RPG game navigation help

[psychommunity0]

Hello, I'm making a rpg game in flash. THe code below is for the navigation. I'm trying to create the game so that it uses the grid-like motion in the classical rpg games. The grid-like motion prevents the characters from walking diagonally. So the character must walk forward 2 blocks, left 3 blocks, forward 1 block, etc. The code below compares the coordinate where the character is currently standing, to the coordinate that your mouse clicks (i'm not using the keyboard for navigation).

MY QUESTION: How would I change the code so that the character will first move on the x axis, THEN, the y-axis? For example, If I were to click a location diagonal to the character, I want to see him move to left/right first, THEN, up/down.

The code below is put on the character m/c that i'm moving.

onClipEvent(load){
nPosOldX = this._x
nPosOldY = this._y
}
onClipEvent(mouseDown){
nPosOldX = nPosNewX;
nPosOldY = nPosNewY;
nPosNewX = _root._xmouse;
nPosNewY = _root._ymouse;
if (nPosOldX != null && nPosOldY != null){
if (nPosOldX != nPosNewX || nPosOldY != nPosNewY){
this._x = nPosNewX
this._y = nPosNewY
}
}
}

[Ricod]

Arghhh ! My reply didn't come through !

ehmr ... the basic thing was :
U'll need to use the current x and y, and compare them to the destination x and y. Now, using a little trigonometry u can find out wether or not the direction is diagonal (or you could just check if there's only movement in either the x or y, but when there's movement in both, its diagonal.)

If its indeed diagonal, you can start a loop which will move your character horizontal by the difference between the destination x and the current x, and when its finished (if currentX == destinationX) it starts the vertical loop. If u don't know how to make loops, take a look at the tutorial.

Cuz of my huge interest in gaming I'm kinda curious what yer making here, can I have a look ?

[psychommunity0]

Yes. What I've been doing is getting both the current and new X distance AND the current and new Y distance. This way I won't have to use any trig stuff. The code below does compare the old and the new coordinates. However, I can't seem to get the character to move on the x-axis first, THEN move on the y-axis. Also, i've tried:
if(this._x = nPosNewX){
this._y = nPosNewY
}
I'm sure this means the character's horizontal position MUST equal that of the new horizontal coordinate in order for the vertical movement to engage. However, it doesn't work. So maybe I didn't explain correctly. How would I change the code below so that it gets the character to move horizontally first, THEN vertically?

Hey Ricod, i'll be happy to show you the end product(if i can finish it ). I'm trying to create a little rpg(final fantasy) game and implement it into a site.

thanks!!!!

[Ricod]

I usually use a three frame mc that loops until the destined position is reached , with a piece that tells it, when the maximum value is crossed to set the position to the max value, in this case the destination _x. (for a smooth transition, but your moving it instantly ?)

anyway, to compare data, use :

if(this._x == nPosNewX){ 
   this._y = nPosNewY 
}

== compares a value, while = sets a value.

How do you think to make it small, if its final fantasy like !

[psychommunity0]

woops~
i mean the put == instead of a single =
Even with ==, the code still doesn't work. Any ideas? One more thing. I didn't quite get the part about having 3 frames. Can you explain it again? hehe
thanks!!!!
P.S. I'm starting off small with the game. Maybe just one town that allows the character to walk around and talk to people.

[Ricod]

The 3 frames mc is what I use for loops ... but your doing instant move or sumthing ? Anyway, I use them to let something increment (like with movement). Basically, the 1st frame has a stop(). The 2nd has actions that check the current position, opposed to the destination position, and then moves according to the speed that's appropriate. The 3rd also has this, but also a gotoAndPlay(2);

let's see what we can do with the current setup ...

onClipEvent(mouseDown){
    nPosOldX = nPosNewX;
    nPosOldY = nPosNewY;
    nPosNewX = _root._xmouse;
    nPosNewY = _root._ymouse;
    if (nPosOldX != null && nPosOldY != null){
        if (nPosOldX != nPosNewX || nPosOldY != nPosNewY){
             _root.movementControl.gotoAndPlay(2);
        }
    }
}

Now we let movementControl ... well, control the movement .

characterSpeed = 10;
var currentX = _root.myCharacter._x;
var destinationX = _root.myCharacter.nPosNewX;
if (currentX != destinationX){
    XDiff = destinationX - currentX;
    if (XDiff >= characterSpeed) {
        _root.myCharacter._x += XDiff;
    }else{
        _root.myCharacter._x = destinationX;
    }
}else{
    if (currentY != destinationY) {

etc ... repeat everything for X with Y ... now, with this construction, if everything is set appr. it should always check wether or not there's a difference in _X ,and if not, then check wether or not there's a difference in _y.

[psychommunity0]

hey ricod
I really appreciated helping me with this. I'm not totally sure where to put the code you just wrote down there . What I did was:
A) in an empty mc called movementControl:
frame 1:

stop()

frame 2:

characterSpeed = 10;
var currentX = _root.myCharacter._x;
var currentY = _root.myCharacter._y;
var destinationX = _root.myCharacter.nPosNewX;
var destinationY = _root.myCharacter.nPosNewY;
if (currentX != destinationX){
    XDiff = destinationX - currentX;
    if (XDiff >= characterSpeed) {
        _root.myCharacter._x += XDiff;
    }else{
        _root.myCharacter._x = destinationX;
    }
        }
if (currentY != destinationY){
    YDiff = destinationY - currentY;
    if (YDiff >= characterSpeed) {
        _root.myCharacter._y += YDiff;
    }else{
        _root.myCharacter._y = destinationY;
    }
        }

frame 3:

characterSpeed = 10;
var currentX = _root.myCharacter._x;
var currentY = _root.myCharacter._y;
var destinationX = _root.myCharacter.nPosNewX;
var destinationY = _root.myCharacter.nPosNewY;
if (currentX != destinationX){
    XDiff = destinationX - currentX;
    if (XDiff >= characterSpeed) {
        _root.myCharacter._x += XDiff;
    }else{
        _root.myCharacter._x = destinationX;
    }
        }
if (currentY != destinationY){
    YDiff = destinationY - currentY;
    if (YDiff >= characterSpeed) {
        _root.myCharacter._y += YDiff;
    }else{
        _root.myCharacter._y = destinationY;
    }
        }
gotoAndPlay(2)

I'm not exactly sure where to put the other code. Sorry to bother you with this simple question~
thank you soooo much

[psychommunity0]

ricod?

[Ricod]

Sorry, I'm not around as often as I used to be ... (u can all thank my 2 bossess)

The other code would be where u put it right ? I believe u put it on your character.

But, eh , do u understand what the code is saying ? (it's more important ...)