LovaP48
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 103
Registered: 05-31-2019
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File: Strategists Misunderstood Subselection v2.hold (43.9 KB)
Downloaded 20 times.
License: Public Domain

Hello to everyone.

I'm making a short hold of challenges from Treacle Stew, based on what I've seen Chaco do in his architect commentary.
Before I post any rooms, I do have a few scripting questions - these may have been discussed elsewhere but I'm not skilled enough in looking up non-obvious things here on the Forum.
Any answers and/or pointers to relevant discussion are appreciated!

Question 1:
I want a soldier-appearing character that is disarmed (is there a "disarm yourself" command that I missed or something?).
Moreover, I want him to be turning towards Beethro like a stationary guard would. I did come up with this:

Label Facing
Wait 0
Face towards like guard Player 1 [Single turn on]
Go to Facing

But then he has a delay in his turning, can I get rid of that?

Question 2:
One of the rooms will have some mimic-appearing scripting and so I thought having a "mimic horn" would be a neat addition.
I did do some pixel manipulation and I do have the tile, with some of the pixels transparent as I was making it in GIMP - But when I play the room, it has all black background.
Is it possible to have the transparency be transparent or do I need to colour it in all?
Currently, this is my appearing script:

Imperative 13 [Ghost Display]
Disappear
Wait for player to touch me
...

Secondly, since it's a "horn", I'd like it to make the horn sounding when it gets stepped on, is there such a feature?
Thirdly, when I right click on it, it doesn't give a description, just that there is a floor tile. (I assume this has something to do with the Disappear command, but even if I remove it, the description is missing).

Thank you for all the help!
EDIT (4th of February): Hold file added. [Latest version from 10th of February.]

- Pavol

---

[Last edited by LovaP48 at 02-10-2024 08:31 PM]

Kalin
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 194
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1. I think you just need to move the "Wait" below the "Face".

2. DROD ignores the alpha channel in images. You need to set those pixels to color #C0C0C0 (192,192,192).

I've never done sounds before, but I think you need to record a sound, then use it in a Speech command.

Your item should have a name while it is visible. Did you create a custom character with your image, and assign your script to that character?

LovaP48
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 103
Registered: 05-31-2019
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Thank you for your answers Kalin.

1. That unfortunately doesn't help. I suppose the more accurate description of the problem is that he refuses to turn in two consecutive turns, so when I'm close by, I can run circles around him.
Not that it matters since he's meant to be disarmed (which I'd still like some advice on, please), but I'd prefer that not to happen.

2. Noted, I'll colour the whole 22x22 properly.

3. Seems like I will record some then.

4. When I give the horn a type "None", I can't see its name/description at all.
When I give it a different type and give it a command to appear, now I see a Mimic Horn (#2), but I always bump it, because now there's something on the tile.
I need something to be walking onto and activating. For reference, this is the "default script" of my custom character with one 22x22 .png loaded in to be the tile.

Set var "horn_counter" = 0
Appear
Imperative 13 [Ghost Display]
Wait for player to touch me
Set var "horn_counter" + 1
Imperative 12 [No Ghost Display]

Cheers!

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
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since it's a "horn", I'd like it to make the horn sounding when it gets stepped on, is there such a feature?

Normally I'd recommend using the command "Game Effect" in order to generate one of the game's built-in sound effects, but it looks like that's more for visual effects than for sound effects.

What you could do is use MetaKitExtract ( https://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=16601&page=0#193409 ) to extract all the game files, and then copy the horn_a.ogg, horn_c.ogg and horn_fail.ogg files. Then you can add them as a sound for your Speech command the same way you would other voice acting - leaving the actual speech text blank if you don't want a speech text rectangle to appear.

When I give it a different type and give it a command to appear, now I see a Mimic Horn (#2), but I always bump it, because now there's something on the tile.

You'll need to give it a different type, but _not_ give it the command to appear; Ghost Display works while the character is not visible.

____________________________
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LovaP48
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 103
Registered: 05-31-2019
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Chaco wrote:

When I give it a different type and give it a command to appear, now I see a Mimic Horn (#2), but I always bump it, because now there's something on the tile.

