Directing Help and Assistance From a Purple Ghost For All Your Episode Needs

Creator's Corner Directing Help & Tips
21

thank you for the help!

1 Like
22

hey! i was wondering if you knew how to make an action faster.
it probably doesn’t make any sense but what i mean is when i want to make my character trip
(using the action run_fall), i want it so go fast. i’ve tried @CHAR is run_fall in .3 but that doesn’t work obviously. in the story ‘maid for you’ by alex light, it seems like she falls faster. i might be chatting nonsense but could you clear it up for me?

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23

You might be able to find it on Youtube but it will be easier if you have someone explain it now so nevermind me :grimacing:

24

This is frustrating with so many things to remember and do

The thing is, i am worried that if i do make a story, nobody would read it.
But that is something to worry about in the future, right??

25

Finish it first, worry later! I always tell myself that. Also, I can promote it for you :heart: And I’m sure others would be willing to as well.

26

Again, thank you very much, but t will probably take me forever to finish writing a story.
I will be fine, i hope.

27

Very relatable, considering the fact that I abandoned all my stories about two years ago (or last year) because I couldn’t get one chapter down. I felt like crying and I was stressing 24/7. This time I am determined to finish!

28

@esma,

I don’t think you can make an animation go quicker. If anything, she probably had her character changing spots (maybe just a small bit) like this:

@CHARACTER spot 1.089 100 150
@CHARACTER walks to spot 1.089 90 150 in 0.3 and CHARACTER is run_fall

29

@Jelly_Pringlez,

So to do that I am either using the Directing Helper - Spot Helper either on my phone or computer in the previewer. Basically the Helper lets you switch between scaling and moving the character and gives you the points it is at.

So the break down is kind of like this,
@CHARACTER spot S x y
S is the size
x is the x-axis (horizontal)
y is the y-axis (vertical)

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30

You can choose the spot directing position in the writers portal. When you’re previewing your story there is a box that says ‘directing helper’. Then you click on ‘spot helper’ Ta da!

2 Likes
31

@Jelly_Pringlez and @MissCherish,

No one reading it is a chance you have to take. Write because you enjoy it, not for the sole purpose of others. If no one reads it, their loss. I have 2 stories on Episode and they only have about 200 reads each (and took months to get those reads). Of course I’d like more reads, but I’m happy with the ones I have (I was ecstatic with my first 30 reads) because I enjoy writing even if only a few people see my stories.

Moral of the story, enjoy yourself writing. Don’t write to please others, you’ll fizzle out.

1 Like
32

hey! the only way to make an action appear faster is to end it faster, if that makes sense. for example, if you want to make them punch faster, you’d have to do use this coding:
&CHAR is punch_jab
@pause for 0.5
&CHAR is punch_jab
@pause for 0.5

and so on! you can replace the action with whatever or change the time to make it work. that’s what i did in Maid for You. hope that helps!:relaxed:

7 Likes
33

Kind of just bumping this up, but if you tag me in the reply I will see it quicker because a notification will be sent to me so I’ll reply to you quicker.

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34

I suck at adding overlays because whenever I add a overlay and scale it only two numbers appear instead of 3 I don’t know why?
Ex: 1.200 1.200
Also do u know how to have a car overlay drive off?

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35

@xo.savvvv,

The two numbers are for if you are just adjusting scale. If you are just changing scales, you use @overlay OVERLAY scale S S. You are more than likely working with the full overlay placement code: BACKGROUND with OVERLAY to S x y in zone # at layer #. So your other 2 numbers are your locations.
S is the scale.
x is the horizontal axis location (left and right).
y is the vertical axis location (up and down).

To have a car drive off you are just changing its position and maybe scale (if the car was moving towards or away from you). You’ll also want to time it so it doesn’t move to fast or slow.
Example:
BACKGROUND with OVERLAY to 1.089 150 100
@overlay OVERLAY shifts to 250 100 in 5

2 Likes
36

Ohhhhhh thank you

37

Hi, I am getting stuck on a choice thing here. I am making a simple (kind of) choice and it keeps on telling me I am doing something wrong. I was wondering if anybody could help me solve it out.

