Using Variables in Quest Objects

[trevius]

For some reason, I can't seem to get this working. It seems like variables don't work in quest objects. I have tried many different combinations to get this working, but none seem to do what I want. Basically, I want the NPC to gate to one of the 8 possible locations when they are attacked.

This first code doesn't work at all, even though it seems to me like it should:

sub EVENT_ATTACK {

my $warp1 = "212.9, 2628.3, 67.2";
my $warp2 = "220.8, 2708.3, 67.1";
my $warp3 = "258.9, 2712.3, 67.1";
my $warp4 = "243.3, 2658.4, 67.1";
my $warp5 = "223.8, 2658.4, 67.1";
my $warp6 = "271.9, 2604.8, 67.1";
my $warp7 = "318.4, 2678.8, 67.1";
my $warp8 = "370.4, 2677.7, 76.1";

my $gate = quest::ChooseRandom($warp1,$warp2,$warp3,$warp4,$w arp5,$warp6,$warp7,$warp8);

$npc->SendTo($gate);

}


This second version doesn't work right either, but at least it does something. Basically, it always teleports the NPC to the $warp8 location. I am guessing it is just executing all of the 8 locations and ends up on the last one. I don't know why it is executing these even though I am only trying to define them as a variable at that point. It definitely doesn't seem to want to use the random command properly to work for quest objects. I guess they don't mix well?
sub EVENT_ATTACK {

my $warp1 = $npc->SendTo(212.9, 2628.3, 67.2);
my $warp2 = $npc->SendTo(220.8, 2708.3, 67.1);
my $warp3 = $npc->SendTo(258.9, 2712.3, 67.1);
my $warp4 = $npc->SendTo(243.3, 2658.4, 67.1);
my $warp5 = $npc->SendTo(223.8, 2658.4, 67.1);
my $warp6 = $npc->SendTo(271.9, 2604.8, 67.1);
my $warp7 = $npc->SendTo(318.4, 2678.8, 67.1);
my $warp8 = $npc->SendTo(370.4, 2677.7, 76.1);

quest::ChooseRandom($warp1,$warp2,$warp3,$warp4,$w arp5,$warp6,$warp7,$warp8);

}

I know the random part it working for locations, cause I have pulled out what it is selecting by adding this into the script:

quest::say("Trying to move to loc, $gate");

This isn't the full encounter I am planning to make, but until I can get this part working, I can't complete the rest of it.

[AndMetal]

As I understand it, this has to do with the data types that are being passed. $warp1 through $warp8 is a string, where SendTo is looking for 3 separate numbers. Essentially, you would need to use arrays or hashes. You could use nested data structures (http://www.webreference.com/programming/perl/nested/) to create nested arrays, but because you kinda have to hack it to work (it's not as direct as PHP), it's real difficult. I was messing with it for a half hour and couldn't quite get it to do what I wanted it to do.

I think an easier way to do it would be to choose a random # first, in this case between 1 & 8, to see which location to warp to. This can be done one of 2 different ways:

my $rand = quest::ChooseRandom(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8);

my $rand = int(rand(8));

I honestly don't know if there is a real difference (read: weighting of the result depending on what was successful last time) between the two, so you should be fine with either.

Then run through IF statements for each one:

if ($rand == 1) {$npc->SendTo(212.9, 2628.3, 67.2)}
elsif ($rand == 2) {$npc->SendTo(220.8, 2708.3, 67.1)}
elsif ($rand == 3) {$npc->SendTo(258.9, 2712.3, 67.1)}
elsif ($rand == 4) {$npc->SendTo(243.3, 2658.4, 67.1)}
elsif ($rand == 5) {$npc->SendTo(223.8, 2658.4, 67.1)}
elsif ($rand == 6) {$npc->SendTo(271.9, 2604.8, 67.1)}
elsif ($rand == 7) {$npc->SendTo(318.4, 2678.8, 67.1)}
elsif ($rand == 8) {$npc->SendTo(370.4, 2677.7, 76.1)}


