This should go in the
Architecture board, since that is where questions related to DROD architecture go.
Anyway, a cutscene is a set number of turns where the locations of characters, including the player, are determined by a predefined script instead of dictated by the player. In the scripting editor, the cutscene functionality only takes a single "
argument"
(there might be a better term for this) for control: time in milliseconds. This argument
only states how many milliseconds pass between a turn and its subsequent turn; it does nothing else. For example, a cutscene with the argument "
1000"
will play a cutscene that proceeds at a rate of one turn per second, a 500 cutscene proceeds at a rate of two turns per second, etc. (Most player-made holds use 250 or 500 cutscenes, since higher values tend to make things quite slow.) A cutscene with a "
0"
argument will stop the cutscene and give control back to the player.
Cut scene 1000
Wait 10
Cut scene 0
This is an example of a cutscene that runs for ten turns over the course of ten seconds. After ten seconds pass, the cutscene stops.
Cut scene 500
Wait 20
Cut scene 0
This is another example of a cutscene. This one runs for the same length as the first example, but has twice as many turns, so the general pace is much faster. Pacing of cutscenes is an important aspect of hold polishing, since it will impact how players will view the cutscene and interpret the action taking place, but this is best reserved for when hold polish becomes necessary, and not before.
Cutscenes have a variety of applications, but they are most commonly used to ensure the proper flow of speech. For example,
Cut scene 250
Speech "I am talking.",Normal,Self,0,.
Speech "Hey, I want to talk!",Normal,Citizen 1,0,.
Speech "No, let me talk!",Normal,Citizen 2,0,.
Speech "Would you like to buy an encyclopedia?",Normal,Citizen 3,0,.
Wait 28
Cut scene 0
(Note that this was copied from a script done in the RPG, not TCB, so there might be discrepancies.)
This simulates a small conversation between four people. Notice the "
Wait 28"
just before "
Cut scene 0"
. It took 28 turns before the fourth person's speech finished, meaning the entire conversation took 0.25 * 28 = 7 seconds from beginning to end. Ideal cutscenes tend to resolve all associated actions, including speech, just in time for the cutscene to end, so that none of it interferes with the player.
Since no other action is going on besides speech, a cutscene is unnecessary unless the player could somehow interrupt the flow by killing a participant or triggering another event. However, conversations can be held while other things are happening, such as the movement of various characters. Movement and similar activities are much easier to interrupt, so a cutscene can be particularly useful for this purpose. However, multiple characters involved in complicated scripts require a great deal of organization and planning beyond the scope of the "
simpler"
cutscenes involving two or less participants and few actions, and so needs to be addressed in a separate post.
I might have missed something, so if you have any questions, just ask.
____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley
Check out the DROD Wikia project
here!
[Last edited by 12th Archivist at 07-13-2011 03:54 PM]
