Flags Tutorial Part 2

Ok, time for object flags. Rather than do an update, here is a new post (cause we already have great long lists in part 1) ;-).

These are flags (or 'identifiers') that are attached to specific objects (funnily enough), not just to prototypes (which might occur several times on a map. For instance, you might spawn or .mob in several goblins or skels or whatever in a dungeon, or a couple helms in an armoury). Last time you saw a manner in which I faked a way around it: I had 2 .mobs on a map of identical protos and (therefore) with identical scripts, and distinguished between them by setting different OCF flags in their .mobs. Today we will look at the real deal. These are internal flags so they can be read more than they can be set ;-) Also, they can happily crash a game if u stuff up by setting an item flag for an NPC or whatever, just like a mob (probably like a prototype too but never tried). And indeed I don't know if some of them won't crash the game anyway, if they are not supported (Arcanum anyone?) In this racket, you gotta get used to trial-and-error people, its the only way.

Now, first a word from C-Blue on this subject, then a list of ALL the flags. I like lists. 8^D For those who want some downloadable versions, check this thread HERE.

Ok, over to ol' Red-Eye:

All the fields can be read, but not all of them can be set. The “ _f_” fields are floating point and the “ _i_” fields are integer. The fields with 64 in them are 64 bit, the fields that end in “as” are arrays, and the fields that end in “idx” are indexes for arrays. Don’t mess with those. The get_int function only reads 32 bit integers. That is pretty much all I know about these fields. Trial and error has shown me what I can set and what I can’t. I can’t remember off hand what all is what though. That’s why I have the spreadsheet now, so I can record this stuff.

We'll lean on him later for this list: you're gonna have to get used to these people, we are gonna use them a LOT for KotB, where global flags and variables will be left for GLOBAL events, not just to check if your project NPC has had his breakfast or not. Why set a global flag for an object when you can just read it straight from the object's internal flags? Madness, I tells ya. For now, we'll look at some flags that can be used as internal variables. But first, the list:

obj_f_begin=0
obj_f_current_aid=1
obj_f_location=2
obj_f_offset_x=3
obj_f_offset_y=4
obj_f_shadow=5
obj_f_overlay_fore=6
obj_f_overlay_back=7
obj_f_underlay=8
obj_f_blit_flags=9
obj_f_blit_color=10
obj_f_blit_alpha=11
obj_f_scale=12
obj_f_light_flags=13
obj_f_light_aid=14
obj_f_light_color=15
obj_f_overlay_light_flags=16
obj_f_overlay_light_aid=17
obj_f_overlay_light_color=18
obj_f_flags=19
obj_f_spell_flags=20
obj_f_blocking_mask=21
obj_f_name=22
obj_f_description=23
obj_f_aid=24
obj_f_destroyed_aid=25
obj_f_size=26
obj_f_hp_pts=27
obj_f_hp_adj=28
obj_f_hp_damage=29
obj_f_material=30
obj_f_scripts_idx=31
obj_f_sound_effect=32
obj_f_category=33
obj_f_rotation=34
obj_f_speed_walk=35
obj_f_speed_run=36
obj_f_base_mesh=37
obj_f_base_anim=38
obj_f_radius=39
obj_f_3d_render_height=40
obj_f_conditions=41
obj_f_condition_arg0=42
obj_f_permanent_mods=43
obj_f_initiative=44
obj_f_dispatcher=45
obj_f_subinitiative=46
obj_f_secretdoor_flags=47
obj_f_secretdoor_effectname=48
obj_f_secretdoor_dc=49
obj_f_pad_i_7=50
obj_f_pad_i_8=51
obj_f_pad_i_9=52
obj_f_pad_i_0=53
obj_f_offset_z=54
obj_f_rotation_pitch=55
obj_f_pad_f_3=56
obj_f_pad_f_4=57
obj_f_pad_f_5=58
obj_f_pad_f_6=59
obj_f_pad_f_7=60
obj_f_pad_f_8=61
obj_f_pad_f_9=62
obj_f_pad_f_0=63
obj_f_pad_i64_0=64
obj_f_pad_i64_1=65
obj_f_pad_i64_2=66
obj_f_pad_i64_3=67
obj_f_pad_i64_4=68
obj_f_last_hit_by=69
obj_f_pad_obj_1=70
obj_f_pad_obj_2=71
obj_f_pad_obj_3=72
obj_f_pad_obj_4=73
obj_f_permanent_mod_data=74
obj_f_attack_types_idx=75
obj_f_attack_bonus_idx=76
obj_f_strategy_state=77
obj_f_pad_ias_4=78
obj_f_pad_i64as_0=79
obj_f_pad_i64as_1=80
obj_f_pad_i64as_2=81
obj_f_pad_i64as_3=82
obj_f_pad_i64as_4=83
obj_f_pad_objas_0=84
obj_f_pad_objas_1=85
obj_f_pad_objas_2=86
obj_f_end=87