You can also do this using switch/case (http://perl.active-venture.com/lib/Switch.html), which is normally much faster:

use Switch;

switch ($rand) {
case 1 {$npc->SentTo(212.9, 2628.3, 67.2)}
case 2 {$npc->SendTo(220.8, 2708.3, 67.1)}
case 3 {$npc->SendTo(258.9, 2712.3, 67.1)}
case 4 {$npc->SendTo(243.3, 2658.4, 67.1)}
case 5 {$npc->SendTo(223.8, 2658.4, 67.1)}
case 6 {$npc->SendTo(271.9, 2604.8, 67.1)}
case 7 {$npc->SendTo(318.4, 2678.8, 67.1)}
case 8 {$npc->SendTo(370.4, 2677.7, 76.1)}
};


This is probably better overall, especially since we're not working with extremely large data sets.

Anyway, hope this helps.

[Congdar]

try this


sub EVENT_ATTACK {

my @warp1 = (212.9, 2628.3, 67.2);
my @warp2 = (220.8, 2708.3, 67.1);
my @warp3 = (258.9, 2712.3, 67.1);
my @warp4 = (243.3, 2658.4, 67.1);
my @warp5 = (223.8, 2658.4, 67.1);
my @warp6 = (271.9, 2604.8, 67.1);
my @warp7 = (318.4, 2678.8, 67.1);
my @warp8 = (370.4, 2677.7, 76.1);
my $x, $y, $z;
($x, $y, $z)=quest::ChooseRandom(@warp1,@warp2,@warp3,@warp 4,@warp5,@warp6,@warp7,@warp8);

$npc->SendTo($x, $y, $z);

}

[trevius]

Thanks guys! I will give those a try and see how they work out. I appreciate the details on what is happening, AndMetal! I think it is time for me to go through some perl tutorials or something lol. If I had a better understanding of the basics, I probably wouldn't need so much help when trying to use it, lol.

I guess my main problem is that I try not to learn too much at once and I just started studying C Coding a bit. I think understanding C and Perl will be 2 things that will help me get a better understanding of what is going on for the emu and should let me be much more helpful around here.

[trevius]

Finally got it working with AndMetals code. Thanks!

sub EVENT_ATTACK {

my $rand = quest::ChooseRandom(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8);

if ($rand == 1) {$npc->SendTo(212.9, 2628.3, 67.2)}
if ($rand == 2) {$npc->SendTo(220.8, 2708.3, 67.1)}
if ($rand == 3) {$npc->SendTo(258.9, 2712.3, 67.1)}
if ($rand == 4) {$npc->SendTo(243.3, 2658.4, 67.1)}
if ($rand == 5) {$npc->SendTo(223.8, 2658.4, 67.1)}
if ($rand == 6) {$npc->SendTo(271.9, 2604.8, 67.1)}
if ($rand == 7) {$npc->SendTo(318.4, 2678.8, 67.1)}
if ($rand == 8) {$npc->SendTo(370.4, 2677.7, 76.1)}

}


The other 2 suggestions in this thread didn't seem to work though. Maybe I was missing something.

[Congdar]

I didn't fully test this for you, it looks like I messed up the "my" part of declaring the variables $x, $y and $z. Here's the fix (i think, still didn't test it).

@ is perl for array and each /loc is an array that gets loaded into x,y,z from
the chooserandom function

sub EVENT_ATTACK {

my @warp1 = (212.9, 2628.3, 67.2);
my @warp2 = (220.8, 2708.3, 67.1);
my @warp3 = (258.9, 2712.3, 67.1);
my @warp4 = (243.3, 2658.4, 67.1);
my @warp5 = (223.8, 2658.4, 67.1);
my @warp6 = (271.9, 2604.8, 67.1);
my @warp7 = (318.4, 2678.8, 67.1);
my @warp8 = (370.4, 2677.7, 76.1);
my($x, $y, $z)=quest::ChooseRandom(@warp1,@warp2,@warp3,@warp 4,@warp5,@warp6,@warp7,@warp8);

$npc->SendTo($x, $y, $z);

}