I thought I would start this topic to answer
scripting questions and do mini tutorials on various Python stuff for the
benefit of mappers. (This is just how I do things, and I don't know
everything by any means.)
OK,
you have made a map, compiled and loaded it and your Player char is stood alone
wondering how to fill this new world with interesting stuff.
All the
gameplay flow is controlled from a file:
DefFuncs.py
Create a file
with this exact name and save it to your map folder in
BODLOader/Maps.
This file is one of the Key files that is executed again
when loading a saved game. For that reason it must always have this name. All
your other .py files that create objs, etc are only executed on first
load.
In a basic map you will have three essential
files:
cfg.py # initiates the map and loads all the files pj.py #
creates the Player character MyMap.lvl # loads all the texture files + dome
(sky) and .bw (compiled 'Blade World' file)
*I will use the term MyMap to
refer to the name of your map folder.(case sensitive)
The BODLoader will
create these files automatically if they don't exist in the BODLoader/Maps/MyMap
folder. NEVER edit your files in the main Maps folder. ALWAYS edit in the
BODLoader and unistall/install your map to test it. If you don't stick to this
practice you risk hours of work being overwritten by older files. (Yes, I
have done this more than a few times.)
Next, open the
cfg.py file and add this line at the
end:
execfile("DefFuncs.py")
All the files you create will be
executed from here, but keep DefFuncs.py
at the top of the list.
Now open
DefFuncs.py
There is nothing to add yet, but for a start you can add the
code to enable the savegame.
First add this:
import GameText
You will need lots of imports as you proceed, but at the mo you
only need this one. An import statement allows you to access to all the code in
the imported file from the file it is imported to. If you try to do this for
example:
darfuncs.HideBadGuy("Ork1")
without importing the file darfuncs.py, you will cause an error. Python reads code from the top of a file
down, so put you imports before you use their code. (usually they are all at the top of the file.)
Underneath this import
add:
GameText.MapList["MYMAP"] = ["MyMap"]
First box is a
CAPITALIZED version of your map name.
Save and load your map (remember to
uninst/inst). If all is well, your map will appear in the save menu screen. Try
saving/loading the map. You should have no probs at this point as there is
nothing else in the map to foul things up. Making the save games reliable can
get very tricky as you add more things.....
Try the F1 key. This code
also enables the Travel Book.
)
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