Waits for the player to press a specific key. You can use any of the constants from key is pressed to specify the key.
show text box(624) # "press P!" wait for scancode(key:P)
This is a listing of all the plotscripting commands implemented as of September 14, 2007.
In addition to reading this document, I also recommend you check out Plotscripting Tutorial and the HamsterSpeak Specification
Declarations
Wait Commands
Suspend and Resume
Moving Heros
Moving NPCs
Moving the Camera
Text Boxes
Triggering and Showing Stuff
Adding and Removing
Effects
Hero's Spells
Mouse Functions
String Functions
Misc Functions
Tweaking Maps
Working with Tags
Working with Variables
Math, Comparison, and Logic Operators
Flow Control
Advanced Commands
Predefined Constants
number + number
add hero (who)
advance text box
allow minimap (setting)
allow save anywhere (setting)
alter NPC (who,NPCstat,value)
value,and,value
animation start tile (tile number)
any key
append ascii (ID, char)
append number (ID, number)
ascii from string (ID, position)
autonumber
autosave
begin,other commands,end
Boolean Constants
break
camera follows hero (who)
camera follows NPC (who)
camera pixel X
camera pixel Y
cancel key
cancel map name display
can learn spell (hero,attack)
case(value)
center string at (ID, x, y)
change NPC ID (reference,new ID)
check equipment (hero,slot)
check hero wall (who,direction)
check NPC wall (who,direction)
check tag (tag)
clear string(ID)
color:blue
Color Constants
color:green
color:red
concatenate strings (dest, source)
continue
copy string (dest, source)
create NPC (ID,X,Y,direction)
crop
current display tile (tile number)
current map
current song
current stat
days of play
decrement (variable,amount)
default tile
define constant (number,name)
define script (id,name,arguments)
delete char (ID, position)
delete hero (who)
delete item (item,number)
delete map state (whichdata)
delete save (slot)
destroy NPC (reference)
Direction Constants
dismount vehicle
number / number
do
down
down key
draw NPCs above heroes (setting)
east
east wall
eight
else
end
number == number
equip menu (who)
equip where (hero,item)
exit returning(value)
exit script
expand string(ID)
experience to level (level)
experience to next level (who)
number ^ power
export globals (slot, first, last)
extract color(color, component)
fade screen in
fade screen out (red,green,blue)
false
fight formation (number)
find hero (who)
five
focus camera (x,y,speed)
for(counter,start,finish,step) do(commands)
force equip (hero,slot,item)
forget spell (hero,attack)
four
game over
get ambient music
get attack name (ID, attack)
get color(index)
get count
get damage cap
get death script
get default weapon (hero)
get each step script
get enemy appearance (enemyid, appearance)
get enemy name (enemyid, stringid)
get enemy stat(enemy, stat)
get foot offset
get formation song (formation)
get global string (ID, global)
get hero level (who)
get hero name (ID, hero)
get hero palette (who,type)
get hero picture (who,type)
get hero stat (who,stat,type)
get hero stat cap (stat)
get instead of battle script
get item (item,number)
get item name (ID, item)
get load script
get map edge mode
get map name (ID, map)
get map tileset
get money (amount)
get music volume
get NPC ID (reference)
get on keypress script
get song name (ID, song)
get tile animation offset (animation pattern)
give experience (hero,amount)
globals to string(ID, starting global, length)
global variable (id,name)
number >> number
number >= number
greyscale palette (first, last)
harm tile
hero by rank (where)
hero by slot (where)
hero direction (who)
hero frame (who)
hero is walking (who)
hero levelled (who)
hero pixel X (who)
hero pixel Y (who)
hero X (who)
hero Y (who)
hide battle health meter (state)
hide battle ready meter (state)
hide string (ID)
hours of play
if(condition) then(commands) else(commands)
import globals (slot, first, last)
include, filename
increment (variable,amount)
init mouse
input string (ID, maxlength, use current, center, position x, position y)
inside battle
inventory (item)
items menu
joystick axis (axis,multiplier,joystick)
joystick button (button,joystick)
Key Constants
key is pressed (scancode)
keyval (scancode)
knows spell (hero,attack)
last ascii
last save slot
leader
left
left button
left key
number << number
number <= number
load from slot (slot)
load map state (whichdata, customid)
load menu (reallyload)
load palette (palette number)
load tileset (set)
lock hero (who)
value && value
value || value
value ^^ value
lose money (amount)
main menu
map height
map width
maximum stat
me
menu key
minutes of play
number,mod,number
mouse button (which)
Mouse Constants
mouse pixel X
mouse pixel Y
mouse region (x min, x max, y min, y max)
number * number
nine
none
north
north wall
number <> number
NPC at pixel (x,y,number)
NPC at spot (x,y,number)
NPC copy count (ID)
NPC direction (who)
NPC extra (who,which)
NPC frame (who)
NPC is walking (who)
NPC pixel X (who)
NPC pixel Y (who)
NPC reference (ID,copy)
NPC X (who)
NPC Y (who)
Numeric Constants
off
on
one
value,or,value
order menu
outside battle
overhead tile
pan camera (direction,distance,pixelstep)
party
party money
pause sound (num)
pay money (amount)
pick hero
play song (song)
play sound (num,loop,preempt)
positionstring (ID, x, y)
put camera (x,y)
put hero (who,x,y)
put mouse (X,Y)
put npc (who,x,y)
random (lownumber, highnumber)
rank in caterpillar (who)
read color (index, element)
read enemy data (enemyid, data)
read global (id)
read map block (x,y,layer)
read NPC (who,NPCstat)
read pass block (x,y)
read spell (hero,list,slot)
read timer (id)
rename hero(who)
rename hero by slot(who)
replace char (ID, position, char)
reset map state (whichdata)
reset palette
resume box advance
resume catapillar
resume caterpillar
resume hero walls
resume map music
resume NPCs
resume NPC walls
resume obstruction
resume overlay
resume player
resume random enemies
resume random enemys
return(value)
RGB(red, green blue)
right
right button
right key
room in active party
run script by ID (id, argument1, argument2, argument3...)
save in slot (slot)
save map state (whichdata, customid)
save menu (reallysave)
save slot used (slot)
script, name, argumentnames (statements)
search string (ID1, ID2, start)
seconds of play
set ambient music (song)
set battle wait mode (state)
set capped hero stat (who,stat,value,type)
set caterpillar mode (state)
set color(index, value)
set damage cap (cap)
set days of play (days)
set death script (id)
set debug keys disable (state)
set default weapon (hero,item)
set each step script (id)
set enemy appearance (enemyid, appearance,value)
set enemy name (enemyid, stringid)
set enemy stat(enemy, stat, value)
set experience (who, experience, allowforget)
set foot offset (offset)
set formation song (formation, song)
set full hero swap mode (state)
set harm tile damage (amount)
set harm tile flash (color)
set hero direction (who, direction)
set hero frame (who, frame)
set hero level (who, level, forgetspells)
set hero name (ID, hero)
set hero palette (who,palette,type)
set hero picture (who,picture,type)
set hero position (who, x, y)
set hero speed (who, speed)
set hero stat (who,stat,value,type)
set hero z (who, z)
set hours of play (hours)
set inn no revive mode (state)
set instead of battle script (id)
set load script (id)
set map edge mode (mode, default tile)
set minutes of play (min)
set money (amount)
set music volume (volume)
set no HP level up restore (state)
set no MP level up restore (state)
set NPC direction (who,direction)
set NPC extra (who,which, value)
set NPC frame (who,frame)
set NPC position (who,X,Y)
set NPC speed (who,speed)
set on keypress script (id)
set seconds of play (sec)
set tag (tag,value)
set tile animation offset (animation pattern, offset)
set timer (id, count, speed, trigger, string, flags)
set variable (variable,value)
set victory music (song)
seven
show backdrop (number)
show map
show mini map
show no value
show string (ID)
show string at (ID, x, y)
show text box (number)
show value (number)
six
sound is playing (num)
south
south wall
spells learnt (hero,number)
spells menu (who)
status screen (who)
stop song
stop sound (num)
stop timer (id)
string color (ID, foreground color, background color)
string compare (ID1, ID2)
string from textbox (ID, textbox, line, expand)
string is visible (ID)
string length (ID)
string style (ID, style)
string to globals (ID, starting global, length)
string X (ID)
string Y (ID)
number -- number
suspend box advance
suspend catapillar
suspend caterpillar
suspend hero walls
suspend map music
suspend NPCs
suspend NPC walls
suspend obstruction
suspend overlay
suspend player
suspend random enemies
suspend random enemys
swap by name (name,name)
swap by position (position,position)
swap in hero (who)
swap out hero (who)
switch(expression)
system day
system hour
system minute
system month
system second
system year
teach spell (hero,attack)
team menu
teleport to map (map, x, y)
nine
then
three
Tile Constants
timer: default
timer: game over
timer flag: battle
timer flag: critical
timer flag: menu
total experience (who)
trace (string)
trim string (ID, start, length)
true
tweak palette (red, green, blue, first, last)
two
unequip (hero,slot)
unlock hero (who)
up
update palette
up key
use door (number)
use key
Use NPC (who)
use shop (shop)
variable (name)
vehicle A
vehicle B
wait (ticks)
wait for all
wait for camera
wait for hero (who)
wait for key (key)
wait for NPC (who)
wait for scancode (key)
wait for text box
walk hero (who, direction, distance)
walk hero to x (who,x)
walk hero to y (who,x)
walk NPC (who,direction,distance)
walk NPC to X (who,X)
walk NPC to Y (who,Y)
west
west wall
while(condition) do(commands)
wrap
write color (index, element, value)
write enemy data (enemyid, data, value)
write global (id,value)
write map block (x,y,value,layer)
write pass block (x,y,value)
write spell (hero,list,slot,attack)
x axis
value,xor,value
y axis
zero
define script (id,name,arguments)
The define script command names a script, and associates it with an ID number. Every script must have a unique ID number for your game to call it directly (scripts that will only be called indirectly, by other scripts can use the special ID autonumber). The first argument is the ID number. It is a number between 1 and 16383. If you try to give two individual scripts the same ID number, your script file will not compile. The next argument is the name of the script. this is the same name that will used later in your script command. The third argument is the number of arguments that the script can accept. If it doesnt need any arguments (most scripts dont) then use none. If there are arguments, you then follow the argument count with default values for each argument.
# example of a simple script definition
define script (1,my first script,none)
# example of a script definition with arguments. this script
# has three arguments, all of which default to zero if they
# are not specified
define script (2,my fancy script,3,0,0,0)
script, name, argumentnames (statements)
The script command contains the actual source code of a plotscript. every script command must have a corresponding define script statement. Script starts with the keyword script, a comma, and then the name of the script. If there are any arguments to the script, you list their names separated by commas after the name of the script. Then comes the text of the script. It is usually enclosed in begin and end statements.
