SHADOW HEARTS' JUDGMENT RING SYSTEM

Design your own battle system and minigames based on this template.

  • Avee
  • 10/03/2011 06:30 PM
  • 6898 views
Shadow Hearts' Judgment Ring system

Introduction
The Shadow Hearts video game series introduced an innovative system called the Judgment Ring used in battle and minigames to determine the success of the player's actions. To take a look at this system, you can watch this random gameplay video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OczBEkrHi3A
This tutorial will teach you how to make and code your own Ring Areas (the colored segments within the Ring) to use with my SH Judgment Ring system template for RPG Maker 2003. Below is a list of the Pictures, Switches, Variables and Events that are used in this template, as well as a guide on how to draw and code Ring Areas.

Download
You can download the template and game demo (includes a battle system demo and lottery minigame demo) here: http://rpgmaker.net/media/content/users/15964/locker/Avee_SH_Judgment_Ring.zip. You will find a copy of this guide in the game folder.


Pictures
Pictures No. 1, 2, 41 to 45 and No. 50 are used in this system. Please note that whenever I say "Ring Cursor" I refer to the ring's spinning needle.
Here is the list of what on-screen images the different Pictures correspond to:

Picture No. 01 = Monster's Hit Points gauge
Picture No. 02 = Hero's Hit Points gauge
Picture No. 41 = Ring background image (the grey and black circle)
Picture No. 42 = Ring Area (the colored segments within the Ring)
Picture No. 43 = Stopped Ring Cursor no.1
Picture No. 44 = Stopped Ring Cursor no.2
Picture No. 45 = Stopped Ring Cursor no.3
Picture No. 50 = Ring Cursor (the white spinning bar)


Switches and Variables
Switch 0002 "Ring Cursor moves"
When ON, this makes the Cursor spin.

Switch 0003 "Stopped Cursor 1"
When ON, this shows Picture No. 43 (Stopped Ring Cursor no.1)
Switch 0004 "Stopped Cursor 2"
When ON, this shows Picture No. 44 (Stopped Ring Cursor no.2)
Switch 0005 "Stopped Cursor 3"
When ON, this shows Picture No. 45 (Stopped Ring Cursor no.3)

Switch 0008 "Hit or Miss ON"
When ON, this allows the player to press Enter to stop the Cursor while it is spinning.

Switch 0009 "Attacking ON"
When ON, this activates the Attack scene between the hero and the monster.

Switch 0101 "Attack hit no1"
When ON, this will activate the hero's first attack at normal strength during the Attack scene.
Switch 0102 "Attack hit no2"
When ON, this will activate the hero's second attack at normal strength during the Attack scene.
Switch 0103 "Attack hit no3"
When ON, this will activate the hero's third attack at normal strength during the Attack scene.

Switch 0106 "Attack strike no1"
When ON, this will activate the hero's first attack at double strength during the Attack scene.
Switch 0107 "Attack strike no2"
When ON, this will activate the hero's second attack at double strength during the Attack scene.
Switch 0108 "Attack strike no3"
When ON, this will activate the hero's third attack at double strength during the Attack scene.

Variable 0001 "Ring Cursor posi"
This keeps track of the Cursor's current position within the Ring. You won't need to edit this.

Variable 0002 "Ring Cursor speed"
This determines the spinning speed of the Cursor. You can edit this if you want but I don't recommend it.

Variable 0004 "Ring Area"
This determines what Ring Area image will be shown and used. You will have to alter this variable for every new Ring Area image you want to code.

Variable 0006 "Press Enter"
This allows the player to press Enter to stop the Cursor while it is spinning. You won't need to edit this.

Variable 0007 "No of times to press"
This keeps track of how many times the player can press Enter during the spin. This value must always be equal to the number of colored segments in the currently used Ring Area image, so make sure you edit it right.

Variable 0008 "Stopped C 1 value"
This will record the Cursor's position for Picture No. 43 (Stopped Ring Cursor no.1) when Enter is pressed. You won't need to edit this.
Variable 0009 "Stopped C 2 value"
This will record the Cursor's position for Picture No. 44 (Stopped Ring Cursor no.2) when Enter is pressed. You won't need to edit this.
Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value"
This will record the Cursor's position for Picture No. 45 (Stopped Ring Cursor no.3) when Enter is pressed. You won't need to edit this.

Variable 0035 "monster hp"
This keeps track of the monster's Hit Points for Picture No. 01 (Monster's Hit Points gauge). If you design your own battle system, edit this.

Variable 0036 "hero hp"
This keeps track of the monster's Hit Points for Picture No. 02 (Hero's Hit Points gauge). If you design your own battle system, edit this.


