This tutorial is for those slightly advanced coders who want to know how the basic tags of a specialpower are set up.
So you should know the very basics about inis and how they work.
Note: This tutorial is for BFME1, but I think it applies also to BFME2.
Besides, this is a theoretical tutorial, so no files are required (although it may help to see how they are used in the game)
And yes, there are always exceptions to the rules, I am just explaining the way that is used the most...
So let's get started:
The basic layout of any special power consists of three parts. Though you mostly don't need all three,
it's just the maximum you'll need.
The first part is the "UnpauseSpecialPowerUpgrade"-behavior. It could look like that:
Behavior = UnpauseSpecialPowerUpgrade ModuleTag_AragornOathbreakersEnabler SpecialPowerTemplate = SuperweaponSpawnOathbreakers TriggeredBy = Upgrade_AragornOathbreakers EndAs you can see from the title, this behavior is required to "unpause", to activate the specialpower,
so that you can use it afterwards (click the button and launch it).
- The first tag defines the specialpower which is also used by the two following modules. This points to specialpower.ini,
where you should have your power defined.
- The second tag tells the game which upgrade is needed to unpause the ability. Normally this upgrade is given
in epxeriencelevels.ini.
This behavior is unique, so there are no variations with similar or the same functions.
Note: This module is only required if you have "StartsPaused = Yes" in the next module (SpecialPowerModule).
The second part is the "SpecialPowerModule". Examples:
Behavior = SpecialPowerModule ModuleTag_FireballStarter SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilitySarumanFireball UpdateModuleStartsAttack = Yes StartsPaused = Yes InitiateSound = SarumanVoiceAttackFireball EndOr:
Behavior = SpecialPowerModule ModuleTag_ShieldMaidenUpdate SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityEowynShieldMaiden UpdateModuleStartsAttack = No StartsPaused = Yes AttributeModifier = EowynShieldMaidenBonus AttributeModifierRange = 1 AttributeModifierAffectsSelf = Yes AttributeModifierAffects = ANY +CAVALRY +INFANTRY AttributeModifierFX = FX_EowynShieldMaiden EndThis module is required for any specialpower to work. If you lack this module, the power will not work.
Though you may encounter powers where a vatiation of this module is used, more on that topic below.
As you can see, I've listed two examples. The above one is the shape where you have the third behavior, a SpecialAbilityUpdate,
the second is the shape a SpecialPowerModule could have when it does not have a following update-behavior.
- The first tag is again, the reference to specialpower.ini.
- The second, "UpdateModuleStartsAttack", tells the game if it should look for another behavior (the update)
with the same specialpower.ini-reference. Depending on what you have use "Yes" or "No" (pretty simple).
- The third tag here, "StartsPaused", is the one I was referring to above, if you have "Yes" you might want to
unpause it in order to make the power available.
All the following tags are custom. Many of them affect the AttributeModifiers, but you can also set ModelConditions,
trigger FX events or play sounds. Have a look at the different powers for examples.
The third part is the so-called "SpecialAbilityUpdate".
An example:
Behavior = SpecialAbilityUpdate ModuleTag_GloriousChargeAnimation SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityTheodenGloriousCharge UnpackTime = 1000 PreparationTime = 0 PersistentPrepTime = 0 PackTime = 1330 UnpackingVariation = 1 EndIn general, this module will set specific animations for your power.
But if you look through some inis, you'll notice that this plain version isn't used very often.
Most of the time, certain variations are used, but I'll explain some of them further below.
Now to the different tags (I've reorganised the code a bit):
- The first one is, as usual, the specialpower.ini reference
- the following four control the animations. They can link to a special animation flag:
UnpackTime --> UNPACKING (e.g. "UNPACKING PACKING_TYPE_1")
PreparationTime --> PREPARING (e.g. "PREPARING PACKING_TYPE_1")
PersistentPrepTime --> empty (e.g. "PACKING_TYPE_1")
PackTime --> PACKING (e.g. "PACKING PACKING_TYPE_1")
The amount of time for the different tags is very different, always depending on the type of the power.
Also there aren't always all animations referenced.
The last tag is a special animation marker. If you have more than one special power with SpecialAbilityUpdate,
you need to tell the game which animation belongs to which power. One example to handle this is the "UnpackingVariation",
a tag which will lead to the Anim flag "PACKING_TYPE_x" (x being the number you specify).
Other possibilites for this are "WhichSpecialPower" (which leads to SPECIAL_POWER_x) and "WhichSpecialWeapon"
(which leads to SPECIAL_WEAPON_y, y being ONE, TWO or THREE). Please notice that you only have
3 different possibilities each. Besides, using all of them may lead to certain problems... [lua/xml scripts].
Now as I told you, this plain version isn't used often, the common variations are:
WeaponFireSpecialAbilityUpdate - used for almost any special weapon
ModelConditionSpecialAbilityUpdate - used for special animation-based abilites (Boromir's Horn, Frodo's Phial)
ToggleMountedSpecialAbilityUpdate - used for mounting
HeroModeSpecialAbilityUpdate - used for a hero mode ability, like Aragorn's Blademaster
Check out some of them yourself to see what additional tags they offer...
I hope that this tutorial helps someone on his way towards advanced coding. If you have any questions or tips, just post and I'll edit this tutorial.
Well that's it, have a nice day.
Edited by Dark Lord of the Sith, 11 September 2006 - 01:55 PM.