obj_f_portal_begin=88
obj_f_portal_flags=89
obj_f_portal_lock_dc=90
obj_f_portal_key_id=91
obj_f_portal_notify_npc=92
obj_f_portal_pad_i_1=93
obj_f_portal_pad_i_2=94
obj_f_portal_pad_i_3=95
obj_f_portal_pad_i_4=96
obj_f_portal_pad_i_5=97
obj_f_portal_pad_obj_1=98
obj_f_portal_pad_ias_1=99
obj_f_portal_pad_i64as_1=100
obj_f_portal_end=101

obj_f_container_begin=102
obj_f_container_flags=103
obj_f_container_lock_dc=104
obj_f_container_key_id=105
obj_f_container_inventory_num=106
obj_f_container_inventory_list_idx=107
obj_f_container_inventory_source=108
obj_f_container_notify_npc=109
obj_f_container_pad_i_1=110
obj_f_container_pad_i_2=111
obj_f_container_pad_i_3=112
obj_f_container_pad_i_4=113
obj_f_container_pad_i_5=114
obj_f_container_pad_obj_1=115
obj_f_container_pad_obj_2=116
obj_f_container_pad_ias_1=117
obj_f_container_pad_i64as_1=118
obj_f_container_pad_objas_1=119
obj_f_container_end=120

obj_f_scenery_begin=121
obj_f_scenery_flags=122
obj_f_scenery_pad_obj_0=123
obj_f_scenery_respawn_delay=124
obj_f_scenery_pad_i_0=125
obj_f_scenery_pad_i_1=126
obj_f_scenery_teleport_to=127
obj_f_scenery_pad_i_4=128
obj_f_scenery_pad_i_5=129
obj_f_scenery_pad_obj_1=130
obj_f_scenery_pad_ias_1=131
obj_f_scenery_pad_i64as_1=132
obj_f_scenery_end=133

obj_f_projectile_begin=134
obj_f_projectile_flags_combat=135
obj_f_projectile_flags_combat_damage=136
obj_f_projectile_parent_weapon=137
obj_f_projectile_parent_ammo=138
obj_f_projectile_part_sys_id=139
obj_f_projectile_acceleration_x=140
obj_f_projectile_acceleration_y=141
obj_f_projectile_acceleration_z=142
obj_f_projectile_pad_i_4=143
obj_f_projectile_pad_obj_1=144
obj_f_projectile_pad_obj_2=145
obj_f_projectile_pad_obj_3=146
obj_f_projectile_pad_ias_1=147
obj_f_projectile_pad_i64as_1=148
obj_f_projectile_pad_objas_1=149
obj_f_projectile_end=150