Events
Here is the list of used Events for both the Battle System and the Lottery:

(000,001) Cursor move speed
This sets the Cursor's spinning speed. You can edit this if you want but I don't recommend it.

(000,002) Cursor move image
This shows Picture No. 50 (Ring Cursor). You won't need to edit this.
(001,002) Cursor move image 2
This also shows Picture No. 50 (Ring Cursor). You won't need to edit this.
(002,002) Cursor move image 3
This also shows Picture No. 50 (Ring Cursor). You won't need to edit this.

(003,002) Ring Area appear
This shows Picture No. 42 (Ring Area) when called. You will have to make a new page in this event for every new Ring Area image you want to code. You will also have to edit the (001,014) Message event in order to select the right Ring Areas.

(000,004) Press
This manages the press Enter command to stop the Cursor while it is spinning. You won't need to edit this.

(000,005) Hit or Miss
This keeps track of whether you press Enter when the Cursor is over a colored segment or not. You will have to make a new page for every new Ring Area image you want to code. You will also have to edit the values according to each Ring Area. This is a big part of the coding you'll have to do.

(001,014) Message
This is the first part of the Battle/Lottery system. You will have to edit it according to your own Battle or Lottery System.

(006,014) Attacking / Get prizes
This is the second part of the Battle/Lottery system. You will have to edit it according to your own Battle or Lottery System.

Battle System map's 9 upper right events
These show the Stopped Ring Cursor images. You won't need to edit these.


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Drawing Ring Areas
I like using iDraw for this, but you can probably use another drawing program.

A) Open the following file in your drawing program: SH Judgment Ring\Picture\judgment ring.png



This is the template for drawing Ring Areas.

The ring's center is marked by the central light grey dot at position (245,080).
The ring's outline is a darker grey.
The light grey numbers and lines, yellow dots, and pink number and line all mark Cursor positions. These positions correspond to Variable 0001 "Ring Cursor posi" values. The Cursor always starts at value 1 and reaches value 281 after a complete spin.

B) Select a straight line drawing tool. Draw a line starting at the central light grey dot, going all the way to a light grey, yellow or pink dot, or in-between near the dark grey outline. Then draw a second line to complete the edges of the Area segment. Make sure you also keep track of what value (Cursor position) both lines correspond to. In the example below, the Area segment starts at value 52 and ends at value 80.



C) Fill in the Area segment with color. Add your own personal style to it. Make sure you color over the dots but not over the dark grey outline.



D) Repeat steps B and C if you wish. Since a maximum of 3 Area segments is coded with the demo system, don't make more than 3 segments unless you edit the allowed maximum. Let's make two other segments at values 175-201 and 224-245.



E) Save your file under a different name, erase everything but the Area segments and save your file once again. Your custom Ring Area is now done:




Coding Ring Areas
In this example, we've made a three-segment Ring Area to use in the Battle System. The segments' values are 52-80, 175-201 and 224-245.

A) Open the Sandbox Battle map from the game folder under RPG Maker 2003.

B) Open the following event to edit: (003,002) Ring Area appear

C) Copy and Paste Page 1 to make a Page 2.

D) In the Preconditions of Page 2, set Variable 0004 "Ring Area" value to 1. This value will correspond to our newly-made Ring Area.

E) In the Event Commands box, edit the Show Picture command and select our newly-made Ring Area as the Image File to be shown. Then save and exit this event by clicking OK.

F) Open the following event to edit: (001,014) Message

G) In the Event Commands box, locate the Variable Operation: Set, 0 and set it to 1. Also locate the Call Event: Ring Area appear right below it and edit it to open Page 2 of the Ring Area appear Map Event. Then save and exit this event by clicking OK.

H) Open the following event to edit: (000,005) Hit or Miss

I) Create a new Page, Page 2.

J) In the Preconditions of Page 2, set Variable 0004 "Ring Area" value to 1, the value corresponding to our newly-made Ring Area.

K) Now we will code the hit or miss detection for our Ring Area. We will code many Conditional Branches checking the values of Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value" for both colored and blank segments of the Area. These values must reflect the Position values we wrote down for our three new Ring Area segments, so that the game will correctly identify if the player hits a colored segment or not when pressing Enter during the Cursor's spin.
Remember our segments' values: 52-80, 175-201 and 224-245.

k1) In the Event Command box, add a sound effect to let the player know the Cursor will begin to spin, than add a "Label 1" right below it.

k2) Then make a Conditional Branch checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value". Set its Number to 224 and select "Greater than or Equal to" in the white box below it. Check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK.

k3) Right below this Conditional Branch, make a new one checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value" again. Set its Number to 246 and select "Less than" in the white box below it. Do not check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK. These two branches will check if the player presses Enter when the Cursor is over the colored Area segment that stretches out from value 224 to value 245.

