School assignment - AOK - Age of Kings Heaven Forums

Popeychops
"Cool" Huskarl

posted 07-02-09 11:19 AM CT (US) 1 / 25

Simple triggers are very, very easy to learn. Please read the scenario design FAQ for a more detailed explanation than I could give in this thread.

Member of BlackForest Studios
Co-creator of Silent Evil (4.6) Voted Best Multiplayer Scenario of 2009 (Most Fave'd Multiplayer Scenario)
and The Seas of Egressa (4.8) Voted Best Multiplayer Scenario of 2010
"Popey just hates everywhere." - Chocolate Jesus, on my fear of Romanian organ-traffickers
"Hooray for Dear Leader-Comrade-Generalissimo-Presidente-Lord Protector Popey!" - Lord Sipia, on my benevolent, iron-fisted rule
"You're not Popeychops; you don't get to physics." - Moff, in response to a clumsy muon simile

Powery
Squire

posted 07-02-09 11:26 AM CT (US) 2 / 25

Here trigger help.

Hell Sinky
Squire
(id: Commander Scipio)

posted 07-02-09 11:48 AM CT (US) 3 / 25

I'm sure TLM would be more than willing to help, after all, Olaf the Tardy was, in my opinion, a great show of triggers and such.

Last year for history I used AoE III to make my Revolutionary War project; however I used screenshots intstead. I got a 96/100

.

"Scipio is more charismatic than you are." -Rocking Doom
"Scipio ... narcissistic ... overly arrogant cuckold ... noble souls and gentlemen, ... spare a second ... basic and ennui existence ... feeble pleasure ... his life more bearable ... monotony of stoic reality." *-Scud
"SCIPIO YOU SUN BITCH" -TOAO_Roland

Mr Wednesday
Cavalier
(id: matty12345)

posted 07-02-09 01:37 PM CT (US) 4 / 25

Couple thoughts:

You'll have to have some way of showing it I take it? You can't count on your teacher installing AoK

Maybe Fraps to record it and then you can burn it to CD as a wmv file.

It's interesting, but I dunno how much time you have, will you be able to pull it off. If you do go ahead with it, just ask your questions in this thread and I'm sure everyone will help you out.

"And Matt is a prolific lurker, watching over the forum from afar in silence, like Batman. He's the president TC needs, and possibly also the one it deserves." - trebuchet king

Hell Sinky
Squire
(id: Commander Scipio)

posted 07-02-09 02:30 PM CT (US) 5 / 25

Matty, if he has a laptop, he could just use that right? Or what is school policy on that Nezon?

"Scipio is more charismatic than you are." -Rocking Doom
"Scipio ... narcissistic ... overly arrogant cuckold ... noble souls and gentlemen, ... spare a second ... basic and ennui existence ... feeble pleasure ... his life more bearable ... monotony of stoic reality." *-Scud
"SCIPIO YOU SUN BITCH" -TOAO_Roland

Dead_End
Cavalier

posted 07-02-09 11:13 PM CT (US) 6 / 25

Great idea. I'm using Medieval 2: Total War for my school assignment about the crusades. (Formations and tactics)

Good luck!

Black Forest Studios

[This message has been edited by Dead_End (edited 07-02-2009 @ 11:15 PM).]

TheLaughingMule
Lady Mule

posted 07-03-09 00:08 AM CT (US) 7 / 25

This sounds like a fun project! I would be happy to help.

I would suggest that you write out your story as if you were making a movie - write what type of "scenes" you would like to present - like a story board. Get your map roughed out next so you have your "scenes" set up. Then the triggers and the sounds.

Matty - I would like to know more about how to make a video from a cut scene - many of my "senior" friends would like to see Olaf, but they don't have the game.

Hell Sinky
Squire
(id: Commander Scipio)

posted 07-03-09 00:13 AM CT (US) 8 / 25

Mule, download a recording system to your computer (i.e. hypercam or FRAPS), I use FRAPS so I cannot personally vouch for hypercam; FRAPS's free version will only work for 30 seconds so you'll have to spilce the shots together; or you can buy it...

