Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The FRED Workshop => Topic started by: Lucika on January 23, 2009, 01:52:17 pm
-
I am trying to get into FREDding, but I am rather (totally) new to any kind of programming, my only sources are the Fred.doc of FS1 abd the FS2's freddocs.
And you!
And I have to rely upon you the most, since I have to ask so basic questions that I can't find any answers anywhere.
Question 1)
I'd like to make an event:
When the enemy ship called Polisher's hull gets under 50%, it sends a message named "Polisher_under_50%". This message would trigger the arrival of the enemy Orion called Toolshop. :)
I made the event located in the attached file.
If it is correct, then what do I have to do to make the Toolshop wait in subspace till' its called in?
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
give every event a name!!!
Place the toolshop somewhere, and add a event to it's arrival cue ( ship editor ).
Is event true delay
10
<enter thename of the event that will send the message>
The number in the event above is the amount of time after the toolshop will jump in, in this case 10 seconds after the message is send. Edit the value to fit your needs.
-
that's right, just place the ship , then name it to toolship and check the arrival cue in the ship editor window (right click over the ship and Edit gtc toolship).
I would seriously recommend you to folow the freding tut that you can find in the help section, it guides you through the creation of an entire mission, that's the best way of learning.
Help->help topics->walkthrough
-
That and look at how it's done in an existing mission.
-
That and look at how it's done in an existing mission.
Ty for the help of both of you. Where can I launch an existing mission in FRED? The .vp files or what? :drevil:
-
Extract the mission from the VP file somewhere using a program like VPView and just open it in FRED like you normally do.
-
My mission is... fine!
Seriously, creating a simple mission gives you a lot of experience!
Final question... for this mission :p: Why doesn't the music play?
EDIT: Got it, damn! Mission specs!
-
:D Thrilling, isn't it?
-
Seriously, creating a simple mission gives you a lot of experience!
Exactly. That's why I recommend going through the Extended Walkthrough in the FRED Help files :P It'll really get you to know FRED.
-
Seriously, creating a simple mission gives you a lot of experience!
Exactly. That's why I recommend going through the Extended Walkthrough in the FRED Help files :P It'll really get you to know FRED.
So will trying to make you own post apocalyptic/Capella campaign (3 bloody times!), attempting to redo High Noon and turning it into a BoE (my current project), making a mini-campaign about the GTVA 'Top Gun' Fighter Academy (this was a year ago okay), and attempting to do yet another post-capella campaign in which the main character suffers from PTSD and several (highly inconveniant) flashbacks during/in-between missions. Once you've done that, you can look FRED-erick in the face and say you know him.
-
Just a few more things... :) Y'know, just not to end the topic.
1) How can I add directives?
2) For some unknown reason, all of my ships turned purple! Why?
-
Directive are just events with directive text. For example
when
-->is-destroyed-delay
---->cancer
-->do_nothing
directive text "Destroy Cancer"
Most likely you change the ships team from friendly/hostile to unknown.
-
Click on the event that is supposed to trigger the directive, in the box below Directive text, enter the directive.
Purple ships? Never had that before.
EDIT: I thought you mean, your ships turned purple texture wise. My bad.
-
Click on the event that is supposed to trigger the directive, in the box below Directive text, enter the directive.
Purple ships? Never had that before.
Now I solved the riddle of purple ships: I changed the ambient light. After I changed it, the ships were in different color, and when I had set it back to the original amount, it worked normally.
EDIT: How can I add a planet in the background in a fashion as Earth was in the very first mission of Cardinal Spear?
-
Click on the event that is supposed to trigger the directive, in the box below Directive text, enter the directive.
Purple ships? Never had that before.
Now I solved the riddle of purple ships: I changed the ambient light. After I changed it, the ships were in different color, and when I had set it back to the original amount, it worked normally.
EDIT: How can I add a planet in the background in a fashion as Earth was in the very first mission of Cardinal Spear?
Backgrounds list (from the editors tab)
Under the nebulae list at the bottom you see planeta planetb etc etc, you can use the scale boxes on the right of that to increase it, then set divisions to about half the numbers you entered for scale (I think, don't quote me). For a fairly large, but not overly pixellated earth, recommend you set scale to a max of 6. Or ask Darius about the planet he used for the last Vishnan mission, because that was fairly large.
-
How can I make an objective to protect a ship? (in fact, an installation)
I've done it with a warship that after it destroyed its target it departed and the objective turned completed but here it won't work.
