration of SuperArts.
Configuration of Summons.
Switching Party Members.
Steal and Thievery.
Flying Enemies and Actors.
Graphics.
Battle Formulas Basics.
Blue Magic.

ATB Mode.

Grandia Mode.

Custom States.

Installation.

In the following I will assume that the reader knows how to navigate and modify the database and how to open the script editor and copy/paste scripts.

STEP 1 Copy all the icons, pictures and windowskins you find in the folders of the demo.

STEP 2 Copy all the scripts from “Bitmap, Draw Face” down to “Super Arts” into your project. They must be above the “Main” script and below all the other default scripts. If you have other custom scripts in your project, there is not a general rule about where to copy the battle system scripts with respect to them; it will be a case by case decision. Generally the mutual positions of custom scripts affect their behavior and correct operation. However, keep in mind that scripts that are not specifically made to work together, might not work together (!) no matter how you place them. I can only guarantee that this script works in a brand new project where it is the only added custom script.

STEP 3 Replace the “Configuration” script page with the one named “blank config.rtf” that you find in the demo main folder.

STEP 4 Open the database and go to the System tab. Copy all the elements below “# TAGS #” down to “Random Single Target”. Actually they are not all necessary for the system to work; you will probably need to add some, and you can change the names as long as your change is replicated in the scripts (more on this later). For now, you are safe if you copy them all, and keep their names unchanged. Locate the ELEMENTS_TO_IGNORE array in the Configuration script and put into this array all the positions taken by the elements you just copied.

STEP 5 Go to the Common Events tab and copy the events “Trincea” and “Altruismo”. The other common events are Summons and skills. You will learn how to create your own summons in a following section, hence ignore them now. Skills made for the demo can be studied as examples to make your own skills.

STEP 6 Go to the States tab and copy all the states after the “** CUSTOM STATES **” line.

STEP 7 Go to the Skills tab and copy all the skills from Drain to Retire. Note that some of them point to common events; if you copied the common events into positions that are different from the demo, you will have to adjust the common event field after you copy and paste. All of them have elements assigned to them (a technique that is usually referred as “tagging”); if you copied the elements into positions that are different from the demo, you will have to adjust the elements that are checked after you copy and paste. The other non-default skills you find in the demo are summons, superarts, or skills that exploit the states you copied in the previous step. You don't necessarily need them, you can use them as examples/templates. Also, you're not going to use Switch and Retire if you, respectively, don't enable switching and summons.

STEP 8 Read and follow the instructions in the section “Configuration of Individual Battle Commands”.

STEP 9 Configure “Animated Battlers - Enh ver. 13.3” (Animated Battlers by Minkoff, Enhancements by DerVVulfman). This is a script that this battle system uses and provides the animation system. It has its own configuration guide that you will find in the demo folder.

Done? Very well. Now you should be able to use the battle system without summons, superarts, switching and a few other things that will be explained in the following sections.

Advanced Targetting.

Use the Left/Right arrow keys to switch between the party and the monsters when using skills tagged with the "Any Scope" element.
Use the key/button configured as Z (default is Shift) to switch between single and "all" target when using skills tagged with the "Single/All” element.

Configuration of Individual Battle Commands.

Individual Battle Commands is a feature that lets you group skills in categories, so that they can be displayed under different submenus in the command window of actors during battles.

Let us assume that you want to create "Black Magic" and "White Magic".

Create two elements named "CMD White Magic" and "CMD Black Magic". For each skill belonging to the “White Magic” category, check the "CMD White Magic" element. Do the same with "Black Magic" skills and the "CMD Black Magic" element.

Finished. Yes. Simple, isn't it?

Remember: if "Name" is you category, use an element called "CMD Name". "Name" will show up in the command window of the actors, and it will be displayed only if that actor has at least one skill of that category.

Individual Battle Commands in Menu

The battle system provides an optional edit of the Skills menu screen. This edit will show skills in separate categories (e.g. “White Magic”, “Black Magic”, “Techs”, …) and will allow the user to rotate through the categories by using the SHIFT key. Since this edit is expected to interfere with custom menu system, it can be disabled by putting

IBC_MENU_SUPPORT = false

in the configuration.

