What is the best way to handle multiple character mouse graphics?

[Ghostlady]

I have two characters. Right now, the mouse graphics default is the same for both.  Is there a better way to change the mouse graphics for the 2nd character without putting this in every room?

Code: ags

if (player == cWoman) {
         mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModeDapHandU); }

[Khris]

Not sure what you mean by "putting this in every room", the mouse is a global thing. It doesn't reset on a room change.

Anyway, the proper way is to (permanently) change the graphic of the mode when you switch the player character. Like:

Code: ags

function SwitchToWoman() {
  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract, 123); // sprite slot 123 is woman's interact cursor
  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeTalkto, 124)); // sprite slot 124 is woman's interact cursor
  cWoman.SetAsPlayer();
}

[Ghostlady]

When I make the change it only affects the mouse on an interact area, not the default mouse. I would want it to change for both.  The eModeDapHandU is a mouse cursor I set up.

Here was the code in the global script:

Code: ags

function repeatedly_execute() {
  // put anything you want to happen every game cycle here
  if (GetLocationType(mouse.x,mouse.y) > 0) {
//    Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer); }
    if(Mouse.Mode!=eModeUseinv) mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer);}
  else {
    Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic(); }

Here is what I changed it to:

Code: ags

function repeatedly_execute() {
  // put anything you want to happen every game cycle here
  if (GetLocationType(mouse.x,mouse.y) > 0) {
//    Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer); }
    if(Mouse.Mode!=eModeUseinv) mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer);}
  else  if (player == cWoman) {  
        mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModeDapHandU); }
  else  if (player == cMan) {  
        Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic(); } 

[Khris]

Here's a better way to do this:

Code: ags

bool wasOverActiveArea;
void HandleCursor() {
  if (Mouse.Mode == eModeUseinv) return; // do nothing
  bool isOverActiveArea = GetLocationType(mouse.x, mouse.y) != eLocationNothing; // compare to enum!
  if (isOverActiveArea && !wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just moved over active area
    Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer); // pointer for both
  }
  else if (!isOverActiveArea && wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just left active area
    if (player == cWoman) Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModeDapHandU);
    else Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic();
  }
}

function repeatedly_execute() {
  HandleCursor();
  // other stuff
}

[Ghostlady]

Hi, I added the change right before the repeatedly_execute and now the mouse for the female player is not working at all but using the default cursor.
Did I do this correctly?

Code: ags

 SetGlobalInt(360,0);
  SetGlobalInt(370,0);
  SetGlobalInt(380,0);
  SetGlobalInt(390,0);
  SetGlobalInt(400,0);
  SetGlobalInt(410,0);
}
#sectionend game_start  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE

bool wasOverActiveArea;
void HandleCursor() {
  if (Mouse.Mode == eModeUseinv) return; // do nothing
  bool isOverActiveArea = GetLocationType(mouse.x, mouse.y) != eLocationNothing; // compare to enum!
  if (isOverActiveArea && !wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just moved over active area
    Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer); // pointer for both
  }
  else if (!isOverActiveArea && wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just left active area
    if (player == cWoman) Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModeDapHandU);
    else Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic();
} }

#sectionstart repeatedly_execute  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE
function repeatedly_execute() {
  // put anything you want to happen every game cycle here
  //if (GetLocationType(mouse.x,mouse.y) > 0) {
//     Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer); }
  //   if(Mouse.Mode!=eModeUseinv) mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer);}
  //else  if (player == cWoman) {   
 //       mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModeDapHandU); }
  //else  if (player == cMan) {   
   //     Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic(); }
   
   HandleCursor();
     
  if (player == cWoman) {
     StrFormat(herscore,"  Puzzles:  %d",GetGlobalInt(10));   
     ScoreHer.SetText(herscore);
     ScoreHer.TextColor = cWoman.SpeechColor; }
   
  if (player == cMan) { 
     StrFormat(hisscore,"  Puzzles:  %d",GetGlobalInt(20));   
     ScoreHim.SetText(hisscore);
     ScoreHim.TextColor = cMan.SpeechColor; } 

[Khris]

In my snippet, the relevant lines are 7, 11 and 12.
Over active areas, the cursor should change to a pointer for both characters. Outside active areas, it should use the default one of the player is the man and the custom one when they're a woman.

What exactly fails?

I can't tell what "the mouse for the female player is not working at all" means exactly.

[Ghostlady]

Hi, I got busy and did not have time to test this.  I am back on it and can't get it to work.
To refresh.  I currently have a blue hand cursor for all the hotspots, objects, etc. and an arrow cursor for when you are just walking around.  I want to be able to switch the graphic for the woman character with a red hand. I want this switch whenever the character interacts with a hotspot or object.  The cursor "pointer" is the man's blue hand and the cursor "DapHandU" is the woman's red hand. Right now with the script changed, I no longer get the arrow, only the hand, which should only be for hotspots etc.

I added a video to show how it is currently working, before the new changes, for better understanding. You will only see the blue hand in this video no matter who the character is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9CLy6HqyYw

Here is the code in the script.   

