help with new mod

[gabandre]

im starting to grid some... grids and i dont know how to put scene dynamic objects, i need help to do this, i thinck Inventor is the best for this or Obrasilo

[LBAWinOwns]

Zink probably knows best since he constructed whole LBArchitect.

Anyway, scene dynamic objects ?

Do you mean actors?

What do you have in mind put in more of a gamers words ?

[gabandre]

yes, actors,tracks,zones...
ataching the grids (if someone wants to look[desert2 isnt complete])

[Inventor]

Ok, first off make sure you have the latest version of LBArchitect (1.0.0.beta_5 atm)

(can be found from here)

so.. i'm not going to teach you how to use the editor step-by-step, refer to the help in the help\ directory in the LBArchitect for that. I except that you know how to learn using a new gui yourself. (sorry, I just dont have the time to teach using a new gui, not to mention if you dont know how to, you probably have no chance of learning storycoding just yet, as that is far more complex than learning a gui )

The way LBA modding tools work atm, unfortunately, there's no way for one to learn making actors and events unless they know a bit of scripting or coding (some basic control statements and such).




To add actors, tracks or zones, you have to switch to 'scene mode' in LBArchitect, this is done by clicking Edit -> Switch to Scene mode in the menubar. (or alternatively with Ctrl+M)

something to note is that LBArchitect calls tracks as 'points' when placed in the grid.

So we have actors, each actor has a ID, which is kinda their index in the room. Actor with ID 0, is always twinsen (the player). You cannot change more than the coordinates of the player.


Now to get started, you shouldn't worry about other actors yet, but just get a working map.

Select Actor with ID 0 (the player), and move it somewhere safe in your map (not in the black void or water )

After you're done moving the actor, select A.I scripts for that actor.
now we have a script editor window, with two text frames next to each other, and a output box on the bottom. The left box is for the actors LIFE SCRIPT and the right box is for the actors TRACK SCRIPT. for now, we'll just set a life script for the player.
LIFE SCRIPT:

COMPORTEMENT main
  rem this disables holomap (flag 0, and set to 0)
  SET_FLAG_GAME 0 0
  rem this enables magicball (flag 1, and set to 1)
  SET_FLAG_GAME 1 1
  rem this enables tunic (flag 4, and set to 1)
  SET_FLAG_GAME 4 1
  rem this sets the magicball level (1 is yellow)
  SET_MAGIC_LEVEL 1
  rem this sets the body (look) of the player  (1 is tunic only)
  BODY 1
  rem this sets the first animation (0 standing)
  ANIM 0
  rem and now to -> codeblock 1
  SET_COMPORTEMENT 1
END_COMPORTEMENT
COMPORTEMENT 1
  rem scripted events could be here
END_COMPORTEMENT
END

Lines starting with rem are comments.

To understand the meaning of game flags, body numbers and such, I suggest downloading LBAStoryCoder 0.5.0 , and looking at LBA Scene Format.txt.

Now after this script for the player, the map still is not playable (in the current version of LBArchitect at least), what you have to do still, is set up the scene properties. (Edit -> Scene properties)

Now you get a new window with various options and their values.

for meaning of each value check out this post.

For a start, you could just set them the following for example

Island ID: 0
Game Over Scene: 0

Alpha light vector: 896
Beta light vector: 950

Ambient sound 1
Sample ID: -1
Repeat count: 1
Round: 1
Ambient sound 2
Sample ID: -1
Repeat count: 1
Round: 1
Ambient sound 3
Sample ID: -1
Repeat count: 1
Round: 1
Ambient sound 4
Sample ID: -1
Repeat count: 1
Round: 1

Minimal delay: 10
Minimal delay random range: 10

Music ID: 0

now after you've done this, save your scenario. (file -> save scenario)

You should always use the scenario format (.hqs), as that can contain both the grid and the scene, and saves your comments in the scripts and probably some other neat things too

Only when you need to test, you have to save the grids as .gr1, and scenes as .ls1.

So after this, make a .gr1 file of your grid (if you have modified it), and save your scene too as a .ls1 file.