# example of a simple script
script,my first script,begin
# commands go here
end
# example of a script with arguments
script,my fancy script,fe,fi,fo,begin
# commands go here,
# and they can use the aruments fe, fi, and fo
# that where passed to the script
end
global variable (id,name)
Creates a global variable that can be used in any script. The first argument to the global variable declaration is a unique ID number. The second argument is the name of the variable. The ID number for a global variable is a number from 0 to 1024. Each global variable must have a unique number, but this number will not conflict with the ID numbers you use for scripts. It is all right to have a script and a global variable with the same ID number. See also variable
# any script can read and set the value of a global
global variable(1,mini game score)
variable (name)
Creates a local variable that can only be used inside the script where it was created. The value of this variable is lost when the script ends. If you need a variable who's value persists between calls to a script, or that is automatically saved when the player saves their game, you will need to use a global variable instead.
variable(points) # make a new variable
variable+=1 # add one to it
define constant (number,name)
Creates a global constant. The first argument is the number that the constant will represent, and the second argument is the name of the constant. Use constants to replace commonly used numbers with friendly names. The following constants have been delacred for you in PLOTSRC.HSD:
zero one two three four five six seven eight nine nine false true off on north east south west up down left right up key down key left key right key use key cancel key menu key any key me none autonumber current stat maximum stat north wall east wall south wall west wall vehicle A vehicle A harm tile overhead tile
include, filename
The include command inserts another text file into your script. It is followed by a single filename that tells what file will be included. Windows long filenames are not supported. Every plotscript file should start with include, plotscr.hsd The PLOTSCR.HSD file contains definitions and constants for most of the other plotscripting commands.
include, plotscr.hsd # Plotscripting definitions
include, mygame.hsi # constants particular to my game
wait (ticks)
Makes the script wait for the specified number of ticks. There are roughly 18 ticks to a second, but this can vary under some conditions. If you leave out the argument, it will wait for one tick.
show text box(2) # Show a text box
wait(50) # Wait about 3 seconds
advance text box # "hit spacebar"
wait for text box
Makes the script wait until there is no text box displaying on the screen. Useful to know when to move on after using a show text box command
show text box(2) # Show a text box
wait for text box # wait until the player continues
wait for hero (who)
Waits for the specified hero stop walking. Use the constant me to refer to the leader, or use numbers 0,1,2,3 to refer to a specific hero. If you leave out the argument, the first hero will be assumed.
move hero to y (me, 10) # move hero to (x, 10)
wait for hero (me) # wait until he stops
wait for key (key)
Waits for the player to press a key. You can use the follwing constants: any key, up key, down key, left key, right key, use key, cancel key, or menu key. If you do not specify, then any key will be used.
show text box(623) # "press cancel!"
wait for key(cancel key)
wait for scancode (key)
Waits for the player to press a specific key. You can use any of the constants from key is pressed to specify the key.
show text box(624) # "press P!"
wait for scancode(key:P)
wait for NPC (who)
Waits for the specified NPC to stop walking. The argument is the number of the NPC, 0 to 35. If more than one copy of the NPC exists on the map, it only checks the first one.
walk NPC (2,up,3) # make the NPC go up three spaces
wait for NPC (2) # wait until he's done
wait for camera
Wait for the camera to stop panning after a pan camera or focus camera command.
pan camera (left,10) # show the villan 10 tiles off screen
wait for camera # wait until he's on screen
wait for all
Waits for any camera motion to stop, waits for all heros to stop walking, and if suspend NPCs is active, waits for all NPCs to stop walking.
# do a bunch of things all at once
wait for all # wait until everything is done
suspend player
Blocks the player from controlling the game, so the plotscript can have exclusive control. The one exception to this is text boxes. The player can advance text boxes no matter what, unless you use suspend box advance.
suspend player
# do stuff
resume player
resume player
Restores normal control after a suspend player command. This is very important. If you use suspend player, but forget resume player, the game will be stuck after the script ends.
suspend player
# do stuff
resume player
suspend NPCs
Stops NPCs from walking around automatically. When suspend NPCs is run, all NPCs stop in their tracks, ready for you to control them with the walk NPC command
suspend NPCs
# do stuff
resume NPCs
resume NPCs
Restores automatic NPC movement after a suspend NPCs command
suspend NPCs
# do stuff
resume NPCs
suspend obstruction
Allows heros to walk through NPCs, allows NPCs to walk through heros, and allows NPCs to walk through each other. Use resume obstruction to restore normal obstruction behavior.
suspend obstruction
# walk through things
resume obstruction
resume obstruction
Restores normal obstruction after a suspend obstruction command
suspend obstruction
# walk through things
resume obstruction
suspend hero walls
Allows heros to walk through walls. Use resume hero walls to restore normal wall behavior.
suspend hero walls # hero is now a ghost
# walk through things
resume hero walls # back to mortality...
resume hero walls
Restores normal wall behavior after a suspend hero walls command
suspend hero walls # hero is now a ghost
# walk through things
resume hero walls # back to mortality...
suspend NPC walls
Allows NPCs to walk through walls. Use resume NPC walls to restore normal wall behavior.
suspend NPC walls # npc is now a ghost
# walk through things
resume NPC walls # back to mortality...
resume NPC walls
Restores normal wall behavior after a suspend NPC walls command.
suspend NPC walls # npc is now a ghost
# walk through things
resume NPC walls # back to mortality...
suspend caterpillar
Stops your other heros from following the leader. This is useful when you want to control them individually with walk hero commands. In earlier versions this was misspelled as suspend catapillar. The old spelling still works for backwards compatability.
suspend caterpillar # cutscene
# move heros, probably fight a battle or two...
resume caterpillar # normal game again.
resume caterpillar
Reverses the suspend caterpillar command, and makes your other heros follow the leader as normal. In earlier versions this was misspelled as resume catapillar. The old spelling still works for backwards compatability.
suspend caterpillar # cutscene
# move heros, probably fight a battle or two...
resume caterpillar # normal game again.
suspend catapillar
See suspend caterpillar
resume catapillar
See resume caterpillar
suspend random enemies
Prevents enemies from attacking your party while walking over tiles that can normally spawn random battles. This is useful to prevent battles from interrupting a plotscript. In earlier versions, this was misspelled as suspend random enemys. The old spelling still works for backwards compatability.
suspend random enemies # no battles for now
walk hero (me, up, 10) # cross pit of evil monsters of doom
resume random enemies # back to normal
resume random enemies
Undoes the suspend random enemies command and allows random battles to occur as normal. In earlier versions, this was misspelled as resume random enemys. The old spelling still works for backwards compatability.
suspend random enemies # no battles for now
walk hero (me, up, 10) # cross pit of evil monsters of doom
resume random enemies # back to normal
suspend random enemys
See suspend random enemies
resume random enemys
See resume random enemies
suspend box advance
Prevents the player from advancing or clearing text boxes by pressing keys. While this is active, the only way to make a text box advance is with the advance text box command. Be very careful with this command, since you do not want to leave the player stuck on a text box forever.
suspend box advance # stop players from mucking things up
show text box(2) # Show a text box
wait(45) # Wait about 3 seconds
advance text box # "hit spacebar"
resume box advance # go back to normal
resume box advance
Undoes the suspend box advance command and allows the player to advance and clear text boxes by pressing keys as normal.
suspend box advance # stop players from mucking things up
show text box(2) # Show a text box
wait(45) # Wait about 3 seconds
advance text box # "hit spacebar"
resume box advance # go back to normal
suspend overlay
Prevents overhead tiles from being drawn over heros and NPCs.
resume overlay
Causes overhead tiles to be drawn over heros and NPCs as normal.
suspend map music
Causes ambient music not to automatically play when you enter a map. Does not affect the currently playing music, or the map's ambient music. Use when playing thematic music during a scene that involves changing maps.
# begin scene
play song(song:Happy Times)
show textbox (117)
wait for textbox
# goto another map without triggering music
fade screen out
wait
suspend map music
use door(3)
fade screen in
# continue scene
show textbox (118)
wait for textbox
# return to normal music behaviour and play the ambient music
resume map music
play song (get ambient music)
See also:
resume map music
Causes ambient music to automatically start playing when you enter a map again after a suspend map music command.
walk hero (who, direction, distance)
Makes the specified hero move in the specified direction for the specified number of tiles. The first argument tells who to move. Use me or numbers 0-3. The second argument is the direction. Use the constants: north, south, east, west, up, down, left, or right. The third argument is the number of tiles to move. If you leave out the third argument, the hero will move one tile. Walk hero is usually used with the wait for hero command. You should normally use the suspend player command before moving heros, and if you want to move heros other than the leader, you should use the suspend caterpillar command.
suspend player # stop player
walk hero(me,up,3) # move him up 3 tiles
resume player # ok, done
set hero direction (who, direction)
Makes the specified hero face in the specified direction. The following constants are avaialable for direction: north, south, east, west, up, down, left, or right.
set hero direction (me,right) # face right
set hero frame (who, frame)
Sets the walking frame of the specified hero to 0 or 1.
See also:
set hero position (who, x, y)
Instantly moves the specified hero to an X,Y position on the map. The coordinates are in units of tiles. For pixel-positioning use the put hero command.
set hero z (who, z)
Sets the Z location of the specified hero. The Z location is the number of pixels above the tile they are standing on. Useful for scripts where you want a hero to jump or levitate.
walk hero to x (who,x)
Makes the specified hero walk to a given X coordinate on the map
walk hero to y (who,x)
Makes the specified hero walk to a given Y coordinate on the map
check hero wall (who,direction)
Returns true if there is a wall blocking the hero from moving in the specified direction. No actual movement takes place.
set hero speed (who, speed)
Changes the walking speed of the specified hero. If you do not specify a speed, the hero's speed will return to the default, 4. Be careful with using speeds that do not divide evenly into 20, because tiles are 20 pixels in size, and an irregular walking speed may cause your hero to become misaligned with the tiles.
use door (number)
Instantly uses the numbered door, just as if you had stepped into it. (This command implies a one-tick wait)
teleport to map (map, x, y)
An alternative to use door, teleport to map moves you to a given x,y position on the specified map without the need to create a door-link on the map. Teleport to map does not fade to black. (This command implies a one-tick wait)
dismount vehicle
Makes you dismount whatever vehicle you are riding. If you are not riding a vehicle, nothing will happen.
hero is walking (who)
Returns true if the specified hero (by position in the caterpillar) is currently walking. Returns false if the hero is standing still.
put hero (who,x,y)
Moves a hero to a precise location on the map. The first argument is the her's position in the walkabout party. The second and third arguments are the X,Y pixel position relative to the top left corner of the map. Be aware that using this command can mis-align your hero with the tile-grid, preventing it from walking normally. To position the hero by tile, use the set hero position command.
NPC reference (ID,copy)
What is an NPC reference? A reference is a number that uniquely identifies an NPC on a map. You can use an NPC reference to specify which NPC you are controlling in most NPC-related commands. The first argument to NPC reference is the ID number of the NPC you want to work with. The ID is the same number that appears in CUSTOM.EXE when you are editing NPCs or placing NPCs on the map. The second argument is optional. It specifies which copy of the NPC you want, in case there are more than one on the map. If you dont specify which copy you want, you will just get a reference to the first NPC on the map with the right ID. If you plan on using the same NPC reference many times in a script you can store it in a variable. If the NPC with the ID you asked for (or the NPC copy you asked for with ID you asked for) is not found on the map then NPC reference will return false.
include,plotscr.hsd
define script(1,ref example,none)
#---NPC reference example---
script,ref example,begin
variable(Fred)
# find the first copy of NPC 10,
# and store the reference in a variable
set variable(Fred,NPC reference(10,0))
# now we can manipulate that NPC with the variable
walk NPC (Fred,south,3)
wait for NPC (Fred)
# make the NPC spin!
set NPC direction (Fred,east)
wait(2)
set NPC direction (Fred,north)
wait(2)
set NPC direction (Fred,west)
wait(2)
set NPC direction (Fred,south)
wait(2)
end
See also:
NPC at spot (x,y,number)
This command returns a reference to the NPC at the given X and Y coordinate on the map. The optional third argument lets you choose which NPC to reference in case there is more than one NPC standing on that same spot (starting from the bottom most NPC, which is number 0). You can also pass the constant get count for the third argument to return the total number of npcs on that tile.
![[Note]](http://gilgamesh.hamsterrepublic.com/wiki/ohrrpgce-images/0/01/Plotnote.png)
An NPC's tile is the tile its top left corner is on.
See also:
NPC at pixel (x,y,number)
This command returns a reference to the NPC at the given X and Y coordinate in pixels. That is, any npc whose 20x20 sprite (including transparent sections) is over that pixel. The optional third argument lets you choose which NPC to reference in case there is more than one NPC standing on that same spot (starting from the bottom-most NPC, which is number 0). You can also pass the constant get count for the third argument to return the total number of npcs on that tile.