obj_f_item_begin=151
obj_f_item_flags=152
obj_f_item_parent=153
obj_f_item_weight=154
obj_f_item_worth=155
obj_f_item_inv_aid=156
obj_f_item_inv_location=157
obj_f_item_ground_mesh=158
obj_f_item_ground_anim=159
obj_f_item_description_unknown=160
obj_f_item_description_effects=161
obj_f_item_spell_idx=162
obj_f_item_spell_idx_flags=163
obj_f_item_spell_charges_idx=164
obj_f_item_ai_action=165
obj_f_item_wear_flags=166
obj_f_item_material_slot=167
obj_f_item_quantity=168
obj_f_item_pad_i_1=169
obj_f_item_pad_i_2=170
obj_f_item_pad_i_3=171
obj_f_item_pad_i_4=172
obj_f_item_pad_i_5=173
obj_f_item_pad_i_6=174
obj_f_item_pad_obj_1=175
obj_f_item_pad_obj_2=176
obj_f_item_pad_obj_3=177
obj_f_item_pad_obj_4=178
obj_f_item_pad_obj_5=179
obj_f_item_pad_wielder_condition_array=180
obj_f_item_pad_wielder_argument_array=181
obj_f_item_pad_i64as_1=182
obj_f_item_pad_i64as_2=183
obj_f_item_pad_objas_1=184
obj_f_item_pad_objas_2=185
obj_f_item_end=186

obj_f_weapon_begin=187
obj_f_weapon_flags=188
obj_f_weapon_range=189
obj_f_weapon_ammo_type=190
obj_f_weapon_ammo_consumption=191
obj_f_weapon_missile_aid=192
obj_f_weapon_crit_hit_chart=193
obj_f_weapon_attacktype=194
obj_f_weapon_damage_dice=195
obj_f_weapon_animtype=196
obj_f_weapon_type=197
obj_f_weapon_crit_range=198
obj_f_weapon_pad_i_1=199
obj_f_weapon_pad_i_2=200
obj_f_weapon_pad_obj_1=201
obj_f_weapon_pad_obj_2=202
obj_f_weapon_pad_obj_3=203
obj_f_weapon_pad_obj_4=204
obj_f_weapon_pad_obj_5=205
obj_f_weapon_pad_ias_1=206
obj_f_weapon_pad_i64as_1=207
obj_f_weapon_end=208

obj_f_ammo_begin=209
obj_f_ammo_flags=210
obj_f_ammo_quantity=211
obj_f_ammo_type=212
obj_f_ammo_pad_i_1=213
obj_f_ammo_pad_i_2=214
obj_f_ammo_pad_obj_1=215
obj_f_ammo_pad_ias_1=216
obj_f_ammo_pad_i64as_1=217
obj_f_ammo_end=218

obj_f_armor_begin=219
obj_f_armor_flags=220
obj_f_armor_ac_adj=221
obj_f_armor_max_dex_bonus=222
obj_f_armor_arcane_spell_failure=223
obj_f_armor_armor_check_penalty=224
obj_f_armor_pad_i_1=225
obj_f_armor_pad_ias_1=226
obj_f_armor_pad_i64as_1=227
obj_f_armor_end=228

obj_f_money_begin=229
obj_f_money_flags=230
obj_f_money_quantity=231
obj_f_money_type=232
obj_f_money_pad_i_1=233
obj_f_money_pad_i_2=234
obj_f_money_pad_i_3=235
obj_f_money_pad_i_4=236
obj_f_money_pad_i_5=237
obj_f_money_pad_ias_1=238
obj_f_money_pad_i64as_1=239
obj_f_money_end=240

obj_f_food_begin=241
obj_f_food_flags=242
obj_f_food_pad_i_1=243
obj_f_food_pad_i_2=244
obj_f_food_pad_ias_1=245
obj_f_food_pad_i64as_1=246
obj_f_food_end=247

obj_f_scroll_begin=248
obj_f_scroll_flags=249
obj_f_scroll_pad_i_1=250
obj_f_scroll_pad_i_2=251
obj_f_scroll_pad_ias_1=252
obj_f_scroll_pad_i64as_1=253
obj_f_scroll_end=254

obj_f_key_begin=255
obj_f_key_key_id=256
obj_f_key_pad_i_1=257
obj_f_key_pad_i_2=258
obj_f_key_pad_ias_1=259
obj_f_key_pad_i64as_1=260
obj_f_key_end=261

