Charles Mead
Gameplay Scripter
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 |
 Posted: Monday, 06 November 2006 06:04PM |
Here's some info on a new feature called Scripted Waypoints.
Scripted waypoints builds on the current waypoints system by making the arrival at each waypoint call a script. There are no special requirements for preparing this – it will work with any NPC using the regular default scripts and any new or previously placed set of walkway points.
Quick refresher of the standard waypoint system:
Creatures will automatically walk along a sequence of waypoints that are tagged according to the following convention: “WP_<creature’s tag>_##”. The NPC will begin the journey at waypoint 1 and continue traveling sequentially to waypoint n, and then back again in reverse.
Basic Useage:
In the new “scripted waypoint” system, whenever a creature reaches a waypoint, it calls a script that is named very similarly to the tag used for the waypoints, like this: “wp_<creature’s tag>”. Notice there is just one script for the entire set of waypoints. If the script does not exist, then nothing additional happens and the NPC simply walks back and forth through the set of waypoints.
Below are some examples of “scripted waypoints” scripts:
Example 1.
This script tells the NPC to stop at every waypoint and face in the direction the waypoint is facing and pause 1 second before continuing to the next waypoint.
Notice the inclusion of “ginc_wp” which has a number of helpful functions such as FaceAndPause().
Note how we call GetCurrentWaypoint() which returns the waypoint we have just reached. This will typically always be the first thing called in a “scripted waypoints” script.
Example 2.
This is a more complex script that completely overrides the normal waypoint behavior and demonstrates how each waypoint can be individually scripted. It accomplishes the following:
When the NPC reaches waypoint 1, he will sit down for a few seconds, and then randomly travel to one of the other waypoints in the set other than the first.
When the NPC reaches waypoint 2, he will play a “get low” animation, and then proceed to waypoint 1.
When the NPC reaches waypoint 3, he will simply head back to waypoint 1.
If there are more than 3 waypoints in the set, then when the NPC reaches one of those he will behave in the default way.
Note in this example the use of SetNextWaypoint(). The “next” waypoint is the one the NPC is enroute to. SetNextWaypoint() allows us to override this and redirect the NPC to an alternate waypoint.
The script template “wp_tag” is available in the script templates directory in source safe. Simply copy and paste it with the proper script name, replacing the word “tag” with the tag of the creature that will be walking waypoints.
*Advanced Usage*
How to have two or more creatures with different tags walk the same set of waypoints:
To override the initial waypoint set a creature uses, simply set a local string variable “WP_TAG” on the creature with the value of the desired waypoint set to use. So, if you have a bear waypoint set for a creature tagged “bear”, you could get a chicken to also walk these waypoints by setting the chicken's local variable WP_TAG to “bear”.
Note that this variable is only checked when the creature is first spawned, so changing this value via script will have no effect.
How to change the set of waypoints a creature walks dynamically:
You can change the set of waypoints a creature walks at any time via script using this function:
object SetWWPController(string sWalkWayPointsTag, object oCreature=OBJECT_SELF);
So from the previous example, we could have our chicken walk the bear’s waypoints by calling this function in script:
SetWWPController(“bear”);
How to pause/restart a creature walking waypoints.
To stop a creature from walking waypoints, use:
SetWalkCondition(NW_WALK_FLAG_PAUSED, TRUE);
You may also want to clear all actions, otherwise, the creature will still complete his pending actions which will take him to whatever the next waypoint is.
To Restart a creature walking waypoints, use:
SetWalkCondition(NW_WALK_FLAG_PAUSED, TRUE);
The creature should get started on his next heartbeat.
How to create a road network:
The basic outline for a script like this is available in the script template “wp_road_walker” and reads as follows:
Where can I learn more about other thing I can do?
Many useful functions are listed in the prototypes of the include file “ginc_wp”. |
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Thagon
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Joined: 18 Jun 2002
From: Toronto, ON |
Posted: Monday, 06 November 2006 06:20PM |
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Great info! Very useful stuff here. Many thanks. |
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johnbgardner
Game Owner
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SW: KotOR PC
NWN 2
Joined: 19 Jul 2002 |
Posted: Wednesday, 08 November 2006 09:12AM |
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Are you sure the flag to restart walking waypoints is TRUE? Logically it should be set to FALSE, i.e. the caller is NOT pausing. |
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tuerceviolines
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Joined: 10 Nov 2005 |
Posted: Wednesday, 08 November 2006 04:34PM |
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Great info indeed! |
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Charles Mead
Gameplay Scripter
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 |
Posted: Wednesday, 08 November 2006 05:56PM |
Quite right johnbgardner. That is a typo.
