Blogs - Yastiandrie

Haven't done a blog in a while so I figure i'd get everyone up to date:

So my artifact container idea became an official MDT project. Which means that I have some of the other team members creating some visual and audio assets for it which is great :D. This will be in patch 2.1

A script to help reduce the chance of corrupted pstors will also be included in the patch, and the trader release script. Woot for stability!

Also the script that will be controlling inventory radiation from artifacts is working perfectly. I had a hiccup where it was factoring the radiation twice when an artifact was attached to the belt but i have a workaround to that ;)

Thats pretty much it so far, but some very exciting things coming in 2.1

Yasti

Some of you that have been following my comments may of seen that I'm working on proper artifact containers where artifacts actually go inside Here's a bit of a write-up I did in the Testing Lab forums for those who may be interested. Remember this is only a side-project and, unless stated otherwise, is not an "official" MDT project

Someone wrote: Well what I got at the moment is I've changed the IAM's class so it is usable. It can also still be attached to the belt. Because it's not an artifact class now though even if you attach it to the belt it wont change any of the actors properties (This is one of GSC's shortcomings with xray IMO. They didn't make an item class where the object is usable and not food/antirad, or an item class where an item could be usable but still retain its property changes if it gets attached to the belt.)

I also took some of the functions from amk's inventory.script and converted them for use in CoP. These functions can determine whether an item is on the belt of not

You can only change certain actor properties/effects via script as well (radiation level, bleeding level, stamina level, health level). I did create a loop that can emulate the current radiation restore that the iam has per second, but I can't emulate the electrical resistance. I'm thinking about dropping this idea entirely and just going with the empty container not being able to be put on the belt and can only counteract the radiation of a artifact that is put inside it, and not just a straight out positive benefit. If the artifact emits less radiation then the container "radiation level", its just makes it neutral, if it is higher then there still is radiation leakage

What I have it got at the moment is that when the iam is used and a medusa "jellyfish" is in the backpack, both items get destroyed and a crystal is created. This is mainly just for proof of concept. The idea is that when the container is used with an artifact, the conatiner and arty are released and a new item of the "artefact" class is created in the inventory. (E.g "IAM with Jellyfish inside"). This item will gain the benefits/drawbacks of both items combined. In the case of radiation it with either be completely counteracted or there will be a "bleed-out" if the original arty has more radiation then the container counteracts. This item could then be put on the belt.

It will probably then be a matter of whether or not deciding whether the container and artefact are then "fused" together and cant be removed from each other (decent misery money sink, and the easiest to implement), or doing some more nifty script work and breaking it up back to a original arty and container if it is taken off the belt or put into a box or something, or even having to take it to beard or some other trader (scientists perhaps) and paying a fee to have the artifact safely removed from the container. Even making so you have to take it to the scientists to get the arty put in the container properly in the first place could even be an option (But would require a different approach to the scripting).

Next step would be creating some sort of UI for when a container is used/activated. Originally I thought I could possibly steal the repair UI for it and modify it so its a artifact to container system, so a container is similar in operation to a repair kit. Another option is doing a modified version of whats been done in STALKERSOUP (Mentioned by K.E.V.L.A.R) where, if i remember right, when you use the container a window comes up and you can drag and drop an artifact into it. (Their artifact container only works in the inventory, only effects radiation (via scripts) and cant be attached to the belt so is just a storage container. Artifacts emit radiation while in backpacks in SS).

There was also some discussion about whether or not I should make artifacts emit radiation even while they're in the backpack, and having an artifact storage box similiar to StalkerSoup as well. I was leaning towards not implementing something like this but is a possibility.
Also a project like this will take a while as I have toned down a little so I can use my free time to actually play some games myself as well :P. It would also require a rebalance of all the artifacts and containers from pricing to properties which takes time as well.

Yasti

Guess who might have a something nearing completion ;)

I've already finished a lite version but I haven't given that to the lab rats to test yet. Lite version should in theory prevent corrupt pstor being stored. However if you already have corruption it's stuck there

The main version (involves a fair bit of rewriting of xr_logic) is getting there with 1 final crash to locate and overcome. This one prevents it from being stored and clears out the garbage on load

Those that are getting the xr_combat_ignore:142 error rejoice! Hopefully this will be a thing of the past soon

Regards
Yasti

I just put up a test version of the quick release system for the MDT lab testers to try and break.

There's a few little tweaks I need to do to it but it is practically ready for the up and coming patch 2.0.3. (For the record i have no idea when it is actually coming out, so don't ask :P)
For those of you that saw my post on the summary page, there is a link to the little teaser of the quick release system in action.

For those that didn't the link is here: Moddb.com

or for those extremely lazy:

Misery Working Quick Release System Teaser - Mod DB

Save Fix 6(The final version), Fixed Quick Release System, + Trader Release should all be included in the next patch. Time for me to take a few days off and actually play some games and have fun, instead of diagnosing and fixing problems heh

Yasti

So Corruption fix 5 finally ironed out the Duplicate Stashes once and for all, and my latest 5.1 (also known as version 5 workaround) seems to fix a small issue with a 'nil' value load crash that can occur.
Fix 5 has had a few downloads from players experiencing the duplicate stashes with 5.1 probably bing released with patch 2.0.3

Yasti

So the Corruption Fix, while solving this issue it was supposed to, caused other unforeseen issues. After going back to formula and burning some midnight oil, I think I've come up with the final solution that has passed all the tests without crashes.

New game Dynamic Spawns Working: Check
No Dynamic Objects Duplicating: Check
Teleporter in Zaton Working: Check
Dynamic/Custom Stashes Working: Check
Save Corruption Test: Check (With the saves I had available)
Transition Between Jupiter Underground ---> Pripyat: Check (No story_objects crash)
Kindergarten Fridge Test: Check (Not Crashing)

It's now been passed over to the Testing Lab people to see if they can break it.

Starting to taste victory and oh goodness it's sweet

Yasti

*EDIT* Save Corruption Fix 4 can be found Here

Soon hopefully most problems will be ironed out and I can Actually play the game :P I haven't gotten an actor out of zaton yet

Phew so now that Save Game Corruption has hopefully been put to bed and wounded NPC's are working as they should time to finish the next project.

Trader Optimization
Yasti's Gameplay Tweak Compendium Thread already has some modified ltx files which help towards cleaning up the traders and hopefully preventing crashes but I have been working on something that takes this one step further.

First up I made a script that would clear < 100% condition weapons out of trader inventories on a timer. I had some people from the MDT Testing Lab using this and everything seemed to be going A-OK. I then put up another version that modified that released armour as well today. As I was thinking about what/how to incorporate more objects to get rid of I had a bit of an Epiphany. Wouldn't it be easier, and reduce crashes to just release everything that is sold to the traders/stalkers?

After a bit of playing around my Final Version will release/remove any items a player sells to a trader/stalker immediately after it is traded. It is currently being tested by the MDT testing lab group to see if it can be broken but it definitely is a leap forward in optimizing the game :D

Yasti