Configuration of SuperArts.

In order to use superarts you need two things: an element "Superart" and a second element "CMD Superarts".

Every skill that has to be a superart needs to be "tagged" with these two elements. It will appear under the Superart command and will be available only when the superart bar is filled.

So far, the following fill modes have been implemented.

Rage: gain Superart points by inflicting damage.

Pain: gain Superart points by suffering damage.

Emphaty: gain Superart points by damage inflicted to allies.

Category: gain Superart points when skills of determined categories are used.

Critical: gain Superart points when with low HP.

Damage: a mix between Rage and Pain.

You can switch between the modes from the Status Scene, by pressing SHIFT, but in order to see that, you need a custom Status Scene script.

The speed at which the bar will fill depends on adjustable rates, one for each fill mode. You can set the default values in the configuration:

TYPE_0_RATE=2

TYPE_1_RATE=0.75

TYPE_2_RATE=1

TYPE_3_RATE=0.25

TYPE_4_RATE=0.1

TYPE_5a_RATE=0.5

TYPE_5b_RATE=0.5

During the game, you will be able to change them by using a Call Script command with, for example, the code:

$game_system.type_0_rate = 3

Configuration of Summons.

There are little differences between the configuration of the different types of summons.

Type 1 and 2 summons.

STEP 1

Type-1 summons do not remove the party (think about Warcraft), while type-2 do (think about FFX). In order to configure a summon, go in the common events tab of the database and create a new common event, call it as you like, and put a call script instruction like this:

"$game_party.summon(<type>,["actor1 name","actor2 name",...])",

where <type> is 1 or 2.

Examples:
$game_party.summon(1,["Kerya"]) # Type 1, summons Kerya

$game_party.summon(2,["Kerya","Adel"]) # Type 2, summons Kerya and Adel

You can put the command in more than one line:

$game_party.summon(2,["Kerya",
"Adel"])

VERY IMPORTANT: do not break the lines in the middle of an actor's name:

$game_party.summon(2,["Black
Night"])

is WRONG and will not work.

STEP 2

Then you must create a skill in the skills tab of the database, which your characters will use to summon, and make the common event field of this skill point to the common event you have just created.

All the summon skills must be tagged with an element whose name matches the name configured in the script as SUMMON_NAME. The default name is "Summon". This name will not appear in the battle command window, where you will see the name of the category you assign to the skill (with a “CMD <category name>” element).

You will also need a skill to make your "Aeons" retire.

1. Make a new category by creating the element “CMD Retire”;

2. create a skill "Retire" (or use any name you configured as RETIRE_NAME);

3. make sure that all the "Aeons" learn the skill;

4. tag the skill with the “CMD Retire” element.

STEP 3

Finally, in order to correctly use your "Aeons", visualize their stats and making them learn skills (in the proper Scene), you need to add them to your party. Do it by using event script commands like the following:

$game_party.aeons.
push($game_actors[13])
$game_party.aeons.
push($game_actors[14])

NOTE: this step is not necessary if you have AUTO_ADD_ACTORS = true. However the use of this option has some side effects: when an actor that is not in the party learns a summon skill, the corresponding “Aeons” are added to the party. This may happen when you use the “Change Skills...” command event for actors not in the party and at the beginning of the game when all the actors in the database are processed and learn their starting set of skills. To avoid this side effect, make the actors learn the summon skills in the same moment that they join the party.

Type-3 summons (Transformations).

STEP 1

Type-3 summons are used for transformations. Transformed actors will be removed and their new form will appear on the battlefield. Their form will return normal only after the end of the battle. In order to configure a type-3 summon, go in the common events tab of the database and create a new common event, call it as you like, and put a call script instruction like this:

Example:
$game_party.summon(3,["Ice Golem"]) # Type 3, transform into Ice Golem

You must specify type 3 and put only one actor in the list.