See also:
walk NPC (who,direction,distance)
Makes the specified NPC move in the specified direction for the specified number of tiles. The first argument tells who to move. You can use an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number. The second argument is the direction. Use the constants: north, south, east, west, up, down, left, or right. The third argument is the number of tiles to move. If you leave out the third argument, the NPC will move one tile. walk NPC is usually used with the wait for NPC command. You should normally use the suspend NPCs command before moving NPCs to prevent their automatic movements from interfering with your scripted movements.
set NPC direction (who,direction)
Makes the specified NPC face in the specified direction. The following constants are avaialable for direction: north, south, east, west, up, down, left, or right. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number to specify which NPC will turn.
set NPC frame (who,frame)
Sets the walking frame of the specified NPC to 0 or 1. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number to specify which NPC will change.
See also:
set NPC position (who,X,Y)
Instantly moves the specified NPC to an X,Y position on the map. The coordinates are in units of tiles. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number to specify which NPC will be moved.
walk NPC to X (who,X)
Makes the specified NPC walk to a given X coordinate on the map. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number to specify which NPC will move.
walk NPC to Y (who,Y)
Makes the specified NPC walk to a given Y coordinate on the map. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number to specify which NPC will move.
check NPC wall (who,direction)
Returns true if there is a wall blocking the NPC from moving in the specified direction. No actual movement takes place.
set NPC speed (who,speed)
Changes the walking speed of the specified NPC. If you do not specify a speed, the NPC's speed will return to the default, 4. Be careful with using speeds that do not divide evenly into 20, because tiles are 20 pixels in size, and an irregular walking speed may cause the NPC to become misaligned with the tiles.
Normally you would only give an NPC ID number to set NPC speed, but if you want to use an NPC reference it will still work. Just remember that set NPC speed changes every copy of the NPC on the map, not just the specific one you referenced.
NPC is walking (who)
Returns true if the specified NPC is currently walking. Returns false if the NPC is standing still. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number to specify which NPC will be checked.
get NPC ID (reference)
This command is the opposite of NPC reference. If you give get NPC ID a reference to an NPC it will return the NPC&s ID.
In some older versions, This command was useful if you needed to do an alter NPC or a set NPC speed on an NPC that you are working with by reference. This is no longer neccisary, because both those commands now support NPC references (although they still affect every copy of that NPC on the map)
NPC copy count (ID)
This command tells you how many copys of a particular NPC ID exist on the map. This can be very useful if you want apply the same action to each copy of an NPC on the map.
include,plotscr.hsd
define script(1,every NPC example,none)
#---NPC copy count example---
script,every NPC example,begin
variable(loop,guard count,current guard)
# the guard is NPC 10, and there are many copies of him on the map
set variable(guard count,NPC copy count(10))
# this loop repeats once for each copy of NPC 10
for(loop,0,guard count) do,begin
set variable(current guard,NPC reference(10,loop))
walk NPC(current guard,south,4)
# if we added a "wait for NPC(current guard)" right here
# then the guards would walk one t a time
end
# but we want them to all walk at the same time,
# so we just wait here
wait for all
end
change NPC ID (reference,new ID)
This command takes an NPC reference and lets you change the ID number of the NPC it points to. This means that the NPC will now use a different picture, an different palette, a different walking speed, an different text box, everything. This change is not permanent. It only lasts until the next time a map gets loaded.
create NPC (ID,X,Y,direction)
This command will magically create a new copy of an NPC with the given ID number. You can specify an X and Y position where it will be created, and optionally a direction too (if you leave out the direction, the new NPC will be facing south). create NPC returns an NPC reference that you can use to refer to the new NPC in other commands like walk NPC. If the new NPC cannot be created (there is a maximum of 300 total NPC copies in memory at a time) then create NPC will return false (zero). The new NPC is not permanent. It only lasts until a new map is loaded.
destroy NPC (reference)
This command will erase the specified NPC. You can use either an NPC reference or the NPC's ID number. The deletion is not permanent. Unless this is an NPC that you created with create NPC, the NPC will be back again next time the map gets loaded. If you need to permanently remove an NPC, use tags.
This only deletes the one NPC you specify. If you use an NPC ID number as the argument, only the first copy of the NPC on the map will be deleted
put npc (who,x,y)
Moves an NPC to a precise location on the map. The first argument is and NPC reference or an NPC ID number. The second and third arguments are the X,Y pixel position relative to the top left corner of the map. Be aware that using this command can mis-align your NPC with the tile-grid, preventing it from walking normally. To position the NPC by tile, use the set NPC position command.
camera follows hero (who)
Normally, the camera follows your leader. With this command, you can make the camera follow any hero you want. If you leave out the argument, the camera will follow your leader as normal.
camera follows NPC (who)
With this command, you can make the camera follow an NPC instead of the hero. If more than one copy of the specified NPC exists, the camera will follow the first one. To revert the camera to normal, use camera follows hero.
pan camera (direction,distance,pixelstep)
This command causes the camera to stop following your leader and pan in the specified direction. For direction, you can use the constants: north, south, east, west, up, down, left, or right. The distance is the number of tiles you want the camera to move before it stops. You can also specify the number of pixels you want the camera to move for each tick. if you leave the last argument out, the camera will move by 2 pixels per tick. This command is normally used with wait for camera. To revert the camera to normal, use camera follows hero.
focus camera (x,y,speed)
This command causes the camera to focus itself on the specified X,Y coordinates of the map. These coordinates are in units of tiles. The third argument, the speed, tells how fast the camera will pan. If you do not specify a speed, the camera will pan 2 pixels per tick. This command is normally used with wait for camera. To revert the camera to normal, use camera follows hero.
put camera (x,y)
This command causes the top left corner of the camera to instantly jump to the specified X,Y pixel coordinates of the map. These coordinates are in units of pixels, not tiles. To position the camera by tiles, just multiply the tile position by 20. To revert the camera to normal, use camera follows hero.
show text box (number)
Displays the numbered text box, just as if you had talked to an NPC. The text box will not actually pop up until the next wait command. This command is most often used with the wait for text box command.
show text box(2) # Show a text box
wait for text box # wait until the player continues
advance text box
Advances a text box just as if the player had pressed a key. For use while suspend box advance is active.
suspend box advance # stop players from mucking things up
show text box(2) # Show a text box
wait(45) # Wait about 3 seconds
advance text box # "hit spacebar"
resume box advance # go back to normal
fight formation (number)
Starts a battle with the numbered enemy formation. This command returns false if you lost or ran from battle, or true if you won. (This command implies a one-tick wait)
Use NPC (who)
Remotely trigger an NPC. You can use either an NPC reference or an NPC ID number. Whatever actions are associated with triggering that NPC will be taken, text box, script, vehicle, item, whatever. (This command implies a one-tick wait)
game over
Resets the game and returns you to the title screen. This command is most useful for after-you-win-the-game type scripts, and for death-scripts that are triggered when you lose in battle.
show value (number)
Displays the number in the bottom left corner of the screen. Useful for count-down timers, and for debugging complicated scripts.
show no value
Gets rid of the number in the bottom left corner of the screen after a show value command.
cancel map name display
If the map name is being displayed, this command makes it disappear. For example, this may be useful if you want the map name to appear when you enter a map normally, but not when you jump to the map for a plotscripted cutscene.
show backdrop (number)
displays the specified full screen backdrop on the screen. This allows you to show full screen pictures without attaching them to text boxes. You can also do some simple animation effects by calling show backdrop many times with wait commands in between.
show map
shows the map again after a show backdrop command
use shop (shop)
Takes you directly to a shop. You can specify the shop's ID number or its name in the form shop:name
main menu
Takes you directly to the main menu.
show mini map
Displays the mini-map
items menu
Takes you directly to the items menu. Note that if the player uses an item that calls up a text box, the items menu command will behave like a show text box command for that text box.
status screen (who)
Takes you directly to a hero's status screen. Specify the hero using its position in the party 0-3. Use find hero if you want to specify the hero by name. The pick hero command can also be useful.
spells menu (who)
Takes you directly to a hero's spells menu. Specify the hero using its position in the party 0-3. Use find hero if you want to specify the hero by name. The pick hero command can also be useful.
equip menu (who)
Takes you directly to a hero's equip menu. Specify the hero using its position in the party 0-3. Use find hero if you want to specify the hero by name. The pick hero command can also be useful.
save menu (reallysave)
Takes you directly to the save menu. Will return a number 1-4 indicating the slot the player saved in, or false if the player did not save. You can optionally pass an argument of false to make the menu display without actually saving
See also:
load menu (reallyload)
Displays the load game menu. The player can load a game or select New Game or Exit/Cancel. If the player picks New Game then the calling script continues, otherwise the current game is terminated and either quits to the titlescreen (if there is one) or a game is loaded. You can optionally pass an argument of false to make the menu display without actually loading or quiting. If you do this, you'll need to interpret the return value to find out which option the player selected: positive values are save slot numbers, 0 means New Game and -1 is Quit.
See also:
order menu
Takes you directly to the order menu, where you can change the order of the heroes in your active party.
team menu
Takes you directly to the team menu, where you can change the order of the heroes in your active party, and swap heroes in and out of your reserve.
party money
Returns how much money your party has.
get money (amount)
Adds the specified amount to your party's money
lose money (amount)
Subtracts the specified amount from your party's money.
set money (amount)
Changes the amount of money your party has.
pay money (amount)
A function that checks to see if you have enough money to pay the amount specified. If you do, it subtracts it, and returns true. If you do not have enough, it subtracts nothing, but returns false. Intended for use in if statements.
if(pay money(1000)) then, begin
get item(item:uber sword)
end, else, begin
show text box(61) # ha ha, no uber sword for you!
wait for text box
end
add hero (who)
Puts the named hero in your party. If there is no room, the hero will be added to your reserve. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They are in the form of hero:name
delete hero (who)
Removes the named hero from your party. If you have more than one copy of the hero in your party, only the first one will be deleted. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They are in the form of hero:name
swap in hero (who)
Moves the named hero in your from your reserves to your active party. If there is no room in your active party, the hero will not be moved. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They are in the form of hero:name
swap out hero (who)
Moves the named hero from your active party into your reserve. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They are in the form of hero:name
lock hero (who)
Locking a hero prevents the player from moving the hero on the party menu. Locked heros in the active party cannot be moved into the reserve, and locked heros in the reserve are completely hidden. Also prevents a hero from being moved by swap in hero or swap out hero. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They are in the form of hero:name
unlock hero (who)
Reverses lock hero, and makes it possible to move a hero in and out of the active party again. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They are in the form of hero:name
swap by name (name,name)
Swaps two named heros in your party no matter what position they are in. Use the names defined in your HSI file in the form hero:name
swap by position (position,position)
Swaps two heros in your party based on their positions in the party
get item (item,number)
Adds the specified number of the specified item to your inventory. If you do not specify a number, only one will be added. You can refer to the item by number, or you can use the constants defined in your HSI file, which are in the form of item:name
delete item (item,number)
Removes the specified number of the specified item from your inventory. If you do not specify a number, only one will be removed. You can refer to the item by number, or you can use the constants defined in your HSI file, which are in the form of item:name
unequip (hero,slot)
Removes the item that the specified hero has equipped in the specified slot. The first argument is the position of the hero in your party, 0-3 for the active party, 4-40 for the reserve. (use find hero if you want to refer to the hero by name). The second argument is the slot to unequip. Use the number 1-5 or the names slot:weapon, slot:armor, etc.
force equip (hero,slot,item)
Forces a hero to equip an item, even if it is not normally equipable. The first argument is the position of the hero in your party, 0-3 for the active party, 4-40 for the reserve. (use find hero if you want to refer to the hero by name). The second argument is the slot to equip. Use the number 1-5 or the names slot:weapon, slot:armor, etc. The third argument is the item to equip. you can use the item's number or the item:name constants from your .HSI file.
