ou found it! So what is "!" pray tell? "!" is a suite of Flash tools formerly known as a "WoW inspired side-scrolling, Flash-based, RPG, SDK"... which was a mouthful. We built 'em to help make WTF?!. It's 100% freeware for you to do whatever with! Here's some screenshots. NOTE: We're posting everything in a .zip file (~19.6 MB download), including all the game and art asssets used for WTF?!. We're porting the code base to CS3, but it's gonna take a while, so until then... WYGIWYG. BTW, the documentation is gimp, and the support's practically non-existent. But hey! What did you expect for the price? Actually, we've put together a few XML Scripting Guides for starters, and will do more as needed: ---- XML Scripting Guides ---- Overview Items SFX NPC Creation Advanced NPC Behavior Software Development Kit Features Engine Robust side scrolling action RPG game engine Support for terrain maps with parallax scrolling Support for multiple simultaneous npc and player characters with highly customizable behaviors Sophisticated fast-paced combat system Complex inventory and equipment management Wide range of abilities and spells which can be designed from scratch Particle effects system Shortcut and hot-key access to inventory/equipment items Robust quest system supporting kill, collect, escort, and special quest types Adjustable quality settings Environment XML script support for all environmental definitions Ability to create levels from scratch using bitmap images or other flash based graphic assets A looping background forms the base of a layer Static objects can be placed on top of a looping background Static objects can be chosen as key points for display on an in-game map Icon definition for NPCs for in-game mapping Speed of layer scrolling can be defined independently Layer scrolls automatically based on pre-defined speed Time of day definitions with customizeable tinting for every individual layer and object Color tint blending based on the player's system clock time Weather table, weather specific layer tinting, and layer specific special effects Spawn location definition for transition from other maps Exit location definition for transition to other maps Location and area specification for character and item spawn points Spawn rate and requirement definition (level/class/quest/etc) for NPCs, players, and items Background music definition and automatic fading during map transitions Event sound definition attacched to NPCs, players, and items Characters Ability to create and place characters into the game with defined animation types via XML scripts A free form identity list that defines the parameters to categorize characters in game Faction definitions to identify characters that cannot attack each other via "friendly fire" Custom definitions for hit timing and location, hit boxes, ability activation timing and position Character statistics kept for strength (melee damage) Character statistics kept for stamina (health) Character statistics kept for intelligence (mana) Character statistics kept for spirit (health/mana regeneration) Character statistics kept for armor (melee damage reduction) XML support for defining the value of each basic statistic by level XML support for defining experience given per kill and amount of experience needed to reach next level Ability to randomize NPC level range at spawn point Tinting (hue, saturation, brightness, contrast, alpha) Basic animation rigging (including character speed/trajectory, animation looping, animation effects) Repetition (variants of single or looping animations) Tweaks linked to game mechanics (attack/throw/activate ability animations with damage force and effect parameters) Sound effects Behavior table for state based decision making Basic awareness of distance between characters Ability to track a single target and react to that target's behavior Built in stealth system to limit targeting effectiveness Instant reaction to damage and special triggers Decision making based on health, mana, and equipment availability Ability to follow, evade, attack, throw, change equipment, and activate trinket abilities Dialog system supporting linear chat with lines that can be chosen randomly Ability to trigger dialog in relation to specific behaviors Loot and Experience Ability to award player with experience based on damage percentage Slot based item drops that evaluates the drop list of each slot independently Quest or NPC based loot drop definitions Inventory XML script support for custom icons (as represented inside the inventory and as an in-game pick-up item) Equipment slot and rarity (common, uncommon, rare, epic) definition Basic statistics Items can be defined that have situational abilities Uniqueness (total carried limitation) and stacking (maximum carried per inventory slot) Ability to include "Flavor" text Equipment General equipment (slots for head, neck, shoulders, chest, back, shirt, wrist, hands, waist, legs, feet, 2 fingers, relic) Main hand weapon (with support for basic damage range, attack speed, in-game appearance, and damage effect) Thrown weapon (directly linked to a specific projectile, automatically tracks ammo) Trinkets (activated by casting, reusable, interruptible by movement or damage taken) Consumables (activates abilities instantly, consumes item in the process) Usable Quest Items (activates abilities instantly, does not consume item) Projectiles and Spell Effects XML support for defining appearance (basic form, trailing effects, impact effects, splash effects) Ability to define statistics (damage range, impact force and angle) Define trajectory (initial velocity, acceleration, gravity toggle) Reaction to hitting ground (disappear, stay, bounce, splash) Splash damage Definition of abilities that activate on impact Abilities Projectile Firing Direct damage/healing Damage/Healing over time Damage absorbing shields Temporary effects on basic character statistics Temporary/Permanent summoning of other characters Temporary attack speed/cast speed adjustment (player only) Temporary run speed/jump height adjustment Control effects (fear, stun, incapacitate, banish) Stealth Activation Mana/Health cost/buff Support for abilities that trigger on melee attacks, spell casts, or damage taken Support for the ability to affect the user or the impact target Support for special effects attachment to instant and time based abilities Automatic generation of appropriate descriptions for active abilities Special Effects A particle system that generates visual effects based on the duplication and manipulation of a single seed image XML script support for pre-built static animations Particle spawning and respawning Spawn location definition Definition for particle trajectory, acceleration, initial size/alpha/angle, size/alpha/angle change over time Ability to attach sound to particle effects Quests A text based quest system with automatic objective tracking and text formatting Full XML script support for title, basic, detailed, in progress, and completion descriptions Quest requirements based on the requirement system (level/class/etc) Objectives tracking (kill objectives, collection objectives, escort objectives, character state objectives) Completion rewards (gold, experience, and items) Tracking of quest/behavior/item equip/spawn requirements Ability to do identity, level range, and progress checking Support for grouped check lists (either one or all of the above) Miscellany Ability to define any NPC as a Portal Master Ability to define any NPC as an Item Vendor Copyright (c) 2008, Aoedipus (Thunderhorn) and Skyhamma (Kaz'Modan), distibuted under the FreeBSD License. creenshots of Developer Tools article Effects Editor... Design and test custom particle effects, highly optimized, based on duplication of single seed image; attach sounds to effects; trailing, impact, splash, and change over time effects; and much more... uest Editor... Define completion rewards (gold, experience, and items); identity, level range, and progress checking; support for grouped check lists; automatically export quest as XML; and much more... tem Editor... Define Item stats for any equippable slot; create temporary effects on basic character statistics; allow summoning of other characters; set run speed/jump height adjustment; create control effects (fear, stun, incapacitate, banish); stealth activation; automatically export item as XML; and much more.... PC Editor... Test items in "Paper Doll" editor to do NPC item/level balancing; see how item stats change based on class type; automatically export NPC as XML; and much more.... evel Editor... Define any number of looping background layers; independent speed of layer scrolling; import and position objects in real-time; set spawn locations, level range and density for items and characters; specify zone exit/entry locations; weather table and layer specific effects; automatically export level as XML; and much more.... Note: This software is not officially sponsored by or directly associated with either the World of Warcraft developers at Blizzard Entertainment or their publisher and parent company Vivendi Universal.