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BoA editor 1.0.1 pdf doc up to date? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #1
I'm reasonably certain the version number just wasn't changed on the PDF (though the PDF itself was). At any rate, I use the PDF exclusively and gripe at Jeff if it doesn't match up to reality. ;)

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
Calls that we wish existed in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #42
AFAIK, that's correct Khoth. You can set creature/terrain memory cells from outside their own script, but not get.

Bit of a kludge, but you could have the creature set a SDF to the same thing a particular memory cell contains (and make sure you keep it in synch if it changes), then you could get the SDF from anywhere.

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
Calls that we wish existed in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #42
AFAIK, that's correct Khoth. You can set creature/terrain memory cells from outside their own script, but not get.

Bit of a kludge, but you could have the creature set a SDF to the same thing a particular memory cell contains (and make sure you keep it in synch if it changes), then you could get the SDF from anywhere.

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is this possible? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #2
I decided the item must have fallen out of his pocket when he fell asleep. ;) The party now finds the item by searching one of the adjacent squares. Having it actually on his person was not enough better than that for the extra work it would have cost. :P

And yeah, he gets a "Zzzzz..." text bubble every other tick while he's asleep. :)

-spdyerbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is this possible? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #2
I decided the item must have fallen out of his pocket when he fell asleep. ;) The party now finds the item by searching one of the adjacent squares. Having it actually on his person was not enough better than that for the extra work it would have cost. :P

And yeah, he gets a "Zzzzz..." text bubble every other tick while he's asleep. :)

-spdyerbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is this possible? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
I seem to be trying a string of really odd things here, all of a sudden. :) Anyway... I have an NPC who may or may not be drugged and sleeping. If he is sleeping, I want the party to be able to "search" him and find a special item.

I have it all working the way I want, except that the SEARCH_STATE of a terrain script on a space with an NPC in it is never called. Which is just the way it should be if you're not crazy like me and trying to do things that were never intended. :D

Am I going to have to erase the character if/when he goes to sleep and replace him with a "terrain" that "looks like" him sitting in his chair? Then switch back to the "normal" terrain and respawn him as a character if/when he awakes? Or can anyone think of an easier way to go about it?

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is this possible? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
I seem to be trying a string of really odd things here, all of a sudden. :) Anyway... I have an NPC who may or may not be drugged and sleeping. If he is sleeping, I want the party to be able to "search" him and find a special item.

I have it all working the way I want, except that the SEARCH_STATE of a terrain script on a space with an NPC in it is never called. Which is just the way it should be if you're not crazy like me and trying to do things that were never intended. :D

Am I going to have to erase the character if/when he goes to sleep and replace him with a "terrain" that "looks like" him sitting in his chair? Then switch back to the "normal" terrain and respawn him as a character if/when he awakes? Or can anyone think of an easier way to go about it?

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
easier way to do this? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #2
That's what I finally hit on... just "faking" the Move Mountains spell part of it when the scroll is used, on a case by case basis (for the few spots where Move Mountains would actually do any good).

And since I thought the give_ter_script_message() call was broken, I even did it the hard way... by checking in the scenario script if we're in town, finding out which town we're in, and then checking for cases where it could possibly have an effect. :eek: At least I can simplify that a bit now... :D

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
easier way to do this? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #2
That's what I finally hit on... just "faking" the Move Mountains spell part of it when the scroll is used, on a case by case basis (for the few spots where Move Mountains would actually do any good).

And since I thought the give_ter_script_message() call was broken, I even did it the hard way... by checking in the scenario script if we're in town, finding out which town we're in, and then checking for cases where it could possibly have an effect. :eek: At least I can simplify that a bit now... :D

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
give_ter_script_message() broken? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #3
Ooops... my bad! :o

I generally try to remember to check there before posting, but I certainly missed this one. :)

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
give_ter_script_message() broken? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #3
Ooops... my bad! :o

I generally try to remember to check there before posting, but I certainly missed this one. :)

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is there no way... in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #2
quote:
Originally written by Spidweb:

Preset items in a town are only ever placed the very first tiem you enter the town.
That would be the source of my difficulty. :) Nice (and less frustrating ;) ) to know that...

