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Title

Database Driven Encounter System

Author

Xanas

Submitted / Updated

04-10-2004 / 11-22-2006

Category

Scripting routines

Expansions

NWN-1.62

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Database Driven Encounter System - Xanas

First, let me state up front that this script, contrary to what it's called does not require a database to work.  If you have a database there are more possibilities for how you can use this system, but it doesn't require one.

In fact, if you set up the system using module locals, the system will conveniently copy these variables to your mysql database.  

Installation:

To use the basics of the system, all you need to do is follow the directions below to use it, after importing it and applying the xa_are_onenter script to the areas you want to spawn creatures with the system.

Beyond that, if you want the special command handler script xa_mchandler_inc and xa_on_eventch to do anything (like cause creatures to randomwalk, and other special things)
You will need to include the example heartbeat script by adding an ExecuteScript("xa_on_heartbeat", OBJECT_SELF); line to your nw_c2_default1 script

Also, you will need to add
ExecuteScript("xa_on_death", OBJECT_SELF); line to your nw_c2_default7 script in order for this script to track the number of creatures who have died so that it knows it can spawn yet again.

If you want to use the command handler with PCs or dms, you must either A) setup talus listener as I have a built in proprietary include file that will use that (xa_talus_inc, simply call that function from onmodule load and it'll start a loop cycle to listen to spoken speech), or B) you must create a listener npc who is invisible to follow around and take commands from DMs.  Honestly with talus being around now, there is no reason for that, unless you just want to use this script without mysql support, or you are running on linux where I don't think there is yet a Talus version that works on that OS.

I realize that this isn't a drag and drop system like the others I've released, but I've made it as simple as it really can be to allow this much capability within the script, and of course I don't want to force you to use any particulars as far as command listeners, so I'll leave that up to individuals.  If you need help though on using this, feel free to ask and I'll do what I can.


Features:
1)Dynamic Spawn creation through use of the database.  You can change it any time you like and on the next module load that area will have updated creatures.  If you want the changes to happen immediately, all you need to do is use the built in listener with a DM PC and it will allow you to reset the spawn caching in that area calling for the DB to reload them on the next entrance of a PC.

2)Simple setup through module localvariables, or through a utility like mysql front 	

3)Can be altered during the course of the game to represent battles, etc. that occurred.  You can do this directly through mysql front or you can actually specify everything through the listener parsing script provided.

4)Many npc events are supported.  You can have the npcs equip sets of items different than their default, and they will do this when they are spawned (old items 	are destroyed if they are of the same type.  Also, you can make them randomwalk, 	or sit in a chair on spawn, have effects glow when they are killed, have an effect that shines on them every heartbeat, etc. etc.

5)Random spawning based on the roll of a d100.  You can set which creature you want to spawn based on the value rolled.  Each waypoint will roll seperately, so you can set one master waypoint in the area and the other waypoints in the area will use it's information, but roll for monsters seperately.  If you don't want random 	spawns, simply don't use more than one roll value.

6)Efficiency  This system provides more control over spawns than any I know of, and since it uses onenter instead of onheartbeat is pretty efficient.  The entire spawnsystem itself is only 400 lines or so, and the command handling requires little additional cpu for basic actions.  I do recommend being careful on creating complex routines though, which are possible, but not discussed in this document.  Feel free to check out the code, there are tons of possible commands and combinations.  But 
because of the way the system works, if you don't use them they take up no additional cpu or module resources, and they are all managed from a single central script, so they require only a few extra kbytes of extra space in the module.


Examples of usage: A Step By Step Routine for Setting up Basic Spawns.

Lets say you want to set up a basic waypoint to spawn some goblins

Create a waypoint
Make sure the tag is SpawnPoint (it is case sensitive)
Name the waypoint however you want, just keep in mind the names may later
not reference what is being spawned there, but as long as it's a unique name it's good

Ex: Name = Goblins Tag = SpawnPoint

Ok, if you want more than one waypoint to spawn the same amount of goblins, with the same parameters set these up similarly, the only difference is this time use "AlternatePoint" - all this does is set up a point which uses the values of the SpawnPoint

Ex: Name = Goblins Tag = AlternatePoint

Now, you need to set some values to the original "SpawnPoint" to get this doing something

You can use resref1, roll1, amount1, distance, faction, instructions1, roll1 etc.
Now note the # 1 next to resref, etc. This is something added to the end based on the roll# they use (notice roll has a 1 also)

Setting up a very simple position would only require resref1, amount1, distance

Lets try a basic one

Ex: Name = Goblins Tag = SpawnPoint
Variables ( right click waypoint, go to properties, advanced tab, hit variables button)

name = roll1 type = int value =1
name = resref1 type = string value = nw_goblina
name = faction type = int value = 1 (sets faction which will later be used by the RIFT system - so don't worry about this now)

name = instructions1 type = string value = ::wander (makes the npc wander around, not yet supported but will be soon, of course more instructions to come)

name = distance type = int value = 30 (sets a radius of 30 feet in which to spawn. So a goblin will appear anywhere in that zone)

name = amount1 type = string value = 1-5 (makes the point spawn between 1 and 5 goblins


Any questions?

