Wagtunes' Modding Questions

[wagtunes]

They never finished either guide. People took the executable apart, and guessed the rest; sometimes Petri would give advice; other times even implement requests.

Ah, okay. So what do I need to do in order to take the executable apart?

[Isaac]

What do you need to know that is not in the script reference?

That's what modders use the forums for; just ask for help, and several will answer. Almost any question you can ask about LoG 1&2
scripting is likely already answered here—somewhere.

[wagtunes]

What do you need to know that is not in the script reference?

That's what modders use the forums for; just ask for help, and several will answer. Almost any question you can ask about LoG 1&2
scripting is likely already answered here—somewhere.

Wouldn't it be a better use of my time to simply have the information at my disposal, like opening up a dictionary? That way I don't have to ask questions, which I then have to wait to be answered. And then what if I get several different answers and not all of them are accurate?

I don't have any specific questions now, but in going through the script reference that I have, there are already a number of things that if I wanted to use, I'd have no idea how to use them because the definitions aren't complete or aren't there at all.

[Isaac]

Wouldn't it be a better use of my time to simply have the information at my disposal, like opening up a dictionary?

Not if you have to write the dictionary. It's already mostly here in user posts; you can find nearly everything you could think of about modding LoG 1 & 2 already posted here. (Or someone else knows where it's posted.)

...which I then have to wait to be answered

... and that's often like 90 minutes tops.

*Of course it's good to keep a personal list of the answers given, to fill in new things about the script reference. AFAIK, none of us here can edit it on the website.

I don't have any specific questions now, but in going through the script reference that I have, there are already a number of things that if I wanted to use, I'd have no idea how to use them because the definitions aren't complete or aren't there at all.

Just ask.. we all do; we all did.

________________________

But a case in point... If you are embarking a full dive into mod scripting, then I have to recommend that you focus on LoG2 scripting—because it's more powerful—and you will understand LoG1 scripting along the way. Not so the reverse; many people gave up and left because what they knew used to work for them in LoG1 no longer worked in LoG2, and it frustrated them enough to quit.

LoG2 scripting is not so difficult—except if you have to unlearn LoG1 habits & assumptions. Also many things are impossible in LoG1 script, that are relatively easy in LoG2.

[minmay]

I just double-checked the Grimrock 1 modding guide, and it's definitely finished and 99.99% complete. The only omissions I noticed were:

- The description of Champion:addTrait() doesn't mention the traits that come from skills (like Combat Caster).
- The Counter:setInitialValue() method is missing.
- It doesn't mention that FX objects destroy themselves if their particle system and light have both finished, and it doesn't mention that FX objects don't get saved in savegames.
- Some core game mechanics, such as what exactly Protection and Evasion do, or the hardcoded effect for attacking with a weapon named icefall_hammer. This was obviously an intentional omission.
- Bugs that were discovered after the guide was written. The only one of these that's really likely to burn you is entitiesAt() and allEntities() not working right.

I don't think it could get much more dictionary-like than it already is, frankly.

[wagtunes]

I know you say it's mostly here in user posts. Multiple problems on this point.

1. I was looking for info on how to script checking items on altars. Couldn't find anything here. Found the thread on alcoves but no altars. It wasn't until I looked through the scripting reference page that I learned that altars and alcoves work the same way. Just replace alcoveID with altarID.

2. User posts themselves are not indexed. Have you seen the amount of information on this board? It's mind boggling. Honestly, I don't know how anybody finds anything. And as I am sure many questions get asked multiple times (I'm sure my questions have been asked before) you ultimately run into so much duplicate information trying to find what you're looking for.

I have been attending forums since 1997. They're all essentially the same. Finding anything is a task that I have never enjoyed and it doesn't seem to get better no matter how much technology has advanced. Search functions aren't much better now than they were then.

Anyway, as I obviously don't have other options, I will slog my way through this and, hopefully, learn everything I need to learn in order to do everything I want to do. So far, I haven't been totally stumped.

Let's hope it continues.

And let's hope you don't mind all the questions I'm ultimately going to end up asking.

I'm sure they will be numerous.

[Isaac]

2. User posts themselves are not indexed. Have you seen the amount of information on this board? It's mind boggling. Honestly, I don't know how anybody finds anything.

Something that works for me is to include a member's name in the search, if you think they might have answered it.

[wagtunes]

2. User posts themselves are not indexed. Have you seen the amount of information on this board? It's mind boggling. Honestly, I don't know how anybody finds anything.

Something that works for me is to include a member's name in the search, if you think they might have answered it.

Ah, well you see that only works if you're familiar with all the members here. I am not. I don't come here often. Well, not until recently when I decided to really get into scripting. I know you, Komag (I think that's his name) because he did those Youtube videos on ORR 2(still hands down my favorite mod ever). Oh by the way, are you the Isaac who did TYhe Foundry? Hands down favorite room in the whole game. It is a truly impressive piece of work.

But I digress.

Point is, I don't know many people. And when I go to Google and type in my question, like "How do you script an exploding barrel in Legend of Grimrock" just as an example, rarely do I ever find anything.

Now in that particular case, ironically, I just did that search and found this.

Code: Select all

cloneObject{
   name = "exploding_barrel_block",
   baseObject = "barrel_crate_block",
   onDie = function(self)
      for i = -1, 1 do
        for j = -1, 1 do
          spawn("fireburst", self.level, self.x + i, self.y + j, 0)
        end
      end
   end
}

So yeah, sometimes it works. But more often than not I end up having to come here and ask questions because what I'm looking for isn't here or it's not easily found.

I guess if you could give me a short list of members name who are top scripters, that would help. I can make a note of them in a doc.

I'm not against doing the work. I'm not looking for anyone to do this for me. In fact, I would prefer to just go to a reference and figure out how to do something on my own. But sometimes that's just not possible or practical given the amount of trial and error you have to go through.

[wagtunes]

Ah, the example just made me think of something. Base Objects. Where can I get a list of all the base objects?

[Isaac]

Oh by the way, are you the Isaac who did TYhe Foundry? Hands down favorite room in the whole game. It is a truly impressive piece of work.

That's me, but also with help from Diarmuid (project lead), and John Wordsworth —who made the tools, his GrimFBX animation converter made it possible to animate the robotic blacksmith.

...when I go to Google and type in my question, like "How do you script an exploding barrel in Legend of Grimrock" just as an example, rarely do I ever find anything.

Ah. Google is great for this, but I meant using the local search box for this forum, and the names of members who frequently post answers.

Base Objects. Where can I get a list of all the base objects?

Base objects in LoG1 are object classes.

Base Objects in LoG1 are the list seen in the asset reference; ie. Alcove, Item, FX, Timer...

http://www.grimrock.net/modding_log1/as ... reference/

In LoG2 the objects can have (many) optional class components rather than just an overall object class /or type.