STEP 2

Then you must create a skill in the skills tab of the database, which your characters will use to transform, and make the common event field of this skill point to the common event you have just created.

Also type-3 summon skills must be tagged with an element whose name matches the name configured in the script as SUMMON_NAME. The default name is "Summon". Again this is not the name that will appear in the battle command window.

Type-3 summons do not and cannot use a "Retire" skill.

STEP 3

Finally, in order to correctly use your "Transformations" and visualize their stats (in the proper Scene), you need to add them to your party. Do it by using event script commands like the following:

$game_party.transformations.
push($game_actors[13])
$game_party.transformations.
push($game_actors[14])

NOTE: this step is not necessary if you have AUTO_ADD_ACTORS = true. However the use of this option has some side effects: when an actor that is not in the party learns a summon skill, the corresponding “Aeons” are added to the party. This may happen when you use the “Change Skills...” command event for actors not in the party and at the beginning of the game when all the actors in the database are processed and learn their starting set of skills. To avoid this side effect, make the actors learn the summon skills in the same moment that they join the party.

Custom BGM.

A common event code like the following

bgm("003-Battle03");

$game_party.summon(2,["Adel","Kerya"])

can be used to make a BGM start as the summoned actors appear. The bgm command also support the indication of a volume value:

bgm("003-Battle03", 50);

Custom Animation.

A common event code like following

summon_animation(106);

$game_party.summon(2,["Getter 1"])

can be used to make an animation be played on every summoned actor as he appears. This setting will override the animation ID configured with SUMMONED_ACTORS_ANIMATION_ID.

Switching Party Members.

In order to use the switching feature you need a skill.

Simply create the new skill, and don't bother configuring all the parameters, the important thing is its name, which must be the same name configured as SWITCH_NAME.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADD THE SWITCH SKILL TO YOUR CHARACTERS, JUST CREATE THE SKILL IN THE DATABASE.

Finally go in the configuration page of the script and locate this section:

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# PARTY ACTORS SWITCHING #

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SWITCHING = true

SWITCHED_ACTOR_ANIMATION_ID = 2

# Applied to actors who are in the backup party when the battle ends

SWITCHED_ACTORS_EXP_MULTIPLIER = 0.75

SCENE_SWITCH_MENU_ENTRY = 0

SCENE_SWITCH_RETURN_TO_MAP_ON_EXIT = true

You can turn on/off the swiching feature. You can configure an animation to be displayed when switching actors, and how much exp points the backup party members get at the end of the battle.

You can also decide whether exiting from the Switch Scene will open the Menu Scene or return the player to the Game Map. If you decide to open the Menu, you can configure the index of the menu command corresponding to the Switch Scene, which will be automatically selected.

In order to add/remove backup actors use a script command like this within some event:

$game_party.add_backup_actor(ID)
$game_party.remove_backup_actor(ID)

where ID is the id of the actor in the database.

If you try to add a backup actor that is already in the backup party, nothing will happen.

If you try to remove a backup actor that is not in the backup party, nothing will happen.

Steal and Thievery.

The user can define the objects that can be stolen from monsters. For each monster a common item and a rarity can be configured. Rarities can be stolen only when the character which uses the Steal skill has the Thievery state. A single item can be stolen each time and there is no limit to the number of times the user can steal from a monster. The success is random and depends on the comparison between the agilities of the character and the enemy.
You will find a hash definition like this one in the configuration:

ENEMY_OBJECTS = {

35 => [1, 19],

34 => [4, 15]

}

which uses the following syntax: enemy_id => [item_id, rarity_id]

If an enemy does not appear in the hash the user won't steal anything.

You always have to specify an item_id, but if you don't want a rarity use "nil" in the place of the rarity_id. Example:

34 => [4, nil]

You can decide the height of the boxes (or pictures) that represent each turn.

You can decide whether to use pictures or not for the actors and for the enemies.

If you use pictures, the system will look for them in the Graphics/Pictures/Turns/ folder, and each picture must be named exactly as the character or monster you want it to be used for. If you have set TURNS_WINDOW_VERTICAL = false, the system will add the postfix “ H” to the names of the pictures to look for. When a picture cannot be found the system will automatically use text and display the name of the battler.

