The NGLE Manual
Timed
Events using the Organizer= Script Command
By Cook
When you want to setup a
timed sequence of events in your level you can use an
Organizer= command in your script.
I have placed a WATERSKIN1_1 object in my level.
This object is not an object
that can be picked up by Lara so I am going to fake it as
follows.
When Lara steps on the sector she will perform her pickup
animation, the WATERSKIN1_1 will disappear and be added to
her inventory.
I need to use an Organizer= command since I want to delay
the disappearance of the WATERSKIN1_1 object so it
disappears at the right time of Lara's animation. Many of
NGLE's new triggers use the Timer field of the Set Trigger
Type window for other things so it cannot be used. There is
a new TIMER_FIELD type trigger in NGLE for these cases but I
will use an Organizer here.
The Organizer= command only activates TriggerGroups in the
script so I will need to export my triggers as script
triggers. Exporting script triggers is explained in this
tutorial.
Here are the NGLE triggers I exported as script triggers.
And here are TriggerGroups I
defined in the script in NGCenter.
Note: Your script trigger for making
the WATERSKIN1_1 object invisible may be different. This
object was index number 4 in my level in NGLE. This
corresponds to the 4 in the script trigger.
Add the Organizer= command to
the [Level] section of the script and after the "=" sign
type a number and then a comma ",". You must use a unique
number for each Organizer= command in the same [Level]
section.
Next you must type a flag
value for the Organizer. Flag values for a command change
the way it behaves and you will notice that flag values for
a command start with "F". For an Organizer the choices are
FO_ENABLED, FO_LOOP and FO_TICK_TIME. If you do not want to
change the behaviour of the Organizer you must type IGNORE.
If you want to use more than one flag you type the first
one, then a plus "+" and then the next one and so on for the
other flags you want. For example FO_LOOP+FO_TICK_TIME. This
joins the flags into one value.
FO_ENABLED will enable (activate) the Organizer when
the level starts.
FO_LOOP will make the Organizer repeat itself over
and over once it is enabled.
FO_TICK_TIME is the flag you use if you want more
precision in the timing of events. Tick time equals one
thirtieth of a second (1/30 seconds) corresponding to one
frame of the game.
The only flag I will use in this case is FO_TICK TIME since
after studying the pickup animation I want the WATERSKIN1_1
object to disappear after 19 frames. So next I type
FO_TICK_TIME and then a comma "," to separate it from the
next value. You can use decimal times (0.5) if using seconds
as the time unit but only whole numbers if using
FO_TICK_TIME.
Next type IGNORE and a comma
",". There are no other choices for this value yet.
Now the process is: type a
time increment, a comma ",", the TriggerGroup number you
want to activate at this time, a comma "," , the next time
increment, a comma ",", the TriggerGroup number you want to
activate at this time and so on until your sequence is
complete.
I want to force Lara's pickup animation at the same time the
Organizer is enabled so I type zero "0" for the time
increment and "1" for the TriggerGroup number.
19 * 1/30 seconds after
TriggerGroup 1 is activated I want the WATERSKIN1_1 object
to disappear and be added to the inventory so I type "19"
for the time increment and "2" for the TriggerGroup number.
The sequence is complete.
Build the script. Here is the Organizer split over more than
one line and commented.
Now I need to enable
(activate) the Organizer.
In NGLE I place a FLIPEFFECT trigger under the WATERSKIN1_1
object to enable Organizer 1. It is a PAD type trigger with
One Shot enabled.
Here is an Organizer from
Paolone's Miscellaneous sample project script.
Note:
The Enemy:kill object options in the ACTION triggers did not
work with the WATERSKIN1_1 object.
The Inventory_item FLIPEFFECT trigger Inc (+1) did not work
for the WATERSKIN1_1 object and if the draw object option
was used Lara's root mesh was drawn.
For a custom or cutscene animation you could export the NGLE
triggers as an AnimCommand and place them on the correct
frame in the animation using Wadmerger.
On
completion you will notice that the WATERSKIN1_1 pickup
needs improvement. Lara performs the animation as soon as
she steps on the trigger sector. This means the pickup
animation is performed at the edge of the sector and not at
the centre where the WATERSKIN1_1 object is located. This
can be fixed by following the
Fragmented Triggers
Example tutorial also by Cook.
