The How-To Thread

I know we have the 'Well Whaddya Know' thread already, but that's not a thread for discussion. Let's use this for Q&A on how to do stuff, as a lot of ToEE modding has the appearance of being very 'secret' for whatever reason.

I will start off:

• Do we have unlimited availability for new flags? I've been referring to Sitra Achara's flags and variables list lately, which has large stretches of blank entries in it. So even if they aren't exactly 'unlimited,' are there a lot available? Also, can we please post and maintain a frequently updated and complete flags and variables list somewhere? It's kind of stupid that people like me should have to guess at this stuff, particularly given that all I've wanted to do (until now possibly, anyway) is look at it.
  
• How do you add new flags? I don't really want to do this, but sometimes there seems to be little alternative, particularly if you want to avoid that foolish repeat dialogue stuff that makes ToEE look so amateurish: (one day in Hommlet) - "Burne, I've cracked the case of the ToEE! Can I have a quest?" / (the next day) - "Burne, I've cracked the case of the ToEE! Can I have a quest?"
  
• Is there some way other than using flags to make a dialogue option appear only once?

 

So I need only conjure them in my head and they'll work? :blink:

Maybe I should start small: what file(s) in ToEE is information about flags stored in?

 

The flags have a cap of 999. Lots have been used: but not many variables. Variables are great for advancing simple story states. Variables have in some cases been used to store quite large numbers - certainly 4 digits (thousands).

Like I do for KotB?

For something like Burne, you should be using the personal or individual flags. As you say, there is no point putting a global flag on something that is not a global event: Burne's own personal flags would do the trick nicely.

Luckily (or not) Burne already uses some thanks to Blue's "get him to join without breaking his inventory" mod. Have a look at Burne's script:

Code:

def set_switch_flag( attachee, value ): # Sets switch flag in object field where it is stored.  Set to 1 in dialog if NPC is joining party.  Set to 0 in Switch_NPC after NPC has been added to party.
	attachee.obj_set_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_5, value )
	return attachee.obj_get_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_5 )

So you can't use flag 5, its busy. But you can use 3 and 4. In a dlg file they will look like this:

{600}{So I have a long boring story to tell. Have you heard it before?}{So I have a long boring story to tell. Have you heard it before?}{}{}{}{}
{601}{Yes.}{}{1}{npc.obj_get_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_3 ) != 0}{0}{}
{602}{No.}{}{1}{npc.obj_get_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_3 ) == 0}{610}{}

{610}{Once upon a time...}{Once upon a time...}{}{}{}{npc.obj_set_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_3, 1 )}

This is all outlined in my Flags Tutorial Part 2.

One minor hitch with Burne - there's two of him, one that joins, one that stands around and sells you stuff. So be aware of that: setting individual flags on one doesn't set them on the other (because they are individual to each mob, obviously). So you'd want to use this for dialogue that is exclusive to in-party or not-in-party Burne, not common to both, or take it into account some other way.

 

Precisely.

Thanks for the rest. Am I correct in assuming then that there is no master file in ToEE called 'flags' or something like that that archives flags and variables and processes them in some way?

 

Alas, no. Don't we wish. The engine processes most things on the fly (it seems to me), and the game writes that stuff into the saves, I think.

 

Question: what's the difference between 'if' and 'elif' as used in .py files?

We typically see blocks of code starting with an 'if' line (one or more), followed by one or more 'elif' lines, and typically ending with an 'else' line. I assume the first 'if' line means to check that code first, and the 'else' line means that if nothing else in the code is true, do this, but I've never been able to determine any difference between a midrange line starting with 'if' or 'elif.'

 

Okay, so are you saying that an 'elif' is the same as an 'if' that is not in the first line of code?

 

Since I am easily confused by jargon and didn't understand those explanations, I will add my own:

A group of 'elif's will function in series, a group of 'if's will function in parallel, to give it a circuit-board explanation. Elif's will seek out the 'correct' one to apply - if's will apply each correct one. Cujo gave a good example of 'elif's, here is an example of 'if's from Liv's new AI thing:

Code:

	for obj in game.party[0].group_list():	## find number of enemy and distances
		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 5 and critter_is_unconscious(obj) == 0 and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) >= 1 and (not obj.d20_query(Q_Prone)) and (not obj.d20_query(Q_CoupDeGrace))):
			enemyclose = enemyclose + 1

		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 5 and critter_is_unconscious(obj) == 0 and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) >= 10 and (not obj.d20_query(Q_Prone)) and (not obj.d20_query(Q_CoupDeGrace)) and (obj.stat_level_get(stat_level_sorcerer) >= 2 or obj.stat_level_get(stat_level_wizard) >= 2) ):
			casterclose = casterclose + 1

		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 10 and obj.distance_to(npc) >= 6 and critter_is_unconscious(obj) == 0 and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) >= 1 and (not obj.d20_query(Q_Prone)) and (not obj.d20_query(Q_CoupDeGrace))):
			enemymedium = enemymedium + 1

		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 25 and obj.distance_to(npc) >= 11 and critter_is_unconscious(obj) == 0 and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) >= 1 and (not obj.d20_query(Q_Prone)) and (not obj.d20_query(Q_CoupDeGrace))):
			enemyfar = enemyfar + 1

		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 10 and obj.d20_query(Q_Prone) and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) >= 1 and (not obj.d20_query(Q_Helpless))):
			obj.float_mesfile_line( 'mes\\skill_ui.mes', 106 )
			prone = prone + 1

		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 5 and obj.d20_query(Q_Helpless) and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) >= 0):
			helpless = helpless + 1
			obj.float_mesfile_line( 'mes\\skill_ui.mes', 107 )

		if (obj.distance_to(npc) <= 5 and obj.stat_level_get( stat_hp_current ) <= -1 and (not obj.d20_query(Q_Dead))):
			dying = dying + 1
			obj.float_mesfile_line( 'mes\\skill_ui.mes', 108 )

Each condition advances a variable by one: more than one condition may be true (an enemy may be close, AND prone, AND helpless, AND dying). It builds up a large picture of what is going, rather than a series of 'elif's which would grab the first 'true' response then end.

 

Thanks, Ted. Precisely the answer I was looking for.

 

Q1: Are there any known issues with editing the invensource.mes file? I've read (in mostly older threads) that it's one nasty bastard of a file. I aspire to make only minor changes to it: add a hat, subtract a jacket, etc., for cosmetic reasons.

Q2: What's the current status of invensource.mes as it may relate to shopkeepers' inventories? It seemed to be suggested in places that this was modified somehow so that invensource.mes doesn't control that any longer, or that .mob files always controlled that. Or something. True, or a horrible lie? I would like, for example, to clear out Jinnerth's inventory of cloaks so that he's not wearing them, but if I do that will he no longer offer them for sale?

I haven't had any issues changing inventory for items NPCs are wearing, but I don't want to screw over shopkeepers' inventories.

There's a lot of confusing info out there, such as there being separate prototypes for shopkeeper NPCs (as opposed to their adventuring counterparts), inventory refresh issues (some do, some don't), etc. Any light you may be able to shine on this matter would be appreciated.

[edit]

Okay, I found the shop inventories. Sorry, I was suffering from the 'wall of text' stupefication effect. :blush:

It appears that the situation, as I read elsewhere, is still that adding items to invensource.mes shop lists has no effect on in-game shop inventories. But you can swap out personal inventory items to your heart's content.