obj_f_written_begin=262
obj_f_written_flags=263
obj_f_written_subtype=264
obj_f_written_text_start_line=265
obj_f_written_text_end_line=266
obj_f_written_pad_i_1=267
obj_f_written_pad_i_2=268
obj_f_written_pad_ias_1=269
obj_f_written_pad_i64as_1=270
obj_f_written_end=271

obj_f_bag_begin=272
obj_f_bag_flags=273
obj_f_bag_size=274
obj_f_bag_end=275

obj_f_generic_begin=276
obj_f_generic_flags=277
obj_f_generic_usage_bonus=278
obj_f_generic_usage_count_remaining=279
obj_f_generic_pad_ias_1=280
obj_f_generic_pad_i64as_1=281
obj_f_generic_end=282

obj_f_critter_begin=283
obj_f_critter_flags=284
obj_f_critter_flags2=285
obj_f_critter_abilities_idx=286
obj_f_critter_level_idx=287
obj_f_critter_race=288
obj_f_critter_gender=289
obj_f_critter_age=290
obj_f_critter_height=291
obj_f_critter_weight=292
obj_f_critter_experience=293
obj_f_critter_pad_i_1=294
obj_f_critter_alignment=295
obj_f_critter_deity=296
obj_f_critter_domain_1=297
obj_f_critter_domain_2=298
obj_f_critter_alignment_choice=299
obj_f_critter_school_specialization=300
obj_f_critter_spells_known_idx=301
obj_f_critter_spells_memorized_idx=302
obj_f_critter_spells_cast_idx=303
obj_f_critter_feat_idx=304
obj_f_critter_feat_count_idx=305
obj_f_critter_fleeing_from=306
obj_f_critter_portrait=307
obj_f_critter_money_idx=308
obj_f_critter_inventory_num=309
obj_f_critter_inventory_list_idx=310
obj_f_critter_inventory_source=311
obj_f_critter_description_unknown=312
obj_f_critter_follower_idx=313
obj_f_critter_teleport_dest=314
obj_f_critter_teleport_map=315
obj_f_critter_death_time=316
obj_f_critter_skill_idx=317
obj_f_critter_reach=318
obj_f_critter_subdual_damage=319
obj_f_critter_pad_i_4=320
obj_f_critter_pad_i_5=321
obj_f_critter_sequence=322
obj_f_critter_hair_style=323
obj_f_critter_strategy=324
obj_f_critter_pad_i_3=325
obj_f_critter_monster_category=326
obj_f_critter_pad_i64_2=327
obj_f_critter_pad_i64_3=328
obj_f_critter_pad_i64_4=329
obj_f_critter_pad_i64_5=330
obj_f_critter_damage_idx=331
obj_f_critter_attacks_idx=332
obj_f_critter_seen_maplist=333
obj_f_critter_pad_i64as_2=334
obj_f_critter_pad_i64as_3=335
obj_f_critter_pad_i64as_4=336
obj_f_critter_pad_i64as_5=337
obj_f_critter_end=338

obj_f_pc_begin=339
obj_f_pc_flags=340
obj_f_pc_pad_ias_0=341
obj_f_pc_pad_i64as_0=342
obj_f_pc_player_name=343
obj_f_pc_global_flags=344
obj_f_pc_global_variables=345
obj_f_pc_voice_idx=346
obj_f_pc_roll_count=347
obj_f_pc_pad_i_2=348
obj_f_pc_weaponslots_idx=349
obj_f_pc_pad_ias_2=350
obj_f_pc_pad_i64as_1=351
obj_f_pc_end=352