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is there no way... in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #2
quote:
Originally written by Spidweb:

Preset items in a town are only ever placed the very first tiem you enter the town.
That would be the source of my difficulty. :) Nice (and less frustrating ;) ) to know that...

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is there no way... in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
...to ensure that an item you place in a container will really be there? I keep having to make items that will be needed to solve puzzles special items, when I'd really rather most of the puzzles were more Zork-style (where you need to figure out what item you saw lying around somewhere might be what you need to get past a certain spot).

Not only that, but since the party is supposed to be sneaking through the town where they need to find these items, without being seen by anyone, it's getting rather difficult to come up with ways to get special items into their inventory that don't seem contrived.

I'm not putting tons of items around (I'm using them VERY sparingly, except those I really want to be there, for that matter), so I don't really understand why such a large percentage of the items I place just aren't there. And it seems that if I DO place a junk item somewhere, it'll inevitably be there, while my custom magic item I really NEED to be in a nearby container isn't. I don't understand the logic behind how the engine decides which are there and which aren't, at all. :(

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
is there no way... in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
...to ensure that an item you place in a container will really be there? I keep having to make items that will be needed to solve puzzles special items, when I'd really rather most of the puzzles were more Zork-style (where you need to figure out what item you saw lying around somewhere might be what you need to get past a certain spot).

Not only that, but since the party is supposed to be sneaking through the town where they need to find these items, without being seen by anyone, it's getting rather difficult to come up with ways to get special items into their inventory that don't seem contrived.

I'm not putting tons of items around (I'm using them VERY sparingly, except those I really want to be there, for that matter), so I don't really understand why such a large percentage of the items I place just aren't there. And it seems that if I DO place a junk item somewhere, it'll inevitably be there, while my custom magic item I really NEED to be in a nearby container isn't. I don't understand the logic behind how the engine decides which are there and which aren't, at all. :(

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
You dont have to read this Because It's just me being an Idiot in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #19
quote:
Originally written by lemmy:

That is deliberate Australian slang.
Oh, so that's where typing "your" when you mean "you're" came from... it's Australian slang. I've often wondered why so many people do it. Now I know...

(Sorry, I don't normally post so off-topic... but hypocritical maligning of someone's spelling and grammar brings out the worst in me. :mad: )

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
item special abilities bug? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
I see nothing in the docs to indicate that an item can't have both a special ability that calls a scenario state and one that casts a spell. Yet I've tried it with several different spells (both mage and priest), with the state ability both before and after the spell ability (despite the fact the docs say put the spell last--I was desperate :) ), and in both 1.0 and 1.0.1. In all my tests, if there's a spell special ability, the scenario state never gets called (using either ability 207 or 208--the one that drains a charge or the one that doesn't).

So... are the two exclusive, or is it a bug?

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
item special abilities bug? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
I see nothing in the docs to indicate that an item can't have both a special ability that calls a scenario state and one that casts a spell. Yet I've tried it with several different spells (both mage and priest), with the state ability both before and after the spell ability (despite the fact the docs say put the spell last--I was desperate :) ), and in both 1.0 and 1.0.1. In all my tests, if there's a spell special ability, the scenario state never gets called (using either ability 207 or 208--the one that drains a charge or the one that doesn't).

So... are the two exclusive, or is it a bug?

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
give_ter_script_message() broken? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
When I try the call:

give_ter_script_message(6, 14, 0);

the BoA application tells me that's the wrong number/type of parameters. The docs define the call as:

void give_ter_script_message(short loc_x,short loc_y,short what_message)

so I see no reason my call shouldn't work...

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
give_ter_script_message() broken? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
When I try the call:

give_ter_script_message(6, 14, 0);

the BoA application tells me that's the wrong number/type of parameters. The docs define the call as:

void give_ter_script_message(short loc_x,short loc_y,short what_message)

so I see no reason my call shouldn't work...