equip where (hero,item)
Returns the number of the slot that a hero can equip an item in, or false if the hero cannot equip it. The first argument is the position of the hero in your party, 0-3 for the active party, 4-40 for the reserve. (use find hero if you want to refer to the hero by name). The second argument is the item to check the equipability of. you can use the item's number or the item:name constants from your .HSI file.
check equipment (hero,slot)
Returns the number of the item that the specified hero has equipped in the specified slot, or -1 if there is nothing equipped there. The first argument is the position of the hero in your party, 0-3 for the active party, 4-40 for the reserve. (use find hero if you want to refer to the hero by name). The second argument is the slot to check. Use the number 1-5 or the names slot:weapon, slot:armor, etc.
get default weapon (hero)
Returns the number of the item that the specified hero uses as a default weapon when no other weapon is equipped. The argument is the position of the hero in your party, 0-3 for the active party, 4-40 for the reserve. (use find hero if you want to refer to the hero by name).
set default weapon (hero,item)
Changes the item that the specified hero uses as a default weapon when no other weapon is equipped. The first argument is the position of the hero in your party, 0-3 for the active party, 4-40 for the reserve. (use find hero if you want to refer to the hero by name). The second argument is the item to use as the new default weapon. you can use the item's number or the item:name constants from your .HSI file.
give experience (hero,amount)
Gives experience to either a hero by position in party (use result returned by find hero command) or the whole active party, if the constant party is passed as first argument. If you give experience to the whole party, then it will be split amongst live heroes as it is in battle. This command can cause heroes to level up and learn spells but does not inform the player or trigger any effects. See hero levelled and spells learnt for dealing with this. You should use set experience to remove experience in a way that allows delevelling.
play song (song)
Plays the specified song. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They appear in the form of song:name
current song
Returns the number of the currently playing song, or -1 if none.
stop song
Stops whatever music is currently playing.
set victory music (song)
Changes the after-battle victory music to the specified song. Use the constants defined in your HSI file. They appear in the form of song:name
set ambient music (song)
Plays a song and sets it as the map's ambient music, that is the song that is played when you enter the map (if you call save map state with mapstate:all or mapstate:mapsettings) or after a textbox with 'restore music' set. Unless you save the mapstate, the effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle. Calling set ambient music with no argument stops the music and disables the ambient music.
See also:
get ambient music
Returns the song number of the map's ambient music.
See also:
set music volume (volume)
Sets the volume at which music is played, volume being a number on the scale of 0 to 255, 0 being silent, 255 loudest. If you want to manipulate the sound (e.g. fading out the music) you should take note of the original vulume that the player has set and return to this. By default volume is not maximum, so you should not hardcode fades to begin at volume 255.
The actual resolution at which the volume is set is not necessarily 1/255th of full volume but depends on your implementation. Currently vanilla OHR uses only 0-15 internally, so 240-255 all translate to the same volume.
get music volume
Returns the volume at which music is played, on a scale of 0 to 15, 0 being silent, 255 loudest.
fade screen out (red,green,blue)
Fades the screen to a solid color. If you do not specify any arguments, the screen will fade to black. The red, green, blue values are numbers from 0 to 63 that tell how bright that particular color should be. (63,0,0) would be blood red. (40,0,40) would be purple. (63,63,63) would be bright white. The screen will remain faded out until you run fade screen in, fight a battle, or use a door.
fade screen in
Fades the screen back to normal after a fade screen out command, or applies the changes made with other palette commands such as greyscale palette, tweak palette, reset palette, and write color.
load palette (palette number)
Loads a different master palette (one of the palettes on the "View Master Palettes..." menu). Use this if a backdrop or entire map was imported/drawn with a palette other than the default. Changes do not take effect until you call update palette or fade screen in.
update palette
Instantly returns from fade screen out, and applies changes made by other palette command such as greyscale palette, tweak palette, reset palette, and write color.
greyscale palette (first, last)
Converts a section of the master palette from color to greyscale. The two arguments determine what range of colors will be affected. If called with no arguments, the entire palette is affected. Changes do not take effect until you call update palette or fade screen in. Changes to the master palette last as long as you are playing, but are not stored in saved-games. If you need to make master-palette changes persist in saved-games you will have to use the on-load plotscript trigger.
tweak palette (red, green, blue, first, last)
Color-adjusts a section of the master palette. The first three arguments are the changes to make to the red, green, and blue values of each palette color. For example, tweak palette (20,-30,0) would redden everything, and drop out most of the green. These arguments expect values in the range -63 to 63, NOT -255 to 255. The last two arguments determine what range of colors will be affected. If they are left out, the entire palette is affected. Changes do not take effect until you call update palette or fade screen in. Changes to the master palette last as long as you are playing, but are not stored in saved-games. If you need to make master-palette changes persist in saved-games you will have to use the on-load plotscript trigger.
reset palette
Reloads the default master palette, undoing any changes you have made with other palette-altering commands such as tweak palette or greyscale palette Changes do not take effect until you call update palette or fade screen in
read color (index, element)
Returns a color value from the master palette. The first argument is the index in the palette to read from, 0 to 255. The second argument is the color value to read, red, green, or blue. You can use 0,1, and 2, or you can use the predefined constants color:red, color:green, and color:blue. The counterpart to this is write color.
This command operates on values from 0-63. For operation on full color values (0-255), see get color
See also:
write color (index, element, value)
Writes a color value into the master palette. The first argument is the index in the palette to write to, 0 to 255. The second argument is the color value to write, red, green, or blue. You can use 0, 1, and 2, or you can use the predefined constants color:red, color:green, and color:blue. The third argument is the color value to write. It can be in the range of 0 to 63. Changes do not take effect until you call update palette or fade screen in The counterpart to this is read color. Changes to the master palette last as long as you are playing, but are not stored in saved-games. If you need to make master-palette changes persist in saved-games you will have to use the on-load plotscript trigger.
See also:
get color(index)
Returns a color value from the master palette. The argument is which index in the palette to return. The value is a 32-bit number representing the red, green and blue components of the palette entry. See RGB for more details on its format.
See also:
set color(index, value)
Updates the master palette with a new 32-bit color. The value, a 32-bit number representing the red, green and blue components of the color, can come from RGB or get color.
See also:
RGB(red, green blue)
Combines the individual red, green and blue components of a color into a single 32-bit number. The formula used is "red * 256 * 256 + green * 256 + blue". The highest byte is unused, but reserved for future potential use for alpha transparency.
See also:
extract color(color, component)
Takes a 32-bit color value, and extracts the red, green or blue component, based on the component parameter. You may use the color:red, color:green and color:blue parameters to choose which one.
See also:
play sound (num,loop,preempt)
Plays or resumes a sound effect. Pass true to loop if you want the sound effect to start over when it finishes instead of stopping. Pass true to preempt if you want to automatically stop the sound before playing it. If preempt is false, and the sound is already playing, this command will do nothing.
See also:
stop sound (num)
Stops a sound effect. If the sound is not playing, nothing will happen.
See also:
pause sound (num)
Temporarily stops a sound effect. It can be resumed with play sound, wherein it will continue from whence it left off.
See also:
sound is playing (num)
Checks to see whether a sound effect is playing or not. Useful for synchronization, etc.
See also:
teach spell (hero,attack)
Tries to teach a hero a spell. The first argument is the hero's position in the party (as returned by find hero). The second argument is the attack to learn. You can use the names defined in your .HSI file in the form atk:attackname (You may also use the attack's ID number. This is the number you see in the attack editor + 1). If the hero is capable of learning the spell, teach spell will return true, or if the hero cannot learn the spell it will return false. Note that this only works when a spell is set to "learned from item". It will not work for spells learned based on level.
forget spell (hero,attack)
Causes a hero to forget a spell. The first argument is the hero's position in the party (as returned by find hero). The second argument is the attack to forget. You can use the names defined in your .HSI file in the form atk:attackname (You may also use the attack's ID number. This is the number you see in the attack editor + 1). If the hero does not know the spell, nothing happens.
read spell (hero,list,slot)
Returns the ID number of a chosen spell slot, or 0 (false) if there is no spell in that slot. The first argument is the hero's position in the party (as returned by find hero). The second argument is the number of the spell list to check. This is a value from 0 to 3. The third argument is the slot to check. This is a number from 0 to 23. Spell slots are numbered in rows, so the first row is 0,1,2 the second row is 3,4,5, and so-on.
write spell (hero,list,slot,attack)
Forces a hero to learn a particular spell. The first argument is the hero's position in the party (as returned by find hero). The second argument is the spell list to put the spell in. This is a number from 0 to 3. The third argument is the slot to put the spell in. This is a number from 0 to 23. Spell slots are numbered in rows, so the first row is 0,1,2 the second row is 3,4,5, and so-on. The last argument is the attack to put in the spell list. You can use the names defined in your .HSI file in the form atk:attackname (You may also use the attack's ID number. This is the number you see in the attack editor + 1). You can also erase a spell by writing 0 or none as the attack ID. Note that this command will overwrite and replace any spell that is already in that slot. If you overwrite a slot that can normally learn another spell, you will never learn that other spell (unless you first erase the spell you wrote there)
knows spell (hero,attack)
Checks to see if a hero already knows a spell. The first argument is the hero's position in the party (as returned by find hero). The second argument is the attack to check for. You can use the names defined in your .HSI file in the form atk:attackname (You may also use the attack's ID number. This is the number you see in the attack editor + 1). If the hero knows the spell, knows spell will return true. If the hero does not know the spell, it will return false
can learn spell (hero,attack)
Checks to see if a hero is capable of learning a spell from an item or from the teach spell command. The first argument is the hero's position in the party (as returned by find hero). The second argument is the attack to check for. You can use the names defined in your .HSI file in the form atk:attackname (You may also use the attack's ID number. This is the number you see in the attack editor + 1). If the hero can learn the spell, can learn spell will return true. If the hero cannot learn the spell (or learns it from levelups), it will return false
spells learnt (hero,number)
Used to return the id numbers of spells the hero learnt from the last battle, give experience, set hero level or set experience command. (Returns only the spells learnt from the very last battle or command). If the second argument is get count then the number of spells that the hero learnt is returned. Pass 0 for number to get the first spell learnt, 1 the second, etc. You can use a loop and strings to list to the player all the spells a hero learnt:
define script (autonumber, print learnt spells, 1, 0)
# the following script uses strings 0, 1, 2 for its use (will be overwritten)
script, print learnt spells, who, begin
variable(i)
get hero name (1, who) # construct the static part of the text in string 1
$1+" learnt spell "
for (i, 0, spells learnt (who, get count) -- 1) do (
get attack name (2, spells learnt (who, i)) # get the i-th spell learnt
0 $= 1 # copy the static part to the displayed string
0 $+ 2 # combine with the spell name
show string at (0, 160, 100)
wait for keypress (anykey)
)
hide string (0)
end
init mouse
Initializes the mouse, returning true if one is present, and loads the mouse driver. This command much be run before any mouse functions can be used. Therefore, it is a good idea to place this command in the newgame and loadgame scripts if you are going to use the mouse.
The mouse will start in the middle of the screen with bounds of 0-319 horizontally and 0-199 vertically. The bounds can be changed with mouse region, and you can reposition the mouse with put mouse.
Here is an example:
Running this command does not draw a cursor on screen - your script must do this itself by placing an npc at the appropriate location.
include,plotscr.hsd
define script(1,displaymouse,none)
#Mouse cursor example
script, display mouse, begin
#start up the mouse
init mouse
#loop while the game is running
while (true) do,begin
#NPC 0 is the mouse cursor
put npc (0, mouse pixel x + camera pixel x, mouse pixel y + camera pixel y)
wait
end
end
mouse pixel X
Returns the X coordinate in pixels of the mouse on the screen. init mouse must be called before this command can be used.
mouse pixel Y
Returns the Y coordinate in pixels of the mouse on the screen. init mouse must be called before this command can be used.
mouse button (which)
Returns true if the specified mouse button is pressed. You can use the constants left button and right button to specify the button. init mouse must be called before this command can be used.
put mouse (X,Y)
Changes the location of the mouse on the screen, in pixels. init mouse must be called before this command can be used.
mouse region (x min, x max, y min, y max)
Sets the edges of the rectangle to which the mouse is constricted. Use if you want to force the mouse into some region, like a choice selection box. init mouse must be called before this command can be used.
