The NGLE Manual
Animations in
the New Game Engine
By Titak
TRNG – Animation Scripting
Since TRNG is not compatible
with TREP, new moves for Lara need to be scripted.
Remember that you have to use NG
Center to create the scripts!! Otherwise the new script
commands like the Animation= commands will not work
in game. In this tutorial I'm assuming you have knowledge
about how to change and build your script in NG Center.
You can basically make whatever moves you want for Lara with
this script command. It is quite complicated to get things
to work flawlessly, however, as with many things, practice
makes perfect. Trial and error is often needed to learn how
to use the many different conditions that can or need to be
set in the Animation= command to make a certain new
move work perfectly.
In this tutorial I’ll try to explain the basics of animation
scripting. I have also included some scripts to make some of
the TREP moves possible.
In General
To make new moves possible
for Lara, you need to use the Animation= command in your
script.
The general syntax is:
Animation= AnimIndex, KEY1_ , KEY2_ , FAN_ flags, ENV_
Environment,
Distance for Env, Extra, StateId or AnimationId array
This command should be placed in the [Level] section. This
means that you will have to put the command in every level
in your script if you want Lara to be able to perform this
move in every level.
As you can see the Animation= command contains several
fields divided by commas. The number of fields should stay
the same at all times. In several cases you can add more
commands/ conditions to one field. The conditions should
then be divided by a +. If a field is not applicable you
need to put IGNORE in it.
It is wise to view the help file on the Reference tab, show
SCRIPT NEW commands, in NG Center for detailed explanations
on what the fields mean and what conditions you can put in
there. It is best to copy all the text in the green
explanation box to a Word document and then print it for
better viewing. Read through it carefully, because it tells
you a lot about all the different conditions you can set.
Another useful part of the
Reference tab is the show _MNEMONIC CONSTANTS for new script
commands box. This is where all the conditions that can be
used with script commands are listed. When you select one of
the constants in the list, a short description of it will
appear in the green info box.
What do the Command/Condition Fields Mean?
I’ve made a short description
about the required fields you need to fill in the Animation=
command line to give you a bit of a starter. For more
detailed information you need to read the help file, as
described above.
AnimIndex
This is the field where you put the number of the animation
you want Lara to perform. You can find the correct animation
number using WADMerger Animation Editor.
KEY1_
This is where you put the key the player needs to press to
make Lara perform the animation. You can put more than one
key in this field. So if you want Lara to perform the
animation only when the player presses arrow up and jump you
need to put KEY1_UP + KEY1_JUMP in this field. In this
tutorial I’m only using the default keyboard buttons.
You can also assign other keys, but this requires some extra
scripting.
Possible keys for this field
are:
KEY1_ACTION
KEY1_DOWN
KEY1_DRAW_WEAPON
KEY1_LEFT
KEY1_LOOK
KEY1_RELEASED
KEY1_RIGHT
KEY1_ROLL
KEY1_UP
KEY1_WALK
Note1: The special value KEY1_RELEASED
may be added to the Key1 field to invert key conditions.
When KEY1_RELEASED is present, the condition is true only
when the specified keys are NOT down.
So you could use this to make Lara perform a certain
animation when she is hanging onto something and the player
lets go of Action.
KEY2_
Basically the same as the KEY1_ field but you can only put a
small number of keys in this field:
KEY2_DASH
KEY2_DUCK
KEY2_USE_FLARE
FAN_ flags
You can set one or more flags FAN_ to set the behaviour of
the animation command.
An example of a FAN_flag is FAN_SET_FREE_HANDS. This flag
performs a specific action to inform the game engine that
Lara’s hands are free and she will therefore be able to
hang, climb and pick up objects or weapons.
ENV_ Environment
In the Environment field you can set a single very specific
condition about the environment around Lara. You should use
this field only when your animation requires a correct
environment around Lara like: climbable walls, holes, walls
etc.
A few examples of ENV_ Environment conditions are:
ENV_HOLE_FLOOR_IN_FRONT
This ensures that Lara will only perform the animation when
there is a hole in the floor in front of her.
ENV_FRAME_NUMBER
This can be used to ensure that the custom move will only
start playing when Lara is at a specified frame number of a
certain animation. The frame number should be inserted in
the Distance for Env field. The animation number (or StateID
for that animation) should be inserted in the StateId or
AnimationId array field.
ENV_MONKEY_CEILING
This condition is true when Lara is below monkeybars. You
can then set the distance to the monkeybars in the Distance
for Env field. The value that needs to be typed in the
Distance for Env field is calculated with the following
formula: MinClick + MaxClick * 256.
For example if you want the condition to be true when the
monkeybars are enclosed in range 3 (min) clicks up to 4
(max) click, you'll have to type the value (3 + 4*256) =
1027 in the distance field. (This particular value is
actually needed to make Lara perform the ladder-to-monkey
move, as shown in the Examples section.)