After this, you'll have to use LBAPackEditor, to place the grid, in a LBA_GRI.hqr file, and the scene to a SCENE.hqr file. make sure you replace the same entry # in both hqr packages.

Which entry should you replace? If possible, you should replace a entry that uses the same layout library (eg. same brick style, islands, desert, caves, snowy areas etc.)
So if you made a desert map, you should replace one of the white leaf desert entries. This will save you from having to introduce a modified LBA_BLL.hqr with your mod.

Alternatively, you could use Little Stage designer to do all the hard work for you

If you didnt replace the first entry, you might have to use a savegame editor, or such to get to your level.

good luck

[gabandre]

tanks for the basic
and what is the Little stage designer?

[Inventor]

Originally Posted by gabandre

and what is the Little stage designer?

Its a tool that takes your .gr1 grids, .ls1 scenes, and compiles LBA_GRI.HQR and SCENE.HQR files for you, and it also takes .bl1 and brick files, and compiles LBA_BLL.HQR and LBA_BRK.HQR files. A pretty great tool, even if adding multiple rows at once, is slow a bit

[Zink]

Just to add something:

The Scene properties problem will be fixed in beta 6.
You've wrote a very good guide, Inventor. Could I use it in the Architect's help with some modifications?

Stage Designer is not slow if you know how to use it .
You don't have to export separate gr1 and ls1 files, SD also supports Scenarios (hqs), just drop a Scenario on the row index, and all the columns will be filled with the file.

[Inventor]

Originally Posted by Zink

You've wrote a very good guide, Inventor. Could I use it in the Architect's help with some modifications?

sure, if it helps

Originally Posted by Zink

Stage Designer is not slow if you know how to use it .
You don't have to export separate gr1 and ls1 files, SD also supports Scenarios (hqs), just drop a Scenario on the row index, and all the columns will be filled with the file.

but what took me quite a bit was adding 120 rows, as I dont know of any hotkey for adding a row?

hmm didnt realize that SD supported hqs.. which should be obvious from you having made both LBArchitect and Stage Designer
I'll edit my post.. nevermind too late to edit it.


oh btw. Zink, any chance you could implement a 'actor-prefab' system at some point?

Stationary soldier

MODE
Control mode: 0 No move
CHARACTER
Hit power: 0
Armour: 1
Life points: 12
Angle: <angle>
Rot. Delay: 20
APPEARANCE
File3D: 12 - Soldier
Body: 0
Animation: 0
STATIC FLAGS
Can collide with objects
Can collide with bricks
Can test floor type

LIFE SCRIPT
COMPORTEMENT main
  SET_TRACK 0
  SET_COMPORTEMENT 1
END_COMPORTEMENT
COMPORTEMENT 1
  IF HIT_BY == 0
    SET_DIRMODE FOLLOW 0
    SET_TRACK 4
  ENDIF
  IF DISTANCE 0 < 900
    IF CURRENT_TRACK != 6
      SET_DIRMODE FOLLOW 0
      SET_TRACK 6
    ENDIF
  ELSE
    IF DISTANCE 0 < 4000
      IF CURRENT_TRACK != 4
        SET_DIRMODE FOLLOW 0
        SET_TRACK 4
      ENDIF
    ELSE
      OR_IF CURRENT_TRACK == 4
      IF CURRENT_TRACK == 6
        IF DISTANCE 0 > 5000
          SET_DIRMODE NO_MOVE
          SET_TRACK 0
        ENDIF
      ENDIF
    ENDIF
  ENDIF
END_COMPORTEMENT
END

TRACK SCRIPT
LABEL 0
  ANIM 0
  STOP
LABEL 4
  ANIM 17
  STOP
LABEL 5
  ANIM 63
  STOP
LABEL 6
  ANIM 67
  STOP
END

This is obviously not, what a prefab syntax would look like, but you get the idea, that a prefab would contain these bits of information for a new actor. I think this would really save time, when you wouldn't have to write/set the actor scripts/settings manually each time.

I know this is probably a lot of work.. so I'm not asking to do it, but just in the concept -level, what do you think about it?

[LBAWinOwns]

That's great inventor, that's the kind of feedback/ideas I'm looking for . I assume Zink likes it as much as I do ^^.