When refering to a position in a string, position is a 1-based index into the string, not a 0-based index. For example, given a string "ABCDEFG", position=3 is "C", not "D". This is because the string commands are based on BASIC string commands, which are 1-based. This also means that position 0 is invalid. Beware!
There is no limit on string length (previously, they were limited to 40 characters, the width of the screen)
show string (ID)
Displays string #ID in the bottom left corner of the screen, as with the show value command. Use show no value to remove the string from the screen. Note that this command displays the value of the string at the moment the command was run. Later changes to the value of the string will not appear unless you run show string again. If you need real-time display of changes to a string, use show string at or center string at instead.
See also:
clear string(ID)
Erases the string buffer #ID to the empty string (""). That's all.
append ascii (ID, char)
Appends the character with ascii code 'ascii' to the string with ID #ID. Remember: Numbers are 48 - 57, uppercase letters are 65 - 90, lowercase letters are 97 - 122.
See also:
append number (ID, number)
Appends the textual representation of number to the string with ID #ID. For example, append number(1,65) will append "65", not "A".
See also:
copy string (dest, source)
Copies the text from string #source to string #dest, overwriting the existing string completely.
If you prefer, you can write dest $= source instead. You must supply string id numbers, not strings, as arguments.
concatenate strings (dest, source)
Copies the text from string #source to string #dest. However, unlike copy string, the text is appended to the end of dest. The resulting string is then trimmed to the limit of 40 characters.
If you prefer, you can write dest $+ source instead. You must supply string id numbers, not strings, as arguments.
string length (ID)
Returns the length of string #ID.
string compare (ID1, ID2)
Returns true if the two strings #ID1 and #ID2 are identical, case sensitive.
replace char (ID, position, char)
Replaces the character at position in string #ID with a character with ascii code char.
delete char (ID, position)
This deletes the character at postion in string #ID, causing all the following characters to move over a slot.
ascii from string (ID, position)
Returns the ascii code of the character at position in string #ID.
string to globals (ID, starting global, length)
This command will fill global variables (starting with #starting global), up to length globals, with the ascii values of the characters in string #ID. If the string is not long enough, the rest of the globals in this "field" are padded with the value 256.
See also:
globals to string(ID, starting global, length)
This command is the opposite of string to globals. It will build a new string in slot #ID, using the ascii values from the global variables #starting global and length globals thereafter. Pass the same value for length as you did to string to globals if you don't know the length of the string. If a global has a value greater than 255, the value will be ignored.
See also:
get hero name (ID, hero)
This command will take the name of hero #hero, and stick it in string #ID, overwriting its contents.
Remember that this command expects the hero's position in the party, not the hero:name constants nor the hero's position in the walkabout party. If you want to get the name of a hero according to their position in the walkabout party, you should use hero by rank and find hero
# This example gets the name of the leader and stores it in string ID 1
get hero name (1,find hero(hero by rank(0)))
set hero name (ID, hero)
This command will take string #ID, and set hero #hero's name to it.
get item name (ID, item)
This command will take the name of item #item and stick it in string #ID, overwriting its contents. This can be useful for "You got <item>!" type messages.
get map name (ID, map)
This command will take the name of map #map and stick it in string #ID, overwriting its contents.
get attack name (ID, attack)
This command will take the name of attack #attack and stick it in string #ID, overwriting its contents.
get global string (ID, global)
This command will take the name of global string #global and stick it in string #ID, overwriting its contents. Global strings include every text string in the game, such as prompts and messages. See the Global String Editor in CUSTOM for a list of all of them. Due to the way global strings are stored internally, not all values of #global will produce valid results.
input string (ID, maxlength, use current, center, position x, position y)
Allows the player to type in a string. Returns false if they press ESC to cancel. All arguments are optional: ID is the string you want to use, default is string #0. maxlen is the length of input, if left blank the limit will be set to 40 (max visible onscreen length). use current is whether you want to add to the existing string, or clear the string before typing. The default is to clear the string before typing, valid arguments are true or false. center centers the string input at position x/y. If left blank the string will use its current positioning. Otherwise, valid arguments are true or false. If the string is not visible, then it will automatically be placed onscreen (centered if not specified) and hidden when done. position x and position y are optional, and are the position at which the string will be shown as it is being typed. The default values are 160,110.
show string at (ID, x, y)
Displays string #ID on the screen, positioning its top left corner at the given (x,y) coordinates. Unlike show string, changes to the string will be displayed in real-time.
center string at (ID, x, y)
Displays string #ID on the screen, positioning its top-middle at the given (x,y) coordinates. Unlike show string, changes to the string will be displayed in real-time.
The string is not re-centered automatically if its length changes. If you change the string and want to keep it centered, call showstringat again. Otherwise, its topleft corner will stay fixed.
hide string (ID)
Makes a string previously displayed with show string at or center string at disappear. Has no effect on strings displayed with show string
string is visible (ID)
Returns true if a string is being displayed by show string at or center string at. Otherwise, returns false. Is not effected by show string
string style (ID, style)
Changes the appearance of a string previously displayed with show string at or center string at. Choice of style is string:outline and string:flat. string:outline is the style of string you are familiar with in textboxes: they are outlined with colour 0 (black). string:flat have not outline but can have a solid background of any colour behind the string.
string color (ID, foreground color, background color)
Changes the color of a string previously displayed with show string at or center string at. Foreground color is the colour of the text itself. Background color has no meaning for style:outline strings (the outline is always black). For style:flat strings, it is the color of the solid background if 1 to 255, or causes no background if 0. If you ommit background color, the background will be transparent.
positionstring (ID, x, y)
Positions the top left corner of string #ID at the given x,y coordinates. Unlike show string at, this command will not affect the visibility of a string.
string X (ID)
Returns the horizontal X position of the top left corner of string #ID
string Y (ID)
Returns the vertical Y position of the top left corner of string #ID
get song name (ID, song)
Gets the name of song #song and puts it in string #ID.
search string (ID1, ID2, start)
Searches the string for a specified string, returns the position at which the string was found. start is the position at which you want to start looking, default is 1. ID1 is the the string you want to search, ID2 is the string expression you want to find. Returns false if the string wasn't found
trim string (ID, start, length)
Cuts the string to the specified length, OR removes blank space from the beginning and ends of the string. ID is the string you want to be cut. If you wish to cut ID to a certain length, you must specify start and length. start is the position at which you want to start cutting, anything to the left of this number will be deleted in a string. length is the size of the string you want to preserve, anything to the right of this number will be deleted in a string. If you leave these parameters blank, it will trim whitespace from the beginning and ends of ID.
string from textbox (ID, textbox, line, expand)
Loads text from the line in a textbox into a string ID. The command automatically erases white spaces from the begining of the string and end of the string. Valid numbers for line are 0-7. If expand is true, then codes like ${H1} in the string will be substituted automatically.
See also:
expand string(ID)
Expands codes in ID like ${H1}. This does the same thing that textboxes do automatically.
random (lownumber, highnumber)
Returns a random number in the range of the two numbers. The returned value will be greater than or equal to the first number, and less than or equal to the second number
inventory (item)
Returns a count of how many of the specified item are in your inventory. If you do not have the item, it returns zero or false. You can refer to the item by number, or you can use the constants defined in your HSI file, which are in the form of item:name
leader
Returns the hero number of the current leader
hero X (who)
Returns the specified hero's X position in tiles. Note that a hero's tile is the tile its top left corner is on.
hero Y (who)
Returns the specified hero's Y position in tiles. Note that a hero's tile is the tile its top left corner is on.
NPC X (who)
Returns the specified NPC's X position in tiles. Note that an NPC's tile is the tile its top left corner is on.
See also:
NPC Y (who)
Returns the specified NPC's Y position in tiles. Note that an NPC's tile is the tile its top left corner is on.
See also:
hero direction (who)
Returns the specified hero's direction.
hero frame (who)
Returns the walking frame (0 or 1) of the specified hero.
NPC direction (who)
Returns the specified NPC's direction.
NPC frame (who)
Returns the walking frame (0 or 1) of the specified NPC.
NPC extra (who,which)
Returns the npc instance-specific extra data field requested in which. You may use the constants extra1 and extra2 to refer to them. If you use an NPC ID for who, the first instance's data will be used.
See also:
set NPC extra (who,which, value)
Sets the npc instance-specific extra data field requested in which. You may use the constants extra1 and extra2 to refer to them. If you use an NPC ID for who, the first instance's data will be used.
See also:
room in active party
A function that returns the number of available spaces in your active party. It will return zero or false if there is no room.
current map
Returns the number of the current map.
map width
Returns the width of the map in tiles.
map height
Returns the height of the map in tiles.
get map tileset
Returns the ID number of the default tileset for the map. load tileset does NOT affect the value returned by this function.
days of play
Returns the number of days that the game has been played
set days of play (days)
Sets the number of days that the game has been "played" to days, as long as days is greater than 0. Useful if there are times that shouldn't count towards the play time, or for penalizing bad players >:)
hours of play
Returns the number of hours that the game has been played, 0 to 23
set hours of play (hours)
Sets the number of hours that the game has been "played" to hours, as long as hours is within the 0-23 range.
minutes of play
Returns the number of minutes that the game has been played, 0 to 59
set minutes of play (min)
Sets the number of minutes that the game has been "played" to min, as long as min is within the 0-59 range.
seconds of play
Returns the number of seconds that the game has been played, 0 to 59
set seconds of play (sec)
Sets the number of seconds that the game has been "played" to sec, as long as sec is within the 0-59 range.
system year
Returns the current real-world year
system month
Returns the current real-world month, 1 to 12
system day
Returns the current real-world day, 1 to 31
system hour
Returns the current real-world hour, 0 to 23
system minute
Returns the current real-world minute, 0 to 59
system second
Returns the current real-world second, 0 to 59
key is pressed (scancode)
Returns true if the keyboard key with the specified scancode is being pressed (either held down or pressed since last tick), or false if it is not. The argument is a scancode, NOT the up key, down key, etc used with wait for key. I have provided an extra include file, SCANCODE.HSI that you can use to define friendly names for all the scancodes.
Keyboard scan codes:
Joystick scan codes:
You can NOT wait for the player to press a key by continually polling key is pressed unless you stick a wait in your do loop. That's because key is pressed does not return real time data, but the state of the keyboard at the beginning of the current game tick.
See also:
keyval (scancode)
Returns a bitmask for the state of the specified key. The argument is a scancode, see key is pressed. The first (least significant) bit is whether the key was depressed at the beginning of the current tick. The second bit is whether the key was pushed down by the player since the start of the previous tick (or when the key starts to repeatedly trigger after being held down for a while). It can therefore return 0, 1, 2 or 3:
0 = not pressed
1 = key held down since last tick, but is not a new press
2 = the player pressed the key and released it, all in the same tick
3 = new keypress (or typematic repeat)
![[Danger]](http://gilgamesh.hamsterrepublic.com/wiki/ohrrpgce-images/a/ab/Plotdanger.png)
Just like key is pressed, this command does not return real time data, but the situation at the beginning of the current game tick.
