Trying out Ezcript|

[jocke32]

Hey guys, i have been a dweller on here for a long time and played mods and such but never really gotten far with creating anything myself, so i decided to make a Ezcript story but i have run in to a few problems.
As for one i cant get the talking head thing to work, they text dont even show up at the bottom, its just a Cutscene for a few seconds then its is over.
I have done everything that the guide says but it still doesnt add they dialogs to the captions.txt list and therefore not to captions.dat. Is there anyway i can add it by hand?

The next thing i have problem with is adding more then one encounter. If i add more then one the thing then game exits after the first as it was just one encounter.
And can anyone explain how start encounter work because if i use it nothing shows up.
As last but not least i cant get herofiles to work, ezscript editator doesnt recognize it althought it is in the heroes panel.
Thanks in advance!

[BentonGrey]

Howdy Jocke, it's awesome that you're trying to get your feet wet with EZScript.  I'm sure I can help you out.  You'll need to do a few things.  Make sure that you have:

A) Unpacked your FF2 directory .dats OR are using an existing mod as a spring board.  FFX3 works well for that.  The fact that you don't have a captions.dat says to me that you're using a folder that doesn't have everything unpacked in it.  Try using a small mod as an example, one of my little projects like Ghostbusters might be useful in that way.  You'll have all of the necessary files in the necessary places. 

B) Created entries in the Resource tab of FFEdit for any characters who you want to use talking heads in your mod.  I don't know that herofiles CAN use talking heads, but I've never tried.

C) I'd recommend checking out my few walkthroughs on EZScript.  I try to cover some of the common errors and the types of things I struggled with (and still do sometimes!) in my descriptions.  Something like that could be causing your problems.
http://bentongrey.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/the-ease-of-ezscript/
http://bentongrey.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/the-anatomy-of-an-ezscript-adventure/
http://bentongrey.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/doing-more-with-ezscript/

Let me know if any of this helps.  I'd post more in depth, but it's late here.  Let me know if you have any other issues, or if these tips don't take care of your issues.  I'm always happy to help new modders!

[jocke32]

Hey benton and thanks for your reply!

A.As a starter i dont do a whole mod just jet, just a Story for rumbleroom, so i do it in my ffx3 folder,i followed the guide http://ffx.freedomforceforever.com/manual.htm and expanded it abit but i never understood how to make the talking head things work.
When i look at my Lang/english folder i got all the captions and speech and strings, but none off them updates when i do the instructions on the manual, so i think its the problem with getting the text to captions.txt.

B.I looked at Resources and have no idea what to do there can you elaborate or send me some good guide ?

C.I have Read your deadpool Guide a few times and looked at the others but i dont se what is wrong.

<sup>Story: World

Encounter: Opening
Type: Cutscene

Start Cutscene:
Cinematic camera on Hero
Hero says, "Is that Nazis i hear?."

What i ment with herofiles was that i cant even use them to be in the campain, like to say instead of a nazi_gunner i would like to have Ironman.

Here is my little script if you would like to take alook at what you think is wrong.
#--------------------------------------------
Encounter: War1
Type: Fight
Villains: nazi_general
Minions: nazi_gunner
Allies: cop,cop
Next: sc1

Alert Cutscene:
Red Arrow on Villain

Start Cutscene:
Camera on Villain
Villain says, "I am a big bad nazi hahaha"
Hero says, "Im taking you down, badboy!"
Villain says, "No we are taking you down, hero!"


End Cutscene:
Camera on Hero
Hero says, "You never stood a chance"

Encounter: Sc1
Type: Save Civilian
Villains: blitzkrieg
Minions: nazi_grenadier, nazi_rifleman
Allies: berlin_female
Next: If Ally Survives: End
Next: If Ally Lost: End

Alert Cutscene:
Yellow Arrow on Ally

Start Cutscene:
Camera on Hero
Hero says, "I will save you my dear!"

Enemies Down Cutscene:
Ally moves to Hero


Ally Thanks Hero Cutscene:
Camera on Ally
Ally says, "Thank you, you saved me!."
Camera on Hero
Hero says, "Dont worry miss,im only doing my job!."

Ally Lost Cutscene:
Camera on Hero
Hero says, "No! No, this cant be happening"


End Cutscene:
Cinematic Camera on Hero to Ally
Hero says, "In my city everyone is safe!."