Would you like to add the feature suggestion to the LBArchitect bugtracker?

I've have had some other ideas for LBArchitect in mind, but this ones seems like a more useful feature.

[Zink]

Originally Posted by Inventor

but what took me quite a bit was adding 120 rows, as I dont know of any hotkey for adding a row?

Why would you add 120 rows for a single map? One is perfectly enough (well, but the game will crash if someone tries to load a savegame that points to a non-existing Grid).
Anyway, there is no hotkey for adding rows, but I'm thinking about another thing. When you drop a file on an already filled cell, SD will ask you if you want to replace the content, or create a new row. I think it would be helpful to, let's say, press Ctrl while dropping the file, and SD would then create a new row without asking.

Originally Posted by Inventor

I'll edit my post.. nevermind too late to edit it.

Don't worry, it will be in the help in beta 6.

Originally Posted by Inventor

oh btw. Zink, any chance you could implement a 'actor-prefab' system at some point?

Do you know that you can clone Actors by pressing Ctrl while clicking? Will it do the trick? If not, then I think it will be possible-and-not-that-hard to make Actor templates. I like the idea .

LBAWinOwns, yes, I much appreciate such comments. Without them I start worrying that my programs are useless .

[LBAWinOwns]

Do you know that you can clone Actors by pressing Ctrl while clicking? Will it do the trick? If not, then I think it will be possible-and-not-that-hard to make Actor templates. I like the idea .

Well, still if you're gonna use the soldier in different scenes, you can't really ctrl+click copy since you don't have an original in the same scene you can select in order to copy it.

I also think it would be quite easy to program that feature.

[Inventor]

Originally Posted by Zink

Why would you add 120 rows for a single map? One is perfectly enough (well, but the game will crash if someone tries to load a savegame that points to a non-existing Grid).

Well it was just because, when I made my map, I wanted to use a certain layout library, yet not include a modified LBA_BLL.HQR file, and only just LBA_GRI.HQR and SCENE.HQR.. Which means that I had to use the indexes that match the right layout libraries in the original LBA_BLL.HQR. This was in order to not distribute my mod with copyrighted original LBA content.. But now that I think of it, its probably not a such big deal, as layout libraries dont contain any graphical data in them (afaik), so them alone are hardly any use to anyone anyways :P

I also had 120 rows, because I used the THE END -function in a life script, dont know why I did so though, using some of the first rows & change_cube or such would have worked fine too, without needing to have so many blank rows

Originally Posted by Zink

Anyway, there is no hotkey for adding rows, but I'm thinking about another thing. When you drop a file on an already filled cell, SD will ask you if you want to replace the content, or create a new row. I think it would be helpful to, let's say, press Ctrl while dropping the file, and SD would then create a new row without asking.

That could be handy too

Originally Posted by Zink

Do you know that you can clone Actors by pressing Ctrl while clicking? Will it do the trick? If not, then I think it will be possible-and-not-that-hard to make Actor templates. I like the idea .

Yeah, I know that, but what I meant is, that when I start a new scenario from scratch, I dont have any actors to clone. Checking the original maps just to see how something was done (or my notes) takes time, when I've gotta write down the information, and set it again on my new scenario.

EDIT: yeah what LBAWinOwns said

Also I think this will help a lot of people to get started who are not that good at storycoding

Oh and thanks for the configurable font size in script editor

[gabandre]

what is the "life script index" in the zones?

[Zink]

It tells what index the zone can be referenced to in the life scripts. For example: if you have a sceneric zone with life script index = 3, then line

IF ZONE == 3

will refer to that zone aways, regardless if which number it has in the zones table (zone ID). This way you can create and delete zones without having to update the references each time their IDs change.

Obviously, this results in a possibility to have two or more zones with the same life script index. In this case the condition ZONE == X will be true always when the actor is inside one of the zones with life script index = X.

[gabandre]

well, i didnt understood...
take a look in the progress:
mod
i need help
what i need:
-talk to the grobo
-grobo go to desk
-wooden door slides down

[Inventor]

To be able to for example 'talk' with a actor, you need to have a comportement codeblock, where you constantly check wether the player is hitting the use key, and then after that you'll have to check if its close to any actors you might want it to have a dialog with.

