Component-dependant engines

[shinigami]

Raapys said:
Would be nice if there could be a function that looked for a specific ability description, so we could just use the 'Description Only' ability instead of wasting the AI tags and such.

Something like that would really open up our modding options and eliminate the need for the AI tags.

I was thinking about something like this:
Code:

---

Ability 1 Type                        := Unique String

Ability 1 Description                 := 

Ability 1 Scope                       := Space Object

Ability 1 Range Formula               := 0

Ability 1 Amount 1 Formula            := "UW Basketweaving"

Ability 1 Amount 2 Formula            := 0  

---

Then have a functions like Get_Design_Ability_Unique_String("UW Basketweaving") or some such.

Of course, the best thing would be if we could simply add do-nothing abilities to the Main_Strings.txt file!

[Raapys]

That's what I was thinking, would make it all much easier.

Fyron: Yeah, the description only ability is there; unfortunately there's not a Get_Design_Ability_Description_Component_Count("Description here")'ish function. If there was we could add unique 'identifying' abilities to all components we wanted, we'd just need to have a unique description.

[Captain Kwok]

You can actually give an ability any name you want and use formulas for amount1 or amount2 to produce different sorts of data for display purposes. Not sure, but I would think you could use the Get... function with it since it returns just the string.

[shinigami]

When I try to use "Test" as an ability on a component I get an "Unknown Value" error.

I don't think I'm following what you're saying, CK.

[Raapys]

Yeah, I don't think that works CK. That's what I tried to do the first time basically, although I even added the ability name in the mainstrings file. The game wont start as it doesn't recognize it or some such.

[Captain Kwok]

My post was sort of incorrect. You can use a blank name for the ability and use amount1 and amount2 to produce formula results such as seeker speed.

I guess you can't just put in any name.

[shinigami]

I didn't catch it earlier but Phoenix-D's posting of how SJ used the "Get_Design_Ability_Total" function is a great workaround to not being able to add our own ability types. Using it you can make one AI tag stand in for any number of dummy abilities just by using different amounts for "Amount1" and/or "Amount2."

Ex: AI Tag 01 with an Amount1 of 1 and AI Tag 01 with an Amount1 of 2 could stand for two completely different abilities by using the function call "(Get_Design_Ability_Total("AI Tag 01", 1) = 1)" or "(Get_Design_Ability_Total("AI Tag 01", 1) = 2)" respectively in the requirements field.

I hope this ramble makes sense!

[Captain Kwok]

It's not really necessary though, because you can tell the AI to use any component by its name.

[Kana]

shinigami said:
I didn't catch it earlier but Phoenix-D's posting of how SJ used the "Get_Design_Ability_Total" function is a great workaround to not being able to add our own ability types. Using it you can make one AI tag stand in for any number of dummy abilities just by using different amounts for "Amount1" and/or "Amount2."

Ex: AI Tag 01 with an Amount1 of 1 and AI Tag 01 with an Amount1 of 2 could stand for two completely different abilities by using the function call "(Get_Design_Ability_Total("AI Tag 01", 1) = 1)" or "(Get_Design_Ability_Total("AI Tag 01", 1) = 2)" respectively in the requirements field.

I hope this ramble makes sense!

And if this works, then we wouldnt be limited to just 20 AI Tags...

[Fyron]

shinigami said:
I didn't catch it earlier but Phoenix-D's posting of how SJ used the "Get_Design_Ability_Total" function is a great workaround to not being able to add our own ability types. Using it you can make one AI tag stand in for any number of dummy abilities just by using different amounts for "Amount1" and/or "Amount2.

That might not work; if you add 2 of the comps with amount1 of 1, you get the same ability total as having 1 of the comps with amonut1 of 2. Though, you might be able to mix it with "Get_Design_Ability_Component_Count("AI Tag 01") == 1", but that limits you to one per ship.