THE RMVX DATABASE: PART II "A CLASS ON CLASSES"

An explanation on classes in the RMVX database; the second part in "The RMVX Database" tutorial series.

Welcome to Part II
Hey everyone, Ben_Random is back! In this tutorial we will be tying up some loose ends that I left in Part I, and going into further detail about classes in RMVX. As you probably guessed, we will be doing everything in the database, so click that stack of papers and get ready!

Let's Begin the Class!

Hopefully you all have played an RPG and have a decent idea of what a "class" is. If you're into the Pokemon thing, just think of a class as the different elements of Pokemon (Grass, Water, Psychic, etc.). In RMVX, a class will determine the following:
-What weaponry can be equipped by an actor of that class
-What armor can be equipped by an actor of that class
-What "Position" an actor of that class takes in battle (the chances of getting damaged)
-The element efficiency of the actor (to be explained later in the tutorial)
-The states efficiency of the actor (to be explained later in the tutorial)
-The skills that the actor will learn (and the order in which they are learned)

As you can see, there is a lot that classes do in VX, so get ready to sponge up some information!

Creating a Class, Deleting a Class, and all that Jazz!
Go ahead, click the "Class" tab, see what happens! Similar to the actors tab, there is a list to the left of the window with a "change maximum" button. This list is pretty common and you will see it a lot in the database. In the case of classes, RMVX has created 8 samples to work with. The "change maximum" is and will always serve the same function of creating blank slot, and the delete button is as handy as it was in Part I. As before, the entire right of the window is devoted to the selected class.

Naming a class is another pretty basic function. Just type the desired name in the box labeled "Name:".

Choose your Battle Position, Weapon, and Armor!

As you can see, there is a box labeled "Position:" directly to the right of the "Name:" box. The position of an actor in battle is a hidden stat (not displayed in gameplay) that determines how easy it is for the enemy to target the actor. You've got 3 choices, front, middle, and rear. In this video (4 minutes and 16 seconds in), BrickroadBrickroad talks about switching the position of characters in Final Fantasy to make it harder for enemy's to target your weaker party members. The idea of positions in RMVX is similar, but an actor's position cannot be changed in gameplay, it's class will determine where he stand's in battle.

Equippable Weapons and Armor

Back in Part I, when I was talking about the starting equipment of actors, I said that the starting equipment can only be weaponry/armor that the actors class will allow. In the box labeled "Equippable Weapons", there is a list of all the weaponry that is in the game (can you guess where you design weaponry? If you guessed the database, then you are right. I will talk about designing weaponry and armor in a later tutorial.). If a weapon is checked, than any actor of that class has the ability to equip it in the game. The same goes for armor.

Efficiency is Great!
At the top right of the window, there should be a box labeled "States Efficiency". In this box, there should be a list of all the possible status ailments (or aids) in the game. If you click on a box next to any state, it will cycle through the letters: A, B, C, D, E, and F (By default, the box is set to C).
This is all well and good, but it would be better if we knew what it meant. The idea is actually pretty basic. The letter that a state is set to determines how likely it is for an actor in that class to be effected by the state. Also know that an actor obtains a state via skill or item. Here is list of what each letter does:

A- If an actor is "attacked" with that state, it will always be effective. (100%)
B- If an actor is "attacked" with that state, it will have an 80% chance of being effective.
C- If an actor is "attacked" with that state, it will have a 60% chance of being effective.
D- If an actor is "attacked" with that state, it will have a 40% chance of being effective.
E- If an actor is "attacked" with that state, it will have a 20% chance of being effective.
F- If an actor is "attacked" with that state, it will never be effective. (0%)

Elements Efficiency
(Note: In the first public draft of this tutorial, I stated incorrect information in the below paragraph. Thanks to mirageman613, the information has now been amended. I apologize for this error, and will try to avoid similar errors in the future.)

To the left of the "Status Efficiency" box, you should see a similar box labeled "Elements Efficiency". This time, the list is filled with all the different elements in the game. In RMVX, an attack can be given an element, and some classes attack weaker or stronger with different elements. This box is where you decide how effective an attack with a various element attached to it will be. You can cycle through the letters A, B, C, D, E, and F just like last time, but instead of determining status ailment effectiveness, they will determine how powerful/weak an attack with an element attached will be on an actor of that class.

