forums | blogs | polls | tutorials | downloads | rules | help

Error message

Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in remember_me_form_alter() (line 78 of /var/www/siegetheday.org/sites/all/modules/contrib/remember_me/remember_me.module).

DS1's PartyUI

Balderstrom's picture

When I scoured through the code, and did some comparisons. It looks like the necessary code is still there for this to function. Would it be a matter of just getting the graphicUI overlay onto the DS2 toolbar or something more entailed?
Though this is probably beyond my expertise, I deal more with game mechanics, code and game balance. Graphics piss me off Wink

If nothing else, could make it possible for party members to take more than 3.5 steps away from each other.

Dealing with the GUI display is not a fun task my friend. It is more than just changing what the gui looks like, there is additional coding needed to be done for it to work right. Ask xmen90s, he hates dealing with graphics. Wink

They changed a lot of the functions making the UI work, so even if it is there, it will probably not work. You can try, but UI work is really painful like Shocked pointed out. First thing I tried was to put back a decent save system, but I met with closed doors everywhere.

I don't think changing the UI is what you need for that anyway.
The code that makes them follow each others will be in the AI files, not the UI. The UI just tells which character is selected.

Balderstrom's picture

Well if it is able to be fixed at all...then it would need the interface to be (back) accessible on screen. I'm just not sure how complicated it will be, beyond getting the UI back on screen that is. It may not be as bad as everyone thinks, as a number of the current "party" commands that can be issued relate back to DS1's individual commands.
The party formations from DS1 is pointless in DS2 currently due to the fact that party members can't get more than an armspan away from each other. And that part I can't figure out, but it may be hiding in the AI that I haven't finetooth combed enough.

Well, I am not totally sure what you are trying to do, so it is hard to tell. You talked about PartyUI, but I don't know what you mean by that. Are you talking about formations and the button to make people move independantly?

I am pretty sure the way they follow each other is done in skrit, but I am just guessing according to what I know of the overall system.

There is code already to make the rest of the party wait, which can be accessed through some hotkeys, but you know that already. You could problably do a UI to activate that easily, I think. The thing is that they changed how the whole party behaves, so the old DS formations and stuff cannot work the same. All the AI code there is will be for rampage mode and mirror mode. So they do what you do, or they go totally their own. Also, in DS, you could select multiple people and control them, but in DS2, you can only control one person at a time.

Balderstrom's picture

Basically DS1's PartyAI/UI, Including Formations, Groups, and AI-Behaviour. From what I could tell comparing DS2 and DS1 files, the code wasn't removed, neither was the gUI code itself.
So all the code is still there - its a matter of reenabling it in the AI files, and figuring out how to renable selecting more than one member at a time - so as to get back Assigned groups. And getting the gUI back on screen.
It's probably more than a one person task, but I !@#$ing hate the current single-user/all-user control scheme in DS2.

Well, good luck with that Wink

I personnally don't think it is worth it to spend too much time trying to fix something that has been botched too much.

Some of that will be hard-coded, like selecting multiple characters, formations and groups.

They left a lot of code behind, but that is just lazy programming. Especially in the UI, they can do that because the compiler does not look at the function calls. But because it is there does not mean it works.

I think the only thing you might be able to change easily is the AI behavior.
The code where the others are following you is in world/ai/jobs/party/job_party_follow.skrit
Just change some values, and they might give you some breathing space.

The rampage mode and stuff is in: world/ai/jobs/common/brain_party.skrit

The problem is that the original brain_party had some APIs like:
m_Go$.Party.Formation.Shape
and in DS2 it is:
m_Party$.StandingOrders

I am pretty sure some engineer will have taken out those APIs, but that can be worked around.
The original also used a lot of APIs that might be gone now, which gives orders.
Like:
Mind.Rank
Formation.Move

The only way to know is to try, since there is no documentation (and never will). You can look at the Fex as well.

It is interesting to see how simplified the brain is. The original was 1500 lines of code, and the new one is 500. They got rid of all those outstanding programmers that they had, like Scott Bilas and Eric Tams. It shows.

PS: I saw an interview when DS came out where their PR guy was saying that the normal modder would only need to use the Siege Editor and maybe a little skritting. Some people at the top obviously never realized that they had a good game that was moddable. They do not know what it takes to mod their game. They think adding a couple floor tiles and a few monsters is what a mod is about. It seems they haven't learned in 5 years. If Scott had not been around, DS probably would have never been modded. That is the story. Their game was pretty much modded despite GPG, since the people making the decisions do not know anything about their technology or the people that might use it.