Various Scripts

[C-Dawg]

Zodiac has been updated again. I'm focusing on the shoot-em-up stages now, and I've implemented the following scripts people might find useful:

1. Added rapid fire functionality to the general weapon script. You can now make any custom weapon fire continously while the button is held down by making small modifications to the script.

2. General shoot-em-up enemy spawner. The script runs on an FFC. When the FFC is set to a certain combo, it will set up your ghosted enemies, including projectile shooting enemies, and move the FFC accordingly. Hit points and taking damage and all that are also implemented. Note: as written, a given combo will specify a given enemy (movement, hit points, etc). You can easily add your own custom enemies by adding if statements to the script.

3. Shoot-em-up enemy plan. The plan simply assigns FFCs running script #2 above to particular FFCs at particular points in time. You could do this in a variety of ways, but the simpliest version is just a linear progression spawning enemies as you fly along.

[Din]

Thanks, smash brothers' very own samus will have that rapid fire script!

[Gleeok]

C-Dawg, you should optimize a few of these scripts. Basically any ones that are using while enemy loops, as I've found this certain effect to be the greatest cause for slowdown in zc for some reason. For example, the GW ffc script I'll quote what I changed:

	// collision detection


if(this_ffc->Data >= 6){  // to counteract the fucking engine slowdown

	}// end of collison detection

	} // end optimization of zc engine slowdown

That way it's not constantly checking enemies every frame when it's not in use or on standby. It's not much but I noticed an increase in performance by up to 300% when not in use and up to 5fps when it's active...which is kinda odd..I also added a waitframe every 5 frames if there are more than 20 enemies on screen...but that's pushing it, and is only useful for me probably.


And also; Holy chit man! I really should check out these updates more often...seriously. Good work.

PS- Amazing charge script, i'm gonna have to use that one somehow.

[C-Dawg]

Yeah, alot of my code needs some optimization and cleanup. Especially the code I'm adding to as I go.

I'm not sure what you changed in your example though. Whats the GW script? What particular bit did you change?

And what computer are you using? The only time I've had slowdown problems since DarkDragon fixed the subscreen writing code was when I was running 32 scripts on a single screen.

[Gleeok]

Oh, I forgot you have like 20 scripts with those lines somewhere in it. :googly:

I meant the General Weapon script, since it's running non-stop for the entire game. I actually went into Zodiac and added those two lines, and it made a noticable difference for me. I've got a 1ghz pent III, 512 ram. I just seems to be the enemy checks that lag after DD fixed the other stuff. Even the script I made where it creates 255(or max)enemies and centers them at Screen enemy(1) every frame runs at 60 fps. It's like: *if(this->X + 8){}* lags more than *this->X+8;* or something for some reason. Thing is only scripters are really using this stuff right now so there's like 5 people tops messing with this stuff. Anyway....

Seriously, that charge script is flippin awesome. :) And I'm sure i'll be asking you about that jump script really shortly. I would like your opinion on something though: I was going to take Beefsters roll script and add it to your jump script so if Link->InputDown + jump, then he would slide...or could your dash script be a better choice for this?
..and yep, there will be a demo shortly once I get around to scripting turrets.

[C-Dawg]

I would like your opinion on something though: I was going to take Beefsters roll script and add it to your jump script so if Link->InputDown + jump, then he would slide...or could your dash script be a better choice for this?
..and yep, there will be a demo shortly once I get around to scripting turrets.

Depends on the behavior you want. If you're looking to emulate Megaman's slide, you probably want to use Beefster's dash because it changes the player's tile and forces the player to move. All my dash script does is accellerate vertical movement.

[The_Amaster]

Hey C-Dawg, how can you modify your ice block script to apply to top-view? if at all.

[C-Dawg]

It'll work fine in sideview as is. However, it will "write over" your walkable tiles. So you need to modify it to remember what combo was under the ice, or put your walkable tiles on the background layer.

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, but I need it to work in top-down, like a standard quest.

[C-Dawg]

Yeah, but I need it to work in top-down, like a standard quest.

You're not making any sense.

The script doesn't care if you're doing sideview or not. It just shoots ahead until it hits a solid block or enemy and then changes the closest walkable combo to an ice block. What part of this are you concerned about in bird's eye perspective?