A simple yet highly configurable method to produce a temporary trail of placeable "footprints" behind a PC or creature.
The system allows almost every aspect of a footprint to be configured using a variety of custom properties. In addition some special custom properties can be used to apply effects to the footprint's creator.
Please note this system requires NWN v1.67 or above.
Getting Started
Simply download the ZIP file, extract the ERF and import it into your module. Use the #include directive to incorporate the Footprint Library (sj_footprint_i) into any script you wish to use the system in and you're good to go.
All public functions are fully prototyped so once you have saved a script which includes them they will appear in the F2 Auto-complete menu, the Function palette and (when you click on one) in the Help tab. However it is also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the notes in header section of sj_footprint_i as all the properties and public functions are explained there.
Further Information
However if you have any questions, suggestions or constructive comments in the meantime please let me know either here, on the BioBoards or via my website.
Posted by The Amethyst Dragon at 2010-08-19 00:27:00 Voted 10.00 on 08/19/10
Easy to use and effective. Nice work. _________________________ World of Aenea (Hall of Fame PW and the origin of all my works)
Vault Entries: The Complete List (50+ entries, including 17 Hall of Fame awards)
Self-Promotional Honesty: If you have opinions on stuff I've made, or if you use any of it (as a player or builder), I like comments/votes/feedback...so do other content makers and builders. Keep us motivated. :)
I'm glad you like my script and thanks for the suggestion.
However while your suggestion certainly resolves the problem you were having with the minimum amount of code it means you can never use footprints in natural, outdoor areas. Fortunately there are already a couple of more flexible ways to handle this built into the system. For example you could surround the rocky area or ramp with a suppression trigger or you could suppress the footprints (or turn them off entirely) via the area's OnEnter script and restart them again via the area's OnExit script.
If you have any more suggestions or any questions about how to overcome an issue please let me know. _________________________ Sunjammer
Code Monkey
Very good script. One advisement is that tracks should not be made on rocky ground (towns,mountains,etc). This can be done by makeing an if statement at the start and making the condition it being a natural, outdoor area. I'm modifying it to do this, and I just want to leave the advisement.
I'd kind of be more interested in a method such that you could produce the footprint effect on just one client's machine via NWNx... like say, if you wanted to implement a Track feat, so that when the Ranger uses the skill, everyone in the area leaves footprints on his client for him to see for some duration.
I was looking though my NWN modules and it occurred to me that I had never posted the Footprints demo module that I had promised many moons ago. I had it in the back of my mind that this was because it was unfinished however once I blew the dust of it there didn't seem to be anything missing ... so here it is! _________________________ Sunjammer
Code Monkey
Posted by E_H_Bonner at 2007-08-18 00:38:22 Voted 10.00 on 08/18/07
"Black Wax, says change your mind and say they do and he will give you a hearing, while MEAT HOUSE SLIM, laying in the bin killing all good men." - L. A. Vaugh
Posted by Crowdosi at 2006-05-05 23:05:24 Voted 10.00 on 05/05/06
I haven't tried it yet, but it is perfect for The Blue Alley in Waterdeep!
Posted by Sir_Elric at 2006-03-28 20:53:00 Voted 10.00 on 03/28/06
A great system for builders that like to have something out of the ordinary in their module to make it stand out from the rest. _________________________ City of Melnibone
ausnwn.dyndns.org:5121
Posted by Sir_Elric at 2006-03-28 20:48:20 Voted 10.00 on 03/28/06
I have been testing this system for SJ and have already added it to my PW.
The footprints do fade out and can be used in a number of different ways other than just making PC leave footprints everywhere they go, which imo is not a good idea.
For instance I use them on a trigger which surrounds a mud patch. The player enters the mud and leaves tracks for about 1 or 2 game meters as they leave the mud patch, as you would expect.
I also have them on a few Hell Hounds that have a very high hide skill so all the player see, if they take the time to look, is flaming footprints coming toward them until the hound attacks. Each footprint fades out after a set delay so have little impact.
The full impact of 40 players running around an area all leaving footprints remains to be seen but imo could not be good for lag, is a highly unlikely scenario and simply bad use of a very good system. _________________________ City of Melnibone
ausnwn.dyndns.org:5121
Posted by Just_Bri ( 70.156.xxx.xxx ) at 2006-03-28 19:21:35
Perhaps if you disabled it in your higher trafic areas? Chances are if your trafic is sufficiently high you would not be able to discern any usefull information from footprints anyway.
You could also disable it for areas that have hard floors such as cobbles, wood, or stone. This would cut down the "overhead" signifigantly I think, no?
@Tzal: There hasn't been any stress testing carried out on a PW if that's what you're asking. It was tested and is being used on at least one PW I know of, however, it is in the manor GZ suggests. That said I was conscious of trying to minimise the system's impact while it is active so, hopefully I have avoided any glaring performance issues in the *DoFooprint function. In the end my advice would be to "suck it and see" since you can always remove it pretty easily if it doesn't work out the way you want it too. And if you do go down that road I would love to hear how you get on with it.
@gaoneng and BioGeorg: thanks for the comments.
@And: If you are invisible your footprints would still be visible.
Thanks for the interest. _________________________ Sunjammer
Code Monkey
Posted by And... ( 212.166.xxx.xxx ) at 2006-03-27 19:39:30
If you are invisible?
Posted by BioGeorg ( 209.5.xxx.xxx ) at 2006-03-27 15:57:58
This is a neat idea. To answer Tzal's question - if you're running a PW, this becomes a great unknown. It has the potential of adding a huge number of placeables to an area, so using it on players is not advised.
I would use it for specific quests (tracking related perhaps) or a limited number of wandering monsters
Has this been tested on a PW? If so, has there been any noticable increase of lag when say 10-15 people are leaving footprints in the same area? _________________________ -Tzal The Moonshae Isles
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