Guess the column name, Part I

OK, so we still have a few protos.tab columns that we don't know what the values are for. I'm hopeful that,with some background work on my part, we can figure this stuff out as a group...

For our first column, I'm choosing the first non-blank column that we don't know (makes sense, right?)

That would be column #6.

Column #6 has the following object types:
obj_t_container, obj_t_scenery, obj_t_projectile, obj_t_weapon, obj_t_ammo, obj_t_pc, obj_t_npc

and the following values:
.25, 1, 18, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 101, 105, 110, 115, 120, 130, 140, 150, 175, 200, 300

Who'd like to hazard a guess what this one is?

Does that above strike a chord with anyone?

(I WOULD have to pick a probable toughie right out of the gate -- sigh)

 

D -

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what some of the columns mean...

A lot of them don't seem to do anything at all, though I am sure there must be something... it could have to do with graphics, particle effects, animations, lighting, or dozens of other things that would be nearly impossible to identify...

I do have about 10 unmarked columns identified, but there are a huge number of them that seem completely unused... and irrelevent.

I have a list at home, when I get a chance I will post the ones I have identified... there are a few that are VERY important, but most are of minor use...

- Livonya

 

It sounds like we're about in the same boat. I found quite a few important ones that hadn't been doc'ed yet myself.

But I figured that, with the tools I'm writing, it will be easy to give people a really good idea about what types in the games have what values, and so the values would start to make some sense. I meant, digging out the values for column 6 would have been prohibitively difficult had I done so by hand, but now that my ProtoEd is on its way, it was easy to just loop through the values in memory and output what it did.

I figure it makes for a fun puzzle, anyway.

-- d

 

D -

There is one column that we should standardize. If it is changed it will mess up all scripting events.

I can't remember the column name from home... or the column number but I can post that later.

It is an identity column, and is absolutely necessary for scripting.

What I am doing is completely filling in this column for every single item in the game... that way there will be a standard and still unique number that scripters can use...

The problem is that when Troika did their game they didn't do the smart thing and give each identity number the same number as the item number, which would have made sense... instead they just gave out random numbers as they went along...

I have already filled in 50% of the these slots with numbers... been doing it as was necessary for my scripting events...

It is the one column that if scripters change or tinker with or don't use the same numbers as other scripters then it will cause all sorts of whack events to occur.

I will post more about this on the weekend....

- Livonya

 

I think I found the answer to the thread in the Atari forums.

According to what I read over there, it's the scaling factor for the model, so if you change that value, you make the creature, as it appears in-game, larger or smaller.

I also found out column 32 and 33. Quite the wealth of info over there ;-)

-- d

 

To be clear, I'm still looking forward with great anticipation to what you've got Liv; with any luck we'll have a fairly complete list among the various sources.

-- d

 

I agree.

And, even though I'm creating "yet another" proto editor, I think it's a good thing that Mod Studio does much of the same work, and that you're still working on it. Only through competition will each of us (and anyone else) be "pushed" to improve.

Do you have any idea about the following column uses?

22, 25, 26, 29, 31, 36, 42, 56, 67, 85, 89, 91, 92, 95, 110, 128, 130, 153

EDIT: Removed 154, we already had that one. I had to compile my notes properly :-/

-- dulcaoin

 

Digging through old posts, I found out a couple things...

1) Mine is about the FIFTH ProtoEd to be built. People seem to build 'em, and then move on. That's unfortunate.

2) Found out what column 85 is (money_stack_size)

Agetian, do you know any of the others from my list of unknowns?

-- d

 

That sounds like the column I've decided is the "reach" of the npc.

The .mob file is more important to figure out than almost anything else right now, IMO.

The problem is, even though there have been so many, ONLY yours and an early version of someone else's is available right now. They not only die, they fade.

-- d

 

I'm at work but I will rattle of what I know about 1 of the columns...

Column 25 is the Hit Points. This column SHOULD have a number in it for every level 1 character. If you don't have a number here then you get a random number for hit points. This column should NOT have a number in it if the NPC is a monster with hit dice or an NPC with more than one level in a class.

So for instance if a Level 1 Rogue has 0 in Column 25 then their hit points for level 1 will be 1-6 which is incorrect. First level characters should always get the minimum, so the correct number should be 6 plus their constitution bonus.

Troika forgot this, so most of the level 1 NPCs you fight are super weak since they are getting a random # for their 1st level hit points... duh.

- Livonya

 

From your explanation, I'm guessing you meant that first level characters should always have their _maximum_?

What about a character who was multi-class, 1 level in 2 (or more) classes. Then it (he/she) wouldn't be a level 1 character anymore, and the rule does not apply, right?

Is there a column for the Con bonus? I thought that was calc'ed by TOEE, not in the table, correct?

BTW, which was the identity column you spoke of?

-- dul

 

Dulcaoin -

I am not sure what the computer does when a NPC is level 1 Cleric and Level 3 Fighter. It probably does them all random, and doesn't give the minimum hit points for the 1st level.

What column 25 does is set their hit points. I believe this is a solid set. Bonuses for Constitution are not included. If you set it for 5 then they will have 5, if you set it for 10 it will be 10.

If you leave this column blank then a level 1 character gets a random roll plus their constitution bonus.

What I did was I went though and put a number in column 25 for all level 1 NPCs that was proper for their class and Constitution. That way they get their maximum hit points as they should for level 1. Then when you go to fight a level 1 fighter that fighter won't have 6 hit points or something small... it was often silly to kill a level 1 brigand with one Magic Bullet because he only had 3 hit points, etc...

This column is basically an over ride column for hit points. And it isn't really important unless you are dealing with a very low level NPC. Most of the time it should be blank.

- Livonya

PS: I can't post the other columns that I know since I am at work and can't think of the column numbers.

 

Column #22:

This is necessary in order to identify items/people via scripts.

This should be set to the same as column #23

HOWEVER!!! If Troika set Column #22 to a number that is different than Column #23 then do NOT change it!!!!!!

The best thing to do is to always set column #22 to match #23 unless Troika set it differently... as I write scripts that need to identify people, places, things then I have to fill in column #22 with the column #23 ID.


Column #25:

This is the default hit point column. This SHOULD ONLY be used if the NPC is level 1 and it should not be used if they are a level 1 monster with no class levels.


Column #158 to #161;

These are for bonuses such as will bonus, spell resistance, they show up in game as race bonuses

- Livonya