Global Switches and Variables - For Rpg Maker MZ

GENERAL

This is an utility plugin for Rpg Maker MZ that add a new feature to the default Switches and Variables. For real, it adds a whole new category of game data/s called Global Switches and Global Variables. This data is stored outside your savefile and it's useful for handling data that should be common to all the game despite the save data.

FEATURES

• You can declare Global Switches and Global Variables into plugin parameters. We'll see below their format.
  • In particular, Global Switches works the same of the in-game default switches. You can set the value as true or false;
  • Global Variables, as default, are intended to be used for numeric values. However, the plugin allows you to set a script that is interpreted each time the variable is called for their value. This is really useful for making complex systems if you know what you're doing.
• You can set the global switches and variables declared in the plugin parameters through plugin command directly from your events.
• The global switches and variable could be stored into their own saved file. You can decide if the changes to certain variables or switches could be saved if they're changed into the game directly inside plugin settings.

PLUGIN PARAMETERS - GLOBAL SV SETTINGS

Now, let's see how global switches and variables work. Most (well, all actually) the setup is done into plugin parameters. Indeed, opening plugin settings you'll find two macro-parameters:

Those are the lists of Global Switches and Variables. Now, let's examine the structure of both.

• NAME -> This is the name of the Switch. WARNING! The name is case sensitive.
• VALUE -> This is the value of the switch. It can be true or false;
• SAVABLE? -> This parameter determines if the switch is saved or not when edited through plugin command/script call in-game. The value is saved into a file called globalsv inside your save folder. This file is parsed when the game is loaded with the Switches/Variables that has the "savable?" parameter set to true.

• NAME -> The same of the Global Switches;
• NUMERIC VALUE -> You can set an integer value to the variable;
• SCRIPT VALUE -> You can set a script that is interpreted each time you call for the variable for parsing the value. WARNING! The SCRIPT VALUE goes over the NUMERIC VALUE. So, if the variable setting has both, SCRIPT VALUE will always prevail. Leave this void for not using it.
• SAVABLE -> The same explained above for Global Variables.

PLUGIN COMMANDS

Outside of the setup you can do using plugin parameters, for an enhanced experience you can change the values of Global Switches and Variables through plugin commands.

The structure of the plugin commands is mirroring the one inside the plugin parameters. When the plugin command is executed, if the switch or variable setup in the parameters contains the Savable? property set as TRUE the change will be saved inside the globalsv.rmmzsave file. If not, the change will have effect until the game is restarted again.

ADVANCED

Are you a JS guru or a new adept? Well, I just have some info for ya. As you probably know, inside Rpg Maker you have $gameSwitches and $gameVariables as global variables for accessing in-game switches and variables.

Global SV have something similar, but in the format of static classes. Specifically, you have two classes called Global_Switches and Global_Variables containing methods that are usually executed through plugin commands.

// Now, I'm going to show you the methods for each class.
// Global_Switches
Global_Switches.value(name) // Get the value of a global switch.
Global_Switches.setValue(name, value) // Set the value of a global switch
// Examples:
Global_Switches.value("DEBUG")
Global_Switches.setValue("DEBUG", false)
// If the global switch does not exist, you'll get an alert error.
// Global_Variables
Global_Variables.value(name) // Get a global variable value. Remember that the value could be an int or an executed script. Script prevail;
Global_Variables.setNumericValue(name, number) // Set a numeric value;
Global_Variables.setScriptValue(name, eval) // Set a script value in the format of a string that will be put into an eval;
// Examples
Global_Variables.value("VERSION")
Global_Variables.setNumericValue("VERSION", 2)
Global_Variables.setScriptValue("PCUSERNAME", "process.env.USERNAME")
// If the global variable does not exist, you'll get an alert error;

PLUGIN COMPATIBILITY:

This plugin should be compatible with VisuStella's core's plugins and It should not give problems with other plugins if they do not affect intensively default RPG MAKER MZ library.

RPG MAKER VERSION:

The plugin is developed on Rpg Maker MZ - Version 1.4.4 and with the related PIXI.js Version 5.2.4. 

TERMS OF USE:

• Credits to BlueMoon.
• Avoid to change plugin information, filename and parameters name for the sake of integrity of the code.
• Edits to the code are allowed.
• The plugin can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects.
• You can't redistribute this plugin as it is or incorporating portion of the code inside another plugin;