#------------------</sup>
Ty for your responding!

[John Jr.]

Jocke,
I checked your script and I think I know why the second encounter doesn't play. You wrote "Next: sc1" in the first encounter, but you named the second encounter "Encounter: Sc1", with a capital "s", EZscript doesn't like capitals. Try to change the encounter's name to "sc1" and check it.
I hope it helps.

[jocke32]

Thank you John jr ! it worked when i changed it so now both encounters work and i got the captions to work heads and all
I reinstalled  because custom fx's didnt work to try to fix it but then when i tried to install modtools it said that i did not have  installed.
Do you have any idea how to fix this? I think it has to do with the regkeys.

On the positive side i got ezfx's fx to work now (not pfx thought :/)

[BentonGrey]

I'm glad JJ was able to pitch in and help Jocke!  We're still renovating the house, so I'm afraid I'm finding my days filled.  Anyway, Do you have a Steam or GOG version of the game?  That might cause issues.  You can't get PFX to work?  Now, to use it, you have to add it in to whatever mod you're using.

[jocke32]

I had a cd version but i bought the steam version, so that's what i am using now.
I have looked at making a mission but i dont understand how to put in custom heroes as buildinheroes and villians.
i have no idea what to write in mission.py and cant find anything in the manual at ffx about it, could you explain abit about it or link me a tut ?
Ty guys for all the help sofar !

[BentonGrey]

Sure Jocke, there is probably a tutorial around here someplace, but the simple thing to do is to just use M25's add to .dat tool.  You have to create any characters you want to be built-in with FFEdit.  That means you have to open FFEdit, point its data path towards whatever mod folder you're working in, then create an entry for you character in the Characters and Templates tabs.  If you want them to use a talking head, you should also make an entry in the Resources tab (animportrait).  Now, you can do all of this by hand, and once you get the hang of it, the process will be pretty easy.  However, M25's Rumble Room tool will create all of those entries for you based on a herofile that you've created.  That's how I've created most of the characters used in my mods. 

I'm not sure where M's tools are to be found these days, but I'm sure someone else can point you in the right direction.  Also, you can simply copy the necessary files from a different mod into yours if you can't find it elsewhere.

If you're using EZScript, you should generally NOT be playing around with python files.

[jocke32]

I have looked around abit for the M25 .dat tool but the only one i can find is for updating lang map, could you send it to me at dupido1@gmail.com ?
i have made some advancement with learning how to put out markers and stuff on a map and using them in a story but i cant still get my mission to run, i get an alert that says "alert: CApp::run(): could not locate mission,001_firstmission altough i can edit and add stuff to it in ffedit.

I entered Hercules in templates and made a character file with him, i can put him as an object in my map but he still doesnt show up as a builtinhero to use. Any idea what im doing wrong ?

[hoss20]

Hey, Jocke, you may want to check out this site, if you haven't found it already, that is: http://ezscript.wikispaces.com/

It was set up as a little home specifically for EZScript. On the left hand menu, you will see links for Mini-Mods, Maps, Plug-Ins, and Mod Tools. The Mod Tools section has four tools from M25 that should help you out quite a bit. There are also tutorials and a few more things on the site.

Also, as Benton mentioned, M25's Add to DAT Tool is actually in the FFX Rumble Room along with the M25AI function. Let us know if you're having trouble finding it or if I just sent you on a wild goose chase. 

[BentonGrey]

Alright Jocke, let's start at the beginning.  I think part of your trouble is that you, much like myself when I started modding, are sort of trying to do everything at once.  So, you've got FFEdit, you've got FFX, but do you have EZScript Edit?  You'll find it at the link Hoss posted (thank Hoss!), and it will make your life about a thousand times easier.  Also, make sure you have the FFX Edit2, not to be confused with FFEdit, installed.  You really need that in order to make mods work smoothly with FFX and EZScript.

1) First, decide what you want to call your mod.  Then, copy the newest version of FFX (3.3 I think), and rename it to whatever you want your mod to be called.  The title should be simple, because you'll have to use it a few different times, and you don't want to be having to type out a forever long name dozens of times.  Next, make sure FFEdit is pointing in the right direction.  Open it up, and direct the primary data path towards your newly created mod folder.  Make sure you leave the secondary data path alone. 