Mule, the now-expert on cutscenes (Olaf was great!)

"Scipio is more charismatic than you are." -Rocking Doom
"Scipio ... narcissistic ... overly arrogant cuckold ... noble souls and gentlemen, ... spare a second ... basic and ennui existence ... feeble pleasure ... his life more bearable ... monotony of stoic reality." *-Scud
"SCIPIO YOU SUN BITCH" -TOAO_Roland

Mr Wednesday
Cavalier
(id: matty12345)

posted 07-03-09 00:43 AM CT (US) 9 / 25

Fraps will work. The one thing you just might find is it slows down AoK, so when you record, your music + soundfiles seem a bit off. I've done fine with it at times and other times it has slowed considerably, so I'm not sure what you will find.

I do actually have the full version btw.

"And Matt is a prolific lurker, watching over the forum from afar in silence, like Batman. He's the president TC needs, and possibly also the one it deserves." - trebuchet king

Nezon
Squire

posted 07-03-09 00:47 AM CT (US) 10 / 25

Thank you for your replies.

I was intending to record the gameplay using fraps and possibly add cinematics in between the gameplay to show the steps of the quest. I am in the middle of planning the 'storyboard'. My idea is to present a totally new story that incorperates the other two texts together. In this new text I will emphasise these quest steps.

However, everything must be trigger controlled, I am not planning to 'play' game, but rather 'watch' it.

A quest usually involves:

- A hero
- A villian
- A wise man that aids the hero
- A beautiful woman, which can either be for or against the hero. (eg, sirens in the oddesey)

My Projects:
|Bushido - Way of the Warrior|Assassins of Greece|

Ikeda coming soon !

TheLaughingMule
Lady Mule

posted 07-03-09 03:06 AM CT (US) 11 / 25

Sounds like you are on the right track. If you know exactly what each character in the story does, then the triggers will follow suit.

A trigger has 3 states, its either on or off, its either an objective or not, and its either looping or not. Each trigger has to have its condition met before it fires off the effect. Its basically a bunch of "if this, then that" and follows a logical order. Its also a good idea to name your triggers something to do with the action, makes trouble shooting a lot easier.

Conditions can be simple things like a timer (so many seconds has elapsed, or an object is in an area, etc.) Effects can be things like task a unit to go to a certain point, dialogue, change view, etc.

I'm no expert (thanks Scipio) and I learned a lot from reading what others had written, asked a lot of questions, looked at other scenarios to see what their triggers were like, and a lot of trial and error (and lots more help from the folks here.)

If you would like to see what is possible in a cutscene, here is a link to the contest page at the blacksmith:
http://aok.heavengames.com/blacksmith/lister.php?category=contest Look for the ones that begin with "ACSC09".

Nezon
Squire

posted 07-04-09 09:22 AM CT (US) 12 / 25

I think I've seen them

Before I settle in with design, I'll need to plan everything out. The basic layout, how the story is going to run. I've been searching for 'quest' like music lately.

I will update soon

Thanks for the replies.

//UPDATE: I have just created an irrigation/rice fields design. This is where the hero will start off. I will post screenshots later. The farm lands shows that the hero is from an ordinary background, in an ordinary/comfortable place.

I will make him travel to the town, and there I will put medieval, town(ish) music in.

Question: How do I make farms have unlimited food and how do I make the farmers plough the farm?

I've already set the farmer to task onto the farm and looped it. However, as soon as he has collected the food, he does not bring it to the nearby mill. How do I do it so that the farmer collects the food and brings in to the mill and continues to farm again?

My Projects:
|Bushido - Way of the Warrior|Assassins of Greece|

Ikeda coming soon !

[This message has been edited by Nezon (edited 07-06-2009 @ 00:05 AM).]

