[Scripting Question] Trouble in making wild pokemon work like a trainer (in a more immersive way)

[ANormalGuy]

In the moment, I was kinda new in this forum so I posted this comment in the wrong section (Essentials Script), if some mod could just delete it, I will appreciate it:

https://www.pokecommunity.com/threads/448820

Therefore, I'm going to post it here and I want to apologise for that mistake.

I was thinking into a new script in which wild pokemon appear in the overworld and challenge the player, just like a current trainer. I know that you can technically do that by changing trainers' sprites by pokemon sprites but there is still the ball throw animation made by a pokemon sprites (at the end, it works as trainer but in disguise). It may sound silly (and maybe it is) but it doesn't feel inmersive at all. My idea would work like a trainer battle but with several changes:

-You start straigh ahead the combat, no pokeball animation, just like finding a wild pokemon (event touch, transition, the battle itself)

-There would be a special line-up graphic for this encounters instead of the clasic pokeball graphic (because of they are still "wild pokemon"). I have made a concept about it with a substitute sprite drawn by loppy654 but it's just an idea
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1emzdsWtB7Qgf37EE0G0PIYJXr8mM3l8A/view?usp=sharing

Here the original work
https://forums.p-insurgence.com/t/i-made-a-thing/16951

-If a pokemon dies, obviously, the animation will change. Maybe the next pokemon would just appear from the right of the screen, just a simple horizontal movement

-About the IA, I think it could be as customizable as trainer's AI

At the end of the day, it's a simple-minded idea. In fact, we see this mechanic a lot in other rpgs but I think it could be an improvement.
This thread is mainly to ask if this idea had taken place before.

I think that maybe by editing PokeBattle_Scene, in specific, those scripts, it could be gotten something but I don't know where to start

Spoiler:

# Shows the enemy trainer(s)'s Pokémon being thrown out.  It appears at coords
# (@spritex,@spritey), and moves in y to @endspritey where it stays for the rest
# of the battle, i.e. the latter is the more important value.
# Doesn't show the ball itself being thrown.
#===============================================================================
class PokeballSendOutAnimation
  SPRITESTEPS=10
  STARTZOOM=0.125

  def initialize(sprite,spritehash,pkmn,illusionpoke,doublebattle)
    @illusionpoke=illusionpoke
    @disposed=false
    @ballused=pkmn.pokemon ? pkmn.pokemon.ballused : 0
    if @illusionpoke
      @[email protected] || 0
    end
    @PokemonBattlerSprite=sprite
    @PokemonBattlerSprite.visible=false
    @PokemonBattlerSprite.tone=Tone.new(248,248,248,248)
    @pokeballsprite=IconSprite.new(0,0,sprite.viewport)
    @pokeballsprite.setBitmap(sprintf("Graphics/Pictures/ball%02d",@ballused))
    if doublebattle
      @spritex=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLERD1_X if pkmn.index==1
      @spritex=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLERD2_X if pkmn.index==3
    else
      @spritex=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLER_X
    end
    @spritey=0
    if @illusionpoke
      @endspritey=adjustBattleSpriteY(sprite,@illusionpoke.species,pkmn.index)
    else
      @endspritey=adjustBattleSpriteY(sprite,pkmn.species,pkmn.index)
    end
    if doublebattle
      @spritey=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLERD1_Y if pkmn.index==1
      @spritey=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLERD2_Y if pkmn.index==3
      @endspritey+=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLERD1_Y if pkmn.index==1
      @endspritey+=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLERD2_Y if pkmn.index==3
    else
      @spritey=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLER_Y
      @endspritey+=PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEBATTLER_Y
    end
    @spritehash=spritehash
    @pokeballsprite.x=@[email protected]/2
    @pokeballsprite.y=@[email protected]/2-4
    @[email protected]+1
    @pkmn=pkmn
    @shadowX=@spritex
    @shadowY=@spritey
    if @spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"] && @spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"].bitmap!=nil
      @shadowX-=@spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"].bitmap.width/2
      @shadowY-=@spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"].bitmap.height/2
    end
    @shadowVisible=showShadow?(pkmn.species)
    if @illusionpoke
      @shadowVisible=showShadow?(@illusionpoke.species)
    end
    @stepspritey=(@spritey-@endspritey)
    @zoomstep=(1.0-STARTZOOM)/SPRITESTEPS
    @animdone=false
    @frame=0
  end