A more complex example. Say you want to spawn a goblin or an orc

name = roll1 type = int value = 50 (always use the highest values first, otherwise it does not work)
name = roll2 type = int value = 1
name = resref1 type = string value = nw_goblina
name = resref2 type = string value = nw_orca
name = distance type = int value = 30
name = amount1 type = string value = 1-5
name = amount2 type = string value = 1-3

So this spawn point here will spawn in a radius of 30 feet either 1-5 goblins or 1-3 orcs.

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Format

Code Only

Type

Type - Other

Includes

BioWare Standard

Description

This system is simple and dynamic, but more complex than my other scripts because spawning itself requires a bit of that. You will need a listener of some kind (talus or your own) to use some of it's features, but the installation routine should explain that well enough. Good luck, tell me what you think, and if you require help feel free to ask. Includes mysql tables for ease of import assuming you are using mysql front. Does not require a database at all if you want to use only the basic spawning features. Simple part, adding xa_are_onenter to your area onenter, and adding xa_mod_onload to your modules onload.

Files

Name	Type	Size	Downloads
dbdes3.rardbdes3.rar Submitted: 04-10-2004 / Last Updated: 04-15-2004	rar	79.99Kb	639
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Comments (40):

1 2 Next>

Posted by ratgutz at 2007-12-31 22:39:48 Voted 10.00 on 12/31/07

THis Spawn system is one of the best I have seen. I am actually porting this to NWN2.

if anyone finds that there are resource problem and/or lag, you might want to look at your critter onspawns.

We used this spawn system extensively for 4 years on aussienwn darkages.

_________________________
Link

Posted by Uze at 2007-09-19 02:47:41 Voted 1.00 on 09/19/07

I tested this for a couple weeks and it's a pig on resources. also it causes alot of my other scripts that worked fine before bug out with errors.

Posted by Uze at 2007-08-22 09:57:23 Voted 1.00 on 09/19/07

Also does this value work on delay variable: delay, int, 6-10
for a sorta random timer?

Posted by Uze at 2007-08-22 09:57:22 Voted 1.00 on 09/19/07

Also does this value work on delay variable: delay, int, 6-10
for a sorta random timer?

Posted by Uze at 2007-08-22 07:42:03 Voted 1.00 on 09/19/07

is there a way to respawn the killed spawns without leaving the area and reentering? eg. creatures that you harvest for low rate quest drops that have 6 min spawn rate so that by the time the last spawn is killed others are in the area respawned and waiting to die? I don't want to use NWNSS to do that cause it causes alot of commands overflow errors on me. maybe even add a variable to tell it to recycle spawns on the SpawnPoints (eg. loopspawns int 1) causing it to run in heartbeat mode for the SpawnPoint or if that's not possible maybe cause it to run in heartbeat mode for whole area? Or is there a way to copy the OnEnter script for the area events to the area OnHeartbeat event? Although it would still have to make sure to not respawn each creature until it's killed.. hehe or i'd get like a Gauntlet arcade game effect.

Posted by Uze at 2007-08-22 04:36:13 Voted 1.00 on 09/19/07

I like how it runs on my mod thanks. I voted 7 because there's no docs so I dunno how to use the event scripts you provided (all the effects on spawn you mention somewhere above here).

Posted by ratgutz at 2005-10-12 02:41:52 Voted 10.00 on 12/31/07

Hi

I have tested this system with placeables and it work out of the box.

All you have to do is prepend the resref with p& as was indicated ealier.
_________________________
Link

Posted by Daschel at 2004-10-02 09:39:37 Voted 10.00 on 10/02/04

Posted by Daschel at 2004-09-23 21:58:00 Voted 10.00 on 10/02/04

I'm checking this out now. It looks like exactly what I've been looking for. I have a question.. You said for the spawning of placeables, you *should* just have to prefix the resref with p&. I'd like to know if anyone has done this, and if so, are there any other things I should know to change. I'd like to use this to also respawn treasure chests and other placeables in an area.
Thanks for this, keep up the good work.

