Sotha's mapping thread

[Sotha]

I've made an assortment of custom models loot for my mission. For some reason they do not frob-highlight. Does anyone have any ideas why or how to fix this?

[Mortem Desino]

The material needs a special stage for frob-highlighting. It's here on the wiki. If you want to use Doom 3 moveables for example, you'd have to find their material definitions, and plug in a frob highlight stage in their skins.

[Sotha]

The material needs a special stage for frob-highlighting. It's here on the wiki. If you want to use Doom 3 moveables for example, you'd have to find their material definitions, and plug in a frob highlight stage in their skins.

 

Aha! I was wondering some time back that what was those parm1 things.

 

Should I also add that virtual ambient light code part to my materials?

 

Thanks!

[Sotha]

Got the frob highlight to work.

 

Another question:

 

There is a special object in the player inventory. Can I have it so that USING it drops the object to player hands.

Using means selecting it in the inventory and pressing enter.

[Tels]

Got the frob highlight to work.

 

Another question:

 

There is a special object in the player inventory. Can I have it so that USING it drops the object to player hands.

Using means selecting it in the inventory and pressing enter.

 

Erm, no we have a hotkey (drop) for that, and I'd rather not that have that individual FMs change the meaning of hotkeys/actions willy-nilly - consistent user interface and all that

[Tels]

Aha! I was wondering some time back that what was those parm1 things.

 

Should I also add that virtual ambient light code part to my materials?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes

[Fidcal]

If you have some special case where 'use' actually does something and you also want it to drop into the hands for some reason then you might do a special script I guess. Hard to think when you would want that.

 

Say you use a magic talisman to open a door and the talisman also drops into the carry position? I suppose if you made it a items > custom > atdm:moveable_custom_item then give it a target to call a script to call a 'drop to carry' script (if there is one) then activates the door. So the effect might be like holding up a wizard's wand and a gate then opens.

[Fidcal]

Just thought of another reason you might want this. Say the talisman has a damage stim and you want to hold it out to kill a monster but the player might be madly hitting 'use' to no effect? Same applies using the above entity but needs some way to trigger drop.

 

Hope I'm not spoiling anything with guessed examples.

[Sotha]

If you have some special case where 'use' actually does something and you also want it to drop into the hands for some reason then you might do a special script I guess. Hard to think when you would want that.

 

 

I have my reasons, but yeah, I basically want the item use to make it drop it into hands. The basic idea is to avoid the player be confused with the use function, because the object must be placed elsewhere and simple dropping would be unintuitive.

 

You'll see this once I release my fm.

 

So is there a script command like object-name.dropToHands() ?

 

Or similar, this would be exactly what I need.

 

The other alternative would be to make the object obviously unusable, ie no red flash upon use attempt. Anyway, dropping-to-hands script would be much better..

[Fidcal]

I've not tried it but this seems to be what you want:

 

scriptEvent float holdEntity( entity e );

 

I can't recall how familiar you are with scripting so if you need further help just ask.

 

An alternative, to block the red flash is I think just to change:

 

"scriptobject" "InvTriggerScript"

to:

"scriptobject" "-"

[Sotha]

I've not tried it but this seems to be what you want:

 

scriptEvent float holdEntity( entity e );

 

I can't recall how familiar you are with scripting so if you need further help just ask.

 

 

Thanks.. Ehm. I'm not very familiar with scripting.

 

I do have the map.script file, but how do I use this? How do I activate the script when the object is used?

 

And what is the syntax in the script file: object.holdEntity($player1); ?

 

 

EDIT: the red flash block suggestion gives only an error message:

script object '-' not found on entity.

[Fidcal]

I assume by map.script you mean you already have a script file in your maps folder named <mymapname.script.

 

I'll have to come back in an hour or two to give you details as I've no time right now and I also want to set it up and test it works myself.

[Sotha]

I assume by map.script you mean you already have a script file in your maps folder named <mymapname.script.

 

Yep. I played around with grayman's excellent movie tutorial. I have a basic script file with one movie clip entry, which I've targeted as per grayman's instructions. That's basically all I know about scripting.

 

 

I'll have to come back in an hour or two to give you details as I've no time right now and I also want to set it up and test it works myself.

 

Thank you so much for help!

[Tels]

"scriptobject" "-" should be "scriptobject" "" (otherwise it tries to load the script object "-"

 

Also, to trigger a script when a player frobs or uses an object, use:

 

* "equip_action_script" "name_of_the_global_function" (when the player uses an item in his hands, our oillamps use this to toggle the light off)

* "use_action_script" when the player uses an item in the inventory

* "frob_action_script" when the player frobs an item in the world (you can see our candles using this)

 

Simply add a function named like so:

 

void do_something(entity ent)
{
 // ent is the entity that was frobbed/used/equiped
 // $player1 is the player
 sys.println("do_something called with entity " + ent.getName());
}

 

into your map script file. When it is triggered, it will print the name of the entity to the console. This way you can test that it works.

