Beginner Scripting is GS2
 

Okay I have loads of questions but I'll try reading all of the Graal Bible thoroughly before I unload them all on you guys/gals.

First off, I am busy converting many of the predefined objects I use. I 'converted' Stefan's light NPC, basically searching for the functions in Graal Bible and pasting them in, but I'm not sure if I have it correct, nor do I think it is as efficient as it could be.
I'll be back with more questions!

EDIT: I meant "in GS2" and not "is GS2". Someone might read that and get insulted :3
EDIT: Is there a server open to a Classic subscriber where I could test my scripts for trial and error, rather than me asking each question?
EDIT: What is the difference between onCreated and onPlayerEnters? Does the NPC server process an NPC that uses onCreated immediately, without the player being in the level? If I used onCreated clientside would it be treated differently, more like onPlayerEnters?

Every NPC is created exactly once, but players enter and leave levels all the time.

First, I suggest posting code on the forums inbetween [php][/php] tags. At least we have some syntax highlighting then.
Second, you got a small but important error in your code. You have to place quotation marks around strings, like light2.png in your case. This should work:

Indeed there is, it's called Testbed Server. If you want RC, ou'll have to contact Tig, either by email, forum pm, AIM or in-game.

For elaboration, onCreated is created once per session. So it'll be called every time the NPC is created... when the player first logs on(for weapons), when the level/NPC is updated, when the player enters the level for the first time and the NPC is created.

I'll be sure to contact him.

Hmm, I'm still confused. Why couldn't I put all of my script into a onCreated function? Would it make a difference?

Depends. Imagine you got an npc which position shall be reset whenever the player enters the level again/reconnects. You would use the onPlayerEnters() event then.

Okay I think I get you. For example, lets say I wanted to create a timeout loop, it would be more efficient to start the timeout in onCreated rather than onPlayerEnters because I don't need to have the timeout sent everytime the player enters?

That's actually a quite interesting question. I rarely use any timeouts in level npcs, so I don't even know what would happen if you would put it inside onCreated(). It might aswell just be called once and stop when the player leaves the level. I'm completely unsure about this one though. If we assume smashing it into onCreated() works equally as well as putting it into onPlayerEnters(), I don't think there are any efficiency differences.

I'll let you guys figure that one out, in the meantime I have more questions.

How about this script? If placed in a level it would put the imagepart at the selected location, correct? Would there be any unexpected behavior (this is why I need a place to test :()

Correct. To be a bit more specific, it would move the npc this is in to the specified position, then set the image. Unexpected behavior? Depends on what you want this to be. Just a simple lamp? Nothing unexpected. Though this will block by default. But you should already know this ;D

It is on a wall, I hope players don't get up there :P

You've said that you don't use timeouts in level NPCs, is that because of security, efficiency/performance, or just personal preference?

if you put a timeout in if(created):
Serverside: it's a lot like playerenters, because created's called once Ever for the Entire Server - which is often also when a player enters - but it could hypothetically start a script for an empty room. I guess it's useful if that's what you're going for - this event's going to happen whether anyone's here to see it or not - but generally it's good practice to, if a timeout happens when playerscount<1, do nothing until playerenters.
Clientside: dangerous, as it starts the loop only once per session; if you leave the room, the timeout stalls, and when you return it doesn't re-start.

It tends to die when the player leaves the level. In a recent script, I just called onTimeOut() when the player enters, restarting the timeout but not resetting any of the variables.

Normally it's not really needed. Most of the time you need the timeout no matter where the player is, so you put it in a weapon.

Thanks for the clarification. So if I made the script serverside I could achieve my goal in initializing the loop, but since it would put pointless strain on the NPC Server, it would make more sense making it clientside and with playerenters?

I'm going back to my older levels and converting to GS2, and I'm wondering if I change certain tiles and use updateboard to make the changes visible, would the changes be made locally or for everyone in the level, or does it depend on the context I use those commands?

Serverside, there is a server option (savelevels=true) which when you use updateboard/updateboard2, the changes are actually saved.

Okay in my example I have a path that is normally blocked unless Player A shoots an NPC with an arrow. It would be nice for Player A and B to see the changes if they're in the level when the NPC is shot, but if Player C enters he would not see this newly made path. Is such a result possible?

It would probably be better to use images for what you want, or even invisible NPCs, that, when shot, stop blocking for x time.

Should be able to get the basic gist out of the above code.

Yes; to accomplish what you want, you'd just have to set it up so that when the target's hit, for all players in the room, tell their clientsides that the path is clear.

Unfortunately I suck at triggeractions, so I'll leave it to someone else to show you what that script would look like. :-P

Yes, I agree with you, I probably should use an image, BUT I dislike using images (almost as much as I hate using custom tiles) because I can achieve the same effect without creating a new image.

I have another question, relating to my refusal to using images. Is it possible to draw tiles over a player and make it not block? I read somewhere about Graal using multiple layers for tiles.

Umm, yeah? Showimg doesn't block, but I don't know if that's what you're looking for...it's certainly Possible to showimg pics1.png; changeimgpart to a 16x16 tile...
If you want to give yourself a LITTLE less of a heart attack, you could make a Gani of the set of tiles you want...

the last thing I read about Graal using multiple layers for tiles, it turned out they meant the Z axis, and the rest of us were still boned...there's never a quick and easy way to tile a bridge Over a path...you can attachplayer to an NPC of a bridge, but...

The code I posted does not require an image :pluffy:

It is possible, however; it would probably be easier to use an image. Menion Leah used pics1.png as the image and identified the tiles he wanted for the part using script instead of creating a new image for the tiles he needed.

How does VECX and VECY work? The Wiki isn't informative at all.

vecx(dir) and vecy(dir) are the same as doing cos(pi * (dir + 1) % 4 / 2) and sin(pi * (dir + 1) % 4 / 2)

To put it simply, this is how I always remembered it: it will return the direction that something should be moving in relation to the direction that you input.

For example, vecx(3) will return 1, while vecx(1) will return -1:

If your direction is 1 you are facing left, obviously the object should travel -1 (x). If you are facing right, 3, the object could travel 1 (x).

Same relation is for vecy(dir).

Thanks Tig (damn percent signs gave me 404 error, so I can't quote you).