Profile for Spidweb
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Spidweb |
| Member number | 1 |
| Title | Board Administrator |
| Postcount | 960 |
| Homepage | http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com |
| Registered | Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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| Author | Recent posts |
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| Question about place_monster call in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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written Saturday, March 20 2004 13:03
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There are many things I wanted to do, but I couldn't, becaused the engine was built a certain way and it would have taken a bit of work. This is number one on the list. :-( There are ways around this. 1. Make the creature with spawn_creature. 2. Make the creature type you are making with place_monster have a default script made by you, and make that default script do what you want it to do. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Question about place_monster call in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Saturday, March 20 2004 13:03
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There are many things I wanted to do, but I couldn't, becaused the engine was built a certain way and it would have taken a bit of work. This is number one on the list. :-( There are ways around this. 1. Make the creature with spawn_creature. 2. Make the creature type you are making with place_monster have a default script made by you, and make that default script do what you want it to do. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Messages & Script Variables in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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written Saturday, March 20 2004 12:57
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"In other words, if my_current_message <> 0, I can be sure this is the second time this script has been called this turn (unless the script is on a 8-turn cycle)." Not necessarily. There are a number of things that can cause a script to be called in a turn. A ritual of sanctification, or someone walking on it, or its blocking someone's movement can cause it to be called. Also, in a combat turn, scripts are called every time someone moves (so if someone moves 5 spaces, the terrain scripts are called 5 times). Your scripts need to be robust enough to work properly no matter how many times in a turn they are called. "So, I can only count on variables staying the same in a single state (and any other states I call in that state)?" A variable in a script is only visible in that script, but anywhere in that script. (So it can be accessed in multiple states.) When the script is unloaded (for example, a town script when you leave that town), that variable's value is forgotten. Any value you want the game to remember should be stored in a Stuff Done Flag. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Messages & Script Variables in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Saturday, March 20 2004 12:57
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"In other words, if my_current_message <> 0, I can be sure this is the second time this script has been called this turn (unless the script is on a 8-turn cycle)." Not necessarily. There are a number of things that can cause a script to be called in a turn. A ritual of sanctification, or someone walking on it, or its blocking someone's movement can cause it to be called. Also, in a combat turn, scripts are called every time someone moves (so if someone moves 5 spaces, the terrain scripts are called 5 times). Your scripts need to be robust enough to work properly no matter how many times in a turn they are called. "So, I can only count on variables staying the same in a single state (and any other states I call in that state)?" A variable in a script is only visible in that script, but anywhere in that script. (So it can be accessed in multiple states.) When the script is unloaded (for example, a town script when you leave that town), that variable's value is forgotten. Any value you want the game to remember should be stored in a Stuff Done Flag. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Unlock Doors- Hot damn! in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Friday, March 19 2004 00:19
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Lockpicks and Tool Use are now important. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| documentation for windows users in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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written Thursday, March 18 2004 15:34
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Stuffit Expander for Windows is a teeny program. You only need to download the editor, not the whole demo. And both documentation formats are easily Windows readable. Of course, some intrepid user could take the documentation out and make it available as a single download, I suppose. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| documentation for windows users in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, March 18 2004 15:34
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Stuffit Expander for Windows is a teeny program. You only need to download the editor, not the whole demo. And both documentation formats are easily Windows readable. Of course, some intrepid user could take the documentation out and make it available as a single download, I suppose. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Where's the editor? in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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written Thursday, March 18 2004 15:32
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"Not distributing the editor with the demo version would be a foolish thing to do anyway." Heh. You don't get to pay our bandwidth fees. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Where's the editor? in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, March 18 2004 15:32
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"Not distributing the editor with the demo version would be a foolish thing to do anyway." Heh. You don't get to pay our bandwidth fees. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Where's the editor? in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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written Thursday, March 18 2004 13:00
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Go to the Blades of Avernum page, and click on the Scenario Workshop link below. Editor there. http://www.spidweb.com/avernum/blades/scen_workshop.html -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Where's the editor? in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, March 18 2004 13:00
