Custom Menu Using Javascript

[Saif]

I have been wondering and have not found a way wherein I would be able to fully customize the menu screen.

Customizing it as in each option in the menu looks different as well as when it is selected. Where I want it to follow the layout I want or even display the information which I select.

Is there any possible way to do this?

 

[LTN Games]

It will take time to learn he javasciprt & syntax but it is possible. Currently there are a few plugins that are trying to achieve a more user friendly custom menu but it's not as epic as Luna Engine is for Ace. If you got the time and dedication, you should have no issuie making your own custom menu it's rather easy just takes time.
I would reccommend starting with these video tutorials http://www.rpgmakermv.co/threads/rmmv-plugin-scripting-tutorials.860/

 

[Saif]

I have no problem understanding javascript as I am currently taking up Information Technology as my college course, though it seems like the javascript which is used for RPGMakerMV has its own additional taste of complexity yet the code syntax remains.

I enjoy coding so it would not be a problem for me to exert a lot of time and effort on it.

Thank you for providing the link to the tutorials that I was looking for. You just gave me the direction which I needed. :)

 

[eivl]

RPGMakerMV has its own additional taste of complexity

This is just object oriented programming ;)

For your question, to cange the information on the screen you will need to look into two aspect of the code, changing the window and changing the scene in wich it is drawn.

 

[Boy Who Codes]

If you want to make a menu, you can search up and study the following:

• Window_Base, Window_MenuCommand, Window_HorzCommand
• Scene_Base, Scene_MenuBase
• Phases. In MV, sifting through the steps how the menu is executed in the game is a big check.

Making Custom Menu isn't really that hard. This is coming from someone who is only good at making custom menu, way back Ace to now.

 

[Saif]

@eivl, Thank you for the information. I shall then look into those two aspects more deeply. :)

@Soul, I have been watching some of your videos on youtube and I am grateful you made the tutorials. I will read all about what you have stated then. I did not create my own scripts with RMVXA so I think it would take time for me to get a hang of it, but if you say it is easy then it is possible. Thank you :)

 

[eivl]

Good luck ;) JavaScript is in fact a joy to work with and MV scripts uses the full potensial of OOP that is available in ES5.

 

[Saif]

@eivl, a question though. I have tried creating my own Scene and Window and I do get a glimpse on how it works. Is there anyway for me to map the escape button onto the Scene which I have created rather than the standard Menu Scene? Thank you :)

 

[eivl]

Yes, you need to use a keyboard plugin for that. The ESC key is a bit of a special case, try my plugin and see if you can overrite it with the keyCode for ESC. If not i can update my plugin to do this.

 

[Saif]

@eivl, it does work. Now I just have to fiddle around with Windows and Scenes more to be able to create a more complex menu. Thank you so much! :)

Is it possible for the values of the game variables to be displayed on the menu? I plan to hide the attributes of the player inside the game variables. also is there any way to display pictures on the menu screen? :)

 

[eivl]

ESC is bound so many places that you would have to first bind that command to some other key first and then rebind ESC.
I will look for a solution on tuesday.

Any value in any object in the game can easily be displayed inside a window. You just have to find it ;)

Same goes for displaying pictures, it is no problem.

Sorry for the lack of examples, i am traveling and i am using my mobile for this. You might find examples on the forum for how to do this and if not i can fix this on tuesday.

I would recomend looking into The tutorials that @Soul makes and maybe his patreon page as well for more information.

Regarding picture on the menu screen, the game makes a screenshot of the game and uses it as a background image when you press ESC, you might want to study how that is done as well ;)

 

[Saif]

@eivl, I see. I would have to read a lot more then. I have also watched some of @Soul 's videos which I have no information about yet and it helped me a lot. Thank you for the help, just by having the information that it is possible is already a big help for me. :)

 

[eivl]

You are now able to remap Esc key with my keyboard plugin. Just set the parameter to true ;)

http://www.rpgmakermv.co/resources/keyboard-plugin.143/

 

[Ronivan]

I've training around a Menu Plugin, and I'm trying to make one just like Chrono Trigger. Actually I don't know if it will look like it, but at least it was very rich experience for me, since I'm new with JS. Right now I'm having a small problem, how do I change the menu commands with icons? Like I want to change the menu option "Item" with an icon instead of a name. Anyone could give me a hand?

This is my Chrono Trigger Menu in RPG X P

 

[Boy Who Codes]

The best way is to not give it a command name.

 

[Ronivan]

Yeah sure, but I'm having a heavy trouble understanding how it work. A simple sample would be helpfull, if its possible. I know that drawIcon handles the icon, and I believe the TextManager in addCommand handles the name of the command, but I can't get these too along with my current JS skills.

EDIT: Okay I found the solution. Its seems it has nothing to do with addCommand at all. I just removed all the commands names, as Soul has suggested. And then simple by adding icons by drawIcon directly in the commandWindow. Then I just had to sort the position of each icon to match the position of the command, and its done. Learn coding is just like this, keep pushing and trying, you will get what you want and learn a lot in the process.

 

[Saif]

Am finally back from school and will have time to work on my project.

@eivl, Thank you for modifying your plugin to be able to fit my need. thank you. :)

@Ronivan, I believe hi-jacking a thread would not be ok for the community, at least from what I have experienced with other communities before, or is it tolerated in here? I suggest you create your own thread and state your problems there. I am not being rude or anything but just someone who would want to have order in the community. Thank you though for giving your opinion on coding. :)

 

[jagvang]

I am learning new things everyday. This is really helpful. Thanks for sharing.

 

[clark]

I honestly learned to this in Ace and MV by taking other's scripts and editing them, Dekita's in Ace and Yanfly's in MV --- the most simplistic ones to learn from would probably be Yanfly's 'Actor Variables' menu add-on. it utilizes the help window as well as mini-status and variable display and icons. it has everything you need to make a custom menu, and Soul is actually an expert in the area so I'd take the advice she gave. I still wonder how Soul does the particle animations in menu screens... ill look into that one day. Thinking about having 1s and 0s scrolling in a menu