FilmstripStudio

RPG Data and Starting State · Version 0.5

Actor Definitions and Instances

Define reusable characters, presentation art, battle behavior, and distinct runtime Actor instances that hold mutable Party and combat state.

An Actor definition is reusable project data. An Actor instance is a mutable character currently used by the Party, reserves, saves, or a battle. Keeping these responsibilities separate prevents scene loading, Party changes, and combat from creating duplicate character state.

Actor definitions may describe

  • Stable ID and display name
  • Tags
  • Base Stats and growth rules
  • Starting Resources
  • Experience progression hooks
  • Menu or Party portrait
  • Battle sprite or animation sheet
  • Authored battle facing and presentation fields
  • Resistance or immunity references used by combat

Actor instances store

  • A distinct stable instance ID
  • The referenced Actor definition
  • Current level and experience
  • Current Resource values
  • Replaceable modifiers
  • Equipment loadout
  • Active or reserve Party placement
  • Temporary cloned battle state while an Encounter is active

Multiple instances

The same Actor definition may be used by more than one Actor instance. Instance IDs keep their level, Resources, equipment, and Party placement separate. Enemy Parties reference Actor definitions and create battle participants without rewriting the reusable definition.

World objects remain separate

A scene Game Object is still the world representation. Transform, Sprite, Collider, Animator, interaction, and scene placement are not moved into the RPG Actor definition. Party Actors may exist without a loaded world Game Object.

Battle presentation

Actor artwork fields use Browse and Clear controls. Imported sources are copied into the project and stored as project-relative references. The battle layout uses the Actor’s authored sprite, animation grid, facing, and side rules when available, and a readable placeholder when optional art is missing.

Runtime isolation

Entering Play Mode clones the authored starting Actor instances. Entering an Encounter creates a further battle-owned state for combat Resources, modifiers, Statuses, and commands. Stopping Play Mode or abandoning an uncommitted battle does not overwrite the authored Actor definition or new-game template.