  def disposed?
    return @disposed
  end

  def animdone?
    return @animdone
  end

  def dispose
    return if disposed?
    @pokeballsprite.dispose
    @disposed=true
  end

  def update
    return if disposed?
    @pokeballsprite.update
    @frame+=1
    if @frame==2
      pbSEPlay("recall")
    end
    if @frame==4
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.visible=true
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_x=STARTZOOM
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_y=STARTZOOM
      pbSpriteSetCenter(@PokemonBattlerSprite,@spritex,@spritey)
      if @illusionpoke
        pbPlayCry(@illusionpoke)
      else
        pbPlayCry(@pkmn.pokemon ? @pkmn.pokemon : @pkmn.species)
      end
      @pokeballsprite.setBitmap(sprintf("Graphics/Pictures/ball%02d_open",@ballused))
    end
    if @frame==8
      @pokeballsprite.visible=false
    end
    if @frame>8 && @frame<=16
      color=Color.new(248,248,248,256-(16-@frame)*32)
      @spritehash["enemybase"].color=color
      @spritehash["playerbase"].color=color   
      @spritehash["battlebg"].color=color
      for i in 0...4
        @spritehash["shadow#{i}"].color=color if @spritehash["shadow#{i}"]
      end
    end
    if @frame>16 && @frame<=24
      color=Color.new(248,248,248,(24-@frame)*32)
      tone=(24-@frame)*32
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.tone=Tone.new(tone,tone,tone,tone)
      @spritehash["enemybase"].color=color
      @spritehash["playerbase"].color=color   
      @spritehash["battlebg"].color=color
      for i in 0...4
        @spritehash["shadow#{i}"].color=color if @spritehash["shadow#{i}"]
      end
    end
    if @frame>5 && @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_x<1.0
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_x+=@zoomstep
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_y+=@zoomstep
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_x=1.0 if @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_x > 1.0
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_y=1.0 if @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_y > 1.0
      currentY=@spritey-(@stepspritey*@PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_y)
      pbSpriteSetCenter(@PokemonBattlerSprite,@spritex,currentY)
      @PokemonBattlerSprite.y=currentY
    end
    if @PokemonBattlerSprite.tone.gray<=0 && @PokemonBattlerSprite.zoom_x>=1.0
      @animdone=true
      if @spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"]
        @spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"].x=@shadowX
        @spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"].y=@shadowY
        @spritehash["shadow#{@pkmn.index}"].visible=@shadowVisible
      end
    end
  end
end

#===============================================================================
# Shows the enemy trainer(s) and the enemy party lineup sliding off screen.
# Doesn't show the ball thrown or the Pokémon.
#===============================================================================
class TrainerFadeAnimation
  def initialize(sprites)
    @frame=0
    @sprites=sprites
    @animdone=false
  end

  def animdone?
    return @animdone
  end

  def update
    return if @animdone
    @frame+=1
    @sprites["trainer"].x+=8
    @sprites["trainer2"].x+=8 if @sprites["trainer2"]
    @sprites["partybarfoe"].x+=8
    @sprites["partybarfoe"].opacity-=12
    for i in 0...6
      @sprites["enemy#{i}"].opacity-=12
      @sprites["enemy#{i}"].x+=8 if @frame>=i*4
    end
    @animdone=true if @sprites["trainer"].x>=Graphics.width &&
       (!@sprites["trainer2"] || @sprites["trainer2"].x>=Graphics.width)
  end
end