You'll need to give it a different type, but _not_ give it the command to appear; Ghost Display works while the character is not visible.

See, but when my character script is this

Set var "horn_counter" = 0
Imperative 13 [Ghost Display]
Wait for player to touch me
Set var "horn_counter" + 1
Imperative 12 [No Ghost Display]

and I right click on the horn while playing, it just says
(22,7)
Floor
and nothing else.

Also, with regards to the disarmed soldier, Chaco, how did you do your 20th Strategist for the Stew?
That's what I'm trying to put in, to go along with the hold title

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
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For right-clicking a tile with a Ghost Display character doesn't show the name of the character, there is an existing feature request https://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=44328 for this, that should be in 5.2 once that is released.

To disarm an NPC that would normally have a sword, have it set var _MyWeapon = -2 .

____________________________
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Nuntar
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 4596
Registered: 02-20-2007
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LovaP48 wrote: 1. That unfortunately doesn't help. I suppose the more accurate description of the problem is that he refuses to turn in two consecutive turns, so when I'm close by, I can run circles around him.
Not that it matters since he's meant to be disarmed (which I'd still like some advice on, please), but I'd prefer that not to happen.

This is because Wait 0 will always halt processing for the current turn and resume next turn, and your script is doing this regardless of whether facing happened or not.

Correct version:

Label Facing
  Set var "_MyScriptX" = _X
  Set var "_MyScriptY" = _Y
  If ... 
        Face towards like guard 0,0,0
     Set var "_MyScriptX" = -9999
     Set var "_MyScriptY" = -9999
     Wait 0
     Go to Facing
  Else 
     Face towards like guard 0,0,1
  If End 
  Set var "_MyScriptX" = -9999
  Set var "_MyScriptY" = -9999
  Go to Facing

____________________________
50th Skywatcher

LovaP48
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 103
Registered: 05-31-2019
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Chaco wrote:
To disarm an NPC that would normally have a sword, have it set var _MyWeapon = -2 .

Thanks, I only tried -1. Any reason for it to be specifically -2?

Nuntar wrote:
Correct version:

Label Facing
  ...

Many thanks for that!

Also, I've just uploaded the version 1 of the short hold to the root post.
Check it out, I'll be happy to hear your comments and feedback for these challenge-puzzles!

I'll be adding in some speech to explain what is going on as well as some hints, but that's for a later version.

Nuntar
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 4596
Registered: 02-20-2007
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LovaP48 wrote: Thanks, I only tried -1. Any reason for it to be specifically -2?

0 through 5 are the specific weapons, -2 is Off and -1 is On.

____________________________
50th Skywatcher

LovaP48
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 103
Registered: 05-31-2019
IP: Logged

Nuntar wrote:

LovaP48 wrote: Thanks, I only tried -1. Any reason for it to be specifically -2?

0 through 5 are the specific weapons, -2 is Off and -1 is On.

Yeah, that does make sense. Thanks Nuntar!

Meanwhile, I made some updates and polishing to the level:

- 1S3E:

- 1S1E:

- Entrance, 1E, 1N1E, 1N2E:

I do intend to add voicework to this short level, is anyone willing to voice for me the Archivist's notes for the level's Entrance?
It'd be much appreciated!

The new version is attached in the root post, as usual.
It still needs further work, but I'll appreciate any given feedback in the meantime. Thanks!

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
IP: Logged

File: builder_lines.wav (3.8 MB)
Downloaded 19 times.
License: Public Domain

Here's a few takes for the Builder's lines - they're in the same .wav format as was used as a basis for Treacle Stew sound asset editing, but let me know if you want them in a different format.

____________________________
Quick links to my stuff (in case you forgot where it was):

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
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File: builder_hey_sigh.wav (4.6 MB)
Downloaded 20 times.
License: Public Domain

As well as me going "HEY!" and sighing, which occurs during the hint skit for that room.

____________________________
Quick links to my stuff (in case you forgot where it was):