Newbie Help: Platform Movement Object animations

[Brian]

I have another question. What is the best way to change the controlled character in game? An example of this would be:

In a Mario game, you start out as little Mario with a correspondingly small move box. Then he touches a mushroom, and the animation changes to big Mario and the move box becomes bigger to fit the larger sprite.

What is the best way to do this? I've been trying to create the bigger character and the bigger move box as separate new objects that position at the small character's location, but it isn't working out so well; plus, it would be tedious to assign each of the characteristics the small character has in common with the larger one individually to each one. I'd like some tips!

[BrashMonkey]

just have two animations for the box, one small and one big. then have two different animated character active objects "stuck" to the box. When he's small, change the animation of the box to the small, and show the small character animated active object. When he's big, change to the big box animation, and switch which animated character active is visible.

[Brian]

just have two animations for the box, one small and one big. then have two different animated character active objects "stuck" to the box. When he's small, change the animation of the box to the small, and show the small character animated active object. When he's big, change to the big box animation, and switch which animated character active is visible.

Thanks for the advice! I tried this, and I am having issues with getting the bigger box assigned to the Platform Movement Object (PMO). I tried to do this with an event that sets the PMO to the bigger box, but when I run the project and touch the power-up, the bigger box appears but stops moving (except just turning left or right). Is the set object the ideal method to change the PMO assignment from the small to the large box?

[Brian]

Never mind; I figured it out...obvious error of mine (as they all are in programming, eh?).

But I may come back with more questions later.

Thanks all!

[DistantJ]

Submitted a fixed version in your thread in the file archive forum for you

http://www.clickteam.com/epicenter/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=76403#Post76403

[Brian]

Thanks DistantJ! After looking over my (now several days old) work and your improvements, I am already noticing some errors/complications in my engine that I've learned to avoid.

[Brian]

Here is another question:

How would I create a non-player-controlled character that walks back and forth at constant speed on a platform, switching directions when it hits a wall? The only way I can see is by creating an active object and setting its movement to a path, then manually setting the path. However, this way seems too complicated, and I feel that there is probably an easier solution.

[DistantJ]

That's usually done with X/Y inertia, which takes some learning but is worthwhile. Basically you set values etc inside of the enemy so it knows whether it's moving left or right, and increase or decrease the X co-ordinates depending on this (X is how far across the frame the object is, to increase it's X co-ordinate by 1, you'd do "Set X co-ordinate to X co-ordinate ("enemy") + 1" for example), then when overlapping a backdrop (+ only one action when event loops!) you'd change the value. If you want a very basic left/right movement, use an internal flag, and toggle the flag when it overlaps a backdrop. Then you'd have, say, if flag is on, increase X by 1, if off, decrease X by 1. Et cetera...

Sorry if I made that sound too complicated...

[LB]

Check out the old game called "Zeb", it's an old example game that should be open source.

[Brian]

@DistantJ: I think I understand what you are saying, but with that method, wouldn't I be unable to set the speed of the enemy (since it depends on the processor's speed to add 1 to the X coordinate rather than any timed function)?

@LB: I tried to look for Zeb, but I cannot find the source or the game...Google only gives me a couple mentions in some forums about it...something about it being included as a free game with Game Factory 2?