Scripting

[Myrddraal]

Seeing as nobody else has done anything. I though I'd try and develop some of the ideas we had:

First of all I made a new trigger in export_descr_advice.txt:

;------------------------------------------
Trigger 2123_fourseasons
    WhenToTest FactionTurnStart

    Condition FactionIsLocal
          and I_TurnNumber = 0
          and FactionType romans_julii
          and not I_MapName data/world/maps/campaign/sons_of_mars/descr_strat.txt

    AdviceThread Seasons_Thread  1

Then I made a new thread above this:

;------------------------------------------
AdviceThread Seasons_Thread
    GameArea Campaign

    Item Seasons
        Suppressible y 
        Uninhibitable
        Verbosity  1 
        Priority  1 
        Threshold  1 
        MaxRepeats  100 
        RepeatInterval  1 
        Attitude Concerned
        Presentation Default
        Title Settlement_Rebels_Take_Action_Text_01_Title
        Script scripts\show_me\fourturns_script.txt
        Text Settlement_Rebels_Take_Action_Text_01_Text1

This is just so that whenever you run a new game as the Julii (I guess that condition could be removed) the advisor asks you to run the script, I'll make a personalised text for it eventually.

This is the script called fourturns_script.txt:

script

	suspend_unscripted_advice true
	suspend_during_battle on

	console_command date -50
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 0
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button true
	console_command date -50
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 1
	end_while

	console_command date -50
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 2
	end_while

	console_command date -50
	console_command season winter

	while I_TurnNumber = 3
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button false
	console_command date -51
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 4
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button true
	console_command date -51
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 5
	end_while

	console_command date -51
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 6
	end_while

	console_command date -51
	console_command season winter

	while I_TurnNumber = 7
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button false
	console_command date -52
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 8
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button true
	console_command date -52
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 9
	end_while

	console_command date -52
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 10
	end_while

	console_command date -52
	console_command season winter

	while I_TurnNumber = 11
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button false
	console_command date -53
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 12
	end_while

	disable_shortcuts options_button true
	console_command date -53
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 13
	end_while

	console_command date -53
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 14
	end_while

	console_command date -54
	console_command season summer

	while I_TurnNumber = 15
	end_while


end_script

As you can see at the top I used 'suspend_during_battle on. It worked! The script no longer ends when I play a battle. This is great news.

You'll also see I added 'disable_shortcuts options_button' at some points in the script. I haven't tested this yet, but it should stop the player going to the main menu unless it is the first turn of a year. This will stop the player saving at the wrong time.

Now all we need is a trigger and advice which askes the player to run the script when you load a game.


Now for some more interesting stuff I found. I found the following commands whilst looking through files:

	e_select_settlement
	select_ui_element 		selected_item_button 
	simulate_mouse_click 	rclick_up
	reveal_advice

I know that 'advisor_portrait_button' is the correct term for that button. I might be possible to put it in a startup script like this:

	select_ui_element 		advisor_portrait_button
	simulate_mouse_click 	rclick_up

This might not seem usefull at first glance, but. What if the show me button was called 'advisor_show_me_button' or something like that. Then we could have a startup script which goes something like:

Script
Wait 2              ;Wait two seconds for the advisor portrait to appear.
Reveal_advice    ;Start the advisor talking (assuming that is what this command does)
select_ui_element 		advisor_show_me_button
simulate_mouse_click 	rclick_up                            ;Start the script
dissmiss_advice  ;Stop the advisor
end_script         ;Stop the script

This would mean there would be no need for the player to do anything, the script would run itself. Of course this wouldn't work for loading games but it would still be amazing, I have yet to test it.

[eadingas]

You say no saving between years - does that disable quicksave?

[Myrddraal]

No, I didn't think of that, but players should know that saving between years screws up the dates system.

[Enrique Orduno]

The show_me button is named "advisor_show_me_button". I've always have had trouble monitoring wether a button was pressed or not, so it might not work to simulate it.

Anyway, nice implementation of the scripting stuff.

[Myrddraal]

Thx Enrique, I thought it was, but I hadn't seen it anywhere.

I can't test it right now (problems with my computer) but if it works it means we have a way of running startup scripts without stopping the player saving.

[Crassus]

Would it be possible to now get a list of the required changes to implement 4 turns a year, with any show me how limitations etc, or whatever. I have gathered that the saving problem can be solved, but is the problem with loading messing up the years/turns still around?

If we can save and load, even if show me how must be used to start the script each time we load, without other side effects, could a simple and complete tutorial be put together. I find this thread hard to follow.

Crassus

[Paul Peru]

Well, paint me plaid and refer to me as a filthy cataphract camel!
The CA has bestowed upon us a list of conditions and commands and a so-called scripting_manual!!!
etc.