SEVERANCE, BLADE OF DARKNESS

Prospero's pages

Updated August 01, 2005

HOME PAGE > AUTHORS > PROSPERO > BOD PYTHON SCRIPTING (19)

Ok. You asked for it. Make yourself comfortable and put on a big pot of coffee.

Part1. Send in the Clones

I won't go into the actual modeling of a new char here. Frankly, others know a deal more about the subject than I do. I'll concentrate on implementing the model into the game once you have made it. A sneaky way is to 'clone' one of the existing models. Ok, it will be the same structure as the orig, but you can assign it a new Texture name.

Look in folder 3Dchars and select a .BOD file. I'll use the Kgt_N.BOD for demo purposes. (This is the Knight no armour mesh). To do this job properly you need an text editor that can handle Hex code and has
search/replace feature. (UltraEdit is the only one I have used).

Make a copy of this file and save it somewhere temporarily.

Open the .BOD file copy and goto Edit->HexEdit. Most of the code is totaly incomprehensible, but look near the top for the internal name Knight_N. This is the 'Kind' name that the char is created with. This name occurs only once in the file. You need to enter a new name here.

I have found that if you edit this part directly, the file can be corrupted. Instead, select the name Knight_N and goto Search->Replace.

The name Knight_N will appear in the FindWhat field. Enter an alternate name in the ReplaceWith box. It's just my experience, but I have found that you need to keep the same number of characters in the name. Let's call him Knight_A. click Start and the name will be updated in your file. Warning here. Don't select the ReplaceInFiles option. It will replace the same phrase in every file on your PC.

Now you can either leave it at that or change the texture names. If you leave it, he will adopt the same skin as the original knight. Changing them will allow him to have his own skin. Scroll down the file until you see word KGTNF. This is his front texture. Select the word and Search/Replace with KGTAF. The texture names occur many times, so search/replace is great for this. Next, find his back texture KGTNR. Replace with KGTAR.

All char models stick to this protocol. (Except the Amazon who has a seperate texture for her face AMZFACE. (Typical woman.)

Save the file. Rename it Kgt_A.BOD and put it in 3DChars folder.

Now you need to test it. Before this, you need to add it to the file BodLink.list, in the main game folder. I have devised a routine to do this automatically in a map with new stuff, but for testing add these lines manually.

..\\..3dChars\Kgt_A.BOD # name of .BOD file
Knight_A #internal name

Now you can try creating him in a testmap. Do this exactly as with other objects but omit the entity class at the end. He is not a "Person" yet. He has no animation set and no data. He is an Un-Person.

testknight= Bladex.CreateEntity("TestKnight1","Knight_A",x,z,y)

When you load the map, several things might happen. You could get an error message saying something like "not enough memeory,etc". In this case there is a problem with the .BOD file. Scrap it and try again until you get one that works. If you get "Trying to create and object that is not preloaded....etc", check the lines you added to BodLink.list. If the Gods are smiling on you, the map will load OK and the cloned knight will be where you put him. He will be laying horizontaly and have no texture, but you now know the .BOD file is sound. At this point you can make him a skin using the material names:

KGTAF
KGTAR
KGTAF_W
KGTAR_W

The _W denotes the 'wounded' version of the skin.

*If you can't be bothered to do this at this stage you can borrow a skin with the SetMesh command:

testknight.SetMesh("KgtSkin1")

OK. Now you have a model. You need to create a new race. It is possible to tweak the existing races to add combos, alter behaviour, etc but this way the existing races can be used in the same map without the risk of interference.

A word on installation: It's nice to make a map 'user-friendly'. You shouldn't expect the end user to have to go editing source files. For that reason, in a finished map the BodLink.list needs to be appended using Python. At this point you need to convert your 'map' to a 'mod'.

Start game and uninstall your map from the menu screen. Exit game.
Make a Folder "MyMap" in the BODLoader/Mods folder. Then move your entire map folder from BODLoader/Maps to the MyMap folder in BODLoader/Mods.

You should then have:

BODLoader/Mods/MyMap/MyMap

You need two new files:

BLModInit.py
BLModInfo.py

To save a lot of time, look at these two files in 'ProsperoArena1' map. I'll use then as templates.

Copy these two files to the same place in your own map. They go in the outer 'MyMap' folder.

Open BLModInit.py. At the top, under the title header are three lines. What you need to do here is wherever it says 'ProsperoArena1', replace this with MyMap name. Don't change anything else; just this phrase.

import MyMapMenu
global ModMenu
ModMenu=MyMapMenu.ModMenu

Next you will see lots of blocks of code starting:

if os path.exists ...... etc

Delete them all EXCEPT for the top one. So that the last line in the file reads:

print "BodLink.list already appended"

The first block loads the Amz_A model in ProsperoArena1. Edit this block of code to load your new Knight. In this case, just replace 'Amz' with 'Kgt' and 'Amazon' with 'Knight'.

* It occurs to me that sooner or later two people are eventually going to make a models with the same name.. This is not a good thing. A bit of communication is called for here.