 

For instance if you add "frob_action_script" "do_something" to an entity, frobbing it will cause your function above to be called.

 

Here is the relevant doc:

 

def/tdm_base.def
66:     "editor_var frob_action_script"         "Script to call when this entity is frobbed."
71:     "editor_var used_by"                            "Contains an entity name of an inventory item that can be used on this object.  Multiple used_by keys are possible by numbering them (like 'used_by_3').  A used_by object calls a corresponding used_action_script_<name>, or, if a specific script is not available, it calls the default that is set in the used_action_script key.  Doors and locks use this for keys that open them as well."
75:     "editor_var used_action_script"         "Contains the script name to call when this object is used by an object on the used_by lists.  Different scripts may be called for different items by adding another used_action_script spawnarg followed by the item specifier as shown: item specifier as follows: used_action_script_<specifier> .  The specifier may be the item's entity name, inventory name, inventory category or entityDef classname."
77:    "editor_string equip_action_script"      "If defined, this script will be run when the user holds the item in his hands and presses the 'Use/Equip' key."

[Fidcal]

Not much luck I'm afraid with either method. script object is rejected by both doom and DR if it is null. Also not clear what type of entity to use it on.

 

I got my method working to move a test object to the carry position and then frob a door but my test object would not then go back into the inventory. This is because when I press 'use' again then it calls the special script to drop it to the carry position rather than move it back. So it needs some test to determine where it is and call another function to move it back. Unless you want to just use this object once then it disappears like a magic object?

 

Also there is the problem what if the player uses drop anyway? It won't call the script. Is that OK?

[Sotha]

Not much luck I'm afraid with either method. script object is rejected by both doom and DR if it is null. Also not clear what type of entity to use it on.

 

I got my method working to move a test object to the carry position and then frob a door but my test object would not then go back into the inventory. This is because when I press 'use' again then it calls the special script to drop it to the carry position rather than move it back. So it needs some test to determine where it is and call another function to move it back. Unless you want to just use this object once then it disappears like a magic object?

 

Also there is the problem what if the player uses drop anyway? It won't call the script. Is that OK?

 

I didn't fully understand what you mean, sorry.

 

All I need is to have the object USE to drop it into hands as if the normal drop button was pressed. Nothing else is required as long as the situation is exactly the same as if the player pressed the drop button.

 

I am PM:ing you all the technical details what I want to accomplish. I'll not put it here since it is a huge spoiler for my mission.

[Sotha]

Didn't seem to be the perfect solution.

 

Does anyone know which script command (or something) gets executed when the player presses the drop key?

 

All I really need is to have the object USE to target this command and I'm good.

[ungoliant]

Didn't seem to be the perfect solution.

 

Does anyone know which script command (or something) gets executed when the player presses the drop key?

 

All I really need is to have the object USE to target this command and I'm good.

 

even if you can't get it to work, I wouldn't worry too much about it. As one of the beta-testers I know exactly the particular thing you are thinking of, and using the drop button to put it in the players hands seemed completely logical and intuitive to solve the puzzle. Didn't take me more than 1 second to figure it out.

[Sotha]

Sotha's mapping thread is hereby closed until further notice.

 

All the models, geometries and entitywork in my maps are free to be used by other mappers as long as they're non-profit. Stuff like models and textures can also be added as TDM resources if someone wants to do that.

[Springheel]

Hope you'll still be hanging around, even if you're taking a break from mapping.

[Sotha]

Hope you'll still be hanging around, even if you're taking a break from mapping.

 

Yeah, don't sweat it. I'll be around.

 

Just wanted to make sure that no one needs to think about whether they can use my creations or not. I'll be just happy if they bring benefit to other mapping endeavors..

 

 

I think that the puzzle lock could be made into a prefab. Mappers only need to change targettings to create their own unique 4 switch puzzles. And the system is easily expandable into 5-6 lever puzzles.

 

[nbohr1more]

Sotha's Interview at Moddb has been released:

 

http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-dark-mod/features/sotha-interview

 

(As it again has not had any effect on the "update status" I have created another follow-up "News" article so that people will actually know this was posted... They should authorize that article soon... )

[Melan]

Good interview!

[nbohr1more]

Sorry for a little derail but I feel the need to address this.

 

I am not sure the etiquette for a compliment paid to an interview (whether the interviewer or the subject should respond). I will say "Thanks" to cover my bases. (I felt so rude for awhile there... )

[Sotha]

After playing Jesps excellent new mission (and after hot sauna and ice cold beer) I decided to make a mission of tiny/small size category. It continues the Porter story shortly after Glenham Tower.

 

Nothing fancy, just a small fm, for fun and to test new techniques.

 

Mapping started on 5.12.2010.