Donnieboy
Squire

posted 07-07-09 03:29 PM CT (US) 13 / 25

dont loop the task trigger it would interfere with the normal farm-mill cycle because its constantly being tasked to the farm

"i keep my female villagers either garrisoned in the town center or pickin' berries where they belong"

Popeychops
"Cool" Huskarl

posted 07-07-09 04:16 PM CT (US) 14 / 25

Perhaps you could task him, then activate a second trigger which tasks him to farm again, which activates the orignal task to mill on a timer?
example:
trigger0
condition: timer= xx
effect: task object to object
effect: activate trigger1

trigger1
effect: task object: farm
effect: activate trigger0

etc.
trigger1 must be inactive.

Member of BlackForest Studios
Co-creator of Silent Evil (4.6) Voted Best Multiplayer Scenario of 2009 (Most Fave'd Multiplayer Scenario)
and The Seas of Egressa (4.8) Voted Best Multiplayer Scenario of 2010
"Popey just hates everywhere." - Chocolate Jesus, on my fear of Romanian organ-traffickers
"Hooray for Dear Leader-Comrade-Generalissimo-Presidente-Lord Protector Popey!" - Lord Sipia, on my benevolent, iron-fisted rule
"You're not Popeychops; you don't get to physics." - Moff, in response to a clumsy muon simile

Abstract01
Squire

posted 07-08-09 04:46 AM CT (US) 15 / 25

For unlimited food farms take a look at this utility: http://aok.heavengames.com/blacksmith/showfile.php?fileid=5862

Nezon
Squire

posted 07-11-09 08:55 AM CT (US) 16 / 25

Thanks for the replies, I've been working on the introduction of the story. I have another question. How do I make units march in unison? And not all over the place?

EDIT: I still dont get how to make constant farming.

My Projects:
|Bushido - Way of the Warrior|Assassins of Greece|

Ikeda coming soon !

[This message has been edited by Nezon (edited 07-11-2009 @ 09:20 AM).]

TheLaughingMule
Lady Mule

posted 07-11-09 07:15 PM CT (US) 17 / 25

I just tested the following trigger using an Immobile AI.

Trigger: Farming
Objective (no) Starting (on) Looping (off)

Condition: Timer = 10 (I used the timer for giggles - you can have any condition you want to meet.)

Effect: Task object (player 2 villager) to Location (farm)
(I made two of these effects)

The map had 3 farms and a mill. At 10 seconds into the game both villagers walked to their farms, began working and did their normal thing back and forth between farm and mill. The closer farm ran out of food at 11+ minutes into the game and that villager just walked over to the unused farm and started farming it.

Remember when you "set location" you must also click on "go to location" (same with set area) to "confirm the trigger" - I had trouble getting my triggers to work until I started following that advice.

On the same map I also tasked a villager to a tree - and it chopped wood at that tree until it was gone, then moved to a tree closer to the lumber camp and continued to chop wood.

I've done the same trigger for shore fishing and for fishing boats.

I don't know how to make units march properly tho.

RON PAUL 2016
Squire
(id: Turty)

posted 07-11-09 07:23 PM CT (US) 18 / 25

I have another question. How do I make units march in unison? And not all over the place?

What you can do is use the Patrol effect and that'll make the units march as if you selected them and right-clicked.

The problem with this is that once they reach the destination you mark, they'll start walking back. So, in order to manipulate the game, you could use the Stop effect right before the tile you marked before.

EDIT:

On the same map I also tasked a villager to a tree - and it chopped wood at that tree until it was gone, then moved to a tree closer to the lumber camp and continued to chop wood.

Using shore fish/trees, you can task them to the tree you want to chop down. If you add another looping trigger that is set to create a tree in the location in which the villager is chopping, once that tree is gone, another one will pop up there and the villager will likely start chopping that one down too ad infinitum. The same concept can be applied with shore fish, but I've never tried it with farms.

[This message has been edited by Turtov (edited 07-11-2009 @ 07:29 PM).]

Nezon
Squire

posted 07-13-09 02:06 AM CT (US) 19 / 25

Thanks for your replies

Is it possible to have two sound files running at the same time? Because when I try, the game crashes.