k4) Add a sound effect to let the player know they successfully hit this colored segment.

k5) Turn ON Switch 0103 "Attack hit no3".

k6) Add a "Jump to Label 2". Your code should now look like this:



k7) We will now code the blank segment that follows this colored segment counter-clockwise. Under the Else Handler notice below, make a Conditional Branch checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value". Set its Number to 202 and select "Greater than or Equal to" in the white box below it. Check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK.

k8) Right below this Conditional Branch, make a new one checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value" again. Set its Number to 224 and select "Less than" in the white box below it. Do not check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK. These two branches will check if the player presses Enter when the Cursor is over the blank Area segment that stretches out from value 202 to value 223.

k9) Add a "Jump to Label 5". The whole code should now look like this:



We just completed a first "block" of coding. You will now have to repeat steps k2 to k9 for all the remaining values. Don't forget to code both colored and blank segments. Also, change Switch 0103 "Attack hit no3" to Switch 0102 "Attack hit no2" for the second block and to Switch 0101 "Attack hit no1" for the third block. When done, we will code the last blank segment that goes from Cursor's position 1 to 51:

k10) Under the Else Handler notice again, make a Conditional Branch checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value". Set its Number to 52 and select "Less than" in the white box below it. Do not check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK.
k11) Right below this Conditional Branch, make a new one checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value" again. Set its Number to 0 and select "Greater than" in the white box below it. Do not check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK.

k12) Add a "Label 5". This is where hitting a blank segment will lead the code.

k13) Add a sound effect of failure.

k14) Turn OFF Switch 0002 "Ring Cursor moves". Then add a Wait 0.0 seconds.

k15) Move Pictures Number 50, 45, 44, 43, 42 and 41 to 100% Transparency in 3 tenths of a second. Check the Option "Halt Other Processes During Transition" for the last Picture.

k16) Turn ON Switch 0009 "Attacking ON".

k17) Turn OFF Switch 0008 "Hit or Miss ON".

The whole code should now look like this:




k18) At the very last " : End" notice of the code, add a Wait 0.0 seconds followed by a Conditional Branch checking Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value". Set its Number to 246 and select "Greater than or Equal to" in the white box below it. Do not check the Option "Execute Custom Handler if Condition Not Met". Click OK. Then add a "Jump to Label 5".

k19) At the " : End" notice below, add a "Jump to Label 1". You'll get this:



Now that might have been quite a lot of work, but we only coded the first of 3 possibilities to press Enter to stop the Cursor, as there are three colored segments to our Ring Area image. We have two more to go, but each one is a bit shorter to code than the previous one.

L) Repeat steps k1 to k19 but don't add the first sound effect in step k1. Change Label 1 to Label 2. Also change "Jump to Label 2" for "Jump to Label 3". Change Variable 0010 "Stopped C 3 value" to C 2. Only Switch 0103 "Attack hit no3" and Switch 0102 "Attack hit no2" will be used. Take a look at the image below to know if you coded everything right:



M) Repeat steps k1 to k19 one last time. Change Label 2 to Label 3. Also change "Jump to Label 3" for "Jump to Label 4". Change Variable 0010 "Stopped C 2 value" to C 1. Only Switch 0103 "Attack hit no3" will be used. You get the idea… Take a look at the image below to know if you coded everything right:



N) We now only have a small block of code left to write. Add a "Label 4" at the bottom, then copy and paste the block of code under Label 5. Don't include the "Label 5" command and change the failure sound effect to a success sound effect. Here is what this should look like:



Click OK to save this event and we are now done coding our new Ring Area for the Battle System. Run the game to test it.

Repeat this entire process if you want to add other custom Ring Areas. If you want to cut down the work, use Areas with only one colored segment in them. Feel free to experiment with creating and coding different looking Areas.

If you include my Judgment Ring system in your game and/or edit it, please give me credit so everyone can follow its development.

Avee

Posts

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Wow, if this had come out 4 years ago when I was really considering using the Judgement Ring system I would have been thrilled...these days it would not work into my plans, but this was still a lot of fun to play with.

Your system is very well done from what I have played and looked at under the hood. Not only is it very cleanly coded, but also extremely well-documented here. (Though, while I haven't taken a good look at editing the system, I'm wondering why you used map events instead of Common Events for image-displaying.) Great job.
Thanks! I'm glad that you find it user-friendly. My goal was to make this system as easy to use as possible for anyone.

Though I did not include much pre-coded customization, it is possible to recreate most of Shadow Hearts' Ring States, such as random speed and reversed Cursor, invisible Areas, Tight Ring and the "Key" items' effects.
Any chance you can give us a new download for this? I really want to implement it into an ABS project (coupled with a combo meter).
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