See also:
last ascii
Returns the ascii code of any currently pressed key. If more than one key corresponding to an ascii character is being pressed, then only one can be returned.
joystick button (button,joystick)
Returns true or false depending on whether button #button on joystick #joystick is pressed. button can be from 1-16 (assuming the joystick has that many buttons), and joystick can be from 0-3. Most of the time, you will want to use joystick #0, so that is what joystick defaults to.
joystick axis (axis,multiplier,joystick)
Returns the position of the joystick along the X or Y axis on joystick #joystick. axis can be one of the constants x axis or y axis. multiplier is slightly complicated: The position of the joystick is actually a decimal between -1 and 1. Since plotscripting can't handle decimals, this position must be multiplied and rounded off until it is within plotscripting's capabilities. By default, it is 100 (so it will return -100 - 100). joystick can be from 0-3. Most of the time, you will want to use joystick #0, so that is what joystick defaults to.
hero pixel X (who)
Returns the hero's X position on the map in pixels. To find the hero's position in tiles, use the hero X function instead.
hero pixel Y (who)
Returns the hero's Y position on the map in pixels. To find the hero's position in tiles, use the hero Y function instead.
NPC pixel X (who)
Returns the NPC's X position on the map in pixels. The argument is an NPC reference or an NPC ID number. To find the NPC's position in tiles, use the NPC X function instead.
NPC pixel Y (who)
Returns the NPC's Y position on the map in pixels. The argument is an NPC reference or an NPC ID number. To find the NPC's position in tiles, use the NPC Y function instead.
camera pixel X
Returns the X position of the top left corner of the screen in pixels.
camera pixel Y
Returns the Y position of the top left corner of the screen in pixels.
pick hero
Pops up a hero-picker box that lets you choose one of the heros in your active party. The return value is the position in the party of the hero you picked.
rename hero(who)
Pops up a name-editing box that allows you to change a hero's name. The argument is the hero's ID number, or name in the format hero:name
rename hero by slot(who)
Pops up a name-editing box that allows you to change a hero's name. The argument is the hero's position in the party as returned by find hero
last save slot
Returns the last save slot saved in, or false if the game has not been saved yet.
See also:
save slot used (slot)
Returns whether a game has been saved in the save slot. Use if you, for example, don't want to overwrite a saved game with save in slot.
get enemy stat(enemy, stat)
Returns the selected stat from the selected enemy. The first argument is the number of the enemy whose stats you want to check. The second argument is the name of the stat that you want to check. The names of the stats are also defined in your HSI file in the form stat:name.
See also:
set enemy stat(enemy, stat, value)
Sets the selected stat of the selected enemy to the value you supply. The first argument is the number of the enemy whose stats you want to set. The second argument is the name of the stat that you want to set. The names of the stats are also defined in your HSI file in the form stat:name. The third is the new value of the stat.
Note: Enemy stat changes are temporary. They are not saved in the save game.
See also:
get enemy name (enemyid, stringid)
Lets you use the enemy name in a string. The first argument is the number of the enemy you want to get the name from, second argument is the number of the string that you want to store the name of the enemy.
See also:
set enemy name (enemyid, stringid)
Lets you set the enemy name from a string, the string length cannot be more then 16 characters, if it is more then 16 the name will be truncated. The first argument is the number of the enemy's name you want to change, second argument is the number of the string that you supply the name of the enemy from.
Note: Enemy name changes are temporary. They are not saved in the save game.
See also:
get enemy appearance (enemyid, appearance)
Returns data on the appearance of a enemy. Enemyid is the enemy number that you want to return the appearance of, appearance is either picture, palette, or size. You can use the following constants for appearance:
You can compare the values returned from enemy:picturesize with the constants enemysize:small, enemysize:medium and enemysize:large
See also:
set enemy appearance (enemyid, appearance,value)
Lets you change an enemy's appearance. Enemyid is the number of the enemy's appearance that you want to change, appearance is one of the constants given in get enemy appearance. Value can is the new number that you want to assign, constants enemysize:small, enemysize:medium, or enemysize:large when changing picture size, or palette number when changing palette.
Note: Enemy appearance changes are temporary. They are not saved in the save game.
See also:
read enemy data (enemyid, data)
Returns the enemy's reward values. Enemyid is the number of enemy, data is a predefined constant defining the data you want returned. Use the following constants:
See also:
write enemy data (enemyid, data, value)
Lets you set items of an enemy's data. Enemyid is the number of enemy, data is a predefined constant for the data you want to change. Value is the new value given to that setting. Use the same constants as are given at read enemy data.
Note: Enemy data changes are temporary. They are not saved in the save game.
See also:
get formation song (formation)
Returns the song associated with formation. If there is none, it will return 0, otherwise it will return the song number + 1. If there is an error (such as formation not existing), it will return -1.
See also:
set formation song (formation, song)
Sets an enemy formation to use song as its music. Use 0 for none, or the song number + 1 for a song.
Note: Formation data changes are temporary. They are not saved in the save game.
See also:
hero levelled (who)
Returns the number of levels the specified hero (use result from find hero) gained from only the very last battle, give experience, set hero level or set experience command - levels gained from previous battles or commands are forgotten. If the hero lost levels, the result is negative. In other words, this does not return true or false, but can be be used in an if statement like:
give experience (party, 50)
if (herolevelled (find hero (hero: Bob))) then (
$31="Bob gained "
append number(31, hero levelled (find hero (hero: Bob)))
$31+" levels!"
show textbox (233) # ${S31} :show string 31
)
total experience (who)
Returns a hero's total experience. The argument is the position of the hero you want to check in your party as as returned by find hero.
See also:
experience to next level (who)
Returns experience required by a hero to reach the next level. The argument is the position of the hero you want to check in your party as as returned by find hero.
experience to level (level)
Returns the total experience required to reach a specified level from level 0.
set timer (id, count, speed, trigger, string, flags)
Sets the settings for a given timer (id), and starts it. Count is the length of the timer. While it's running, the count will go down by one every speed ticks. I.e., if you set speed to 18, it will count down once every 18 ticks.
trigger is what happens when the timer runs out. You can use the constant timer: game over to indicate that the game should end, or specify a plotscript (in the form "@my script") to have that run.
By default, a timer will not show up on screen. However, you can bind a timer to a string using the string parameter. Pass it the id of a string, and that string will be updated every time the timer counts down. You are responsible for displaying and positioning the string.
A timer also has a few other options in the form of flags. You can pass any combination of these flags: timer flag: critical to have the timer end a battle, if it runs out during it, timer flag: battle to have it count down during a battle in the first place or timer flag: menu to have it count down while the player is in a menu (i.e. the main menu).
You can pass timer: default to any parameter except id. This will either leave the parameter unchanged (if it's set), or set it to its default value.
#this starts a 300 second (5 minute) timer that counts down once every 15 ticks. If
#it runs out during a battle, the battle won't end, but it will go game over after.
set timer (0, 300, 15, timer: game over, 0, timerflag: battle)
See also:
stop timer (id)
Stops a timer by setting its speed to 0. All of its other settings remain the same.
See also:
read timer (id)
Returns the count of a given timer.
See also:
read map block (x,y,layer)
Returns the value of a map tile on the current map at the specified X,Y position. Normal map tiles return values from 0-159, animating maptiles from set 1 return 160-207 and animating maptiles from set 2 return 208-255. The optional layer can be 0, 1, or 2. The bottom layer will be read by default.
See also:
write map block (x,y,value,layer)
Writes a new tile to the specified X,Y position on the current map. This change will only persist until you leave the map or fight a battle. The optional layer argument can be 0, 1, or 2. The bottom layer will be written to by default
read pass block (x,y)
Returns the value of a passability (wallmap) tile on the current map at the specified X,Y position. The return value will be from 0 to 255 and consists of eight flag bits.
bit 1 = north wall
bit 2 = east wall
bit 4 = south wall
bit 8 = west wall
bit 16 = vehicle A
bit 32 = vehicle B
bit 64 = harm tile
bit 128 = overhead tile
To check the value of a specific bit, use the and operator. For example:
variable (pass)
set variable(pass,read pass block(hero X(me),hero Y(me)))
if (pass,and,harm tile) then begin
# this checks if the hero is standing
# on a harm tile
end
write pass block (x,y,value)
Writes a new passability (wallmap) information to the specified X,Y position on the current map. This change will only persist until you leave the map or fight a battle. The value is a number from from 0 to 255 that consists of eight flag bits.
bit 1 = north wall
bit 2 = east wall
bit 4 = south wall
bit 8 = west wall
bit 16 = vehicle A
bit 32 = vehicle B
bit 64 = harm tile
bit 128 = overhead tile
You can add the constants together. For example:
variable (pass)
set variable(pass,northwall+southwall+eastwall+westwall)
write pass block(15,3,pass)
# this makes the fifteenth tile in the third column
# impassable on all directions
load tileset (set)
Loads a different tileset for the currently displaying map. The argument is the ID number of the tileset to load. To restore the map's default tileset, use load tileset with no arguments.
See also:
current display tile (tile number)
Returns the tile number from the tileset, in the range 0-159, that a given tile (read with read map block) is currently displayed as, taking the tile animation patterns into account.
animation start tile (tile number)
Returns the tile number on the tileset (in the range 0-159) that this tile is displayed as at the start of its animation pattern (offset 0) if it has one, else just returns the tile number. The tile number argument is typically returned from read map block. In effect, this is what the tile number would be if you had not set the tile as animated in the tilemap editor.
See also:
set tag (tag,value)
Sets the value of a tag. The available constants are: off, on, true, or false. You can specify the number of the tag, or you can use the constants in your HSI file. These constants are in the form of tag:name.
check tag (tag)
A function that checks the value of a tag, and returns true if the tag is turned on, and false if the tag is turned off. It can be used in if and while statements. You can specify the number of the tag, or you can use the constants in your HSI file. These constants are in the form of tag:name.
set variable (variable,value)
This command assigns a new value to a variable. If you do not specify the new value, the variable will be reset to zero. This command works exactly the same for global and local variables.
If you prefer, you can also set variables by writing variable := value
increment (variable,amount)
This command adds an amount to the current value of a variable. If you do not specify the amount, then the variable will be incremented by one. This command works exactly the same for global and local variables.
You can also increment variables by writing variable += amount
decrement (variable,amount)
This command subtracts an amount from the current value of a variable. If you do not specify the amount, then the variable will be decremented by one. This command works exactly the same for global and local variables.
You can also decrement variables by writing variable -= amount
Pre-December 1999 versions of HamsterSpeak used a different syntax for math. For more information, see the HamsterSpeak Specification
number + number
Adds two values together and returns the result. This can also be written as add(number,number)
number -- number
Subtracts the second number from the first number and returns the result. It is neccisary to use the double minus so that HSPEAK.EXE can tell the difference between subtraction, and a minus sign that indicates a negative number. You can also write subtract(number,number)
number * number
Multiplies two values together and returns the result. This can also be written as multiply(number,number)
number / number
Divides the second number into the first number and returns the result. The result is rounded down to an integer. This can also be written as divide(number,number)
number,mod,number
Divides the second number into the first number and returns the remainder. This can also be written as modulus(number,number)
number ^ power
Raises a number to a power and returns the result. Normally you will only be raising things to a power of 2. Raising to very large powers will most certainly produce an overflow error. This can also be written as exponent(number,power)
number == number
Checks to see if the two numbers are equal. If they are equal it returns true, otherwise it returns false. This can also be written as equal(number,number)
number <> number
Checks to see if the two numbers are not equal. If they are not equal it returns true. If they are equal it returns false. This can also be written as not equal(number,number)
number << number
Checks to see if the first number is less than the second number. If it is, it returns true, otherwise it returns false. This can also be written as less than(number,number)
number >> number
Checks to see if the first number is greater than the second number. If it is, it returns true, otherwise it returns false. This can also be written as greater than(number,number)
number <= number
Checks to see if the first number is less than or equal to the second number. If it is, it returns true, otherwise it returns false. This can also be written as less than or equal to(number,number)
number >= number
Checks to see if the first number is greater than or equal to the second number. If it is, it returns true, otherwise it returns false. This can also be written as greater than or equal to(number,number)
value,and,value
Returns the bitwise AND of both values. In other words, for each bit in each value, they are compared to see if they are both "1". If they are, the result bit is set to 1. Otherwise, it's set to 0.