When displayng text, the system uses three background pictures: they are Graphics/Pictures/Turn-1.png , Turn-2.png and Turn-3.png. Of course you can change the pictures used in the demo and use yours.

Note that you will obtain better results if you use images with the exact size they will appear on the screen, so that RMXP will not perform any resize.

You can decide the position of the window, the name of an optional background image (to be placed in the Graphics/Pictures/ folder), and the windowskin opacity.

The Turn Window can display the turns both in a vertical and a horizontal disposition. When using a horizontal disposition, by setting TURNS_WINDOW_VERTICAL = false, you can set the width of the turns, the position of the window and its height.

Finally, the UPDATE_ONLY_CHANGES value controls whether the Turns Window will be updated every time the selected command is changed or only when the change produces a variation in the order of the displayed turns.

Report window.

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# REPORT WINDOW #

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Put "" to use the system skin

BATTLE_REPORT_WINDOW_WINDOWSKIN_NAME = ""

BATTLE_REPORT_WINDOW_WINDOWSKIN_OPACITY = 255

BATTLE_TREASURES_WINDOW_WINDOWSKIN_OPACITY = 255

# Put "" if unused

BATTLE_REPORT_BG_PICTURE_NAME = ""

BATTLE_REPORT_BG_PICTURE_OPACITY = 255

# Put "" if unused

BATTLE_REPORT_BACKGROUND_NAME = ""

BATTLE_REPORT_BACKGROUND_OPACITY = 200

The battle Report Window displays information about the experience gained and the levels reached by the characters at the end of a battle.

The windowskin name and the windowskin opacity can be configured.

A box is used for each character, and you can configure the name of an optional background picture that can be displayed behind each box, with a configurable opacity. You can also configure the name of an optional background image for the entire screen, as well as its opacity.

Status window.

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# STATUS WINDOW #

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Adjust ACTOR_COMMAND_WINDOW_WIDTH and STATUS_WINDOW_X accordingly

STATUS_WINDOW_STYLE = 3

There are three styles available for the Status Window. The first one can display up to 6 battlers, each one in a row; the second one can display up to 8 battlers in a 2 rows x 4 columns table; the third one can display up to 4 battlers.

STATUS_FACE_VISIBLE = true

USE_BATTLE_STATUS_FACES = false

These options have been discussed before.

USE_STATES_ICONS = true

STATUS_WINDOW_X_OFFSET = 0

# 220 recommended with status window style 1, 112 recommended with

# status window style 2

STATUS_WINDOW_X = (STATUS_WINDOW_STYLE==1)?158:112

# Colors for the names

STATUS_WINDOW_TEXT_COLOR = Color.new(255,240,200)

STATUS_WINDOW_TEXT_BG_COLOR = Color.new(0,0,0)

# Colors for the "HP" text in the HP bar

STATUS_WINDOW_HP_COLOR = Color.new(245,220,130)

STATUS_WINDOW_HP_BG_COLOR = Color.new(0,0,0)

# Colors for the HP value in the HP bar

STATUS_WINDOW_NORMAL_TEXT_HP_COLOR = Color.new(220,240,250)

STATUS_WINDOW_CRISIS_TEXT_HP_COLOR = Color.new(160,180,190)

STATUS_WINDOW_KNOCKOUT_TEXT_HP_COLOR = Color.new(80,100,110)

# Colors for the "SP" text in the SP bar

STATUS_WINDOW_SP_COLOR = Color.new(160,230,240)

STATUS_WINDOW_SP_BG_COLOR = Color.new(0,0,0)

# Colors for the SP value in the SP bar

STATUS_WINDOW_NORMAL_TEXT_SP_COLOR = Color.new(255,175,175)

STATUS_WINDOW_CRISIS_TEXT_SP_COLOR = Color.new(195,115,115)

STATUS_WINDOW_KNOCKOUT_TEXT_SP_COLOR = Color.new(155,55,55)