Distance for Env
In this field you insert the values needed for some of the
ENV_Environment conditions. See also some of the examples in
the ENV_Environment.
Extra
This field may host different values in accordance with FAN
flags.
StateId or AnimationId Array
After the Extra field you can type one or more values to set
State-Ids or Animation indices to use as condition to start
your special animation.
For example the following table shows the most important
state-ids:
Climbing: $38 , $39, $3A, $3B, $3C, $3d
Falling: $09, $1d
Jumping: $19, $1A, $1b, $1C, $03
Moving on all fours: $50, $51, $47, $48
Rolling: 5
Running: 1
Walking: 0
Monkey: $4b, $4c, $4d, $4e, $4f, $52, $53
Still, stand up: 2
Note 2: The '$' sign means
"hexadecimal value". You can use the Windows calculator in
scientific mode to convert hex to decimal. You can also type
the numbers in decimal but then you have to type the
negative number, so animation 164 should be typed as -164.
The state-ids or animation numbers you type in this field
are used by the engine to determine when your animation is
allowed and when it's not.
Examples
I have recreated some of the
TREP moves using the script command Animation= to get those
moves to work with TRNG, since TRNG is not compatible with
TREP. Below are the moves I got to work properly. You may
freely use the commands.
I've also explained the conditions I used, so it might help
you to gain a better understanding of the use of the various
conditions.
Ladder to Monkey
This move allows Lara to grab
a monkeybar ceiling above her, when she is on a climbable
wall.
Download Animation - this animation was originally
created by Geckokid. The script I made works with this
animation.
Script command
Animation= 446, KEY1_ACTION + KEY1_UP, IGNORE, IGNORE,
ENV_MONKEY_CEILING, 1027, IGNORE, -164 ;ladder to
monkey*
446
This is the animation number of the ladder-to-monkey
animation.
KEY1_ACTION + KEY1_UP
To activate the animation you have to press Action and arrow
up.
IGNORE
No KEY2_ is assigned, so that’s why IGNORE is put in this
field.
IGNORE
No FAN_flags are needed so that’s why IGNORE is put in this
field.
ENV_MONKEY_CEILING
Since it is the ladder-to-monkey move, it should only be
performed when Lara is below a monkeybar ceiling.
1027
This is the Distance for Env fvalue to make sure that Lara
can only grab the monkeybars when she is right below them.
It is calculated with the formula: 256 * MaxClicks +
MinClicks = 256 * 4 + 3 = 1027)
IGNORE
No Extra value/condition is needed so that’s why IGNORE is
put in this field.
-164
This is the animation number of Lara climbing on a wall. It
is the animation when she is hanging still with her legs
pulled up.
Note that if you use an animation number instead of a
StateID, you have to use the negative number!!
Screenshot
180 Degree turn on Monkeybars
This move allows Lara to make
a 180 degree turn while hanging still from monkeybars.
Download Animation - this animation was originally
created by Geckokid. The script I made works with this
animation.
Script command
Animation= 257, KEY1_ROLL, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE,
IGNORE, -234 ;180 degree turn on monkeybars*
257
This is the number of 180-degree-on-monkeybars animation.
When you view this slot in WADMerger’s animation Editor
you’ll see that there is actually a very simple turning
around animation in there. That’s why this slot can be used
for this move without having to create extra animation
slots.
KEY1_ROLL
To make Lara perform the move, you need to press the ROLL
button.
IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE
No KEY2_ is assigned, no FAN_flags are needed, no
ENV_Environment conditions are needed, no Distance for Env
is needed and no Extra values are needed, so that’s why
IGNORE is put in all these fields.
-234
The number of the animation from which Lara should perform
the move.
It is the number of the hanging-still-on-monkeybars
animation.
NOTE:
The thing I noticed with this animation is that there’s a
delay. You need to press the ROLL button for about a second
before Lara performs the move.
Screenshot
Roll in Crawlspace
Lara can perform a quick roll
in a crawlspace, which makes her move forward much quicker
than regular crawling. The animations for it are already
present in the Lara object of one of the Revised wads, so
there’s no need to add it.
Script command
Animation= 218, IGNORE, $4000,
FAN_KEEP_NEXT_STATEID, ENV_MULT_CONDITION, 4, IGNORE, -222,
-353, -354 ;roll in crawlspace
MultEnvCondition= 4 ,ENV_NO_BLOCK_IN_FRONT, 256, IGNORE,
ENV_NON_TRUE + ENV_HOLE_FLOOR_IN_FRONT, 512, IGNORE
;roll in crawlspace*
As you can see you need two different script commands to
make this move work properly.
Animation=
218
Number of the roll-in-crawlspace animation.
IGNORE
No KEY1_ is assigned, so that’s why IGNORE is put in this
field.
$4000
The hexadecimal value of the Sprint key. You can also type
KEY2_DASH instead.
