DOUBLE TAP TO DASH

Double tap to dash
For RM2k3 ONLY! (does not work with RM2k)
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This simple and easy to alter tutorial explains how to code a decent dash system similar to the ones used in several action-oriented games.
You won’t have to waste another key or hold two keys to dash anymore. Only a single arrow key will manage both walking and dashing. Using this system, tapping an arrow key will make the character walk as usual, but tapping it twice within a short time window will make the character dash at double speed.

We are going to code 2 events that change your character’s walking speed depending on how the player presses the arrow keys.

You will need:
-2 Parallel Process events in the Common Events database tab.
-4 Variables entitled “Input Walk”, “Input Dash”, “Memory walk” and “Timer Dash”.
-2 Switches entitled “Timer Dash” and “Dash”
-At the beginning of your game, have the default character movement speed reduced by one level using a Move Event: Decrease Move Speed event command.

Here we go!

Coding:

Event no.1
-Create a Parallel Process event in the database.
-Add a Condition that checks if Switch “Timer Dash” is ON. Check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add a Key Input “Input Walk”. Check the first box entitled Wait for Key Press. Check the boxes corresponding to the arrow keys (1 to 4).
-Add a Condition that checks if Variable “Input Walk” is not equal to zero. Check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add Label 1.
-Add a Key Input “Input Dash”. Do not check the first box entitled Wait for Key Press. Check the boxes corresponding to the arrow keys (1 to 4).
-Add a Condition that checks if Switch “Dash” is ON. Check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add a Condition that checks if Variable “Input Dash” is not equal to zero. Check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add Label 3.
-(I added “Comment: dash” here. See picture below)
-Add a Move Event: Add 5 Increase Move Speed and 2 Decrease Move Speed. This will set the character’s movement speed to the engine’s default level.
-(I add a Wait 0.0 here but it is probably unnecessary).
-Add Switch Operation “Dash” ON.
-Add Jump to Label 1.

-Under the first Else Handler below, add Label 2.
-(I added “Comment: walk” here. See picture below)
-Add a Move Event: Add 5 Increase Move Speed and 3 Decrease Move Speed. This will set the character’s movement speed to the slower level.
-Add Switch Operation “Dash” OFF.

-Under the next Else Handler below, add a Condition that checks if Variable “Input Dash” is equal to Variable “Memory walk”. Check the Else box.
-Add a Condition that checks if Switch “Timer Dash” is ON. Check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add Jump to Label 3.

-Under the next Else Handler below, add Jump to Label 2.

-Under the next Else Handler below, also add Jump to Label 2.

-Under the next Else Handler below, add Jump to Label 2 yet again. (There might be a simpler way to handle these three Jump to Label commands though).

-Under the next Else Handler below, add a Key Input “Input Walk”. Check the first box entitled Wait for Key Press. Check the boxes corresponding to the arrow keys (1 to 4).
-Add a Condition that checks if Variable “Input Walk” is not equal to zero. Check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add Variable Operation “Memory walk” set equal to Variable “Input Walk” value.
-Add Variable Operation “Timer Dash” set equal to 20.
-Add Switch Operation “Timer Dash” ON.
-Add Jump to Label 2.

-Under the last Else Handler below, add Jump to Label 2.

-Put a Wait 0.0 at the very end of this event.

This first event is now done. Look at the picture below to see what it should look like:


Let’s code the second event. This one manages the time window.

Event no.2
-Create a second Parallel Process event in the database. Have it activate when Switch "Timer Dash" is ON.
-Add Variable Operation “Timer Dash” subtract 1.
-Add a Condition that checks if Variable “Timer Dash” is less or equal to zero. Do not check the Else box.
-Under this Condition, add Switch Operation “Dash” OFF.

-Put a Wait 0.0 at the very end of this event.

This second event is already done. Look at the picture below to see what it should look like:


Your “Double tap to dash” system should now work fine. This system isn’t perfect and you might stumble upon the occasional undesirable effect of having to triple tap to activate the dash, but this is only a minor issue in my opinion.
Feel free to alter this system to suit your needs.

- Avee