I'm considering having computer controller player in my platform game, which uses the PMO. I'm not really going for something take makes them act completely independently, more along the lines of just following what the player character is doing, maybe just with a second delay or something?
I've always thought this would be an incredibly difficult task, but figured I'd ask and see if you guys have ever managed this without too much trouble?
nope, never done it. but I think it would be well worth your time to implement it in your game.
I can really picture a monkey running around with your character. Helping snatch up coins as he goes. You could even tie it to a skill which levels up. Where at low levels coins are just collected. but at higher levels it can help find secret items and doors.
I love that idea! So much! I did consider a sort of fairy/dragonfly that followed you around and evolved as you leveled up but it was too difficult so I just dropped it. Maybe in another game, one day... :')
I know what you mean. I've been trying to create similar code in my own game. I use an off screen active object to hold data. I find that less confusing than remembering what array cell does what.
I have my main character set his animation to always to the outgoing value of the off screen data holder. To change the characters art when he levels up. I set different values in the off screen object.
So like value zero is the idle animation for the hero when he isn't leveled up. and value 1 is the idle animation when he has evolved.
-I have had ok success by doing it this way. but its a pain in and ass and difficult. because sometimes it changes to the evolved art work. When I don't what it too.
One of my favourite NES games, Shatterhand, had different AI-controlled characters. Here's some footage; you'll see one of the characters emerge around the 1:25 mark:
Depending on the configuration of the pickups, the player was granted a different type of follower.
I could see your game have maybe a monkey, but also a scarab, a snake, and maybe even a mystical sun-disc or something...
Wow, I've never played Shatterhand before but it looks pretty good! That's exactly the first idea had for AI partners. I dropped it because I figured it'd be too difficult and replaced it with human characters that follow your actions... But this sounds harder!? Haha.
It's really something I hope to get working, but I have some backup ideas if it all goes wrong. I'll let you all know what I did if I manage to achieve the desired effect. Fingers crossed.
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