obj_f_npc_begin=353
obj_f_npc_flags=354
obj_f_npc_leader=355
obj_f_npc_ai_data=356
obj_f_npc_combat_focus=357
obj_f_npc_who_hit_me_last=358
obj_f_npc_waypoints_idx=359
obj_f_npc_waypoint_current=360
obj_f_npc_standpoint_day_INTERNAL_DO_NOT_USE=361
obj_f_npc_standpoint_night_INTERNAL_DO_NOT_USE=362
obj_f_npc_faction=363
obj_f_npc_retail_price_multiplier=364
obj_f_npc_substitute_inventory=365
obj_f_npc_reaction_base=366
obj_f_npc_challenge_rating=367
obj_f_npc_reaction_pc_idx=368
obj_f_npc_reaction_level_idx=369
obj_f_npc_reaction_time_idx=370
obj_f_npc_generator_data=371
obj_f_npc_ai_list_idx=372
obj_f_npc_save_reflexes_bonus=373
obj_f_npc_save_fortitude_bonus=374
obj_f_npc_save_willpower_bonus=375
obj_f_npc_ac_bonus=376
obj_f_npc_add_mesh=377
obj_f_npc_waypoint_anim=378
obj_f_npc_pad_i_3=379
obj_f_npc_pad_i_4=380
obj_f_npc_pad_i_5=381
obj_f_npc_ai_flags64=382
obj_f_npc_pad_i64_2=383
obj_f_npc_pad_i64_3=384
obj_f_npc_pad_i64_4=385
obj_f_npc_pad_i64_5=386
obj_f_npc_hitdice_idx=387
obj_f_npc_ai_list_type_idx=388
obj_f_npc_pad_ias_3=389
obj_f_npc_pad_ias_4=390
obj_f_npc_pad_ias_5=391
obj_f_npc_standpoints=392
obj_f_npc_pad_i64as_2=393
obj_f_npc_pad_i64as_3=394
obj_f_npc_pad_i64as_4=395
obj_f_npc_pad_i64as_5=396
obj_f_npc_end=397

obj_f_trap_begin=398
obj_f_trap_flags=399
obj_f_trap_difficulty=400
obj_f_trap_pad_i_2=401
obj_f_trap_pad_ias_1=402
obj_f_trap_pad_i64as_1=403
obj_f_trap_end=404

obj_f_total_normal=405
obj_f_transient_begin=406
obj_f_render_color=407
obj_f_render_colors=408
obj_f_render_palette=409
obj_f_render_scale=410
obj_f_render_alpha=411
obj_f_render_x=412
obj_f_render_y=413
obj_f_render_width=414
obj_f_render_height=415
obj_f_palette=416
obj_f_color=417
obj_f_colors=418
obj_f_render_flags=419
obj_f_temp_id=420
obj_f_light_handle=421
obj_f_overlay_light_handles=422
obj_f_internal_flags=423
obj_f_find_node=424
obj_f_animation_handle=425
obj_f_grapple_state=426
obj_f_transient_end=427
obj_f_type=428
obj_f_prototype_handle=429

Try and have those memorised by Tuesday ;-)

Ok, enough bamboozling you, lets pick a specific one and play with it.

We are gonna use obj_f_npc_pad_i_5=381 as a variable that will be changed according to the ongoing state of what is happening to the character. We are using that particular integer because Blue used it for the shop-keeper-reinventorising and I know it works ;-) Go and have a look at Burne's .py file, he uses things in a more integrated way than I bother with (I am keeping it simple).

My guinea-pig for today is Endarire's NPC Ronald. You may remember (but probably won't) that he already has a story-state variable dependant on what the party have done to him (like dump him to recruit Lareth, or other pleasant actions). If necessary, refamiliarise yourself from this tutorial HERE (hint: its not necessary for this tutorial).

Sooo... what do we want to do? Well:

Read the integer.

Set the integer.

Simple! For what purpose?

Well, its a story-state variable. The first time it will appear is when Ronald hits level 17 and gains the clerical power to take care of something that he has had on his mind throughout the entire game. So firstly, we want it to trigger an event when Ron becomes lvl 17 and then advance the variable accordingly. But where to put it? First_heartbeat is an option, but Ron's is already a fiasco. Soooo, lets put it for starters in san_new_map. At the moment, Ron's looks like this:

def san_new_map( attachee, triggerer ):
________if (attachee.map == 5004):
________________attachee.float_line(650,triggerer)
________________game.new_sid = 0
________return RUN_DEFAULT

What this does is have Ron make a quirky remark when he enters the Moathouse, then sets it to zero so it never happens again (Endarire not only recorded dialogue for all the stuff the NPCs can say in the game, like "my pack is full" and "hey look Emridy Meadows", bur also a fair bit for stuff they don't normally say, and left me to script workarounds. Here is one).