What this code does is write to the BodLink.list. You must delete the lines you manually added previously to test this routine. When the map is started and the BLModInit file is exe'd the system will check for the presense of the new .BOD file you made. If it exists and is where it should be, a check is made for a Kgt_AInst.cfg. If there isn't one (and there won't be on first load) then it knows that the model is not installed.

The necessary lines will be added to the BodLink.list and the Inst.cfg file is created. This file serves no other purpose than that of a marker (it just carries a little explaination from me). Now next time and each subsequent time the map loads this check is made. But once the Inst.cfg file is in place the system will 'know' that the model has been installed an the BodLink.list has been updated. (It may be a clunky method by the standards of a professional programmer but it does work.)

Next the BLModInfo.py file

Again use the ProsperoArena1 BLModInfo.py as a template. This file creates the necessary folders and copies all your files to the Main/Maps folder.

Edit the Mod Info section to your own specs. This is the text that will appear on the menu screen.

In the Mod Data section, first edit the MakeDirs bit. Replace ProsperoArena1 with MyMap name. This map loads two new chars. Yours has only one at present so delete one of the 'Stuff' lines and edit the other one:

MakeDirs=['../MyMap'
          '../MyMap/Spanish' # you might need this later
          '../MyMap/NUFiles'
          '../MyMap/NUFiles/NUMyNewKnightStuff'
          '../MYMap/pak']

folder (not too much of an imposition.). Once installed it needs to stay there and not be uninstalled again.

You are probably suffering extreme brainache at this point.

There is a LOT more to come.

Next you must do the Menu stuff, but before I delve into that I am going for a coffee....


Ok, moving on. You can make your new Knight an NPC or Player. I'll make him a Player. If you make him an NPC you can't use him as a Player without extra stuff, but if you make him a Player you can quickly convert him to NPC later.

Make folder 'M

from you know where. to this folder.
Rename it

------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, next step.

First thing before I forget. To keep the savegame integrity you need to add some code. Open pj.py copy all the Stats tables (including imports) to your DefFuncs.py file.

Next you need to declare some filepaths in cfg.py:

import sys

sys.path.append("../../Maps/MyMap/NUFiles")
sys.path.append("../../Maps/MyMap/NUFiles/NUDaveStuff")

(put this just after the LoadBar code)

Make a new file 'ActorsInit.py' (exec in cfg.py and add to list in BLModInfo) Put the same filepath code in this file. (This is another key file and must have that exact name). This file is exec'd before DefFuncs.py as the savegame loads.

Open the NUDaveStuff folder. Copy the file NUSuperZoeData.py from ProsperoArena3 to this folder. Rename it 'NUDaveData.py'. Open it and replace all mentions of 'SuperZoe' with 'Dave'. Replace 'Amzazon_B' with 'Knight_A'. Where is says 'Amb', replace with 'Kga'. Replace the var 'amb' with 'kga'. Do this very carefully and make sure you don't miss any. Lastly, remove the # comments from the code in func 'SuperZoeWhenFirst'. (It will be 'DaveWhenFirst' now). When you have finished the char, this code must be commented out again.

This is the core file that creates the race. It refers to several other files that you now have to create. From the top, first you need:

DaveAnm_def.py

type

import Bladex

at the top and save it to NUDaveStuff folder.

Now open file Scripts/anm_def.py. This file contains one big function called 'Init'.

Make a function in DaveAnm_def.py called InitDave

def InitDave():

What you have to do now is to copy all lines out of anm_def.py that have 'Kgt' in them. Most are all in one block near the middle, but there are a few sneaky ones at the begining and some others at the end. Don't miss any. Paste these into your 'Dave' file. Preserve the indentation. Once you have done this, you need to replace all instances of 'Kgt' with 'Kga'. This is where search/replace capability in invaluable. It is a boring job doing them one at a time.

This file adds all the events to be raised in the course of an animation with timings. Most are to do with enabling the damage on weapons and starting trails.
btw. Don't exec any of the files in the 'NU' subfolders in cfg.py.

Next, you need to do a new animation set file. Dave does not have any animations of his own. (Unless you care to make him some. ) He will have to borrow them all from Sargon. This may seem a bit pointless, as he will behave exactly the same as Sargon. Fear not, once he is working properly with Sargon's moves you can begin to alter the animation set to make him unique. His animation set will be his own and will not affect other chars.

Next step, the thrilling installment.

Look in Lib/AnmSets for file KnightAnimationSet.py. Copy/paste it to your NUFiles/NUDaveStuff folder (As you add these files, update the BLModInfo.py. Keep the same folder structure).

Rename the file 'NUDaveAnimationSet.py' and open it. Now comes the really tedious bit. Start at the top. Alter the function name to

def LoadDaveAnimationSet(ct_name):

(alter the 'print' statement if you like)

The first anim is Rlx_no. This is the animation the char will do when standing doing nothing with no weapon in hand. You need to alter all instances of 'Kgt' to 'Kga', EXCEPT where it comes before the extension .BMV. These files contain animation info. Because you are basing 'Dave' on Sargon's animation set, you still need to reference these. What you are doing here is assigning them to your new race.