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
easier way to do this? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
I need a wall that only crumbles when a particular "variant" of Move Mountains (available only on scroll and only from a particular NPC) is cast. Otherwise, if someone brings in a party that already knows Move Mountains (even though I recommend the scenario for starting parties only), one of my toughest puzzles becomes trivial.

The only way I've figured out to do this is to define a custom terrain that doesn't crumble at all, but just uses the crumbling wall icon. Then I would give my scroll a special ability, in addition to casting Move Mountains, that calls a script state, and have that state broadcast a message to the terrain script on my "fake" crumbling wall. When the terrain script receives the message, it checks to see if the party is near, and if so, changes the terrain where it is to rubble. (Note: I haven't tried that yet, but I can't see any reason it won't work. If anyone else does, feel free to inform me. :) )

Anyway, I'm just wondering if there's an easier way to accomplish this that I'm not thinking of. That sorta seems like a "duct tape and baling wire" implementation... :)

I suppose an alternative would be to make the party forcibly "unlearn" Move Mountains if they come in to the scenario knowing it, but that seems rather icky to me...

-spyderbytes

EDIT: My idea for implentation won't work, for two reasons. (1.) If an item has both an ability that calls a scenario state and one that casts a spell, the spell gets cast but the state isn't called (and yes, the spell is the last ability, as specified by the docs). (2.) give_ter_script_message() is apparently broken (see this thread).

Back to the drawing board, I guess... :(

[ Friday, April 16, 2004 20:07: Message edited by: spyderbytes ]

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
easier way to do this? in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #0
I need a wall that only crumbles when a particular "variant" of Move Mountains (available only on scroll and only from a particular NPC) is cast. Otherwise, if someone brings in a party that already knows Move Mountains (even though I recommend the scenario for starting parties only), one of my toughest puzzles becomes trivial.

The only way I've figured out to do this is to define a custom terrain that doesn't crumble at all, but just uses the crumbling wall icon. Then I would give my scroll a special ability, in addition to casting Move Mountains, that calls a script state, and have that state broadcast a message to the terrain script on my "fake" crumbling wall. When the terrain script receives the message, it checks to see if the party is near, and if so, changes the terrain where it is to rubble. (Note: I haven't tried that yet, but I can't see any reason it won't work. If anyone else does, feel free to inform me. :) )

Anyway, I'm just wondering if there's an easier way to accomplish this that I'm not thinking of. That sorta seems like a "duct tape and baling wire" implementation... :)

I suppose an alternative would be to make the party forcibly "unlearn" Move Mountains if they come in to the scenario knowing it, but that seems rather icky to me...

-spyderbytes

EDIT: My idea for implentation won't work, for two reasons. (1.) If an item has both an ability that calls a scenario state and one that casts a spell, the spell gets cast but the state isn't called (and yes, the spell is the last ability, as specified by the docs). (2.) give_ter_script_message() is apparently broken (see this thread).

Back to the drawing board, I guess... :(

[ Friday, April 16, 2004 20:07: Message edited by: spyderbytes ]

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
Calls that we wish existed in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #40
You can "fake" it by applying the effects of the spell to a character, then using the appropriate sparkles and sound effects, as if the spell had been cast. More work than your requested call, but it works. :)

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
Calls that we wish existed in Blades of Avernum
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #40
You can "fake" it by applying the effects of the spell to a character, then using the appropriate sparkles and sound effects, as if the spell had been cast. More work than your requested call, but it works. :)

-spyderbytes

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00
HELP!!! in Blades of Avernum Editor
Shock Trooper
Member # 4180
Profile #6
Please don't be insulted that I'm asking this. I just think it has to be something quite basic. Do you have something like:

begintownscript;

variables;

body;
at the top of your town script? You have to tell the interpreter what kind of script this is and where the body of the script begins.

You might try posting the full script here to see if any of us can spot problems...

-spyderbytes

EDIT: You solved it while I was typing. Good. :)

[ Thursday, April 15, 2004 19:57: Message edited by: spyderbytes ]

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-spyderbytes
Posts: 200 | Registered: Wednesday, March 31 2004 08:00

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