Alright, I've had some more time to think about all this and started implementing the basics (emphasis on started).
I'm still not sure how to handle always on or global abilities and a few other details, but I've got a clearer idea of what I want to do.
On the technical side, I seem to have gotten over my multi-dimensional array madness and started using proper data structures, so that's a plus (although it does make me want to go back to my parsing script and fix the giant table blob -_-).
It's going slowly, but I'm hoping to have some sort of basic working prototype by the end of July.
Anyway, here is the table prototype:
#Abilities
; $Name: string
; $Target Type: list of string (self, fighter, corvette, tagged, buff:buffType)
; $Target Team: list of string (hostile, friendly, neutral, relative to the caster)
; $Range: integer (optional)
; +Min: integer (minimum range) (optional)
; $Cost: integer/list of integer (tied to diffculty level) (optional)
; +Cost type: string (weapon energy reserve, "ammo" specific to that ability, "mana" reserve shared by all abilities) (optional)
; $Buff: list of string (optional)
; $Duration: list of int (optional)
; $Ability Data: metadata used by whatever script actually uses the ability
$Name: SSM-moloch
$Target Type: big ship
$Target Team: Hostile
$Cost: 1
+Cost Type: global-ammo:SSM-moloch-ammo/ammo
;; how about having multiple cost types ?
$Ability Data:
+Strike Type: Shivan SSM Strike
$Name: Shivan Command aura ;; TODO: ai buff ?
$Target Type: fighter, bomber
$Target Team: Friendly
$Range: 4000
$Buff: command aura
$Ability Data:
+Max AI: Colonel
$Name: Energy Dampening Field ;; TODO : energy drain thingy
$Target Type: fighter, bomber
$Target Team: Hostile
$Range: 1500
$Cost: 70
+Cost Type: energy:weapon
$Cooldown: 90
$Duration: 15
#End
The script itself so far:
------------------------
--- Global Variables ---
------------------------
ability_classes = {}
ability_instances = {}
-- set to true to enable prints
ability_enableDebugPrints = true
----------------------
--- ??? Functions ---
----------------------
function ability_fireAllPossible()
-- TODO : cycle through ability instances & fire them
end
-------------------------
--- Utility Functions ---
-------------------------
function dPrint_ability(message)
if (ability_enableDebugPrints) then
ba.print("[abilityManager.lua] "..message)
end
end
--[[
Return the specified class as a string.
@param className : name of the class
]]
function ability_getClassAsString(className)
--TODO
end
----------------------
--- Core Functions ---
----------------------
function ability_createClass(name, attributes)
-- Initialize the class
ability_classes[name] = {
Name = name,
TargetType = attributes['Target Type']['value'],
TargetTeam = attributes['Target Team']['value'],
Cooldown = nil,
Duration = nil,
Range = -1,
Cost = 0,
CostType = nil
}
if not (attributes['Cooldown'] == nil) then
ability_classes[name].Cooldown = attributes['Cooldown']['value']
end
if not (attributes['Range'] == nil) then
ability_classes[name].Range = attributes['Range']['value']
end
if not (attributes['Cost'] == nil) then
ability_classes[name].Cost = attributes['Cost']['value']
if not (attributes['Cost']['sub'] == nil) then --TODO : utility function to grab a sub attributes' value ???
if not (attributes['Cost']['sub']['Cost Type'] == nil) then
ability_classes[name].CostType = attributes['Cost']['sub']['Cost Type']
end
end
end
if not (attributes['Duration'] == nil) then
ability_classes[name].Duration = attributes['Duration']['value']
end
-- Print class
dPrint_ability(ability_getClassAsString(name))
end
--[[
Reset the instance array. Should be called $On Gameplay Start.
]]
function ability_resetInstances()
ability_instances = {}
end
--[[
Create an instance of the specified ability and tie it to the specified shipName.
@param instanceId : unique identifier for this instance
@param className : name of the ability
@param shipName : ship to tie the ability to. Can be nil.
]]
function ability_createInstance(instanceId, className, shipName)
ability_instances[instanceId] = {
Class = className,
Ship = shipName,
LastFired = 0,
Active = true,
Manual = false, --if that instance must be fire manually
Ammo = -1 --needs to be set after creation if necessarys
}
end
--[[
Verify that this ability instance can be fired
@param instanceId : id of the ability instance to test
@return true if it can
]]
function ability_canBeFired(instanceId)
-- Check that this is a valid idea
if (ability_instances[instanceId] == nil) then
ba.warning("[abilityManager.lua] Unknown instance id : "..instanceId)
return false
end
local instance = ability_instances[instanceId]
local class = ability_classes[instance.Class]
-- Verify that this instance is active
if (instance.Active) then
-- Verify cooldown
local missionTime = mn.getMissionTime()
local cooldown = class.Cooldown
if (instance.LastFired + cooldown >= missionTime) then
--TODO : Verify cost
return true
end
end
-- Default
return false
end
------------
--- main ---
------------
abilityTable = parseTableFile("data/config/", "abilities.tbl")
ba.print(getTableObjectAsString(abilityTable))
for name, attributes in pairs(abilityTable['Abilities']) do
ability_createClass(name, attributes)
end