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Go to the Blades of Avernum page, and click on the Scenario Workshop link below. Editor there. http://www.spidweb.com/avernum/blades/scen_workshop.html -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update (March, 2004) in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, March 11 2004 15:20
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Due to depressing events beyond my control, I got slowed down for a few days, but I am currently putting together the first release candidates for Mac Blades of Avernum. The editor will ship with the source. It won't be clean or well commented, but it will be there. Of course, no source for the game. There will be $10 off for registered Blades of Exile users. The editor documentation is about 160 pages long and is in both Word and .pdf format. The editor ships separately from the game. In addition to saving us massive bandwidth, it makes it easier for me to update the editor when needed. There will be a contest. It will be basically just like the contest for BoE. We are heavily reworking the scenario evaluation online form to make it just generally more secure and better. I should have put up new screenshots a long time ago. Sometimes, I'm just dumb. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Of Damage Caps & Screenshots in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, March 11 2004 15:12
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There is a damage cap for combat damage, but it is 999. Should be much less of an issue. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Beta-Testing Appliaction Page open for Blades of Avernum in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Tuesday, January 13 2004 13:53
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We need Macintosh Testers for Blades of Avernum, especially former Blades of Exile scenario designers who are interested in using the new scenario editor, to port an existing Blades scenario or create a new one. Please apply to be a tester if you are interested at http://www.spidweb.com/testing/beta_test.html -Mariann Krizsan Spiderweb Software Inc. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Monday, January 12 2004 17:40
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"Conveyor belts weren't removed because they were difficult, they were removed because we all hate them." They were removed because they were impossible. They worked in a system where the party was either all in one space (town mode) or all move completely separately (combat mode). In a system where the party can move in a chain, they just don't work (to see why, think about what happens when the first member of the chain moves onto the belt, everyone else stands there, and the user pauses repeatedly). -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Saturday, January 10 2004 13:26
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No new races, and no custom graphics for PCs. To keep the development time for this monster reasonable, I drew the line at the game system/world/interface. You have a huge amount of freedom, but only within the Avernum world/system. >> What I'm more concerned with is being able to script with race. In A3/E3, there were somewhat-passive nephils who didn't attack the party if there was a nephil in it. Can we as designers pull these kind of stunts in BoA? >> Absolutely. With only a small handful of exceptions (conveyor belts being one of the first that comes to mind) everything doable in BoE is doable in BoA. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, January 8 2004 13:54
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Passwords are gone forever, for several reasons: i. Most of the creative work is in the scripts, which are just text files. ii. I completely lack the technical skill required to make a secure system. iii. I've never really felt that the gain of the security was worth the hassle (in terms of lost passwords, etc.). - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Wednesday, January 7 2004 16:00
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One other bit of news of general interest, that I forgot to mention. When you make a new party in BoA, it will be put into a brief tutorial scenario. So, for the first time, an Avernum game will make an effort to teach neophytes what is going on. Of course, the tutorial will be skippable. - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Tuesday, January 6 2004 22:12
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Hmm ... I should have been more clear. I'm thinking of making the source code for the Blades of Avernum editor available. It hadn't even occured to me to release the source code for the BoE editor. Though, now that I think about it, if I released one, I see no reason not to release the other. -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Developer's Update in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Tuesday, January 6 2004 16:52
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Blades of Avernum is still in beta. The first two scenarios are ported and being gone over. Za-Khazi Run is being ported right now. I'm working hard on adding more stuff than usual to Za-Khazi Run. A lot of it is just, well, plain and uninteresting. I'm putting a lot more flavor and care into it to keep the interest level up. I will be adding more beta testers soon, so, if you're a Mac user, keep an eye on the beta tester application form. I have 2 experienced scenario designers in the beta, and would like more. When we ask for applications, be sure to give your scenario design experience. Be warned! Beta testers are no eligible for the scenario design contest (due to the extreme head start). I am giving serious consideration to making the editor (not the main program) open source. I hope to have the Mac version out in March. However, considering how demanding this project is being, there is a small chance it might slip to April. We'll see. - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com [ Tuesday, January 06, 2004 16:52: Message edited by: Spidweb ] -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Geneforge 2 For Windows v1.0.1 Patch Available in Announcements | |
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written Wednesday, November 5 2003 13:19