See also:
value,or,value
Returns the bitwise OR of both values. In other words, for each bit in each value, they are compared to see if either bit is "1". If one is, the result bit is set to 1. Otherwise, it's set to 0.
See also:
value,xor,value
Returns the bitwise AND of both values. In other words, for each bit in each value, they are compared to see if either (but not both!) bit is "1". If ONE is, the result bit is set to 1. Otherwise, it's set to 0.
See also:
value && value
Returns true if both of the values are true (non-zero). If either of them is false, and returns false. This command uses shortcut evaluation: if the first argument is false, the second argument is never evaluated.
value || value
Returns true if at least one of the values are true (non-zero). Only if both of them are false does or return false. This command uses shortcut evaluation: if the first argument is true, the second argument is never evaluated.
value ^^ value
Returns true if one, but not both of the values are true (non-zero). If both of them are true, or both of them are false, ^^ returns false.
begin,other commands,end
Begin is a synonym for ( and end is a synonym for ). Parenthesis are normally used for bracketing things that all fit on the same line, and begin/end statements are often used to enclose very long things such as whole scripts or long flow control blocks that take up several lines. For example, the following two blocks of code are identical:
if (check tag(2)) then (show text box (5),wait for text box)
if (check tag(2)) then
begin
show text box (5)
wait for text box
end
end
See begin
if(condition) then(commands) else(commands)
The if statement checks the value of its condition, and if the value is true, it runs the commands in the then block. If the value is false, it runs the commands in its else block. The conditional is usually an equality operator such as == or <>, or it is a check tag command. The else is optional as long as you have a then, and the then is optional as long as you have an else. There are some examples of if statements in the HamsterSpeak Specification, and in WANDERP.HSS
then
See if
else
See if
while(condition) do(commands)
The while command checks the value of its condition, and if the value is true it runs the commands in the do block. It keeps checking the conditional and runs the do block over and over again until the conditional returns false. The conditional is usually an equality operator such as == or <>, or it is a check tag command.
do
See also:
for(counter,start,finish,step) do(commands)
The for command runs the commands in the do block a specified number of times. The first argument to for is the counter. It must be a variable. The next two arguments are the starting value and the finishing value. For example, if you use a start value of 1 and a finish value of 10 then the do block will run 10 times. The first time the do block runs, the counter will be 1, then it will be 2, then 3 and so on until it reaches 10, the finish value. The fourth argument of for is optional. It is the step by which the counter will change each loop. If you use a step of 2 then the counter will count 1,3,5,7,9. If you switch the start and finish values and use a step of -1 then the counter will go backwards. If you use 0 as the step, the counter will never change, so the do block will repeat forever. There are examples of for commands in WANDERP.HSS
return(value)
Sets the value to be returned by the script. This is only useful when the script has been called as a function from another script. It is irrelevant to scripts called directly from your RPG. This command does NOT cause the script to terminate, it just sets the return value. If return is used more than once in the same script, only the last one executed matters
See also:
exit returning(value)
Sets the value to be returned by the script, and exits the script. This is only useful when the script has been called as a function from another script.
See also:
exit script
Causes the script to end immediately
See also:
break
breaks out of a for or while command and continue the script after the end of the do block
continue
When used inside the do block of a for or while command, continue skips the rest of the do block and continues on to the next loop. When used inside a switch statement, continue flows on to the next case block
switch(expression)
select between a number of case statements based on the value of an expression. switch(v) do, begin
case(0) do, begin
do foo
end
case(1) do, begin
do bar
end
case(10) do, begin
do baz
end
end
case(value)
See switch
set hero picture (who,picture,type)
Permanently changes a hero's picture. The first argument is the heros position in the party as returned by find hero. The second argument is the index number of the picture to use, and the last argument is a constant inside battle or outside battle, which determines if you are changing the heros battle picture or their walkabout picture. If the last argument is left out, outside battle is assumed.
set hero palette (who,palette,type)
Permanently changes a hero's 16-color palette. The first argument is the heros position in the party as returned by find hero. The second argument is the index number of the 16-color palette to use, and the last argument is a constant inside battle or outside battle, which determines if you are changing the heros battle palette or their walkabout palette. If the last argument is left out, outside battle is assumed.
get hero picture (who,type)
A function that returns the index number of a hero's picture. The first argument is the heros position in the party as returned by find hero. The second argument is a constant inside battle or outside battle, which determines if you are checking the heros battle picture or their walkabout picture. If the second argument is left out, outside battle is assumed.
get hero palette (who,type)
A function that returns the index number of a hero's 16-color palette. The first argument is the heros position in the party as returned by find hero. The second argument is a constant inside battle or outside battle, which determines if you are checking the heros battle palette or their walkabout palette. If the second argument is left out, outside battle is assumed.
alter NPC (who,NPCstat,value)
Changes the stats of an NPC. Constants for this command have been included in PLOTSCR.HSD. Alter NPC can be used for many purposes.
Normally you would only give an NPC ID number to alter NPC, but if you want to use an NPC reference it will still work. Just remember that alter NPC changes every copy of the NPC on the map, not just the specific one you referenced.
Available move types
Available when activated codes
Available pushability codes
Available activation codes
A good way to make use of Alter NPC is to wrap it in your own script. For example:
# Example AlterNPC wrapper for changing NPC appearance
Define Script (autonumber,change NPC,3,0,0,0)
script,change NPC,who,picture,palette,begin
Alter NPC(who,NPCstat:picture,picture)
Alter NPC(who,NPCstat:palette,palette)
end
read NPC (who,NPCstat)
Returns data such as picture, palette, walking speed, text box, etc. for an NPC. Use the same constants as alter NPC
set death script (id)
Changes the script that is run when you die in battle. The argument is the script's ID number, NOT the script's name. Calling set death script with no argument disables the death script.
get death script
Returns the ID number of script that is run when you die in battle.
set load script (id)
Changes the script that is run when you load a saved game. The argument is the script's ID number, NOT the script's name. Calling set load script with no argument disables the load script.
get load script
Returns the ID number of script that is run when you load a saved game.
set on keypress script (id)
Changes the script that is run when you press a key. The argument is the script's ID number, NOT the script's name. Calling set on keypress script with no argument disables the keypress script. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
get on keypress script
Returns the ID number of script that is run when you press a key.
set each step script (id)
Changes the script that is run when you take a step. The argument is the script's ID number, NOT the script's name. Calling set each step script with no argument disables the each step script. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
get each step script
Returns the ID number of script that is run when you take a step.
set instead of battle script (id)
Changes the script that is run instead of a battle when one is triggered. The argument is the script's ID number, NOT the script's name. Calling set instead of battle script with no argument disables the instead of battle script. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
get instead of battle script
Returns the ID number of script that is run instead of battles.
set harm tile damage (amount)
Sets the amount of damage taken when you step on a harm tile. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
set harm tile flash (color)
Sets the color (from the master palette) which the screen flashs when you step on a harm tile. Call with no argument to disable the flash. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
set foot offset (offset)
Sets the foot offset in pixels, the vertical displacement of npc and hero sprites from the base of the tiles on which they stand. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
get foot offset
Returns the map's foot offset.
draw NPCs above heroes (setting)
Sets whether NPCs are drawn above heros or the default of beneath. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
set map edge mode (mode, default tile)
Sets the behaviour at the edge of the map. Use the constants crop, wrap and default tile. When the behaviour is default tile, you should give a second argument specifying which tile should be displayed off the boundaries of the map, otherwise ignore the second argument. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
get map edge mode
Returns the map's edge mode. Use the constants crop, wrap and default tile to compare with the value returned.
find hero (who)
Searches through your party to see if the specified hero is there, and returns the position where the hero was found, or -1 if the hero was not found. Use the names defined in your HSI file in the format hero:name. Not only does this tell you if a hero is in your party, but you can also use it to tell whether or not the hero is in your active party. find hero will return 0,1,2 or 3 if the hero is in the active party, but it will return a number 4 or higher if the hero is in the reserve.
See also:
hero by slot (where)
This command is the reverse of find hero. Given a position in your party, it will tell you which hero is in that slot, or -1 if no hero is in that slot. The number returned can be compared with the names defined in your HSI file in the format hero:name.
rank in caterpillar (who)
Searches through your active party to see if the specified hero is there, and returns the position int the walkabout caterpillar where the hero was found, or -1 if the hero was not found. Use the names defined in your HSI file in the format hero:name. This is particularaly useful if you need to use a command like walk hero but you are not sure which position the hero is in.
See also:
hero by rank (where)
This command is the reverse of rank in caterpillar. Given a position in your walkabout party, it will tell you which hero is in that position, or -1 if no hero is in that position. The number returned can be compared with the names defined in your HSI file in the format hero:name.
get hero stat (who,stat,type)
A function that returns one of a hero's stats. The first argument is the position of the hero you want to check in your party as as returned by find hero. The second argument is the name of the stat that you want to check. The names of the stats are also define in your HSI file in the form stat:name. The third argument is either current stat or maximum stat. If you leave the last argument blank, current stat will be assumed.
See also:
set hero stat (who,stat,value,type)
A command that changes one of a hero's stats. The first argument is the position of the hero you want to change in your party as returned by find hero. The second argument is the name of the stat that you want to change. The names of the stats are also define in your HSI file in the form stat:name. The third argument is the new value of the stat. The last argument is either current stat or maximum stat. If you leave the last argument blank, current stat will be assumed.
See also:
set capped hero stat (who,stat,value,type)
A command that changes one of a hero's stats. The first argument is the position of the hero you want to change in your party as returned by find hero. The second argument is the name of the stat that you want to change. The names of the stats are also define in your HSI file in the form stat:name. The third argument is the new value of the stat. The last argument is either current stat or maximum stat. If you leave the last argument blank, current stat will be assumed. Unlike set hero stat, this command is not allowed to exceed the stat caps.
See also:
get hero stat cap (stat)
A function that returns the maximum allowed value for a hero stat. The argument is the stat you want to check, either as a number or using the stat:name constants defined in your HSI file. If the return value is 0 or false there is no stat cap for that stat.
See also:
get hero level (who)
A function that returns a hero's current level. The argument is the position of the hero you want to check in your party as as returned by find hero. The return value with be your current level, from 0 to 99
See also:
set hero level (who, level, forgetspells)
A command that sets a hero's current level. The first argument is the position of the hero you want to change in your party as as returned by find hero. You can specify any hero in the active or reserve party and any (non-negative) level. Unlike old workarounds, this command teachs the hero any spells they would have learnt by that level and correctly sets the experience to next levelup (experience gained to the current next level is lost). You can also decrease the hero's level, which will cause spells to be forgotten, unless the optional 3rd argument (defaulting to true) is set as false.
See also:
set experience (who, experience, allowforget)
Sets a hero's total experience and updates their level and spell list. The argument is the position of the hero you want to check in your party as as returned by find hero. To decrease a hero's level without forgetting spells, pass false as the optional third argument.
See also:
read global (id)
A function that returns the value of a global variable using its ID number instead of its name. Why would you want to do a silly thing like that? Because it allows you to simulate simple fake arrays, in the old C-pointer style.