My Projects:
|Bushido - Way of the Warrior|Assassins of Greece|

Ikeda coming soon !

TheLaughingMule
Lady Mule

posted 07-13-09 02:28 AM CT (US) 20 / 25

Sometimes sound files will crash the game if they are "corrupted". I think the fix for a sound file is to open it up in the sound program like Gold Wave and save it again as an .mp3 - make sure you don't play it in Media Player!

I was able to play more than one sound file at a time in Olaf. The music was a Play Sound Trigger and the Player Chat to play the voice file. I even had 3 sounds going sometimes, a music file, a looping sound effect and a voice file.

I can send you Olaf's .scx file if you would like to look at my triggers (I'm not an expert, and nothing fancy to show off.) My email is in my profile - just let me know as I don't check that mail very often.

[This message has been edited by TheLaughingMule (edited 07-13-2009 @ 02:29 AM).]

Nezon
Squire

posted 07-13-09 10:45 AM CT (US) 21 / 25

Thanks ! I fixed it

I still can't make the units move in unison, oh when I mean unison, I meant marching like an organised army.

x y
x y
x y

When I tasked y to an area, they move in a straight line. However x, start to spread out. Is there a way to fix this?

My Projects:
|Bushido - Way of the Warrior|Assassins of Greece|

Ikeda coming soon !

Julius999
Imposter

posted 07-13-09 10:57 AM CT (US) 22 / 25

Yes, use the 'Patrol' effect. However, there are a couple of disadvantages:

1. To get them to stop you need to change ownership for a few seconds.
2. It cannot be used for units created in-game.

There is a more complicated method using AI if 2. is a problem.

1010011010
[ All_That_Glitters | Pretty_Town_Contest | Other_AoK_Designs | AoE_Designs ]
Member of Stormwind Studios

Nezon
Squire

posted 07-19-09 00:07 AM CT (US) 23 / 25

I don't understand how you patrol units that are not there.. :S

My Projects:
|Bushido - Way of the Warrior|Assassins of Greece|

Ikeda coming soon !

Dtrungle
Squire

posted 07-19-09 12:16 PM CT (US) 24 / 25

If there really is no other option left except wanting to patrol units that are created in game, there is a way, but it will require the use of aokts and it will have some avoidable issues.

Here's what you need to know:

Each time the editor or aokts creates any object, it will give it an ID value of X+1. X being the original value of the object created before this new object. X starts off as 0. If it's a projectile, it is counted backwards from 0. Deleting an object will not get the previous ID value back.

In order to set an ID value for the Patrol effect, you need to have the ID value active, the object needs to exist. (You could use another 'hack' program but I don't know.)

In order to produce this effect:

Open 2 aokts, create the effect in one aokts like normal.Then copy/paste it over to the other aokts, the one that doesn't have the ID value yet.

The issues with this effect:

After doing this effect, if you look inside the Trigger tab in the editor, this will get reset to nothing. These triggers/effects will turn red.

If a unit is created during the game before the units you want to be Patrolling, this will mess up this effect since the unit created before would have the ID value that you set in the triggers/effects.

As you can tell, you should do this effect last because creating any object will produce another ID value. You want the ID value you set to be the ID values of the created units in-game for the purpose of making them Patrol.

This is pretty confusing stuff here, I hope you understand.

YoshiX100000
Squire

posted 07-20-09 05:14 PM CT (US) 25 / 25

OR, just place the unit on the map, create the patrol effect, and use the TS Invisibility Cloak by using TS to garrison the unit inside itself. To 'create' the unit, use a trigger to ungarrison it (create all triggers involving this unit BEFORE cloaking it!).

YoshiX100000~AoKH's Official Playtester of All Short, Funny Viking Cutscenes by Varied Equine Species, PhD-Emeritus-Magna-cum-Laude-Esq.
Now in Fuschia!!

"I wish I knew what Yoshi's doing on the roof, especially in winter." ~Sissi
"Yoshi lived up to his name and split into 100000." ~Rocking Doom