Rpg Maker Developers Group

In Devil Survivor. The Player Characters skills, as well as Elemental States [since some characters start off with elemental weaknesses.] with a limit of 7 slots to pick from. The skills on the list [which are on a pop up window to choose from] are ones that are either earned, or "hacked" [defeat a target in battle]. With her party [Actor Equip] having set abilities that can be upgraded via skill exchange after defeating X enemies. 



But Devil Survivor is an example of a Free Exchange type of Actor Equip [everyone can change Actor Equips at will.]

Persona 4 everyone but the Main Character has a Bound Actor Equip [they start off with one, and it stays there. Only changing when it "Evolves" into it's next state. Which includes additional skill / state options for them to gain. 

But while those actors have 8 boxes, the Player Characters keep their main battle functions. But their skill menu (and passive states) are determined by the Persona equiped / bound to them.  With the Personas only showing up during skill attacks / special battle events [so they are battle animations / one attack summons. Rather than Party Members].

Where as Mana Khemia all Actor Equips [or in there case Manas] are bound once gained, and determined the users special skills [rather than the skills inherited by equipment worn.].

So in the case of Actor Equip a person can in the script [or notetag] actors that are equipable. And those Actors are either <bound>, or <exchangeable>. With bound, they can only be changed / removed in events. With the actor in question [Demon, Angel, Spirit, your neighbors dog, what have you] being what determines what weapons, armor, and basic traits you have starting off with [with the ability to change. When / if it evolves or as it levels up]. As well as ways to achieve / find more, or fuse equiped actors together.

I'm using Vlue's Advanced Crafting Set. So an add on to that might work. If that's a function that can be added. As for the equipped actor. If they aren't party members,  but like Mana Khemia / Persona (3 / 4) part of battle animations durring select skills. Would be attached to a specific item in the database that when given / held becomes attached to that individual. 

[Mostly it'd be a lot of character making, add a note tag to actor to be equiped if they are <exchangeable> / <bound> and the item id they are associated with.]

Although I'd personally have the actors skills [max of eight at a time (both skills, states, and special what have yous] be sent to the skill area.  

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Then attached to that is a Skill Tree tied to the Actor Equiped. Where the use can choose Body, or Soul. Body gives them physical stat boosts, faster movements / attacks per turn. As well as effects them personally. Soul is the Actor Equipped, and has a list of skills learnable [tied to them]. With at certain levels able to upgrade said skills, states, and effects. 

So it'd be a merger of:

Diablo 3's Skill Tree and Mana Khemia's Grow Book.

Basic Mock Ups:  Player Growth Tree:

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Body is mirror of that. 

Focus / Passives / Uniques:

The focus can be named anything. But are basically. Attack, and Support / Defensive options. In the Body path this is usually things that are non-Presence Specific, so they can keep them regardless of equipped actors. As well as giving a unique flair. Passives are passive effects that are always open. As for Uniques. These are quest / event specific options that need that quest / event to happen for them to unlock. 

And by changing the naming of the basic focus's give players flexibility, and by having it for bound and non-bound ways of getting things. Allows for a game maker to have almost infinite flexibility with the system. Now as for implementation. Since I don't know if limiting it to X amount in-game would be best (probably would prevent some game breaking). I'd say either take advantage of Yanfly's option menu (or if not using that / not wanting to risk compatibility problems, and adding a menu option to call up Skill Tree, and Implementation). Both can probably be called up through Scene calls at specific locations / objects. 

But Implementation is basically a window with two sides. One X amount of Space. The other with all acquired things. Then simply select from  the limited list to replace with the acquired list. When done, exit out.

Although most of the list, and what option / choice it goes under would need to be sorted out through script, by plugging in Skill / States, into the appropriate actor id, or Body / Presence option [true / false maybe?].

It'd be interesting to have all non-unique options open those up for other players. But it'd be up to the writer of the game if they want everyone to have their own specific screen, what options to block for what other actors, or if it's open to everyone [minus uniques.]

AP: In my game I'm thinking of having an alt EXP system. Since there will be many ways of going about the game. In such a way that if you never wanted to fight, or see a spec of combat. But wanted to socialize with NPC's, or craft, farm, be stealthy, explore, etc. There'd be ways to ensure that you don't suffer for not grinding monsters [well at least physically. Sure, certain monsters / what counts as bosses until the end battle, drop rare things. And I'm going to have a random event that can net you battles with treasure goblins / Golden Treasure Goblins. 

But for the most part. All of that stuff can be found else where 85% of the time, or stolen if that's your type of player. 

So an AP system tied to this for buying stuff [or even extra slots.] would allow more freedom to players. 

Finally, The Actor Equips:

Two real options. One is the game maker makes them part of the battle animations. Thus acting as a temporary summons. Or as part of the player his/herself [non-party member]. And attached to an item, that is permanently a part of the character / key item.

The other is doing things similar to Devil Survivor, in which they are party members. Thus take up space, and earn their own EXP / levels. With their own implementation screen, allowing them to have whatever's been unlocked for the individual / party.

The draw back of that is, is that it stops other party members from joining. Depending on if there's a multi-Presence party in the fight [as long as the attached summoner is in the battle.]. But if you have a multi party battle option [where each party member and their Actor Equips are their own party in separate battles, until the end of battle], that'd end that problem. But that'd be hard to implement. 

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Scripts I'm using at the moment:

Vlue's Quest Log

Vlue's Change Atk/Guard

Vlue's Advanced Crafting

Vlue's Skill Feature

Vlue's Stats and Formulas

Currently I've plugged in and am using:

https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/core-scripts/ace-core-engine/

https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/menu-scripts/ace-item-menu/

https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/menu-scripts/ace-save-engine/

https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/menu-scripts/ace-save-engine/new-game/

https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/menu-scripts/ace-shop-options/

and

http://rmrk.net/index.php?topic=39052.0 [Modern Algebra's fix picture]

https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/utility-scripts/parallax-lock/

for Parallax Mapping.