2) Now, decide which characters you want/need in your mission.  Create herofiles for them.  Give them simple, lower case names without any special characters and punctuation marks.  Test and balance in the Rumble Room until satisfied.

3) Quit, rename your FFX3 folder to something different, FFX3a is what I use.  Now, rename your mod folder to FFX3. (This step isn't absolutely necessary, but FFX Edit2 has something of a hard time with mods other than FFX sometimes.)

4) Run FFX Edit2.  Save.  This "Brands" all of the characters in that mod, giving each a unique "Complex" number, which helps FFX and EZScript tell them apart.  This is necessary to get stuff to run smoothly.  Once you're done, change both folder names back.

5) Next, launch your mod, open the Rumble Room, and run M25's utilities.  I'll pack them up and send them your way if you'll PM me your email addy.  It doesn't look like the site Hoss linked to has all of them.  Once you have them, simply go to the RR and in the menu where you select match type, select M25's Add to Dat utility.  Put your newly created herofiles into the roster, use the "-----------" blank entry if you need to, and then run it.  It should only take a moment.  Now, quit, open FFEdit, check on the characters and make sure everything was added nicely.

6) Now, open up your EZScript Editor.  Go to "Panels," "Config," and set the Dat directory to your mods folder.  You can set the other directories or not, it won't be super important for a simple project.  Now, I recommend working on top of an existing EZScript mission.  One of the example missions or one of mine would serve as a fine base.  Either way, compose your mission.  I STRONGLY recommend using #-------------------------------------- to differentiate your encounters, to make it easier for you to read and for folks who help you with troubleshooting.  Avoid capitalization in composing your missions, except when writing encounter names, those are okay to capitalize, just make sure you are being consistent.  One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give you is, keep it simple.  Keep your naming schemes simple, keep your layouts simple, keep your plans simple.  The more complex you get, the more chances you'll mess something up, and the less chance you'll be able to find it easily.

7) Next, click "Tools," "Analyze," and look at the report it gives you.  This should catch MANY of the careless errors and plain 'ol mistakes that tend to creep in to this type of work. 

8) After that (or really before if you want), you can create your map, adding in any encounter markers you need.  Make sure all encounter names match what your mission calls for EXACTLY.  You can point your EZScript Editor to this newly edited map to double check that.  It sounds like you've already got your feet wet with some of this, so that's good.  Unless you are designing the FIRST mission of a campaign, do NOT put any heroes on a map you create if you are using EZScript.  The first mission needs for the heroes to be placed already, otherwise check out my tutorials on what markers are necessary to get everything to play nicely.

9) Okay, so that brings us up to creating your language files.  Whatever you do, do NOT use M25's language utility.  It works, is fast and easy, but at the same time it has a tendency to put some really nasty errors into your dats that can cause crashes.  Instead, you should use a different M25 utility and FFEdit.  Open your mod folder and copy your mission's .txt file into the mod's Story directory.  If it doesn't have one, just create a folder named Stories in your mod's main directory.  Now, run your mod again.  Go to the RR again, for game type, select M25 Generate Language Files (or something like that).  Just use the ---------- character, that will work fine.  Run it, then quit.  You've just added all of your missions dialog to your mod's caption.txt.  However, the game itself can't read txt files, so we need to get this into your captions.dat.  Now, you said you were missing some of your language files.  I just downloaded FFX3, and it had everything it needed, so try redownloading if necessary, and make sure to get all of the updates and patches.  Also, before you start this, make sure you've got CLEAN language files.  If you've already been poking around in them, I strongly recommend you get your language files from a clean install or clean version of FFX3.

10) Okay, next step, open up FFEdit again.  Look on the main tab, and you'll see a box labeled "Speech, Text, and Languages" about halfway down.  There are two fields, point the top one to:
C:\Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich\YOURMOD'SNAME\Lang\English
Obviously, this will have to be adjusted if you have FF installed in a different directory.
Point the bottom one to:
C:\Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich\YOURMOD'SNAME\Lang

11) Now, click on "Generate Language Files."  Then go get yourself a cup of coffee, watch a TV show, or take a nap.  It's going to take a little while, usually at least a full few minutes for small changes (which yours likely will be).  When I'm adding several missions and dozens of characters for my larger mods, it can take as long as five, ten minutes, sometimes longer.