A- An actor in that class will take 200% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.
B- An actor in that class will take 150% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.
C- An actor in that class will take 100% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.
D- An actor in that class will take 50% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.
E- An actor in that class will take 0% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.
F- An actor in that class will take -100% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element. (Negative damage heals an actor).

To Learn a Skill...

If you are not familiar with how a battle works in RMVX (which you should be by now!), at least know that actors have the ability to attack with "skills". Actors will learn various skills as they gain levels in the game. The box in the bottom-right corner labeled "skills to learn" is where you edit which skills are learned, and when they are learned, by an actor in that class.

Going through this process is actually rather easy. If are working with a new class, the list in the middle of the box should be blank. Double click one of the empty spaces on the list, and a window will appear.

This window will have a # input box labeled "Level:". Insert the level number that you would like a new skill to be learned at. Below that is a drop down box. This box has every single skill in the game (Skills can be created in the database! I'll go over the process of creating a skill in Part III of the series). Here, insert the skill that you would like to be learned.

That's really it! To edit something on the list, and to delete it, use the handy dandy button on your keyboard. Last, we have a little box labeled "Command Name". To learn about this, you will need to know about the RMVX battle system (I guess it's pretty important!). To break it down for you, once you go into battle, you have the choices of "Attack", "Skill", and "Escape". If the player chooses "Skill", then he is given a list of skills that he can use in battle. But let's say that the term skill doesn't fit your character very well. If you type something in the "Command Name" box, than the choice of "Skill" will be changed to whatever you typed! I know, it's awesome.

Conclusion
That just about finishes up Part II. I know there are still some things I left out, such as how to create a skill, as well as how to create armor and weapons. Don't worry, these will all be covered later in "The RMVX Database" tutorial series. Part III will be about creating skills in VX, and hopefully it will have screen shots. Looking at the series as a whole, it will have 11 parts, possibly 12 if I make two separate tutorials on making enemies and making "troops". As always, if you didn't understand something in this, or need some more information, just send me a message via-RMN, or place a comment! Good luck game-makers. You are now one step closer to making a role playing game in RMVX!

Posts

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Actually, elemental efficiency determines how much damage a class takes from that element, not how much damage they deal with it.

A = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 200% of its normal damage
B = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 150% of its normal damage
C = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 100% of its normal damage
D = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 50% of its normal damage
E = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 0% of its normal damage
F = When an actor is hit by that element, it will heal that class by 100% of its normal damage
author=mirageman613
Actually, elemental efficiency determines how much damage a class takes from that element, not how much damage they deal with it.

A = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 200% of its normal damage
B = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 150% of its normal damage
C = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 100% of its normal damage
D = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 50% of its normal damage
E = When an actor is hit by that element, it will deal 0% of its normal damage
F = When an actor is hit by that element, it will heal that class by 100% of its normal damage


Oh, my bad. Thanks mirage, I'll fix it.
author=Ben_Random
F- An actor in that class will take 200% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.

Still wrong, F means that the actor is healed by that element.
author=mirageman613
author=Ben_Random
F- An actor in that class will take 200% of the normal damage when attacked with the selected element.
Still wrong, F means that the actor is healed by that element.

I meant to put -100%. Today is just not my day. I'll fix it.

I think Part III is going to get a little more proof reading.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
This thread is now pointers on how to word things. For example, the Status efficiency should probably read something akin to:

A: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will always (100% chance) be applied.
B: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a good chance (80%) of being applied.
C: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a moderate chance (60%) of being applied.
D: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a low chance (40%) being applied.
E: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a poor chance (20)% of being applied.
F: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will not (0% chance) be applied.


...Is that too wordy/technical?
author=Marrend
This thread is now pointers on how to word things. For example, the Status efficiency should probably read something akin to:

A: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will always (100% chance) be applied.
B: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a good chance (80%) of being applied.
C: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a moderate chance (60%) of being applied.
D: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a low chance (40%) being applied.
E: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will have a poor chance (20)% of being applied.
F: If an actor of this class is attacked with a skill that applies this status, the status will not (0% chance) be applied.


...Is that too wordy/technical?


I actually do agree with you, but I think I'm going to leave this tutorial as it is for now. I may come back to it once the series is finished and I put a "Table of Contents" at the begining.
Sorry about the wait for Part III. I'm not sure when it will be finished, considering my week is pretty full. Hopefully next Monday at the latest.
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