Any help? :)
-
I always make objectives like this in following method:
If we want to protect something, something must attack it :) For example it's a Sathanas juggernaut. So our objective will be like this:
when
-is destroyed delay
-Sathanas
-1
When this ship will be destroyed, the installation will be safe. (Of course it don't have to be Sathanas, it can be anything :))
But that's just my method :p
-
I always make objectives like this in following method:
If we want to protect something, something must attack it :) For example it's a Sathanas juggernaut. So our objective will be like this:
when
-is destroyed delay
-Sathanas
-1
When this ship will be destroyed, the installation will be safe. (Of course it don't have to be Sathanas, it can be anything :))
But that's just my method :p
Okay, but it isn't a failure then if the installation is destroyed.
-
That's right :D
I suggest you to open one of the Volition's missions from original FS2 campaign and see how they found a way out of the problem. You can find them in root_fs2.vp or sparky_fs2.vp :)
-
How can I make an objective to protect a ship? (in fact, an installation)
I've done it with a warship that after it destroyed its target it departed and the objective turned completed but here it won't work.
Well, that really depends on the mission. A simple not-is-destroyed-delay would trigger at the beginning of the mission, which you don't want. Instead you need to link it with another event later on that checks whether the installation is destroyed, such as:
and
-has-arrived-delay
--"Reinforcements"
-not
--is-destroyed-delay
---"Installation"
That would check whether the installation is destroyed at the end of the mission, when reinforcements arrive. Or you could set it to check if Alpha One has departed.
-
How can I make an objective to protect a ship? (in fact, an installation)
I've done it with a warship that after it destroyed its target it departed and the objective turned completed but here it won't work.
Well, that really depends on the mission. A simple not-is-destroyed-delay would trigger at the beginning of the mission, which you don't want. Instead you need to link it with another event later on that checks whether the installation is destroyed, such as:
and
-has-arrived-delay
--"Reinforcements"
-not
--is-destroyed-delay
---"Installation"
That would check whether the installation is destroyed at the end of the mission, when reinforcements arrive. Or you could set it to check if Alpha One has departed.
Does it mean a failure then if the installation is destroyed?
-
If you have set the survival of the installation as a primary objective, then yes.
-
The directive will turn red if the installation is destroyed. How you want to work that objective into a 'failure' is up to you and the debriefing editor.
-
What is the correct event to make a wingman send a message (name: WTF) when the player gets 1000 meter (or any other distance) near to a corresponding ship (name: X. Y.)?
-
when
--> <
----->distance
--------><ship x>
--------><ship y>
----->1000
-->send-message
----><ship sending it or any wingman>
---->high
---->WTF
-
when
--> <
----->distance
--------><ship x>
--------><ship y>
----->1000
-->send-message
----><ship sending it or any wingman>
---->high
---->WTF
Thx.
-
I have some problems with the send-message-list. How on earth can I make it send more than 1 message? If I add data, then there is no more than an additional wingman.
-
You have to add data once for each additional argument required. So you need to have 4 pieces of data for every message in the list.
-
Whoa! That was fast! Thanks!
-
Also the add-data/number is quite useful in other arguments.
When I was a novice FREDder with the and/or arguments I put in for more than 2 ships
when-destroyed-delay
-or
--Ship 1
-- or
--Ship 2
-- or
--Ship 3
--Ship 4
With add data you can simply put in:
-or
--Ship 1
--Ship 2
--Ship 3
My ears went red with embarrassment when I realized how easy it was to do that when I found out. ;) Just a heads-up call.
-
One more info: in send-message-list delay of the messages is shown in ms, not seconds ;)
-
One more info: in send-message-list delay of the messages is shown in ms, not seconds ;)
Yup, I realized it pretty fast... Alpha 3 - high - -messagename- - 6000 - Alpha 3 - high ...
-
Weirdo.
Error checker: " Special ship out of range for "Alpha" ".
What the hell? :nervous:
-
I can tell you how to fix this but not what caused it.
Open the mission in notepad and scroll down until you see #Wings.
You should find this below it.
$Name: Alpha
$Waves: 1
$Wave Threshold: 0
$Special Ship: 0 ;! Alpha 1
Special ship must be less than the number of ships in the wing.
-
I can tell you how to fix this but not what caused it.
Open the mission in notepad and scroll down until you see #Wings.
You should find this below it.
$Name: Alpha
$Waves: 1
$Wave Threshold: 0
$Special Ship: 0 ;! Alpha 1
Special ship must be less than the number of ships in the wing.