Code: ags

#sectionend game_start  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE

//New Area
bool wasOverActiveArea;
void HandleCursor() {
  if (Mouse.Mode == eModeUseinv) return; // do nothing
  bool isOverActiveArea = GetLocationType(mouse.x, mouse.y) != eLocationNothing; // compare to enum!
    if (isOverActiveArea && !wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just moved over active area
    if (player == cWoman) Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModeDapHandU); 
    else if (player == cMan) Mouse.UseModeGraphic (eModePointer);
    else  Mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer); 
    else if (!isOverActiveArea && wasOverActiveArea) { Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic();  }
    // mouse just left active area
} }   
  //End New Area

#sectionstart repeatedly_execute  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE
function repeatedly_execute() {
  // put anything you want to happen every game cycle here
  
  //New Area
     HandleCursor();
  //End New Area
  
//Old cursor logic 
//  if (GetLocationType(mouse.x,mouse.y) > 0) {
//     if(Mouse.Mode!=eModeUseinv) mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer);}
//  else {
 //     Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic(); }
//Old cursor logic end  

[Khris]

Here's code that switches the cursor mode as opposed to the graphic:

Code: ags

bool wasOverActiveArea;
void HandleCursor() {
  if (Mouse.Mode == eModeUseinv) return; // do nothing
  bool isOverActiveArea = GetLocationType(mouse.x, mouse.y) != eLocationNothing; // compare to enum!
  if (isOverActiveArea && !wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just moved over active area
    Mouse.Mode = eModeInteract;
  else if (!isOverActiveArea && wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just left active area
    Mouse.Mode = eModeWalkto;
  }
}

Switching to the woman should call

Code: ags

  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract, SPRITE_SLOT_OF_RED_HAND);

and switching to the man should call

Code: ags

  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract, SPRITE_SLOT_OF_BLUE_HAND);

To recap: moving the mouse only switches cursor modes between walking and interacting, switching the player character changes the sprite of the eModeInteract cursor.

(As an aside, I find the Mouse.UseModeGraphic() command quite problematic. It essentially fools the player, and is used as a quick fix instead of properly coding mouse behavior. It shouldn't be used.)

[Ghostlady]

I must be missing something.  Here's my code.  Basically the eModeWalkto area is not kicking in.  This should be my arrow and it never appears.  The correct color is showing for each character now so that means it is working correctly over an active area of the screen.  I also want to note that in my global script and in my rooms I have this: mouse.DisableMode(eModeWalkto); probably since it is a first person game. What is the mode that defaults for just moving room to room?

Code: ags

bool wasOverActiveArea;
void HandleCursor() {
  if (Mouse.Mode == eModeUseinv) return; // do nothing
  bool isOverActiveArea = GetLocationType(mouse.x, mouse.y) != eLocationNothing; // compare to enum!
  if (isOverActiveArea && !wasOverActiveArea) {
    // mouse just moved over active area
    Mouse.Mode = eModeInteract; 
    if (player == cWoman)  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract, 485);
    if (player == cMan) Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract,  16); }
  else if (!isOverActiveArea && wasOverActiveArea) 
      Mouse.Mode = eModeWalkto;
      Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeWalkto, 22); {
    // mouse just left active area
  }
}

[Ghostlady]

Also, I changed the eModeWalkto to Pointer and I get my arrow back but it only shows on the interface dropdown on top of screen.  It seems like the whole screen is being read as an active area.

[Ghostlady]

Update:  I got it working by removing the "was over active area" statements.  On some screens I can see the graphic on the cursor switching images and the buttons on my save/load gui are now unclickable.

Code: ags

//New Area
bool wasOverActiveArea;
void HandleCursor() {
  if (Mouse.Mode == eModeUseinv) return; // do nothing
  bool isOverActiveArea = GetLocationType(mouse.x, mouse.y) != eLocationNothing; // compare to enum!
 // if (isOverActiveArea && !wasOverActiveArea) {
  if (isOverActiveArea)  {
    // mouse just moved over active area
  Mouse.Mode = eModeInteract; }
  else  if (!isOverActiveArea) {
  Mouse.Mode = eModePointer;
  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModePointer, 22); }
    // mouse just left active area
    //End New Area
}
#sectionstart repeatedly_execute  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE
function repeatedly_execute() {
  // put anything you want to happen every game cycle here
  
  //New Area
    HandleCursor();
  //End New Area
  
//Old cursor logic 
//  if (GetLocationType(mouse.x,mouse.y) > 0) {
//    if(Mouse.Mode!=eModeUseinv) mouse.UseModeGraphic(eModePointer);}
//  else {
//    Mouse.UseDefaultGraphic(); }
//Old cursor logic end  

//New cursor logic 
  if (GetLocationType(mouse.x,mouse.y) > 0) {
    if ((Mouse.Mode!=eModeUseinv) && (Mouse.Mode == eModeInteract)) {
      if (player == cWoman)  Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract, 485);
    else  if (player == cMan) Mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(eModeInteract,  16); }
 }
//New cursor logic end