NOTE:
The hex value of a certain key or condition is listed in the
show _MNEMONIC CONSTANTS for new script commands list.
FAN_KEEP_NEXT_STATEID
This will make sure that Lara will go back to the stateID of
her kneeling animations.
ENV_MULT_CONDITION
Since more ENV_Environment conditions are needed, you have
to use this condition. It tells the engine to also use the
MultEnvCondition= command where all the ENV_Environment
conditions will be listed.
4
The number of the MultEnvCondition= command that should be
used by the engine.
IGNORE
No Extra value/condition is needed so that’s why IGNORE is
put in this field.
-222, -353, -354
These are the animation number of Lara’s kneeling
animations. These are the animations from which Lara can
perform the move.
MultEnvCondition=
4
The number of the command, as assigned in the Animation=
command. The engine will now know to use this
MultEnvCondition= in conjunction with the Animation=
command.
ENV_NO_BLOCK_IN_FRONT, 256, IGNORE
ENV_Environment, Distance for ENV and Extra field for the
conditions to prevent Lara from performing the roll when she
is face to face with a wall/block at a distance of less than
a block and a half.
ENV_NON_TRUE + ENV_HOLE_FLOOR_IN_FRONT, 512, IGNORE
ENV_Environment, Distance for ENV and Extra field for the
conditions to prevent Lara from performing the roll when she
is face to face with a hole in the floor which is equal to
or deeper than 2 clicks. So this move cannot be used to make
Lara roll out of a crawlspace unless the crawlspace is only
one click above the floor.
Screenshot
Ledge Climb Control
This particular TREP patch
allows you to add two more StateID’s to animation 96 to
enable Lara to perform two extra moves when she is hanging
from a ledge.
With TRNG and the Animation= scripting you can add as many
moves to animation 96 as you want. Needless to say that
these extra moves most likely don’t exist in the Lara
object, so you will need to create your own animations for
it.
As an example I’ve created two script commands and two
custom animations which allow Lara to make a jump upwards
to, for example, another ledge right above her and to make
her jump backwards to a ledge behind her.
Ledge-jump-up
Script command
Animation= 448, KEY1_JUMP, IGNORE , IGNORE,
ENV_FRAME_NUMBER, 21, IGNORE, -96 ;ledge jump up*
448
This is the animation number of my ledge-jump-up animation.
KEY1_JUMP
The move is activated by pressing the JUMP button when Lara
is hanging still from a ledge (animation 96)
IGNORE
No KEY2_ is assigned, so that’s why IGNORE is put in this
field.
IGNORE
No FAN_flags are needed so that’s why IGNORE is put in this
field.
ENV_FRAME_NUMBER
I used this condition to ensure that Lara will only perform
the move on the assigned frame of the assigned animation.
21
The frame number from which the move should be enabled. So
as long as Lara is NOT at frame 21 of animation 96, she will
not perform the move.
IGNORE
No Extra value/condition is needed so that’s why IGNORE is
put in this field.
-96
Negative value of the animation number from which the move
should be performed.
Screenshot
Ledge-jump-backwards
Script command
Animation= 450, KEY1_DOWN, IGNORE , FAN_SET_FREE_HANDS,
ENV_FRAME_NUMBER, 21, IGNORE, -96 ;ledge jump backwards*
450, KEY1_DOWN, IGNORE
These first three fields should speak for themselves now.
FAN_SET_FREE_HANDS
I used this FAN_flag so the engine will know that Lara’s
hands are free and she can therefore grab a ledge or
jumpswitch or whatever when she is in midair.
ENV_FRAME_NUMBER, 21, IGNORE, -96
Same as with the ledge-jump-up move.
* Scripting Tip
Since a lot of the features of TRNG need to
be scripted, you'll end up with a very long script block for
your level if you use a lot of those scriptable features.
My script isn't that long yet, but even now I'm starting to
find it difficult to remember what each line is about,
especially with all the animation= commands I'm using
at the moment, and the MultEnvCondition= I also need
to use for some of the animations.
So I added the name of the animation at the end of
the scriptline, using ; before the name, like this:
Animation= 218, IGNORE, $4000, FAN_KEEP_NEXT_STATEID,
ENV_MULT_CONDITION, 4, IGNORE, -222, -353, -354
;roll in crawlspace
MultEnvCondition= 4 ,ENV_NO_BLOCK_IN_FRONT, 256, IGNORE,
ENV_NON_TRUE + ENV_HOLE_FLOOR_IN_FRONT, 512, IGNORE
;roll in crawlspace
Animation= 448, KEY1_JUMP, IGNORE , IGNORE,
ENV_FRAME_NUMBER, 21, IGNORE, -96
;ledge jump up
The ; tells the script not to use anything that comes
after the ; until you use Enter to go to the next
line. The script still works like a charm but it becomes
much easier to read what the scriptlines are about exactly.
Back to Top