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(Here's the press release.) Spiderweb Software, makers of old-school fantasy role-playing games for Macintosh and Windows, has released a patch for its hot new game, Geneforge2. The patch updates the game to v1.0.1, fixes a few tiny bugs, and changes the game balance to make it less challenging in the late levels. Geneforge 2 is a fantasy role-playing adventure with a sci-fi twist. You deal with several powerful factions, each fighting each other for dominace, and can choose who to help. Be good or evil, stealthy or warlike. And, whatever you do, follow your goals with your own pack of custom made, totally obedient mutant monsters. The patch is available at http://www.spidweb.com/geneforge2/techsupp.html - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| More Blades of Avernum Script Samples. Fun! in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Tuesday, October 14 2003 21:27
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"Exactly why did you even go with nodes? " I'm not a great programmer. And, in 1998, I was worse. Even coming up with the system I did took me an enormous amount of thought and effort. I simply was not capable of generating a scripting engine (or something comparable) with the brain I had at that point. - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| More Blades of Avernum Script Samples. Fun! in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Tuesday, October 14 2003 17:38
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"Looks impressive, and not just because of the volume of code. I foresee many evil scenarios with monsters leading the party into traps, monsters suddenly becoming much tougher, and monsters doing all kinds of really nasty things." Yeah. One of the ways I plan to spice up Za-Khazi Run is by paying real attention to the bosses. When you mean a big dude with a fancy name, it is going to do some really wild stuff. The lich at the end of the dungeon shouldn't just be a lump of hit points. It should be an event. "—Alorael, who just doesn't want to see the Dark Wyrms that sneak behind the party, waiting for the doomguards to provide a distraction, then breathe on the weakest characters first. " Note to self. Test setting a character's hostile target to make sure targeting the weakest character works properly. Scripting will not be for everyone. But it works infinitely better than that thrown together, clunky node system which was the best I was able to do for Blades of Exile. I've learned a lot about coding since then. And finally, bear in mind that adapting to script is not as difficult as it looks. I will provide a set of base scripts which will handle most everything you would want. When you want to make more complex creatures, you can just adapt an existing script. With practice, this is faster than you might think. - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com [ Tuesday, October 14, 2003 17:38: Message edited by: Spidweb ] Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| More Blades of Avernum Script Samples. Fun! in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Tuesday, October 14 2003 14:35
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Here are examples of 2 Blades of Avernum creature scripts. These are pre-beta, of course, so the logic may not be flawless. But they should give an idea of the possibilities. One: ftp://ftp.spiderwebsoftware.com/temp/patrolguard.txt This is a standard AI script. This creature goes from where it starts to a waypoint (a predefined point you set in the editor) and then back. If it sees a foe, it fights for 2 rounds and then runs back home. If it gets there, it shouts an alarm, and all its friends immediately hunt down the party. Two: ftp://ftp.spiderwebsoftware.com/temp/t6beast.txt This one is a hoot. It is for the goblin eater creature in the second floor of the School of Magery. Before, this was just a big dumb monster which waited for someone to stumble into it. Now it stalks the party when they enter its area, but returns home if they flee his hunting grounds. If the party fights it, it can haste itself once and, if damaged enough, return to its lair and try to regenerate itself. Of course, we are still early in the process, and these scripts will get much refining. But it will give you an idea of the sort of things that are going on. - Jeff Vogel Spiderweb Software http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
| Coming Soon - Blades of Avernum in Blades of Avernum | |
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written Thursday, October 9 2003 14:31
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Blades of Avernum A Fantasy Role-Playing Adventure for Macintosh and Windows Get ready for unlimited adventures. Prepare for tales of sword and sorcery in a world at war. One one side, the mighty empire that controls all known lands. On the other, determined rebels hiding in caverns far underground. Pick up a blade, take on cunning foes, and, when victory is yours, go online and download more free adventures. Or use a powerful editor to make quests of your own! Spiderweb Software announces the upcoming release of Blades of Avernum, their upcoming fantasy role-playing system for Windows and Macintosh. Blades of Avernum comes with several large, exciting adventures: In A Small Rebellion, you are sent to infiltrate and destroy a band of rebels against the Empire. The question: will you fight them, or join them? In The Valley of Dying Things, you delve deep into an enormous, abandoned school of magic, looking for the secret to a deadly plague. In The Za-Khazi Run, you rocket down a subterranean river, racing against time to reinforce a besieged fort. First, though, you must outwit the many powerful, bizarre creatures living along the route. And in Diplomacy With the Dead, you have to help a remote city deal with the powerful vampire who lives just outside town. This turns out to be much more complicated than it sounds. And, when you have won these adventures, the promise of more free fun on the net means that your journey need never end. Anyone can use Blades of Avernum's editor to make fascinating adventures with cunning characters. Deal with monsters that work together and send out patrols to hunt you. Fight deadly bosses that summon aid, flee when they're outmatched, and surprise you with all sorts of nasty tricks. Blades of Avernum is limited only by the imagination of the designers. It will be the nastiest and most clever adventure makers versus you. And you aren't going to let them win. Are you? Blades of Avernum will be available for Windows and Macintosh in early 2004. It will be $25, or $32 with a hint book. The scenario editor comes free with the game. Screenshots and more information are available at http://www.spidweb.com/avernum/blades/index.html -------------------- Official Board Admin spidweb@spiderwebsoftware.com Posts: 960 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |