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The NPC Project (current release: 3.0, 4.0 beta on now)

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Most of you saw my C3 thread, but now that C3 is over, I wanted to discuss more and work more on this sprite. Mostly because I want this to be an ongoing project and work on it over time to improve it. The NPC is a fun sprite. I like working on it and figuring out new things. It's also a lesson in ASM for me. I've done a few things with it I had to teach myself how to do, and there's more ahead. It's more fun and more meaningful to me than just working on simple, minor sprites. I'll keep this thread updated with progress on the sprite and new releases.

As such, if you have any ideas, suggestions, or recommendations for things to add to the sprite, speak up and I'll consider it. I'd like a lot of feedback for the sprite on ways to improve it and make it more useful.

If you're unfamiliar with the sprite, it's an all-purpose NPC sprite for SMW. You can use it for people chatting you up in town levels, as signposts, or as friendly characters who follow you. In time, I hope to make it useful for anything an NPC might be used for. I have a few videos that show off how it works.

This video shows off the basics of the sprite. With just one config file, the sprite allows for 32 unique messages per level. You can further customize with randomized messages (up to 16 per NPC) and double messages (two messages appear instead of just one).
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wkwb4bbEs9k&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wkwb4bbEs9k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

The NPCs are further customizable with "wander mode" which causes them to drift along and turn at random intervals. Although this doesn't seem much more interesting than their normal movement pattern, it creates more realistic NPCs who don't all walk in sync.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OSD-i42kbss&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OSD-i42kbss&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

I've also begun work on more interactive sprites which follow Mario and offer help. So far, the sprites only follow Mario, but I plan to add more abilities to them, and perhaps even enhance their following capabilities (something like Tails from the Sonic games).
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/45PgecGuw4g&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/45PgecGuw4g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

If you want to download the latest version, go here:
http://www.smwcentral.net/download.php?id=962&type=sprites

Here's a brief history and feature list for the NPCs.

v1.0:
* Unkillable
* Sprites walk back and forth with configurable distances
* Sprites display one of three messages
* Configurable button to press to display messages

v2.0: (created by InvisibleCoinBlock)
* Configurable to allow more messages than previously allowed

v3.0:
* Several improvements to movement and detection code
* Several configurables like staying on ledges and making sounds
* Message system upgraded to support 32 messages per level
* New message options like random messages and multiple messages
* Sprites can be configured to stop when walking back and forth

v4.0: (unreleased)
* "Wander mode" which gives sprites more realistic movement
* Follow mode (with jumping!) for friendly NPCs who follow Mario

Features not yet added:
* Option to have the NPC walk in a straight line without stopping (very easy)
* Option to have the NPC talk to Mario without pressing a button (very easy)
* NPCs that give Mario power-ups (very easy)
* Allow the NPC warp Mario somewhere else (easy)
* NPCs that can fly, hover, or hop (easy)
* Pick-up-able NPCs (easy to moderate)
* Have NPCs only display message or only give power-ups once (moderate)
* NPCs whose behavior changes based on items/levels beaten (moderate)
* Have NPCs do more meaningful things like kill enemies (moderate to hard)
Excellent, this is one of the most interesting sprites I ever seen. It definitely opens up a whole new world of possibilities for a hack. =)

One of the things I'd like to see them have is the ability to set up more complex movement patterns & sequences such that we could set up "cut scenes" as in most RPG's. This would most likely be a moderate to difficult addition. =)

Thank you for your work on this sprite & I look forward to seeing your future progress! =)
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Dispari_Scuro, these are just awesome sprites. :3
What I'd like to see (and probably hard to accomplish) would be a NPC that, when talked to, follows a certain path defined in the ASM file.

Example:
- Message pops up ("Mario, I have something to show ya, follow me")
- sprite goes certain path and Mario follows him
- we arrived, everyone's happy (maybe even at the point where he stops walking, a new message pops up, "Here we are Mario, follow the way leading to blah blah, etc.")

That'd be epic. =P
I have a little suggestion. After you talk to one the music would change to what the ASM programer sees fit. I stated this b/c the change music blocks don't go beyond Music ID 40.

I hate to say this but after the Fourth Sector is finished, my brother and I going to make 2 compatible hacks, One where you play as Hunter and the other as SCORPION so I would really like it if there was a version that is killable... these would be really useful in that hack and in the further levels of the space station.

Either way, I haven't used these yet but they have so many editions that they are not sprites anymore... they are actually inactive charecters. (if that is what a sprite is then ignore what I'm saying afterthis) They affect the story and they have their own little ways to make subgoals in the levels. These are excellent, I plan on using these. Keep up the great work, it is definitely recommended.
Originally posted by Buu-Huu
Dispari_Scuro, these are just awesome sprites. :3
What I'd like to see (and probably hard to accomplish) would be a NPC that, when talked to, follows a certain path defined in the ASM file.

Example:
- Message pops up ("Mario, I have something to show ya, follow me")
- sprite goes certain path and Mario follows him
- we arrived, everyone's happy (maybe even at the point where he stops walking, a new message pops up, "Here we are Mario, follow the way leading to blah blah, etc.")

That'd be epic. =P

I could do something like this, though I'll need to brainstorm over what'd be the best way to implement it first. And it'd be something that you won't see for a while at least.

Originally posted by Dinomar
the 4.0 will be avaiable, a day?

if yes, i have patience because i must use it about the lastest levels of the my hack ^.^

v4.0 will be released once it has a few more features and I'm satisfied with the abilities it has.
As I suggested on C3: A switch that only NPC-sprites can press, so that you'd have to lead the follower-NPC to it, to be able to complete the level.

Although now that I look back at it, it doesn't sound that hard =/
Just a block that checks what sprite touches it, and if it's the NPC sprite, it'll set the on/off-button to on(or off)
Originally posted by Dispari Scuro
Originally posted by Buu-Huu
Dispari_Scuro, these are just awesome sprites. :3
What I'd like to see (and probably hard to accomplish) would be a NPC that, when talked to, follows a certain path defined in the ASM file.

Example:
- Message pops up ("Mario, I have something to show ya, follow me")
- sprite goes certain path and Mario follows him
- we arrived, everyone's happy (maybe even at the point where he stops walking, a new message pops up, "Here we are Mario, follow the way leading to blah blah, etc.")

That'd be epic. =P

I could do something like this, though I'll need to brainstorm over what'd be the best way to implement it first. And it'd be something that you won't see for a while at least.

Originally posted by Dinomar
the 4.0 will be avaiable, a day?

if yes, i have patience because i must use it about the lastest levels of the my hack ^.^

v4.0 will be released once it has a few more features and I'm satisfied with the abilities it has.

Well i could actually see this happening. I thought of a way to do this. It would involve two sprites. One that you set at the location you want the npc to stop. The other would be the actual npc. The npc would be programmed to find where you set the first sprite. Sorta like how you have to insert the boomerang as the next sprite as the boomerang bro.
i can't change the level num for the message: hw can i do?

sorry if is so simple to sove, but i can't find it, maybe it's escaped for the my eyes...
i can't understand this fact of the color oand the X position:
i put it in a screen, displays the message from level 0 (the intro message)
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Wow, this is really good work!
I really love these npc sprites, and I have been using them ever since you released them (meaning v1 :O). I'm really looking forward to the following capabilities that you're going to add to version 4.0. Just a question, do you think its possible to make them swim? I mean the npcs that follow you, that would be pretty cool for underwater levels XD.
If you and ICB ever want to team up, he managed to make Grabbable NPC's in his hack

If possible, have the NPC able to be controlled by Player 2

And then as an Extra
-Have NPC's able to switch modes when Player two presses a button, or leaves screen.
-Then returns to its old ways when Player one Leaves them off screen.

Originally posted by formula1
If possible, have the NPC able to be controlled by Player 2

This... definitely not happening.
When i saw your 3rd video,I thought on Terranigma...
Its awesome so keep it up;)

F-Mario X News:C3 Thread Ahead!
By the way, I gaved up hacking SMW. I think I'll come back, but not yet. ~ X-King
Originally posted by Dispari Scuro
Originally posted by formula1
If possible, have the NPC able to be controlled by Player 2

This... definitely not happening.


Is it that hard?
I Programming makes me go :C

Well, I don't know much, But I do know that if those are commands that make toad move and jump, you can change those command to become Buttons.
I hate how complicated everything is...
These are some really nice and useful sprites, thanks for making them DS. I really can't think of what would my hack be without those. :P

I found a small bug that MAY only be happening to me, cosidering that it haven't been pointed out before: I placed an NPC that displays the second message of level 4 in the place where it should be to everything goes right. I set up the ExAnimation thingy and stuff. Well... I tested the level, the NPC was walking around (this is not the problem, though... :P) as it should do. The first time I pressed up in order to the message appear, it was okay - but the second time I did it, the NPC displayed the second message of level 1. Then, I noticed that sometimes it displays the second message of level 1, sometimes it displays the second message of level 4. Somewhat similar happened to another NPC sprite I placed in the same level: it sometimes displays the first message of level 1 (it's supposed to display that), and it sometimes displays the first message of level 4.

EDIT: While I was trying to sleep (lol), I figured out that it was occuring because of the palette ExAnimation. Silly me.

So, that's the only thing that I'm worried about. Other than that, the sprites are really useful - can't wait to version 4.0. By the way, I have a small doubt, and it might be silly, but whatever: How can I make the sprite so it doesn't walk around, and therefore, it stays on place? Thanks, in advance.
I got a idea: after doing some event, the NPC appears in the level/changes of level/message.
Now I leave my IPS patches of my hacks for everyone play and edit as you want to.

Bramble Invasion & Surreliatus


Originally posted by Broozer
These are some really nice and useful sprites, thanks for making them DS. I really can't think of what would my hack be without those. :P

Next version should be even better.
The only real drawback I've seen from this sprite is that when it reads from a message from a different level, then you are unable to Start/Select out of the level since it changes the actual level number. If the sprite could somehow restore the original level number after , that'd make it even better.
I think this is really cool and I hope some very cool things come of it.
I couldnt help notice the download file for the new version has the same name as the C3 version, maybe you wanna change it a bit?
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