The code could look like this for example:

COMPORTEMENT 1
  SWIF ACTION == 1
    IF DISTANCE 4 < 1250
      MESSAGE 16
    ENDIF
  ENDIF
END_COMPORTEMENT

this would make Twinsen say message 16, when distance to actor 4 is smaller than 1250.

[xesf]

Originally Posted by gabandre

what is the "life script index" in the zones?

Remember also that to use zones the actor must enter in the entire zone area according with its volume.

Good to know all this interest around LBA1 mod

[xesf]

For the door to be open, just look at an example in the original code for OPEN_DOOR /CLOSE_DOOR.

To make a character walk to a certain point you need a lot of steps. I won't detail much as Inventor, but here's some tips.

1. You need to create a Track point near the desk.
2. You need to create a label under Move script so you can trigger that label later.
3. In this label you will need to add POS_POINT track#
4. Also you may need to change actor animation according with what you want to do.
5. You need to make a STOP if you want to stop this label execution. (also note you may need to change animation before aswell)
6. At life script you must find a way to trigger the Label by using SET_TRACK label#.
7. Try and play the game :P

[gabandre]

can somebody make this for me?

[LBAWinOwns]

Have you tried?

If not then do, and if you have any troubles tell us which ones.

[gabandre]

which is the function of the two script columns?

[Inventor]

Each actor in LBA has their own life and track -scripts.

Left column is for the life script,
which is where you have your scripts to control when and how your actors will behave in game.

This is for example to make a actor talk to the player, or attack the player if the player is close enough. Or to make a mushroom pop a bonus when the player collides with it.

example: mushroom LIFE SCRIPT

COMPORTEMENT main
  IF COL_OBJ 0 == <this actor id>
    GIVE_BONUS 0
    SUICIDE
  ENDIF
END_COMPORTEMENT
END

Right column is for the track script,
Track scripts are made of sets of animations and actions a actor will have under a label of a track script.

This can be for example, which animations a soldier will play, and in which directions it will face, and to which tracks (points in the grid) the actor will walk to.

example:soldier TRACK SCRIPT

LABEL 0
  ANIM 25
  ANGLE <face towards 1st point>
  WAIT_ANIM
  ANIM 64
  WAIT_ANIM
  ANIM 65
  WAIT_ANIM
LABEL 1
  ANIM 1
  GOTO_POINT <1st point>
LABEL 2
  ANIM 66
  WAIT_NUM_ANIM 5
  WAIT_NUM_ANIM 3
  ANIM 0
  ANGLE <face towards 2nd point>
LABEL 3
  ANIM 1
  GOTO_POINT <2nd point>
  GOTO 0
LABEL 4
  ANIM 17
  STOP
LABEL 5
  ANIM 63
  STOP
LABEL 6
  ANIM 67
  STOP
END

Something to note is that at the start of the scene, a actor will execute the COMPORTEMENT main (or COMPORTEMENT 0, same meaning) right away, but label's wount be executed unless you specify the actor to do so in a life script. (eg. label 0 wount be executed at the start of the actors life.)

For Life scripts, execution is looped in the current comportement all the time. (unless ended with 'END_LIFE' or such) Use ONEIF to execute a block only once if the if evaluates to true.

For track scripts, execution depends on how you specify it in a label, it can be looped, stopped, and delayed etc. (Many of the track script functions make the track script wait, untill the function has done its job) If at the end of the label there is nothing telling on where to jump next, it will just continue to the next label. (in example, at end of label 0, it will just continue at label 1.. while at end of label 3, it will jump to label 0 because of the GOTO 0..)


I might not have said everything 100% correct here, so correct me if I'm wrong as its easy to do so with there being so little documentation out there.. should be mostly right though

[gabandre]

hum... tnx
sorry, i dont understand english very well...

[Zink]

From what I remember, ONEIF will execute only once, no matter if the condition is trure or false (i.e. if the condition results to false at the time of checking, the code block will never be executed). But I haven't tested it thoroughly yet, so I may be wrong.