STATUS_WINDOW_TEXT_SIZE_OFFSET = -4

STATUS_WINDOW_HPSP_BAR_OPACITY = 255

STATUS_WINDOW_HPSP_BAR_BG_OPACITY = 220

STATUS_WINDOW_HPSP_BAR_HEIGHT = 8

STATUS_WINDOW_V_SPACING = 4

# Put "" to use the system skin

STATUS_WINDOW_WINDOWSKIN_NAME = ""

STATUS_WINDOW_WINDOWSKIN_OPACITY = 0

STATUS_WINDOW_VISIBLE_DURING_REPORT = false

# Put "" if unused

STATUS_WINDOW_ACTOR_BG_NAME = "style 3 actor bg"

# Put "" if unused

STATUS_WINDOW_ACTOR_BG_SEL_NAME = "style 3 actor bg selected"

STATUS_WINDOW_ACTOR_BG_OPACITY = 192

STATUS_WINDOW_ACTOR_BG_SEL_OPACITY = 192

STATUS_WINDOW_CURSOR_OPACITY = 0

You can decide whether to use pictures or text for the states.

The STATUS_WINDOW_X_OFFSET value is used with style 1 and makes the rows shift a little bit to one another.

You can set the X coordinate of the window.

Colors can be configured for the text and text border displaying the names of the actors.

Colors can be configured for the text and text border displaying the text “HP” in the hp bar.

Colors can be configured for the numbers displayed in the hp bar, differentiating between the three conditions Normal, Crisis, Knockout.

Colors can be configured for the text and text border displaying the text “SP” in the sp bar.

Colors can be configured for the numbers displayed in the sp bar, differentiating between the three conditions Normal, Crisis, Knockout.

The value of STATUS_WINDOW_TEXT_SIZE_OFFSET controls the size of the text.

You can configure the opacity of the bars and their backgrounds, as well as their height.

With STATUS_WINDOW_V_SPACING you can add some pixels of space between each row (this only affects style 1).

You can set the name and the opacity of the windowskin.

You can decide whether to show or not the Status Window during the report phase at the end of the battle.

Background images can be used behind every actor information box, one for the selected actor, one for the non-selected actors. Opacity for these images can be set.

Finally the opacity of the cursor can be set.

Battle Formulas Basics.

Physical Attacks

The resulting damage of physical attacks depends linearly on the attack value of the used weapon, and on one parameter of the user: the strength for close combat weapons, and the dexterity for ranged weapons. In formulas:

attack=ATK*STR or attack=ATK*DEX.

At this point, the algorithm uses the value configured as ATTACK_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION which gets multiplied by the attack power, obtaining the final attack power:

attack=attack*ATTACK_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION

The target's defense value will be substracted from the attack to get the damage:

damage=attack-defense.

The defense value equals the PDEF parameter (or, when SQUARED_DEFENSE is true, its square PDEF*PDEF) multiplied by DEFENSE_RANGE_CORRECTION.

Skills

The power of the skill is used in combination with the caster's parameters, using the -F modifiers (ATK-F, STR-F, INT-F, DEX-F, AGI-F) in the database skills tab.
For example, for a skill with power=40, ATK-F=35, INT-F=80, the attack power will be:

attack=40*(0.35*caster's ATK value + 0.80*caster's INT value).

If all the modifiers are null, the skill's power directly represents the attack power:

attack=40.

At this point, the algorithm uses the value configured as SKILLS_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION which gets multiplied to the attack power, obtaining the new attack power:

attack=attack*SKILLS_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION

To get the damage, a defense value is calculated and subtracted to the attack value.

• When F_FACTORS_DEFENSE_SCALING is false the PDEF-F and MDEF-F values in the database are used to decide how much of the skill's damage can be absorbed with physical and/or magical defense.
  If a skills deals a damage of 500 and you have PDEF-F=30 and MDEF-F=25, then up to 500*0.30=150 points can be absorbed by the physical defense, and up to 500*0.25=125 points by the magical defense of the target.