Posted by Daschel at 2004-09-23 21:58:00 Voted 10.00 on 10/02/04

Posted by ratgutz ( 203.202.xxx.xxx ) at 2004-09-02 20:44:00

This spawn system is very easy to set up and use.

Excellent work

Posted by ArmageddonVI at 2004-07-26 20:26:00 Voted 10.00 on 07/26/04

I am using this in my PW..fine bit of scriptingwww.kotp.net/forum

Posted by ArmageddonVI at 2004-07-26 20:22:47 Voted 10.00 on 07/26/04

This is a very easy system to use. It has allowed me to do everything i have wanted to do in my PW.
Any questions I had about the system Xanas was quick to respond with help.
Highly recommend this fine bit of scripting

Posted by Anonymous ( 192.235.xxx.xxx ) at 2004-04-30 11:53:00

Could you give a direct link to the forum page for your script? ... Please.

Posted by StingRay2k01 at 2004-04-25 17:45:41 Voted 8.00 on 04/25/04

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-20 03:25:00 Voted 10.00

Oh, also something else worth noting. Every other spawnsystem out there still has questions even with documentation.. so no documentation will ever solve all the questions people can have or problems they can come up with. One thing I'm trying to do is use the questioning process to form documentation that's relavent. But I need questions to make answers. The best place for that is biowares forum and not here, where it's difficult to read everything and most aren't going to look.

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-20 03:22:00 Voted 10.00

Keep in mind I'm doing this on my own and ultimately for my own purposes. I don't want to sound arrogant about this, but really I can't improve on what's here unless people tell me specifically what's missing that they need to know. All the other spawn systems started based on basic features and expanded as features were asked for. In this case many of those features are already there, just undocumented. So if you ask, I may tell you that it's something I need to add, or I may try to help by explaining how to use what's already there. I'll add that to documentation as long as I think it's something most people are going to be interested in.

Note, most of what you need to know can be picked up from looking at the demo module and reading the file here. If you think the documentation here is insufficient tell me what you need to know and I'll add it. But unless I know specifics I can't really do anything. To me it's already simple to understand based on what's here. I have others working on the pw project I'm working on and they have had no problems using this either.

Posted by Ebonith at 2004-04-19 05:28:00

Actually, I think that documentation would HELP the popularity of this scripting scheme. People like me are trying to decide which spawning method they want to use in their PW and part of that decision is based on documentation. So, I am digging, trying to find more information...

:)

Posted by Razheem ( 80.116.xxx.xxx ) at 2004-04-16 16:52:00

Ok, found it. I'll post there. thank you

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-16 15:20:00 Voted 10.00

Heh, yeah you are right, there is quite a bit of undocumented features.. hordes really. The biggest reason I haven't documented them is that there hasn't been a lot of popularity of this script yet. So rather than adding features as we go most of the time I'm just informing people of what's already there :)

But anyway, feel free to bump the thread for me at Biowares NWN scripting forum and I'll try to include more info. I've been trying not to do that too much myself because I thought it would look like spam. But if you are interested in getting more information there is a thread there currently on the 2nd or 3rd page of that forum.

Ask specific questions and I can give pretty quick answers and If that thread moves along I'll try to provide some more thorough documentation. I think the outline up here is good enough to get most people started with the basics though but if you disagree then just tell me what else you think needs including up there and I'll patch that readme file.

Posted by Razheem ( 80.116.xxx.xxx ) at 2004-04-16 14:52:00

Wow i'll try. Do you have a "guide" with all the features adn commands? I believe there are many other functions you have not documented, or not?

Razheem

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-16 14:42:00 Voted 10.00

Yes, just use a p& before the resref for placeables and I think i& works the same with items.

So for example

p&miningstone - would spawn a mining stone placeable with resref miningstone.

Posted by Anonymous ( 80.116.xxx.xxx ) at 2004-04-16 12:39:00

here I am!! ^_^ Xanas, can I spawn placeables too, with your system? That would be great!

Razheem

Posted by Anonymous ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2004-04-16 00:08:00

Well xanas, what could i say?? Oh! yesssS! AMAZING!!!! ^______________^ Any other surprise for us in the future?

Razheem

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-15 21:21:00 Voted 10.00

Updated and now supports groups as I was talking about in the post below. Simply use a semicolon to delimit..