12) Next up, you'll have to do a little extra work because I had you point those two fields at different directories, but in the long run, you'll be glad you did.  Go to your mod's Lang directory, and you should see a whole set of language files sitting there.  Take them all, and drop them into your English folder.  Copy over everything that's there.  You see, this way you get clean, error free .dats.  It's a cleaner, smoother way to manage language files, I've found.

So, that brings us with everything ready for your actual mission to work.  However, there are two ways to run your actual mission, either through the RR or as part of a new campaign.  Before I tell you something you don't want to know, which do you want to do?

[jocke32]

I would like the campaign as a new campaign, i even planed to add a custom background but thats abit down the line  .
I actually got ezscripteditor and have played around abit in it so i think im getting to get a hang off that part, planning on following your instructions now and see how it goes with the builtinheroes thing, so i be back

[BentonGrey]

Alright Jocke, if that's the case, then you've got a few more steps to go, but they're relatively easy. 

13) Make sure your map is named something that you can recognize, and make sure your mission's story label is the same.  Like I said before, simple name schemes are good 01_mymod or what-have-you, is a good model.  I.E. 01 Park (for your map), and 01mymod for the "Story" entry in your mission's text file.  Then, name your mission mission.txt and drop it into your map folder.  Now you'll need the proper python files in that folder as well.  I'm not sure where they can be found originally, but I'd say just get them out of another EZScript mod, like one of mine or one of JJ's.  You need both mission.py and base.py. 

14) Open FFEdit once again and click on the campaign tab.  Now,  you should see the default campaign.  You want to leave that alone for the most part.  You'll just want to add your mission and move it to the front.  So, click on "Add," navigate to the proper folder and select your mission.  Move it up the list to the top.  On the right you'll see several settings.  Set the required heroes at 1-4, however many you want to bring along, and, if this were a later mission, you could also select required heroes and disallowed heroes.  For your first mission, all heroes should be added to the map itself, so you can ignore those two boxes.  Click save.

Now, run your mod, click on "New Campaign," and your mission should play!

[jocke32]

Sounds great benton!, i got a problem before that though, cM25 add to dat gave me an error about something but i could use it anyway, i will see in a couple of minutes if it works

[BentonGrey]

Hmm, did you A) use clean .dats? and B) Run FFXEdit2 first?

[jocke32]

no i didnt do part A, what dat is it that i need to get a clean version of?
The error says, "MESSAGE_SKIRMISH_ERROR_EXEC_SCRPIT_BODY
NO MODULE NAMED GDBM"
i find it strange that the title  is skirmish_gametype_cM25 add to dat. While the titles for all the other cM25 is ffx_cm25 or something, is this the same for you ?

[BentonGrey]

Hmm...I'm not sure what that error message means.  I don't believe I've encountered it before.  Yes, that is how it appears for me as well. 

What I meant by clean .dats was for you to start with a new version of FFX3 when you created your mod folder.  That way you'd avoid any odd remnants or the like.  It's probably not the cause of this, though.  My guess would be that I missed giving you something, though I'm not sure what it would be.  Did you get my second email with the scripts?

[jocke32]

Yes, i got both emails and added all scripts and skirmishers, some of your scripts were bigger then the ones that i had although they had the same names so i replaced them, can it have something to do with this ? My guess would be that something is either pointing to the wrong file the "scrpit" part looks like script but misspelled or that somefile is missing or broken, what do you think?

[GogglesPizanno]

It sounds like you are missing M25's gdbm library.
The skirmish file is looking for the additional file libraries that are used in the processing of the characters. These libraries should exist in your mod folder along with all the other FFX files.

In the zip download for his hero2dat tool (from the EZScript Wiki site linked above) there is a directory in there "Missions/Scripts/" and within is the library files that appear to be missing. Make sure that you include those 3 files in the scripts section of your mod folder.

ie. "<Game install location>/<Mod Folder>/Missions/Scripts/"

If you mistakenly put them in one of the other locations outside of your mod folder (such as the root folders or FFX folder), the skirmish tool wont find them.

[jocke32]

I found that i had lots of m25 scripts in my main ffx folder, i removed them and then it worked perfectly, thanks for the help guys!
The problem i have now is that all my downloaded maps show up fine in ffedit but are black or pink in the game, any idea ?

[BentonGrey]

Great, glad to hear it.  I knew someone who had a better technical knowledge than me would be able to figure that out.  Thanks Goggles! 

