Split screen and multicontrol request

[Vandivier]

This is a request for a local machine multiplayer as follows: 1 based on Party Manager/Player Manager 2 Menu Select "Multiplayer" and choose number of players (2-4 for now) 3 Screen will either split top/bottom or 4-way depending on selection. 4 party manager/player already allows multiple parties...the difference here is that rather than switch between them I propose this script allows different keys to control different parties...eg wasd different char than 1253, directional keys and so on. Each screen-part would only display their own controlled character area (autodetect char already in party manager/player manager...this would just make the display on a per-split basis.) 5 preferably allow key mapping do be modified...Allowing external controller use!

[HimeWorks]

Such a script would have to be based on the player manager, as controls for each "player" should be store with a separate player.

For 3, your screen is limited to 640x480 by default. How are you going to address this? Being able to see only a half or a quarter of an already limited screen does not seem like a good idea.

For 5, check if existing controller scripts work. For example http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/1284-gamepad-extender

[Vandivier]

1 Yes, as I mention in original request. 2 The idea is to play on a smart TV with game controllers, using the computer only as a brain. 3 Gamepad extender does work to allow multiplayer for up to 4 controllers, however I do not know how to integrate this with Player Manager.

It seems workable does it not? Tons of people would love this feature.

[HimeWorks]

My impression is that displaying your screen on a TV only stretches it, so it's still 640x480, except stretched. This is not an issue? Cause when I tried split screen at some point, it looked really bad.

http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/3734-2-player-split-screen-effect/

It depends on what kind of game you're making, of course. For something like the default RM projects, it doesn't really work (battles, menus, etc), but if you have your own custom menus and things specifically for an extremely small screen space..that might work. I'm not a designer so I don't know how to make use of a small square of space effectively.

I don't know have any controllers so I wouldn't be able to test it but I would assume if I can set up key mappings for each player then it should automatically work.

Based on what I've tried before I'm not sure if I will get around to doing it because of the complexity and compatibility issues. However, now that I actually have the Player Manager script, some of the complexity is removed...

[Vandivier]

Of course I understand if you would not like to do this. Maybe I will try it myself then, although I am not familiar with the PM script. However, would some small payment change your mind?

You are right that using the smart TV only stretches the image. I think, as you mention, redesigned menus and other factors can solve this issue. Those are separate issues which I am not asking you to address. We can create the multiplayer script and let someone else in the community make it pretty.

Another option, which may be a separate project for someone else to do, would be to allow the game to split screen by monitor instead of on the same screen. In other words, instead of splitting 1 screen, allow 1 screen on one monitor and another screen for another player on a separate monitor.

Lastly, if you would not like to do this then I will request from someone else in the community, or try to script myself as a last resort. In those cases do you have any advice? Is this project at least possible, what scrips should be included and is there another Ace scripter you think would maybe do this?

Thank you for all of your quick responses :smile:

[HimeWorks]

I agree with the idea that the community will fill in the rest. For the most part, I would only be interested in writing the "core" multiplayer functionality. The look and feel would be up to users to figure out. I'd have to note that the default project is basically incompatible with it, since it is explicitly defined for single-player use. The problem is when it would be developed enough for actual consumption.

"small payments" usually don't motivate me to do work. If you were talking hundreds then that might be something, but usually only scripts that I'm interested in atm get written, even if someone were putting a relatively large amount of money on it.

I have no comments on splitting the screen by monitor, or even creating multiple game windows. I have never looked into that

I would consider requesting it on one of the active forums. As for whether it's possible or not, yes, I've done simultaneous 2-player scripts on the same map and that simple split-screen demo up there, but they were only prototypes.

There are definitely a lot of issues to work out for multiplayer games, because none of the existing scripts are made for multiplayer on the same screen.