Thx. Caused nothing tho.
-
What I mean is I have no idea what you did to get that error. Which means I can't tell you what to do to stop it happening again (or so I can fix it in code).
-
Any idea what send-random-message sexp is good for? :blah:
-
It picks from a list of messages that you feed it. Think of it as a controlled version of the 'Watch your six!' or 'Good kill!' variations you get from your wingmen.
-
It picks from a list of messages that you feed it. Think of it as a controlled version of the 'Watch your six!' or 'Good kill!' variations you get from your wingmen.
I might create a lottery mission featuring the SJ Lottery. 5 random Shivan messages from 90, none of them are happy.
-
I am totally gonna use that from now on
-
RESURRECTION!
I added a bunch of nebulae but they don't show up in the mission.
Events added later are woking correctly tho.
-
RESURRECTION!
I added a bunch of nebulae but they don't show up in the mission.
Events added later are woking correctly tho.
Did you add them to stars.tbl or stars.tbm?
What format are they ( .jpg, .pcx, .dds )?
-
RESURRECTION!
I added a bunch of nebulae but they don't show up in the mission.
Events added later are woking correctly tho.
Did you add them to stars.tbl or stars.tbm?
What format are they ( .jpg, .pcx, .dds )?
Retail nebulae - not the Gamma Draco, but the normal one.
-
So, I added these "dneb001" stuffs.
Now I added them to another mission, and after I save the FRED file again, it disappears in FRED-
Help, please!
-
So, I added these "dneb001" stuffs.
Now I added them to another mission, and after I save the FRED file again, it disappears in FRED-
Help, please!
are you using some of those alredy created background, those you paste in the mission directly or are you just placing the nebulae in fred?
-
So, I added these "dneb001" stuffs.
Now I added them to another mission, and after I save the FRED file again, it disappears in FRED-
Help, please!
are you using some of those alredy created background, those you paste in the mission directly or are you just placing the nebulae in fred?
Just placin'
- Another question: how can I check out which turret is which of a ship? I am searching for the two frontal beam turrets of the Sobek -
-
Just placin'
strange... check that you have mediavps selected as mod, you might have fred using mediavps but your actual mod in game is different.
- Another question: how can I check out which turret is which of a ship? I am searching for the two frontal beam turrets of the Sobek -
select the ship in fred and circle through turrets with the letter "K"
-
Just placin'
strange... check that you have mediavps selected as mod, you might have fred using mediavps but your actual mod in game is different.
How can I check the mod used in FRED?
-
You won't be using a mod unless you created a shortcut. If you did, look at it's properties.
-
You won't be using a mod unless you created a shortcut. If you did, look at it's properties.
Nope, I didn't. OK. I'll check sg out since it is possible that Derelict was the ingame mod.
EDIT: Yup, now it works. Thx.
-
Other issues:
1) I'd like to add a "Capture Ship" directive (a transport docks with it and 30 secs pass)
2) I'd like to add a "Protect Another Ship" directive and the ship isn't present at the beginning of the mission. No matter what I add, it says complete immediately (and I was unable to use the idea on page 2)
3) I'd like to add an AWOL debriefing.
-
What do you have so far? :)
Sure we can just answer those questions but it's better for you if you tell us your ideas and we help you refine them.
-
What do you have so far? :)
Sure we can just answer those questions but it's better for you if you tell us your ideas and we help you refine them.
Well, let's see...
1) There is an event with the Argo docking and after 30 secs the IFF changing to friendly. I tried "is-event-true-delay" but it didn't work.
2) It is clear until the point of "when;not;is-destroyed-delay", but I am just unable to add a point of reference, since I am unable to insert the part on page 2 since I cannot add "has-arrived-delay" at the "true" field, and no matter where I try to add or insert an operator, I am unable to recreate the "arrival of reinforcements" thing.
3) My idea was that if the player leaves the field before the very first event, then he gets the AWOL one. Now I suppose that I should add a "Return to base" directive at the end of the mission but I still have no idea what to do with those events (probably an "is-event-false-delay").
So, these are my ideas.
In the middle of this brainstorming, I created my very first cutscene and I am quite proud of it :)
-
for the AWOL debrief make a line checking if the first event is false and the argo was not destroyed... if it's false and the argo was ok then it means the player departed before ordered, or you could just skip the hole thing and make the AWOL debrief appear if the player departs BEFORE he get's the Return to base directive which I guess it would be better.
for the capture one, just make a directive checking if the enemy ship changed it's IFF to friendly or if it departed.. what suits you, and you'll have to chain the even so it doesn't show right at the beggining of the mission. (like making an event that will become true when the Argo-capture-ship arrives and then place the directive event right after it and chain it).
