The Idiots guide to ABS

This is a tutorial for RPG maker 2003/2000 also known as RM2K3.

Knowledge needed for this tutorial=

*Knowledge of Conditional branches
*knowledge of Variables
*knowledge of Key input processing

#1, what is ABS?

abs stands for Action Battle system, you'll see this system in some of the older zelda games and typically older games in general. it's the simple system in witch a button makes your character attack an enemy without a battle sequence and your enemies chase you around the game maps. throughout this tutorial, I will place screenshots for reference so that you will have this text, and a visual to go by. this is only for RM2K, and I will try my best to make it so even new users can understand what I am doing. So, now that  that is out of the way! lets get onto the first part of my ABS tutorial, making your hero attack.

#2, Hero attacking

Resources you need=

*different sprites for mid-attack sequences.
*sounds for weapon/attacking

First screen shot! img294.imageshack.us/img294/70…

Now this may look a bit confusing at first glance, but I am going to explain to you what exactly is going on. First off go and make a new common event, found in your database. name this new common event something like attack 1 or whatever you think is appropriate. you'll want to start of by adding a key input processing, this will tell the game what button to press to make your hero attack

BAM SECOND SCREENSHOT! img138.imageshack.us/img138/11…

now this is what should come up when you put a key input processing. click on  the store key code in, and make a new one named melee just as I did. but unlike me, click in the box that says decition key ONLY! un-check all the other boxes. that will make the attack key the enter button. I only clicked the lower one because I wanted it to be a number button.

Third screenshot! img541.imageshack.us/img541/31…

now that you've done the key input processing, it's time to make the button actually work. now create a condition branch and copy what I have done on the 3rd screenshot. You'll notice I crossed out 11 and put a 5 there, that's because if you looked at the key input processing, there was (5) next to the decision key. this means variable number 5 will activate that key input processing. I had 11 because I checked in numbers, and next to that it says (10-19) and 11=1. so 1 is my attack button. gee I sure hope this makes sense.... anyway, moving on. now  that we have our condition branch set to branch is var [0001: Melee] is 5, add another conditional branch into the one you just made.  and click in the hero circle on the second page, make sure it's set to "in party", then once you've done that it's time for the fun part :3. not really lol.

So, add another condition branch, in the conditional branch that you already made!, go to page 2 again and click in the sprite circle. it should say hero, and  then "is facing" make sure this is set to up. and make sure the box at the bottom is checked in for the custom else handler. I'd like you to refer back to the first screenshot, and look at what I have done, here is where you'll add sounds and your attacking sprites.

fourth screenshot! img576.imageshack.us/img576/77…

now, I have highlighted what to put under the branch, if hero is facing up.  Your set-up should look similar to this. sound first, then you're going to put different sprites with a 0.1 wait in between them. Why? I'll tell you. Lets take a look at my fifth screenshot.

Fifth screenshot: img827.imageshack.us/img827/20…

Using my game sprites as an example, these are all sprites I used for a sword swing animation. each sprite is a new frame so it appears he is swinging his sword. cool huh? use as many as you'd like, because the more frames you have in any animation,  the smoother it will look. this ones pretty bad actually cause these were all the frames I have at the moment... anyway, once you've done this with all you're attacking sprites, make sure the last one changes your sprite back to the original one. (My original is the one in the lower right) the sprite you'd use normally for your walking sprite.

Now this is the easy part, copy that whole last branch you did, and paste it into the else handler  from "if hero is facing up" and repeat this for each direction. change the pasted one to right, left, or down instead of up. you already have the sprites set already, so it's just a matter of copy, paste, and editing the direction the hero needs to be facing.

Make sure the bottom of the event looks like this! img90.imageshack.us/img90/2939…

if there's an else handler in there at the end, there's a box you didn't un-check somewhere on the condition branches so look back and find out where that else handler came from so you can un-check the box.

now for the last step, make sure the event trigger is set to parallel process, and that you set a switch to turn on your common event.

now you'll want to go to your game map. screenshot7: img822.imageshack.us/img822/93…

now, do as I have done with mine. create a new event on your map. (You'll need this on every map your character will battle on.) make sure it is set to auto-start, and below hero, it can really be place anywhere, I'd set it somewhere out of the way cause you might need to make more parallel process events. make it turn on the switch of your common event that we just made, and then put erase event. now we're done!

if you try out your game, and have done everything right, when you hit the enter button, your hero should attack! congratulations! If not, then check back on your common event and make sure you've done everything I've said in this tutorial. and make sure you look at all the screenshots, they will really help if this text confuses you.

my next ABS tutorial will be on damaging enemies, and having enemies attack you, but since I myself am having problems with that, you'll have to wait. Until then, I hope this tutorial helps you with your game! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I can and try to help you with your problem. If you'd like more tutorials for RM2K like this one, please leave a comment as well and let me know! I will try my best to make one that you can understand and use to make your game.

Until my next tutorial, this is 4Wendy, signing off!