Instead of setting the bugger to zero, lets see if you can set it to some other number (of course theoretically we all know you can, but has anyone ever tried?) I am setting it to 283, my ioun stone .py file, in the happy knowledge it will never be asked to use a new_map thing (in fact, doesn't even have it in its prototype). Liv used to do this a lot, stick scripts in other scripts that wouldn't get called by their original owner: for instance, the OCF_MUTE thing for the trolls we looked at last time is actually in the script for that woman in Hommlet, ummm the one married to Filliken's brother (Percy?) who sets you on the whole love-quest roundabout.

NPC: Your just as sweet as sugar.
PC: Just doing my job, ma'am.

Something like that - and quality dialogue for once! Ahhh, didn't that run out quickly... anyways, first time I saw that thing in her file, I thought, "crikey, THATS who's got the password? She must be suggested or something... i wonder how we would know?" But of course it was nothing to do with her, just using her script. The "Peter, I've been murdered by gnolls!" interlude is likewise hidden in Kent's stuff.

But I digress. The point is, diverting a character to this or that script, while having inherent dangers (remember when I tried to run all the san_dying things off one script and Otis etc yelled out in Spugnoir's voice when they died?) is damn handy. Will be doing this for KotB, having different scripts for the guards to switch between depending on how they feel about the party.

Anyways, the altered script from py00277Ron.py looks like this:

def san_new_map( attachee, triggerer ): # after moathouse, sets to 283
________if (attachee.map == 5004):
________________attachee.float_line(650,triggerer)
________________game.new_sid = 283
________return RUN_DEFAULT

Painless. Now what about the accompanying file, py00283ioun.py? That now looks like this:

def san_new_map( attachee, triggerer ): # Ron after moathouse
________game.particles( "sp-Magic Stone", triggerer )
________st = attachee.obj_get_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_5 )
________if (st == 0 and (attachee.stat_level_get(stat_level_cleric) == 8)):
________________attachee.obj_set_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_5, 1 )
________________game.party[0].begin_dialog( attachee, 2000 )
________else:
________________game.particles( "sp-summon monster I", game.party[0] )
________return RUN_DEFAULT

The first and last game.particles things are just there to let me know it is firing (I had a shocker getting it to work, because I had a stupid typo in the script, but thought I had made some other sort of error - thought maybe i needed to do a second dlg at 00283 (I didn't) - but finally got it going). Otherwise, its the other stuff that is of interest.

Now, this is just to initiate the first "I have turned lvl 17" dialogue. Note I am using lvl 8 for the moment because I couldn't be bothered entering 'levelup' enough times just yet to get him to lvl 17 (I know its just typing it in, then 'up' + 'return' several dozen times, but I'm a lazy, lazy man Roger...) will do that when I am satisfied the script works. When that happens, there will be additional stuff here and in the san_dialog thing to advance the story through the various parts of the endgame, but thats for later. This is a flags tutorial, not a Ronald tutorial ;-)

So, reading and setting the flags? Here they are again:

st = attachee.obj_get_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_5 ) (where 'st' is the name of the variable of course)

attachee.obj_set_int( obj_f_npc_pad_i_5, 1 )

Note that in the second one, we are setting the value at 1 (for the moment). Thats whay the 1 is for. We could set it at something else, and will later. A bit different to how we set global variables or OCF_FLAGS etc.

Well, there you go, now your objects can have personal flags that will never clash with anyone else's - and for the moment you know as much about them as I do ;-) Later I will update this with stuff about how to use the personal flags to see if another NPC has done something or other (not sure how I will do that, but we'll see ;-) and how to read the internal health of your NPC:

obj_f_npc_who_hit_me_last=358

Mmm, roleplaying... me RIKEY!!!

O and while we're at it...

obj_f_npc_substitute_inventory=365

Change number in event of Masterwork quest? Hmmm, must test this, and there are several other contenders...

Thanks again to C-Blue, and folks like Agetian and Darmagon who helped track all these down.