Component-dependant engines

Raapys · #1 December 7th, 2006, 10:10 PM

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 · #2 December 7th, 2006, 11:17 PM

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 · #3 December 7th, 2006, 11:39 PM

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 · #4 December 7th, 2006, 11:47 PM

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 · #5 December 7th, 2006, 11:49 PM

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 · #6 December 8th, 2006, 12:30 AM

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 · #7 December 8th, 2006, 12:33 AM

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

shinigami · #8 December 8th, 2006, 12:37 AM

I was thinking more along the lines of odd requirements where the modder would need to use a dummy ability in order to make his concept work, same as the "Palace" ability was used for SEIV mods.

Kana · #9 December 8th, 2006, 12:48 AM

Quote:

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...

Captain Kwok · #10 December 8th, 2006, 12:53 AM

I don't see why it matters though. The AI scripts can add components directly by a name reference so no special ability tricks are needed. It can't evaluate the ability amounts so most of the special tricks discussed here and really only useful for player restrictions. The AI will have to be told when and how many of these components to add.