Jocke, that sounds like your maps are looking for art assets in the wrong places or looking for some that aren't in your mod folder.  Are you using FF1 or FF2 maps?

[jocke32]

FF2 from http://frp.unlimited2.net/maps/ , All maps work execpt forrest but i can live with that,
Btw my builtinheroes doesnt show up in ffedit, am i suppose to enter them by hand ?

[BentonGrey]

Hmm, I wonder why forest wouldn't work for you....anyway, how did you get the others to work?

No, the RR utility should be adding them in.  Did you download the utility and put the script files in the right spot as Goggles suggested?

[jocke32]

i added them in the orginal  folder and not in the mod, i just have maps that i will use in the mod there,
i dont know if there is something wrong with my ffedit cause when i added thunderstrike and valkyre's fx then they didn't show up in the game either, maybe there is something missing between the game and ffedit, do you think i should reinstall modtools maybe ? On the good side now pfx started working

[BentonGrey]

Anything you want to work in your mod has to be added in your mod.  Your mod folder basically has copies of EVERYTHING that is different from the main game.  Remember how I said you had to run that utility from your mod's shortcut?  If you don't, the information simply gets added to where you ran it from, meaning your mod won't have access to it, since your mod's files won't be changed.  You'll see in your mod folder copies of character.dat, template.dat, etc.  Those are the files that FFEdit alters.  You have to alter those specific files, and anything you run in your mod, utilities, maps, what have you, they have to have all requisite files INSIDE your mod folder.

Did you add the art files for the FX to your mod folder?

[jocke32]

i have cleaned up a bit in my modfolder and now they show up in ffedit
I copied mission 00_secret from JJ's Cap mod to use as first mission and changed everything so it was my characters instead of cap an bucky, but the thing dont work when i start a campain it is just 1 second then it goes on to the in between missions screen, then when i start my mission you dont se any heroes or can move around the only thing you see is  a red arrow.

[BentonGrey]

Okay, good, that's a start.

As to this first mission, did you add your heroes onto the map (because it's the first mission), along with the requisite EZScript markers?

[jocke32]

In the mission 00 i added heroes to the map and made it a cutscene, it works now it is the mission 001 that wont show anything and you cant move anything, i am finished with mission one and mission 2 so if i just can get the campaign thing to work then i am ready for someone to test it 
Btw does anybody know any indoor map who looks kinda of like Valhall? It just have to be a wooden room with old stuff really

Here is the part in mission 2 that troubles me, it plays the end cutscene two times then nothing happens.

Spoiler

Encounter: last
Type: Custom
Next: lok
Actions: villains fight heroes, ice storm, villain stops at one third health
Villains: ymir
Marker: encounter2

Alert Cutscene:
Red Arrow on ymir

Start Cutscene:
Cinematic Camera on thor to ymir
thor says, "Mighty Ymir"
ymir says, "Oh its you thunderer"

Villains stop: the villains have reached the specified health level and are giving up

End Cutscene:
Camera on ymir
ymir says, "Arght, i have had enough, i will summon all my  children and then i will make Asgard to ashes!"
Cinematic Camera on balder to thor
balder says, "They will sing about this encounter in  valhall for many years to come brother"
thor says, "Yes maybe so but i still wonder how Ymir found  out about that we slayed ice giants!"

Villains hurt: the villains have been hurt and are giving up

i also sent you a mail benton

[John Jr.]

Jocke,
Did you checked the script with the EZ editor? I don't have it installed right now, but if memory serves me right,  EZScript may not be able to "understand" the "Villains stop: the villains have reached the specified health level and are giving up" and "Villains stop: the villains have reached the specified health level and are giving up
" lines, so it will just stop.

[jocke32]

Yep it is red , but also is primary object command, i thought that they just werent in the ezscript edihttp://freedomreborn.net/forums/Themes/5th_RC2/images/bbc/spoiler.giftors database, i have tested it without the lines and it was still the same problem so i figured that they maybe should be in it. they stand in the description at the villians stop at 1/3 health, but i dont understand if i am suppose to have them in the script or where it is suppose to be, i have problem trying to understand the End thing that they describe . Here is the description

Spoiler

Villains will end the encounter when all are at one quarter health or lower.

Cut Scene:

Villains stop: the villains have reached the specified health level and are giving up

Ending:

Villains hurt: the villains have been hurt and are giving up