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Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 6:50 pm
by Lothar
I am making a unit tagset and testing it to make sure that all of the solo levels work properly. I have already encountered several problems, as with any unit conversion, but there is one that I am completely stumped on:
On the level "The Deceiver" the berserk and the j-man say their lines and then like . poof the j-man, dwarf, and archers, disappear into thin air. What is even more strange is that if you move the berserks to the area where the j-man & Co would usually be, the archer still says "Don't follow us! Go find The Deceiver!" which is really creepy… (disembodied voice! scaaaaaary) :0
I was just wondering if anyone who knows the scripting of the level or any useful information could have some input as to why this happens.
Thanks!
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 7:53 pm
by A-Red
Do you have all the right sequences assigned to your new units? If a unit does not have a sequence assigned for walking, then whenever he is walking he will simply not appear, because there is no animation for him to use when he is walking. The unit would still be there, and the game would treat him as such, but you wouldn't be able to see him. You could try going into the sequences in the monster tags and see if they have everything assigned correctly.
If that were the case, you would not be able to see that unit moving on any other map either. So if The Deceiver is really the only level where this is happening, I don't know what to tell you.
A-Red
Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 6:30 am
by Industry
You could test A-Red's theory by starting Willow Creek as the Dwarf and Archers start in that level by walking also.
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 9:26 pm
by Lothar
The sequences all work great…
So I guess this is pretty much a mystery to everyone else as well? If anyone can come up with any sort of idea, even an outlandish one, I would be very appreciative.
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:57 am
by Industry
Okay. Here are my outlandish suggestions:
1. Did you copy any of the existing collections like, the Jman and Archers, while creating your new unit tagsets? Maybe Myth is confusing your collections. Like you copied the Jman to create a new "Umber Hulk" unit, but haven't added the sequences in Amber to the unit yet. Changing the header would fix it.
1a. Offending units, unit tag collection reference changed?
2. Try adding additional disappearing units to the suspect map in Loathing. Like add a Jman and Archers to the Berserks. That way you can move them around as you need to for testing, and see if they are invisible too. If your new Jman and Archers are visible and the original units are still invisible you'll know that you failed to sacrifice enough dorfs to the Ghol Godstone.
3. And the time honored, shut off local. Of course, to narrow it down to the specific problem you can (painfully): Move one tag from local to local-off. Fire up Myth. Check for problem. Repeat until solved. Examine offending tag.
I like to print broken tags out and burn them in effigy. But that's just me.
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 5:04 pm
by Lothar
Thanks Industry, I'll try out your suggestions…
Somehow though, I am convinced it has to do with the scripting of the level. I didn't change the scripting any, but I know there is a part later on The Deceiver where the units in question are supposed to disappear. I dunno.
If anyone is familiar with the scripting on The Deceiver, please let me know… :surprised:
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:45 pm
by A-Red
I doubt it could be the scripting of the level. Changing the units themselves doesn't affect the scripting in any way. I checked it out in loathing, and it doesn't look like there is anything there that would be a problem, unless while you were in loathing at some point you accidentally changed something. Look in your local folder and see if there is a file for that level in "meshes" (if there is, something has been changed).
A-Red
Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:29 am
by Industry
Okay this is the part of the script where they disappear:
begin game section [Action List]
initially_active
deactivates_on_trigger
1.00, 1.00
{
Actions to Activate
"Do you remember the words you must say over him?"
"Yeah yeah yeah..."
"Look! I ken the words - now get moving!"
"Well... recite them."
party leaves
Berserk picks up staff
Has he picked it up yet?
}
party leaves [Movement]
only_initial_delay
deactivates_on_successful_execution
8.00, 8.00
{
Waypoints
3.889, 178.922
Activates on Success
erase party
Link
====Journeyman====
==== dwarves ====
==== archers ====
}
erase party [Unit Control]
deactivates_on_trigger
0.00, 0.00
{
Invisible Flag
true
Link
====Journeyman====
==== dwarves ====
==== archers ====
}
So. I tooled around with this. And found a number of ways to duplicate your problem. The easiest is if you change the activates on success trigger in the Movement Action to activates on trigger. What does your script look like?
Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:37 pm
by Graydon
guys guys.. he said it's a unit conversion. Proper tagsets dont alter meshes... an easy method to check if you've fucked with script is check your local. if there is a folder named 'meshes' delete it and everything in it. Otherwise when you build the plug.. it will work as a plug, not a tagset. Quite honestly, if you havent tampered with script.. you've got a genuine mind-puzzling bug. Sounds like something is fucked nice and good there 
I think A-Red is on the right track.. it's gotta be something to do with sequences... but if these units are working in other levels... 
Here's something to look into.... I know on some levels they have 'custom units' for that level... for example... Stair of Grief uses a special jman to dig the hole... regular Jmen cant use the digging sequence... so maybe you've run into some problem like that... you might have to make a new monster or unit tag to replace a 'custom' berzerker or w/e... see where i'm getting with that?
Take a look at your tags that could be causing problems... if worst comes to worst, upload the local to udogs hotline and we'll delve into it
GL.
Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:56 pm
by Lothar
Do you really want to delve into 300 MB worth of mess? :p
At this point the only thing it can be is the sequences or scripting as I have tried everything else. Maybe even the way that the sequences interact with the scripting... Yes, all the units work on every other mesh so far, they just happen to disappear on this one.
After reviewing the level at 1/4 speed it seems that the units turn about 45 degrees, and then they take 1 step. During the time that it takes them to turn, the guy walks forward and picks up the scepter, and (ok maybe this is a reach but I've looked at it several times 
) the EXACT MOMENT that the guy picks up the scepter, the other guys get 'beamed up.'
Yes, truly a mind boggling problem 
Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:10 pm
by Lothar
O.K., so maybe the last post was reaching a lot.
But, the mystery only gets deeper and deeper…
I went into loathing and examined the scripting some more…
I tried a few things, none of which worked, so then I just decided to completely delete the entire action that makes those units disappear. I loaded the level, the guys say their lines and then…
<span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>BAM!!!!!!!</span>
The archers and dwarf walk away as normal, but the journeyman does not move at all...
The other units continue to walk away, but the journeyman stays put and looks at them walking away.
Yes, mind boggling indeed, since I checked the journeyman's terrain parameters and he is perfectly capable of walking on snow…
The Solution to the Original Problem: The units were meant to walk away to a specified location, and once they got to their desired location and stopped moving, they were set to disappear. Because the journeyman did not move at all, the disappearing script activated early.
Now, this gives rise to a new, more mindboggling question…
Why did the journeyman not walk away with his buddies like he was supposed to?
Yes, definitely a question to keep us up at night. 
Any thoughts?
Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:56 pm
by Graydon
I'd absolutely love to delve into 300 megs mate. Stuff that shit up and upload it to udogs. I'll have a fix for you by later tonight i should hope (maybe that's reaching a lot too 
we'll have to see what's up with that shizzle)
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 9:50 am
by Industry
As Graydon suggested, the Jman on The Deceiver is not the regular JMan, its the 12 Jman from Stair of Grief. Did you make a different 12jo tag?