I wanted a lock pick system for my game but couldn't seem to find anything quite right for my game... so I spent a couple of hours and I made my own! It's super early in development and I'm sure riddled with bugs but maybe we can help each other out. Feel free to use it for anything other than repackaging it saying you made it lol. This is my first demo I'm sharing so here's what I'm hoping we can accomplish:
- Have fun! add it to your game. Customize it!
- share feedback
- Find Bugs.
- Make it better!
- Share screenshots and videos.
Again I'm really new at this and by no means am I a programmer or scripter, so right now it's mostly event based and I'll do my best to solve as many issues as I can. I'm also super open to advice from more seasoned game makers.
Required Plugins:
Yanfly's Message Core & Yanfly's Mini Label
What to expect:
Alot of mistakes but also a cool idea that mostly works great! It's entirely event based which makes if super easy to customize but may take you a little more time to create new locks and puzzles. Also I understand this is not like picking a real lock, the idea was to get it close enough to be familiar but no so close that it's teaching kids how to break into stuff.
How it works:
The system is based around LOCKS, KEYS, LOCK PICKS and most importantly the LOCK PICK MINI GAME.
LOCKS are unique obstacles placed on Doors or Chests or whatever else you would want to lock. They exsist within the locked event itself. LOCKS can be unlocked by a beating the LOCK PICK MINI GAME, using a KEY, or using a MASTER KEY. LOCKS can have a varying degree of difficulty (read on for more).
KEYS are unique items designated to specific LOCKS. Like in real life, most locks are unique.Using a key will open the designated lock automatically when interacted with by the player. The key will then be discarded. You can hide keys around maps or give them to players after they defeat a boss. Torture players by putting a locked chest in an obvious spot but not letting them find the key until they grind through an entire dungeon.
LOCK PICKS are disposable items in the game used to initiate the LOCK PICK MINI GAME. LOCK PICKS can be gained the way you gain any other normal item (shop,chest, enemies, etc...). Lock picks will also break if you stress it too much during the MINI GAME and you will be forced out of the MINI GAME before you can try again.
[Amount of Lock picks in your inventory is set to Variable 2 in game]
LOCK PICK MINI GAME is a puzzle-like mini game that must be completed to unlock a LOCK using a LOCK PICK.
When conditions are met to initiate the MINI GAME (having at least one lock pick and trying to open a locked container or door), the player will be transferred to a lock shaped map. The objective of the game is to get your "LOCK PICK" to lift all of the pins to the very top of the lock before any of them fall to their original starting point and click back into place. Here's where it get's tricky for the player; each pin falls at a different speed, and some LOCKS have more pins to push up than others. On top that your LOCK PICK can only undergo so much stress before it breaks (this is defined as "Moves Remaining" during the mini game). LOCKS also have varying degrees of difficulty meaning an easy lock may have less pins and be more forgiving, while a hard lock may have more pins and be less forgiving. (For example, An easy lock has 3 pins and you can push a pin up 9 times before your Lock Pick breaks. A hard lock has 4 pins and you can only push a pin up 8 times before your lock pick breaks.) If you beat the mini game you will be transferred out of the mini game map and rewarded with whatever the lock was keeping you from, be it a room, item, or what have you.
MASTER KEY, is an item you can give to the character (say after they beat the game) which lets them unlock any chest or door automatically (like the skeleton key).
Alright so after all of that info lol... lets see if we can make this system even better and who knows maybe one day someone will use it in their bonafide game.
Know Issues:
- Right now you can push the lock up one square at a time meaning you can push it to the edge before it resets and it will stay lifted, however it will not start to reset unless it's pushed to the very top of the lock. You also cannot activate the correct switch to win unless you push it to the top... so I'm not sure If I actually prefer it to be this way or not, let me know your thoughts.
- You can continually push a pin upward until your lock pick breaks (again maybe it's better this way)
- Sometimes pins don't fall all the way back to their starting position.
- Every now and again there's brief lag
Update Log:
V1.1
- Moved Id's (items, switches, common events, etc..) to the 300's for easier implementation to your game
- Small tweaks