I'm kinda lost about what you want to do with the 2nd one.
-
Okay, so AWOL - RTB
Capture: the IFF-changing event? And it should show from the beginning.
The 2nd one is about the Argo what arrives in the middle of the mission. I wanna add a "protect Argo" directive.
And another issue: the mission has 2 endings: the first is that the ship what should be captured escapes - thus the Argo ins't deployed at all.
This branch forces me to have 1) 2 RTB directives 2) not to allow the appearance of the protect Argo from the beginnig, just from the point the ship actually shows up.
-
Okay, so AWOL - RTB
Capture: the IFF-changing event? And it should show from the beginning.
The 2nd one is about the Argo what arrives in the middle of the mission. I wanna add a "protect Argo" directiba.
It could be as the 1st one... place an event checking the argo is not destroyed and chain it after the event checking the arrival of said Argo.
Or same as before but using a "departed-delay"... if the argo departed then it wasn't destroyed in mission.
Remember to check something... in those two examples the event will become false if the Argo is destroyed, no mater WHEN is destroyed, so if you want to check if it's destroyed only before capturing the enemy vesell then you should do something else.
The capture one... should only show when you are ordered to capture the ship right??... then you should place an event (like a mark) BEFORE or right when you get the order and then the actual directive event after it and chain it, this will prevent the directive event to pop up until the previous event is true... like this:
>CAPTURE ORDER EVENT
>DIRECTIVE CAPTURE (chained 5 sec's or whatever time you want)
-
The player goes to the mission with the plan of capturing the ship! I'd like to see two directives at mission zero: "Disable Ship" and "Capture Ship".
Alas, I tried to add the "is-event-true-delay(capture)" thing to the directive but isót doesn't show up in the beginning.
-
oh.. then forget about the chain thing.. just use the IFF change event anywhere you want... it should show right at the beggining IIRC.
-
oh.. then forget about the chain thing.. just use the IFF change event anywhere you want... it should show right at the beggining IIRC.
It doesn't... should I send a screenshot?
-
ok, might help.
-
1) There is an event with the Argo docking and after 30 secs the IFF changing to friendly. I tried "is-event-true-delay" but it didn't work.
This sounds like the classic problem of not using the third optional argument in is-event-true-delay. The third argument controls whether the game uses the is-event-true to determine when to show the directive or when to mark it as complete.
3) My idea was that if the player leaves the field before the very first event, then he gets the AWOL one. Now I suppose that I should add a "Return to base" directive at the end of the mission but I still have no idea what to do with those events (probably an "is-event-false-delay").
I've always found the best way to create an AWOL debrief is to make a single event that checks if the player has reached the end of the mission (Whether he won or lost) and then simply test if that is false.
-
Well, let's see...
I didn't try the AWOL one yet... is it a problem that I have two moments where the RTB should arrive?
I made the "Capture Ship" one, but it doesn't turn red when the ship warps out, only if the Argo is destroyed.
Here is a screenshot, if you need an additional one, just tell me what is needed.
[attachment deleted by ninja]
-
Try changing the first event to include a not has-departed-delay for the Somak. That way the Somak-Ours event will turn false the second the Somak leaves and the directive will turn red (You could stick that in the directive instead to be honest).
-
Try changing the first event to include a not has-departed-delay for the Somak. That way the Somak-Ours event will turn false the second the Somak leaves and the directive will turn red (You could stick that in the directive instead to be honest).
Is this good?
[attachment deleted by ninja]
-
Looks fine to me.
-
Okay, just a few issues left:
1) AWOL - didn't try it yet
2) Protect Argo - doesn't show up when the ship arrives, look at screenshot "fred4"
3) Disable Cannon - it shows up at the very beginning but I only want it to show up after I a given message has been sent screenshot "fred3"
[attachment deleted by ninja]
-
2) When does it show up? On mission start?
3) Your screenshot appears to be corrupt. I only see half of it. But using not is-event-true in a directive is just asking for trouble. It will almost certainly evaluate to true on mission start.
-
2) When does it show up? On mission start?
3) Your screenshot appears to be corrupt. I only see half of it. But using not is-event-true in a directive is just asking for trouble. It will almost certainly evaluate to true on mission start.
