Component-dependant engines

[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.

[shinigami]

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]

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]

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.

[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.

[President_Elect_Shang]

So this component:

Get_Design_Ability_Component_Count("AI Tag 16") > 0

will demand a component with AI Tag 16? Mmm...

[shinigami]

Quite true, Fyron, it does put a limit on the component of one per ship unless the modder plans things out very carefully.

Also, I've done some testing and have only been able to get the "Get_Design_x" functions to work in the VehicleSizes file so it is not as good a workaround as I had thought.

It goes right back to we need to be able to add our own dummy abilities, either in MainStrings or as a separate data file that the game can parse.