Modular Game Engine/Characters

See Character controls before this page. Playable characters, NPCs, enemies, bosses, and misc.

Graphics

• Humanoid - The character has a human or human-like appearance.
• Special - Examples: A box-shaped robot with threads, a tank, Kirby, R.O.B., Ultron Omega (MvCI), some of Sigma's 2nd forms in the Mega Man X series, ...

Default

• Skeleton - The core of the character, which determines its animations.
• Pallette - The character's colors. Can be ignored.

• Head
• Neck

• Chest

• Arms
  • L.Arm
  • R.Arm
  • L.Arm
  • R.Arm
  • L.Hand
  • R.Hand

• Waist

• Legs
  • L.Leg
  • R.Leg
  • L.Leg
  • R.Leg
  • L.Feet
  • R.Feet

• Equipment 1 - Determine in what part of the body it is set. Mainly armors and weapons, like Mega Man X and Monster Hunter series. May be set in more than one part depending of usage, like a sword being one hand(s) when used and on other part when not (sheath in waist, on the back of the body, a holder in the arms or legs, ...)
• Equipment 2
• Equipment 3
• Equipment 4
• Equipment ... (up to 50 by default for heavy ones like Link and Snake, although not always visible due to their hammerspace made with magic or nanomachines)

Special

• Hair
• L.Ear
• R.Ear
• R.Wing
• L.Wing
• Tail

• Extra Limb 1 (specify) - Repeats specified limb by default, but it can be customized to be different, like a character with 6 wings with each pair having a different appearance.
• Extra Limb 2 - Also, decide in which part of the body the extra is connected. It would be strange for a two/three headed character to have one head in the hand or feet.
• Extra Limb ... (up to 20 by default) - Examples: Goro (Mortal Kombat), Druaga (Namco), ...

• Special 1 - Something else? (decide in which part of the body it is connected)
• Special 2 - Examples: Horns, beaks, fins, a halo, hunchback, ...
• Special 3 - Parts that aren't always visible, like Wolverine's retractable claws, are better set as equipments.
• Special ... (5 by default)

Stats

Basics:

• Name - The engine has a few default names, but why not give a new one?
• Type - Playable, NPC, Enemy, Boss, Sub-Boss, or Other (obstacles, mimics, background characters like NPCs that can't be interacted, a mix, ...). (Must be set)
• Species - Human, Humanoid, Elf, Dwarf, ... ("Humanoid" by default)
• Class - Fighter, Mage, Gunner, Healer, ... (None by default)
• Data (biography, age, birthday, birthplace, ...)
• Alignment - Good/Bad? (optional option that is off by default)
• Level - Add if using RPG elements like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Super Paper Mario. Off by default.
  • Experience Points - A must have for playable characters if Level is enabled, even if no enemies are set to give exp. Some games enhance the Level (or more often only one status) under set conditions. For example, Mega Man X's Max.HP increases with special items, and Solid Snake's by defeating bosses. Also Monster World and Popful Mail.

The stats below can be renamed. Here are some alt. names for base stats: Body, Mind, Soul, Heart, Technique, Will Power, ...

• HP - Health/Life Points/Vitality
• MP - Magic Points
• Stamina - For advanced gameplay. Examples: Monster Hunter series, Metal Gear Solid 3, Kid Icarus: Uprising, ...

• Attack Power / Strength / Vigor - Physical Power
• Defense Power / Resistance - Physical Defense

• Magic Power - Magical Power
• Magic Defense / Magic Resistance - Magical Defense

• Intelligence / Knowledge / Wisdom - Alt. "Magical Power" value.
• - Alt. Magical Defense

• __ Power - Element/Status % power or chance to inflict. Has the default Elements and Statuses listed in ___, and can be customized to have more or less.
  • __ Resistance - Element/Status % resistance. 100% = immune. 200% = absorbs a % equal to (TBA).

• Charisma - Mainly for games with advanced RPG elements.
• Luck - % chance of obtaining items from enemies and causing critical hits (if on).
• Accuracy / Hit Rate - RPG only? Off by default.
• Evasion Rate - RPG only? Off by default.
• Critical Rate - Chance to cause a critical hit. Off by default.

• Agility / Speed / Dexterity - Movement speed. Max. for The Flash and Super Sonic.
  • Acceleration - How fast speed increases.
  • Brake - How fast speed decreases.
  • Move - For strategy games, tactical RPGs, and board games. Movements per turn/tile or how long it takes for the character's turn.

• Jump - On/Off, active by default. Turn off for characters that don't jump. Examples: Bionic Commando.
  • Jump Height - How high the character can jump.
  • Jump Distance - How far a character can jump.

• Height - Determines areas, vehicles, and equipments that can be accessed. Playable characters height must have a min. of 0,20 m and a max. of 3,0 m, otherwise they will not be allowed in default multiplayer matches.
• Weight - Mainly affects gravity, like jumps and running speed.

• Running Speed
• Traction
• Jump Height
• Jump Distance
• Falling Speed
• Fall damage (on/off) - Set height if on, default values being 10 m for min. damage and above 50 m for lethal fall.

Equipments

Equipments are additions to the character that are attached to one part of his/her/its body, each having their own details. Here is a great example of a handgun I found while browsing #pixelart (worth checking out at least once in a while, great stuff!) showing aim positions, shell physics, smoke, light, and slide recoil.

Transformations and Assists

Different forms, alternating between characters, or using vehicles and familiars. A character's Height value affects vehicles as they have a min. and max. height to be used. (unless set to adjust to any character)

• Change (switch/transform) - Examples: Mega Man X8, Wai Wai World, Ben 10, Zelda/Sheik and Pokémon Trainer in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, ... Mega Man X may count for each weapon and armor, but these are better considered as equipments with special conditions (changes pallette and grants new skills) instead of forms, except for the Hyper Modes in MMX Command Mission. Axl (X7-X8) and Model A uses this.

• Find - Has the option to start with it or only use when it is found. Can be set to be limited for specific characters to avoid everyone from using it, or limited to a character class (humanoids only, for example). May also include penalties for characters that don't have the requirements to use it (a character without pilotting skills may get inside, but actions will be random or do nothing at all). Examples: Mega Man X Ride Armors and Ride Chasers, Captain Commando (arcade version), Golden Axe, Metal Warriors, Kirby: Planet Robopot, ...

• Team - Examples: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin and Ice Climbers in the Super Smash Bros. series.

• Merged - Two or more characters can combine to form other character. Examples: Dragon Ball Fusions, the zords from Power Rangers, Ukon & Sakon from Naruto, ...

• Summon
  • Normal - Examples: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
  • Timed - Disappears after some time. Example: Assist Trophies and Pokémon is SSB series, Rush in Mega Man games.
  • Limited Time - Can only be used for some time, and either can't use again after it is over or must wait it to "cooldown" to use again. Examples: Wario, Fox, and Giga Bowser in the SSB series, Rush in Mega Man games (ammo).
  • Special Condition - Only used on set conditions, which may also include one of the previous ones. Examples: Captain Falcon and Solid Snake in the SSB series, Beat in Mega Man 7, ...

• Advanced - For programming own conditions, but if this is used it will not be allowed in default multiplayer matches.