2) Yup.
3) Should I change it to is-event-false?
- other: if I use the optional argument at the is-event-true, then when does it turn complete?
-
2) The problem is that the subsystem_destroyed SEXP doesn't check if the ship in in the mission in the same way ship_destroyed does. Simply insert an event above your directive that comes true when the ship arrives, then chain the directive to that.
3) I can't really advise you what to do unless you show me the event itself.
-
Well, for now I ignored this and started another mission (BoE attempt, quite good :)).
How can I add my music to the mission? (I saw the "if music pack is present" thing at Mission Soecs, but still I don'k now what to do)
-
just select one of the options in the list, freespace will play the retail music pack you select (this of course if you are using mediavps as the mod in Fred).
the if not present thing is like a back up.. it will replace the primary music pack if not found or broken.
-
just select one of the options in the list, freespace will play the retail music pack you select (this of course if you are using mediavps as the mod in Fred).
the if not present thing is like a back up.. it will replace the primary music pack if not found or broken.
I don't want retail music...
-
just select one of the options in the list, freespace will play the retail music pack you select (this of course if you are using mediavps as the mod in Fred).
the if not present thing is like a back up.. it will replace the primary music pack if not found or broken.
I don't want retail music...
The easiest way to do it is to distribute the music file in .ogg format with your campaign and use the 'play sound from file' SEXP.
That, or you can break it up into measures, add an entry into music.tbl, and use it as one of the soundtracks. But that's a lot harder.
-
just select one of the options in the list, freespace will play the retail music pack you select (this of course if you are using mediavps as the mod in Fred).
the if not present thing is like a back up.. it will replace the primary music pack if not found or broken.
I don't want retail music...
The easiest way to do it is to distribute the music file in .ogg format with your campaign and use the 'play sound from file' SEXP.
That, or you can break it up into measures, add an entry into music.tbl, and use it as one of the soundtracks. But that's a lot harder.
sure?? sexp'ing every mission with custom music will be a lot more harder than just make a new music pack in my opinion.
-
Wouldn't the music pack require you to define measures and so on for each track in question?
I can say from experience that SEXPing mission music is very easy.
-
Oooookay, you've successfully confused me.
This is in a mission state now... no campaign file yet.
So, what is the fastest method (though both I've read here were Chinese to me :confused:)?
-
Put the music file you want, in .ogg format, in /yourmod/data/music.
Use the play-sound-from-file SEXP to play it.
Set 'no soundtrack' using a SEXP to make sure the mission doesn't have a regular soundtrack either.
The music will simply play once (or loop if you set the second argument to 1). There will be no changes for the arrival of friendly or enemy wings.
All that I said about the campaign is that you need to make sure the music file you're using gets packed in with your single mission or campaign when you distribute it.
-
How can I change the format?
-
use an audio editor program that can save to .ogg
if you don't have any, upload the track compressed to the syrk FTP, I'll convert it to ogg for you tonight when I get back from work.
-
VLC can convert to .ogg, and VLC is free, so try it out.
-
VLC can convert to .ogg, and VLC is free, so try it out.
VLC?
-
Just type VLC in google and click on first position.
-
Like he said. (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=VLC)
Not that hard.
-
Using the SEXP is easier but it's also much less interesting. The loop will be exactly the same every time and won't change depending on the state of the battle.
-
I did warn him as much, but I must admit I'm not really skilled in actually making a new soundtrack rather than a looping .ogg - I'd have to ask Darius.
-
Oh, as long as you've got the length of the soundtrack and remember to use underscores instead of spaces, you'll be fine mate. Yo Lucika if you need any help with it PM me, I've done a lot of music tabling.
-
Oooookay, I've managed to do it. :)
Since this is a BoE-sort of mission with no time without action, I feel that the constant war music is quite good.
The only issue is that my music is friggin' quiet.
Another question, in a different sense: I tried to set the ending of capship battles by tweaking with ship hulls. Is this a widely used trick?
-
I see, I advise against amplifying the music in audacity or whatever, you can crank up the in-game volume for music. Well, I'm not sure, but as long as it's done in a way a player won't notice it, it sounds good.
-
Another question, in a different sense: I tried to set the ending of capship battles by tweaking with ship hulls. Is this a widely used trick?
You need to be really, really careful with that. Friendly and hostile beam fire rates vary between difficulty levels.
I'd advise using SEXPed events and guardians.