Here is the choice: The first choice (‘Accidentally’ spill it on her!) is correct but the next choice (Take the high road.) is apparently wrong.

label becca_and_madison

    NARRATOR
Becca smirks at you and sips an iced coffee through a straw.
    YOU (talk_neutral_loop)
I see you got a new coffee, Becca.
    YOU (idle_shiftweight_neutral_loop)
(What should I do?)

choice (BECCA_PAYBACK)
“‘Accidentally’ spill it on her!” {

    NARRATOR
You knock your hand against Becca's cup, spilling it all over her!
    BECCA (react_startled_surprised)
| animation:shuffle-sideways |Ahhhhhh!
    KAITLYN (talk_smile_happy_loop)
You should be more careful. Coffee stains are | italic |super| reset | hard to get out.
    BECCA (talk_accuse_angry)
You're going to regret this... you just made an enemy for life.
    YOU (talk_agree_happy)
Eh. It seemed like you hated me anyway.
    BECCA (talk_angry)
Get. Away. From. Me.
    MADISON (talk_unsure)
Becca, people are starting to avoid our booth...
    BECCA (talk_argue_angry)
Shut up, Madison!
    YOU
I guess this is where | italic |we| reset | say 'buh bye'.

gain SPILL_ON_BECCA

if (OUTFIT1 is “Wear a bikini.”) {

goto JEALOUS_COFFEE_BECCA

}

    NARRATOR
As you leave, Kaitlyn flashes you a smile.
    KAITLYN (talk_reassure_neutral)
Ms. Queen Bee was completely jealous of your look... AND you doused her in coffee!

readerMessage Your bikini won you a enemy. Yay?

    YOU (talk_armscrossed_condescending_loop)
Trust me, she had it coming.
    KAITLYN (talk_agree_happy)
I can't believe it... your first day and you already got a nemesis. You're so lucky!

goto dorm_continue

}

if (OUTIFIT1 is “Keep it simple.”) {
goto dorm_continue
}

if (OUTFIT1 is “Wear what I have now.” ) {
goto dorm_continue
}

} “Take the high road.” {

@YOU is idle_sad_loop
BECCA (talk_handsonhips_neutral)
Are you just going to stand there and look depressing?
YOU (talk_armscrossed_angry_loop)
I’ll stand where everywhere I want.
NARRATOR
Becca takes a long sip of her coffee.
BECCA (talk_armscrossed_angry_loop)
I said | italic |buh bye.
YOU (talk_apathetic)
Fine. I’m going. But only because I want to.

gain NOT_SPILL_ON_BECCA

if (OUTFIT1 is “Wear a bikini.”) {

goto JEALOUS_COFFEE_BECCA

}
KAITLYN (talk_handsonhips_neutral)
Well, that was interesting

KAITLYN
Looks like Ms. Queen Bee was completely jealous of your look!
YOU (talk_armscrossed_neutral_loop)
Is that what just happened?
KAITLYN (talk_explain_neutral)
Totally. She knew you were a threat, and she lashed out.

readerMessage Your bikini won you a enemy. Yay?

    KAITLYN (talk_agree_happy)
I can't believe it... your first day and you already got a nemesis. You're so lucky!

goto dorm_continue
}

if (OUTIFIT1 is “Keep it simple.”) {
goto dorm_continue
}

if (OUTFIT1 is “Wear what I have now.” ) {
NARRATOR
As you leave, Kaitlyn flashes you a grimace.
KAITLYN (talk_armscrossed_angry_loop)
A couple of Chanel skirts and they think they’re better than us.
YOU (talk_sheepish_rubneck)
Are they wrong?
KAITLYN (talk_armscrossed_condescending_loop)
Of course they’re wrong. But don’t worry
 we’ll have our revenge.
YOU (react_shocked_gasp)
We will?
KAITLYN (talk_handsonhips_neutral)
I don’t know, I was just being dramatic.
YOU (talk_smile_happy_loop)
Ahh, gotcha.

goto dorm_continue
}

}

Sorry if it is a lot to read but I would really appreciate it if someone could help me. BTW i am quite new to Episode but yeah.

Thank you very much.

1 Like
38

@queenesther1,

What is the error code? That will help me narrow down the real issue.

The first thing I notice is that at your choice you have a phrase in parentheses. It either needs to be removed or a # put before the parentheses.

Verify that your if statement labels are correct.

After the OUTFIT1 is “Wear a bikini.” for the high road choice, you are possibly missing an elif and its open parentheses.

1 Like
39

Hi! I was wondering how I would transition from one scene to the next smoothly?
What I mean by that is the characters and background are already in place when it is done fading from black. I hope that makes sense. Thank you in advance!

2 Likes
40

@xxcora,

Basically that is done using a bunch of &.

Example:
SCENE1
@transition fade out 2
SCENE2
&CHARACTER1 stands screen center and CHARACTER1 is talk_flirt
&CHARACTER2 stands screen left and CHARACTER2 is idle_awkward
@transition fade in black 2

You can do this with as many characters and actions (like a zoom) as you want.

3 Likes