It should read:
To Restart a creature walking waypoints, use:
SetWalkCondition(NW_WALK_FLAG_PAUSED, FALSE); |
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Horathh
Game Owner
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Joined: 19 Jul 2002
From: Los Angeles, California. |
Posted: Thursday, 09 November 2006 01:53AM |
I wonder if:
A.NPC activities script will just flat out work in NWN2 or
B.The author of that script is still around and will rewrite it for NWN2.
His way waypoint code was far easier to execute then what you have asked me to do here.
Since I am no script writer by any means.
Digiartst |
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Grinning Fool
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
From: Khalidine |
Posted: Friday, 10 November 2006 05:49PM |
This is a great setup, thanks for the info.
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Charles Mead
Gameplay Scripter
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 |
Posted: Friday, 10 November 2006 06:46PM |
Deva Winblood's NPC Activities was actually a big inspiration for me, and I used that system rather extensively for my own NWN1 modules.
Scripted Waypoints isn't designed to be easier to use than NPC Activities or to replace it - it's designed to be more flexible. |
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wanthipha
Game Owner
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Joined: 27 Jun 2002 |
Posted: Friday, 10 November 2006 11:44PM |
Did FaceAndPause() break with this last patch? also why do NPC's continue to use the WP_ at night when there are WN_ along with NIGHT_ waypoints.
Anyone else having these problems? |
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Kastion2000
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Posted: Saturday, 11 November 2006 02:30PM |
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Is it possible to get this stickied so it's easy to find for old and new scripters alike? |
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rtrifts
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Joined: 01 Apr 2002
From: Toronto, ON |
Posted: Saturday, 11 November 2006 11:20PM |
Quote: Posted 11/09/06 01:53 (GMT) by Horathh
I wonder if:
A.NPC activities script will just flat out work in NWN2 or
B.The author of that script is still around and will rewrite it for NWN2.
Deva is lead scripter at DLA. He's still around, thank-you-very-much. 
I imagine he'll get a chance to revisit this - or something like it - in the fullness of time.
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futurewavecs
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Joined: 19 Jun 2002
From: Denver, CO area |
Posted: Saturday, 11 November 2006 11:34PM |
I am the author of NPC ACTIVITIES and I was waiting to see how Scripted Waypoints actually looked. I knew it had been inspired partially by my script. So, I was hoping NPC ACTIVITIES would not be necessary.
Scripted Waypoints appears to be a step forward from WalkWayPoints(). Had it existed when I started making stuff for NPC ACTIVITIES, it is very likely I never would have made the script. It is good stuff.
With that said it looks as though making NPC ACTIVITIES 7.0 for NWN2 is feasible. A big part of my target audience for NPC ACTIVITIES was the non-scripter.
It appears this audience will still need my scripts.
In addition, NPC ACTIVITIES could do these same things in addition so truly was just as flexible. It was a bit cryptic though.  It also had a very large manual... So, it may have been missed.
With that said...
In NPC ACTIVITIES you could do @<scriptname> to execute a script upon reaching a waypoint. You could also do @<scriptname>. @<scriptname>. @<scriptname> to execute 3 different scripts.
So, I think it could do this. I may have missed something as is I can say Scripted Waypoints is a big step forward.
Unfortunately, I am currently the Lead Technical Designer for DLA and I am not sure how much time I will have to make NPC ACTIVITIES 7.0 for NWN2. I will try to squeeze it through the cracks of my time somewhere. I should be able to complete such a task over a weekend soon I would think.
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NPC ACTIVITIES Harvest of Souls [Ron Paul 2008!!]Edited By futurewavecs on 11/11/06 23:57 |
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futurewavecs
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Joined: 19 Jun 2002
From: Denver, CO area |
Posted: Saturday, 11 November 2006 11:52PM |
Also, Charles... very cool to see you at Obsidian. I remember chatting with you in the past. 
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NPC ACTIVITIES Harvest of Souls [Ron Paul 2008!!]Edited By futurewavecs on 11/11/06 23:58 |
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futurewavecs
Game Owner
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Joined: 19 Jun 2002
From: Denver, CO area |
Posted: Saturday, 11 November 2006 11:59PM |
Quote: Posted 11/09/06 01:53 (GMT) by Horathh
A.NPC activities script will just flat out work in NWN2 or
I haven't tried it. It might work.
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DLA - Technical Designer
NPC ACTIVITIES Harvest of Souls [Ron Paul 2008!!] |
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Charles Mead
Gameplay Scripter
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 |
Posted: Sunday, 12 November 2006 01:07AM |
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Hey there Deva, glad to see you are still in the NWN Community! I still owe you one for the hotfix you made for me for NPC Activities 4.0 back in the day! |
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