 # Choose the ball's graphic (opponent's side)
        ballgraphic="Graphics/Pictures/ballempty"
        enemyindex=i
        if @battle.doublebattle && i>=3
          enemyindex=(i%3)[email protected](1)
        end
        if enemyindex<@battle.party2.length && @battle.party2[enemyindex]
          if @battle.party2[enemyindex].hp<=0 || @battle.party2[enemyindex].isEgg?
            ballgraphic="Graphics/Pictures/ballfainted"
          elsif @battle.party2[enemyindex].status>0
            ballgraphic="Graphics/Pictures/ballstatus"
          else
            ballgraphic="Graphics/Pictures/ballnormal"
          end
        end
        pbAddSprite("enemy#{i}",
           @xposenemy-i*ballmovedist*6,PokeBattle_SceneConstants::FOEPARTYBALL1_Y,
           ballgraphic,@viewport)
        @sprites["enemy#{i}"].z=41
      end
      @partyAnimPhase=2
    end

 

[GT-Baka]

Let me see if I am understanding you correctly. You want a wild Pokemon to have an overworld sprite like a trainer, but battle like a wild Pokemon?

 

[ANormalGuy]

Let me see if I am understanding you correctly. You want a wild Pokemon to have an overworld sprite like a trainer, but battle like a wild Pokemon?

Yeah, exactly. But the overworld sprite trainers can be changed by any pokemon sprite in the vanilla essentials, but yeah, it would be inclueded but the main issue would be make wild opponents with a party up to six Pokémon like trainers batlle without the thrown out animations . It's basically a current trainer battle but it would aestheticly look like fighting wild pokemon. It would be really usefull if you wanted to make some areas where there is no trainers but pokemon are rather hostile so you can still give some challenge to players, for example. I think that by editing Pokemon_ Scene or other scripts, it could be get that result. But of course, I want these two mechanics coexist in the same fangame.

 

[GT-Baka]

One at a time? What about when you encounter a wild Pokemon it starts a 3v1 battle if you're wanting the wild Pokemon to be aggressive.
If you want to try to get a team of wild Pokemon you might be able to pull something from the SOS script that summons wild Pokemon mid battle.

 

[ANormalGuy]

One at a time? What about when you encounter a wild Pokemon it starts a 3v1 battle if you're wanting the wild Pokemon to be aggressive.
If you want to try to get a team of wild Pokemon you might be able to pull something from the SOS script that summons wild Pokemon mid battle.

I was thinking one at a time, like the classic 1vs1 battles. As I said in the first post, these kind of battles would have the same IA as an actual battle trainer, so that's where the challange is. At the end of the day, it's another mechanic to make player's pokemon level up a bit until next gym or similars. 3vs1 battles sounds good but I wouldn't put it in early game because it will be an unbalanced progression but I guess it could work in late game.
And sorry, I'm new with all this scripting stuff, where is the SOS script?

 

[GT-Baka]

I know you were wanting 1v1, but that is going to require more work. That's why I recommended the 1v3. SOS is another good option, it starts off as 1v1 and just alternates between 1v1 and 1v2.
The script for S.O.S. Battles can be found in the link below, though it has not been updated to Essentials v19 yet.

https://www.pokecommunity.com/threads/438997

 

[Lucidious89]

Yeah, 3v1 or 2v1 is far easier to implement, since Essentials supports this by default, and you can easily even expand this to higher sizes as well. What you're thinking of implementing sounds like a lot of extra work for something that does the same basic thing, but in a more convoluted way that makes less sense (why would wild Pokemon line up to attack you one at a time?).

 

[ANormalGuy]

I know you were wanting 1v1, but that is going to require more work. That's why I recommended the 1v3. SOS is another good option, it starts off as 1v1 and just alternates between 1v1 and 1v2.
The script for S.O.S. Battles can be found in the link below, though it has not been updated to Essentials v19 yet.

https://www.pokecommunity.com/threads/438997

Thanks for the link, GT-Baka! Maybe you're right, scripting that would be too much trouble. The S.O.S Battles should do the job.