  • If SQUARED_DEFENSE is true, the system will use the squares of PDEF and MDEF.

• When F_FACTORS_DEFENSE_SCALING is true the PDEF-F and MDEF-F values are used as multipliers instead of limiters, and the defense value is calculated as defense = MDEF-F / 100.0 * MDEF + PDEF-F / 100.0 * PDEF.

  • If SQUARED_DEFENSE is true, the system will use the squares of PDEF and MDEF instead.

Then the algorithm uses the value configured as DEFENSE_RANGE_CORRECTION to get the final value of defense:

defense=defense*DEFENSE_RANGE_CORRECTION

And finally the damage is calculated as:

damage=attack-defense.

Beyond skills' power limits.

The ExponentialDamage element can be used to change the meaning of the power value of a skill. For a skill tagged with this element the actual power will be e^(power/10.0).
Here is a reference table:
10 --> 2
15 --> 4
20 --> 7
25 --> 12
30 --> 20
35 --> 33
40 --> 54
45 --> 90
50 --> 148
60 --> 403
70 --> 1096
80 --> 2980
90 --> 8103
100 --> 22026
110 --> 59874
120 --> 162754

As a rule of thumb, each 1 point increment means a 10% increment in the damage (70-->1096, 71-->1211).

The DamageX10 element can be used to multiply the skill's power by 10.

The PropSkPow element can be used to create skills that deal a damage proportional to the damage of a physical attack, given the current stats and equipment of a character. The considered value for the physical attack damage will also take into account the difference between close combat weapons and ranged weapons.

The power of the skill as configured in the database indicates the percentage of damage that skill will deal, with 100 indicating a skill that deals as much damage as a physical attack, 200 indicating a skill that deals twice the damage of a physical attack and so on. Note that if you are using different values for ATTACK_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION and SKILLS_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION, that will affect the damage dealt by these skills too. For example, with ATTACK_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION=1.0 and SKILLS_DAMAGE_RANGE_CORRECTION=2.0, a skill with the PropSkPow element and power=150 will deal 150/100*(2.0/1.0)=3.0 times the damage of a physical attack.

Blue Magic.

An element name can be defined with

BLUE_MAGIC_NAME = "Blue Magic"

that allows skills tagged with that element to be learned from enemies, using the skill named as specified in

DRAKOKEN_NAME = "Drakoken"

ATB Mode.

By setting

ATB_MODE = true

in the configuration, you will see little bars indicating the time to the next turn for each battler. This feature does not change the flow of the actions in the battle system, it is only a different way to show the turns.

Grandia Mode.

By setting

GRANDIA_MODE = true

in the configuration you will see a bar that shows the portraits of the battlers moving as their next turns approach. This feature does not change the flow of the actions in the battle system, it is only a different way to show the turns.

When using this feature you can set the position of the bar and the picture used for it.

GRANDIA_BAR_WINDOW_X = 550

GRANDIA_BAR_WINDOW_Y = 80

# Put "" if unused

GRANDIA_BAR_BG_NAME = "grandia bar bg"

Custom States.

These are all the custom states available in the battle system along with a short description.

REFLECT reflect skills to the character who used them.

RIGENE recover a little amount of HP.

EXPx2 get doubled experience at the end of battles.

REACTION lets a character attacked with a physical attack react with a physical attack, a skill, or a selectable action.

PRIORITY get the first turn in battle.

AUTO_PHOENIX automatically use a reviving object on a dead character.

THIEVERY steal rarites.

AUTO_LIFE the character is revived when his HP reach zero.

STOP_TIME perform actions without delay (get consecutive turns).

MP1 use only 1 MP for any skill.

HALF_MP use half the MPs needed for skills.

DOOM starts a countdown on the target. The target dies when the countdown reaches zero.

ZOMBIE skills restore HPs and healing skills produce damage.

STONE the character dies when attacked physically.

HEALER doubles the effect of healing skills.

SUPER_GUARD extra reduction of damage when guarding.

GOLDx2 get doubled gold at the end of battles.