Lastly, on the first line of each code block there is a 1 (sometimes a 0). After all these 1s and 0s add ,Knight_A. Like this:

Bladex.LoadSampledAnimation("..\\..\\Anm\\Kgt_rlx_no.BMV","Rlx_no_Kga",1,"Knight_A")
Bladex.AddAnmRStep("Rlx_no_Kga",0.0)
Bladex.AddAnmLStep("Rlx_no_Kga",0.0)

Now work your way down the file altering as you go. The file is very long and you will probably loose the will to live about halfway down.. As you go, try to guess what each anim is for.

= very tired

Now just to make things awkward some blocks of code are written differently. they begin:

.

If you are clever, you could try using the search/replace feature. It is tricky as you have to be selective. When you get to the death animations you are near the end of the file. (You will probably feel like death when you reach here.)

Alright, thats the

action. Look in

= guess what!

Next file

'. The values at the end denote the time of the animation. Now you may think that if you increase the value, the animation will be slower, but in fact it works the other way. Increase values to speed up animations.

Ok add this file to list in

with the others so that it is installed in the right place.

There is still more to do before Dave will operate, but that is the basic work done.

Before you can test Dave out, you need to give him some sounds.

Look in

import Bladex
import XtraAnimSounds
import Basic_Funcs
import PlayerTypes

class Dave(Basic_Funcs.PlayerPerson):
    def __init__(self,me):
        Basic_Funcs.PlayerPerson.__init__(self,me)

        me.MeshName="KgtSkin1"

    def ResetSounds(self,EntityName):
        me=Bladex.GetEntity(EntityName)
        XtraAnimSounds.AsignarSonidosDave(EntityName)

if PlayerName == "Dave":
    char.Data=PlayerTypes.Dave(char)

File)

You should now be able to use Dave in your map. Load the map and try him. I should mention at this point that if he works first time with no problems then you are indeed Ianna's Chosen One. You will probably have a bit of de-bugging to do. There are 1000s of lines of code involved so the possibility of errors is quite high.

After you do get him working, there are a few refinements you can add:

As he is, the FX on combo's won't work and you won't get the New Attack messages. For these you need to make new files and add stuff to the Player class. Refer to

to see how these work. In fact, if you have any probs, refer to this map.

Once you have Dave working, he will have the same abilities as Sargon.

Next I'll go into how to customise him.

btw. You can in theory use any char as a Player. I used the Knight as an example purely because he already is fully functional as a Player.

NPCs have lots of animations missing as they never need to open doors and pick stuff up, etc. If you use a Traitor Knight as a Player for instance, using his own animation set, you can walk him round OK but lots of moves will be missing. You have to add the missing animations by borrowing suitable ones from other chars.

All the 'human' types (they have 25 nodes in the structure) will share animations and there are LOTS to choose from. Other chars (Dal for one) will not carry weapons on their backs. Non-Humans (Minos, Demons) have a diffrent number of articulations in their structure and will not use human animations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

What to do with new Player now you have got one.

Almost anything. Now you have a complete set of files dedicated to the new char you can edit all aspects of the behaviour without affecting the other chars.

You can replace animations with those from other chars or add attacks of other chars.

As 'Dave' was based on a Player char, he already has all the attacks bound to keystrokes. If he were say, a Traitor Knight all this code would be missing as well as many animations. You need to borrow anims from other chars. Simply find an anim in the relevant animation set and c/p it into Dave's animset. Edit the move name so that it reads '

is a good file to use for reference.

All her Spear moves are original 1Hand swords/maces are various Knight moves, but where the Knight will use Dwarf weapons with less skill, S.Z. uses them as well as Dwarf.

2Hand Swords all Barbarian. (I didn't implement the 2Hand Axe moves, but I have 'taught' them to NPC Dwarfs).

To use a new char an NPC, you need to give them a class and a combat chart. (This also applies to existing Player chars.)

If you look in

def ResetSounds(self,EntityName):
    me=Bladex.GetEntity(EntityName)
    XtraAnimSounds.AssignarSonidosDave(EntityName)

    # for other Player chars...e.g
    # AniSound.AssignarSonidosCaballero(EntityName)

'

If all is well, your new NPC should attack you when he sees you. (There's gratitude! )...

All this is just scratching the surface of a very complex subject. Once you have your basic data you can tweak it and generally play around. Alter a certain aspect and see how it effects the chars behaviour.
You'll notice from the ProArena1 classes that you have to modify the Amazon and Barb attacks from the

'. This contains code that makes the corpses fade away. All the other classes in the file inherit from this. You could get the same effect by putting the fading code in all the classes, but it is neater this way and makes a nice example of how the class stuff works.

You can go on from here to add other attacks and give Traitor Knights combos, etc. Check out the enemy classes in Masklin's Inn map for examples of this.

Allies.

Thanks once more to Masklin you can now have friendly chars. If you have Allies mod installed they are easy to create. The file

that makes the NPCs only attack enemies of the Player. (I'm still trying to figure out how it works.) To use this data is easy. In your NPC class, use