See also:
write global (id,value)
A function that writes a value into a global variable using its ID number instead of its name. Why would you want to do a silly thing like that? Because it allows you to simulate simple fake arrays, in the old C-pointer style
See also:
set battle wait mode (state)
Set whether or not battles pause on spell and item menus. If the argument is off then enemies continue to attack while menus are up, if the argument is on then enemies wait while menus are up.
set caterpillar mode (state)
Sets whether or not to display the whole party in "caterpillar" style. If the argument is off then only the leader will be displayed. If the argument is on then the whole party will be displayed. (do not confuse this with the suspend caterpillar and resume caterpillar commands, which only apply when caterpillar mode is ON)
set no HP level up restore (state)
Sets whether or not a hero regains full HP after a levelup. If the argument is off then HP is restored on a levelup. If the argument is on then the hero's HP is not restored on a levelup.
set no MP level up restore (state)
Sets whether or not a hero regains full MP after a levelup. If the argument is off then MP is restored on a levelup. If the argument is on then the hero's MP is not restored on a levelup.
set inn no revive mode (state)
Sets whether or not inns restore dead heros to life. If the argument is off then dead heros are restored by inns. If the argument is on then dead heros remain dead in inns.
set full hero swap mode (state)
Sets whether or not you can swap heros in and out of your active party from the menu. If the argument is off then the "Order" menu will be available. If the argument is on then the "Team" menu will be available.
hide battle ready meter (state)
Sets whether or not the ready meter appears in battle. If the argument is off then the ready meter appears. If the argument is on then the ready meter will be hidden.
hide battle health meter (state)
Sets whether or not the health meter appears in battle. If the argument is off then the health meter appears. If the argument is on then the health meter will be hidden.
set debug keys disable (state)
Sets whether or not the debugging keys are allowed. If the argument is off then debugging keys are allowed. If the argument is on then debugging keys are disabled.
allow minimap (setting)
Sets whether the Map option appears in the menu. Give no argument or true to enable, or false to disable. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
See also:
allow save anywhere (setting)
Sets whether the Save option appears in the menu. Give no argument or true to enable, or false to disable. The effect goes away if you change maps or fight a battle.
See also:
autosave
Transparently saves the game to the last save slot used, or if the game has not been saved yet, calls save menu. Returns the number of the last save slot, or if the user cancelled the save menu, returns false
See also:
save in slot (slot)
Saves in the specified save slot (1 to 32, where only 1 to 4 are visible on the save and load menus). If a saved game already exists in the slot, it will be overwritten. If you want to make sure that no save game will be overwritten, use save slot used. To display the save game menu instead, use save menu.
load from slot (slot)
Loads a saved game from a save slot as if it had been loaded from the load game menu. This command will end the current game.
delete save (slot)
Deletes a saved game. The save will no longer be visible on the load game menu or loadable with load from slot. However, import globals can still be used to read globals out of the slot.
See also:
import globals (slot, first, last)
Loads a range of globals from a saved game, overwriting the current globals in that range. First and Last are the id numbers of the globals at the beginning and end of the range. First defaults to 0, and Last defaults to 1024 if both are not given.
To read a single global from a save slot without overwriting any, use the form 'var := import globals (slot, id)'
import globals and export globals can be used to save and retrieve info about a saved game without loading it, and also to store variables that any game the player starts can use, like in the following example:
define script (21, game finished, none)
define script (22, check game finished, none)
global variable (100, game completed)
global variable (101, hours to complete)
global variable (102, minutes to complete)
script, game finished, begin
game complete := true
hours to complete := hours of play
minutes to complete := minutes of play
export globals (5, 100, 102) #special slot that the player can not load, which we can use for anything
end
script, check game finished, begin
import globals (5, 100, 102) #copy saved values into globals 100, 101, 102
if (game completed) then (
show textbox (105) #"you have previously finished this game in ${V101} hours and ${V102} minutes"
) else (
show textbox (106) #"you have yet to complete the game!"
)
wait for textbox
end
See also:
export globals (slot, first, last)
Writes a range of globals to a saved game, overwriting the saved games globals. "First" and "Last" are the id numbers of the globals at the beginning and end of the range. First defaults to 0, and Last defaults to 1024. Therefore, if you pass no range, all the globals will be written.
See also:
run script by ID (id, argument1, argument2, argument3...)
To making switching between scripts easier, you can call a script by its ID number. Pass arguments after the ID as normal. The script can also return a value as normal. -1 is returned if the script does not exist. Yuo can pass up to 31 arguments to the script.
No check on the correct number of arguments can be performed, so default arguments are not used.
plotscript,scriptcallingtest,begin
show value (run script by id (@sum, 1, 2, 3))
end
script,sum,a,b,c,begin
return(a+b+c)
end
get damage cap
Returns the current damage cap, or 0 if none
set damage cap (cap)
Sets the current damage cap to cap. Use 0 for no cap.
trace (string)
Writes string #string to "G_DEBUG.TXT".
variable(i)
i:= random(1,1000)
$1="i = "
append number(1,i) #"i = 1"
trace(1) # writes "TRACE: i = 1" to G_DEBUG.TXT
save map state (whichdata, customid)
Saves the state of the current map to a temporary file which will be loaded (unless the map is set to ignore that particular data) when you reenter the current map, in the same way as a map set to save (remember) NPC or tile data: the saved state will be used instead of the map data in the RPG file. Both arguments are optional and are only for advanced uses.
Map state is not saved in saved games, and the temporary files will be deleted when you load or start a new a game!
whichdata is an or'd combination of the following constants, which specify exactly what you want to save:
The default is mapstate:all.
If customid is passed, it is used to save the state in a separate state file with an id number of customid which can only be loaded with load map state. There are 32 available slots for use: 0 - 31.
Note that mapstate:mapsettings (also saved by mapstate:all) is special in that if you save it, it will always be loaded when the map is loaded regardless of settings. It saves all the settings found in the General Map Settings menu like the tileset, ambient music, footoffset, map trigger scripts, and so forth.
define script (1, generic menu screen, none)
script, generic menu screen, begin
variable (remember map, remember x, remember y)
remember map := current map
remember x := hero x
remember y := hero y
# we want NPCs and things to stay in the same place after we come back from the menu
save map state
fade screen out
wait
teleport to map (map:generic menu)
fade screen in
wait
# menu code here
#...
#...
fade screen out
wait
teleport to map (remember map, remember x, remember y)
# assume the map is set to load state only, the default (otherwise, use load map state)
fade screen in
wait
# we want the map to go back to resetting whenever you enter/exit it (like normal)
delete map state
end
load map state (whichdata, customid)
Load temporary map state data previously saved either by save map state or when leaving a map set to remember state. The two arguments are optional and for advanced use. whichdata is a set of bits in the save map state format to determine what exactly to load. The default is mapstate:all. customid is a number between 0 and 31 of a slot in which a custom save was made. Data from a different map can be loaded, but only tile data from a map of the same size! If you attempt to load state data which has not been saved then it will be loaded from the game files instead, unless you are using customid, in which case nothing will be loaded.
reset map state (whichdata)
Reloads original unaltered map data from the RPG file. whichdata is a set of bits in the save map state format to determine what exactly to load. It is optional and the default is mapstate:all. This does not remove temp state files for the map, so they could still be loaded instead when you next enter the map, use delete map state to remove them if wanted.
delete map state (whichdata)
Deletes temporary map state files for the current map, so that if the map is set to load NPC or tile data it will load the original data from the game files when it is entered. whichdata is a set of bits in the save map state format to determine what exactly to delete. The default is mapstate:all.
get tile animation offset (animation pattern)
Returns the offset from the starting tile that the animation pattern (either 0 or 1) is currently at. For example, if the pattern has stepped 1 to the right, the offset is 1, if it has moved down 2 and 1 to the left, it is 31 (2 * 16 - 1).
See also:
set tile animation offset (animation pattern, offset)
Sets the offset from the starting tile that an animation pattern (either 0 or 1) is currently at. If there is a pattern defined, it will continue to step left, right, up and down from the offset you give it, until the end of the animation is reached, when the offset is reset to 0.
Numeric Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants for the numbers from 0 to 10. you can use these constants to make your scripts look friendly :)
zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
zero
See Numeric Constants
one
See Numeric Constants
two
See Numeric Constants
three
See Numeric Constants
four
See Numeric Constants
five
See Numeric Constants
six
See Numeric Constants
seven
See Numeric Constants
eight
See Numeric Constants
nine
See Numeric Constants
nine
See Numeric Constants
Key Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants that correspond to each of the usable keys (or joystick buttons) that the player can press while playing. These are useful with the wait for key command.
any key, up key, down key, left key, right key, use key, menu key, cancel key
any key
See Key Constants
up key
See Key Constants
down key
See Key Constants
left key
See Key Constants
right key
See Key Constants
use key
See Key Constants
menu key
See Key Constants
cancel key
See Key Constants
Boolean Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants for true and false, and for ON and OFF. These are useful for checking and setting the values of tags, and in conditional statements.
true, false, on, off
true
See Boolean Constants
false
See Boolean Constants
on
See Boolean Constants
off
See Boolean Constants
Direction Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants for each of the four directions. These constants are useful for commands such as walk hero and walk NPC, which take a direction as an argument.
north, south, east, west, up, down, right, left
north
See Direction Constants
south
See Direction Constants
east
See Direction Constants
west
See Direction Constants
up
See Direction Constants
down
See Direction Constants
right
See Direction Constants
left
See Direction Constants
me
me is a constant that can be used to refer to the first hero in your party (hero zero) in any command that takes a hero number as an argument.
none
none is a constant that means the same as zero. It is normally used in define script commands for scripts that do not have any arguments
autonumber
autonumber is a constant that is used as the ID number in define script commands for scripts that do not need to be called directly from the OHRRPGCE. Autonumber scripts are only called from within other scripts.
current stat
A constant for use with the get hero stat and set hero stat commands.
maximum stat
A constant for use with the get hero stat and set hero stat commands.
inside battle
A constant used in the get hero picture, set hero picture, get hero palette and set hero palette commands to represent the battle graphics.
outside battle
A constant used in the get hero picture, set hero picture, get hero palette and set hero palette commands to represent the walkabout graphics.
Color Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants for each of the three primary colors. These are used in commands like read color or write color
color:red, color:green, color:blue
color:red
See Color Constants
color:green
See Color Constants
color:blue
See Color Constants
Mouse Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants for use with the mouse functions. They're used the mouse button command.
left button, right button
left button
See Mouse Constants
right button
See Mouse Constants
get count
When passed to NPC at pixel or NPC at spot, they return the number of NPCs at that spot. With spells learnt returns the number of spells a hero learnt.
Tile Constants
PLOTSCR.HSD defines constants for use with functions like read pass block or write pass block.
north wall, east wall, south wall, west wall, vehicle A, vehicle B, harm tile, overhead tile
north wall
See Tile Constants
east wall
See Tile Constants
west wall
See Tile Constants
south wall
See Tile Constants
vehicle A
See Tile Constants
vehicle B
See Tile Constants
harm tile
See Tile Constants
overhead tile
See Tile Constants
crop
A constant used in set map edge mode which makes the edges of the map impassible and prevents the camera from scrolling off them.
wrap
A constant used in set map edge mode which lets the player walk over the edge of the map around to the opposite side.
default tile
A constant used in set map edge mode which makes the edges of the map impassible and displays a specified tile everywhere off the edge of the map.
party
Pass as first argument to give experience to divide the experience between all the live heroes in the battle (active) party.
x axis
Pass to joystick axis to specify the X axis (left and right).
y axis
Pass to joystick axis to specify the Y axis (up and down).
timer: default
Pass to set timer to leave one of the parameters at its default setting. Valid for any parameter except id
timer: game over
Pass to set timer in the trigger field to have the game end when the timer runs out.
timer flag: critical
Pass to set timer in the flags field to indicate that if the timer runs out during a battle, it should end the battle immediately.
timer flag: battle
Pass to set timer in the flags field to indicate that the timer should run during battle. Otherwise, the timer will be paused during battle.
timer flag: menu
Pass to set timer in the flags field to indicate that the timer should run while the player is in the menu. Otherwise, it will be paused while the player is in the main menu.
Stats: There are 433 commands in this file, of which 51 are only references to other commands.
This file was generated from an XML file. The contents were painstakingly transcribed by Mike Caron from the original Plotscripting Dictionary, which was created by James Paige.