I stated my problem
here, on the Feature Request board. Because there are no such Clones, however, I'll need to make due with what we have.
I want to have Beethro and Halph in one room. The player can switch control between the two. I want it to work like clones (having the guy you are switching from left behind).
I know I need two NPCs: one whose graphic is Beethro, and the other Halph. When the player switches, then the corresponding NPC appears where the player was so that it doesn't just seem like he disappears. So, when you control Halph, Beethro should still be standing where he was when he swapped. This is not just for visual purposes, but puzzle, too; enemies still chase an NPC Beethro.
But then, here's some problems that I have:
1) There needs to be a way for the game to know when the player wants to switch control. I wish I could use Tab, but I can't tell the game to wait for input of a certain key. But I think I can just stick with the system of those Blue Swap Tiles on Wonderquest, where control swaps to the other character when stepping on certain tiles.
2) The NPCs must know what the player role currently is, so that they know which one should appear where the player was when he swaps. We don't want Halph to accidentally appear where Beethro was, because, well, for starters, there would be two Halphs.
3) The NPC that appears must know the player's position so that he appears in the right place.
4) This is a tough one: The NPC that appears must also know which direction to face.
5) Another tough one: player role can't just change . . . the player must also appear where the NPC for the other character is when he changes. And I don't know how to make the player's location change; clones are an anomaly to the one-move per turn rule of DROD, as the player is instantly elsewhere. That's why I wish I could use clones.
6) I would like for player role to be consistant when moving between rooms. But this would complicate some solutions to problem number 2.
Is there any possible solution? Can anyone think of how to code the NPCs to make a system that adresses all of these problems? I don't want to give up on my Beethro and Halph puzzles. I am finally letting my attention span last long enough for me to return to a hold the next day, but I'm afraid I'll leave yet another incomplete hold in the dust if I can't pass this barrier. I plan to have player role swap in some levels (like this one), but I was really looking forward to having a level where both player roles were on the screen at the same time.
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Also known as ExpHP everywhere else.