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-14 23:08:00 Voted 10.00

Planning on updating this soon with group support. Just doing some bug testing on it at the moment but seems to work well. Basically it will work based on a semicolon delimited list of the things you want. Resrefs would be something like this

resref1 string nw_goblina;nw_goblinb;nw_gobwiza;nw_gobwizb

That resref right there would spawn a group including a goblin of type a, b, and goblin wizards of type a and b
You also need at the very least amounts corresponding to those...
amount1 string 1-5;1-5;1-5;1-5
Would spawn between 1 and 5 of each of those goblin types.
I recently used this in a demo area and created 128 goblins. The time to spawn the entire thing was only 276 msec (slightly over 1/4 sec) so it's pretty quick.

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-14 22:50:00 Voted 10.00

Does it allow for randomized spawns? - I'm assuming here, and please do clarify, but when I said randomized in this sentence, I was specifically referring to being able to spawn goblins or kobolds, or skeletons, or whatever else. As far as I know you randomize the amounts of spawns and the distance they are from the waypoint, but not the types of creatures spawned. If I'm incorrect in that assumption I apologize, but as far as I know that's true. Of course that wasn't the only thing I mentioned as an advantage, and all the others I mentioned are true of mine.

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-14 22:44:00 Voted 10.00

Since I have been accused of "used car salesmanship" I feel it necessary to quote the times I've mentioned NESS, so it can be made clear that I have not lied in anyway about that script. You can check my comment in this thread also and judge the response given as to it's accuracy. Considering that "random" was not defined I'm not sure what kind of random NESS supports. If Kheldon wants to respond to what it supports I'll be fine with that, but, what I'm not fine with is being told that I'm lying.

That is completely wrong and IMO deserves recall, especially when I'm told that in my own script section after NESS is defended here when I've made no statements about it one way or another. I can't even see the need for a defense, but anyway.

"NESS uses heartbeats constantly, but for just sixty seconds, with heartbeats being used ... " this sounds harsh, but I clarified it with the specs I used to configure it " also told it to process only 1 out of 5 heartbeats SP05 so I wasn't putting it hard on the system as I could have."

NESS is nice in that way, you can configure how many heartbeats it actually processes. I purposefully used a setting that would make my script fairly put up against the opposition. And I do admit that's true. I have been looking at this in an adversarial manner, but only insofar as I think those using NWNX/APS will want something that's capable of using their MySQL database for a good deal more functionality. If they don't and they want to use NESS, that's great.

"I'm not aware of all of them, but I think NESS supports spawning gold on the npcs, and I don't do that, but I do let the builder decide if he wants to use the default palette entries and equip them with a different set of inventory than what is on the default." - this is the only other reference I have made to the NESS that I know of, if I can be shown another I would like to be told so I can clarify my position.

BTW, I do admit to being defensive, but only because my honesty and integrity were questioned, and that is not something I take at all lightly.

Posted by Xanas at 2004-04-14 22:35:00 Voted 10.00

When did I say NESS would not do what you said?

Also, I don't respect someone advertising in my own script's section. You say you don't want to debate and yet you get up at me for saying something that I didn't say. I did say that your system didn't allow randomization, but the truth of the matter is that in the manner I was speaking of it does not. Can a dm edit spawns in your system from within the game? Can he give a list of specific npcs during the game and allow different ones to spawn based on a d100?

One of the other advantages I have advertised is that I use basic variables for setup instead of requiring people to look up a bunch of spawn flags. Obviously this wasn't always possible in the past, and I don't fault you for not doing that.

I have compared performance and looking at your system, which I was quite fair to I still think mine is in fact faster. I limited the NESS system to only checking every 5 heartbeats (maybe that's too much but it sounded fair to me).

Are there some things your system does better? Sure, and I didn't say otherwise. Yet you accuse me of "used car salesman BS" Why are you so defensive? You say it doesn't matter and yet you come to my script to debate the issue?

That's fine really, I don't mind as long as people know what the real advantages are and disadvantages. If you think I'm lying to people go ahead and tell them the truth. But I haven't misrepresented anything as far as I know, or at least not in the way that I meant it. If you can prove otherwise please quote my statement so I can clarify or apologize. Otherwise, I expect that from you for wanting to debate here, but also for accusing me of something I haven't done.

Posted by Khelden at 2004-04-14 20:23:00

Just to follow up on a couple other things - NESS allows a wide variety of randomization options, and it has a trivial heartbeat when there are no PCs in the area (or it can use a pseudo-heartbeat and avoid area heartbeat events completely).

If everyone switches to your system, I can retire - no skin off my back. In the meantime though, you do the community a disservice if you promote your system by misrepresenting what others can and can't do.

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