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March 28, 2024, 06:39:25 am

[MAP] Zodiac Signs

Started by lirmont, March 28, 2012, 01:09:47 pm

lirmont

March 28, 2012, 01:09:47 pm Last Edit: February 03, 2014, 11:14:19 am by lirmont
This is a technical map that will be used to assert/demonstrate zodiac compatibility when it gets added into the game. The signs you can see on the game squares will remain that way, but all the other squares will have their own signs, which will fade in and out during battle. Basically, it will be set up so that each character will only be able to move through sign-squares they are either compatible with or neutral/harmonic with. In short, there are three types of signs that each different zodiac symbol will not be able to move through. I also want to make the clock in the middle function so that it displays your current system season (winter, spring, summer, autumn), zodiac sign (inner-wheel), and the hour (and minute approximation).

Anyway:



Views: 001 and 002.


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Suggestions:


  • The FFT sign for the leap day (i.e. February 29) in a leap year (contributed by PGF; will do, but have to pull the sign out of the game).

  • Toroid distribution of random function for zodiac symbols (contributed by bunkjuggs).



Lijj

  • Modding version: PSX

bunkjuggs

I'd thought of something along these lines myself.  Using a grid of compatibility between characters and movement.  Make tile compatibility enhance or disrupt abilities and spells.  You could make the signs of tiles shift throughout turns.  Like dominos.

Cheetah

It looks great, but I'm not sure I get it. Could you show an example?
Current Projects:

lirmont

@bunkjuggs: I was thinking that the shift would be based on the zodiac clock (which would start at whatever your system clock is at), but a domino effect sounds equally compelling. Like, when someone switches major color blocks might be an interesting start condition for a directionally controlled re-roll. I could get rid of the clock then.

@Cheetah: In practice, this map would include a unique sign on every last single square you could move to, but, as they would be provided by event-context code, they're not included here. An example. Some unit stands on a block. The map reacts by visually revealing who that unit has good/bad/best/worst compatibility with (based on the signs the units are standing on and not their actual zodiac sign, which is based on birth). For instance, signs might change colors appropriately. Or, the lighting might focus on the unit with the active turn and an adjacent opponent who has best/worst compatibility (like, greying everybody else out).  It's really meant to be a teaching map (rather than something restrictive). I know I glossed over zodiac compatibility every playthrough I ever did of FFT.

Zodiac signs are a pretty simple math construction (see: diagram). If you look at the map, the symbols are laid out like numbers on a 1 - 12 clock face. Good compatibility is a triangle: start at a sign, skip 3 signs clockwise/counter-clockwise, the 4th sign is good. Bad compatibility is a square: start at a sign, skip 2 signs clockwise/counter-clockwise, the 3rd sign is bad. Best compatibility is a line tangent to the center of the circle: start at a sign, skip 5 signs clockwise/counter-clockwise, the 6th sign is best. FFT only applied best/worst to opposite genders (and ignored monsters completely). I wouldn't include that.

bunkjuggs

I like the idea with the battlefield gui's to show compatibility with an active character.  Certain other characters might light up or become shaded red or something else that wouldn't look like berserk. 

While reading your response I was thinking of some geomancer strategies like staying on certain tiles to turn enemies into toads and whatnot, just something to think about.  I love the clock idea.  I imagine chinese marbles and chess.  Perhaps you could emulate the shape of a toroid for element distribution.  It would look like a coil of joy and might provide inspiration for environmental textures and mapping.