Tags: Gearhead 2
A new version of <a href="http://gearhead.roguelikedevelopment.org/">Gearhead 2</a> is out with a hefty dose of the story generation stuff tweaked, added, and fixed. Here's a bit about the new version:
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<ul><li>Lots of reorganization in the core story elements; many corporate elements added
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<li>If xxran debugging on, story will store list of components (playwright.pp)
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This can be very useful for tracing strange developments in the story. There is currently a bug where the reward for a mission will be skipped for some reason; I haven't managed to replicate it with this feature in place but when I do that should tell me the exact sequence of components that is responsible.
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<li>Fixed bug with \ELEMENT, \NARRATIVE message tags (arenascript.pp)
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<li>GSkillLevel guarantees that basic combat skills known (arenascript.pp)
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So, if you call GSkillLevel on a noncombatant character like a Citizen or Shopkeeper, they will now be given all of the basic combat skills and a mecha appropriate to their level.
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<li>Added "." for current scene element selector (playwright.pp)
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<li>Added SkillTar ASL command (arenascript.pp)
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<li>Neverfail characters now get passive teamdata (playwright.pp)
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<li>Added SetID gearparser command (gearparser.pp)
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<li>Faction search now includes ArchAlly, ArchEnemy (playwright.pp)
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<li>Added PC stats to the OpenGL main display (arenacfe.pp)</ul>
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And a brief bit on the future:
<br>
<blockquote>Most of the changes are bug fixes. The next big change will be to add random static quests. These will be non-repeating local events, such as the GSP stories in GH1 or the various hardcoded quests. These quests will have a greater degree of randomization than the ones in GH1: for example, in the Elisha Kettel quest it might start with just the details that she wants the PC to recover an item for her. The item would be chosen from the artifact list, then a location for it selected (is it in a dungeon? posessed by another NPC? in the basement of some rival corporation?), complications added (are there other NPCs who might also want the item, or who might not want Elisha to have it?), clues added (so the PC can learn the location of the item), etc.
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Each of the major NPCs could have one or more personal adventure seeds- Hyolee needs [item] for research, Turing is searching for [criminal], Jang Bogo will pay you to steal [item] from [someone].
<br>
<br>
Not all of the "quests" should follow the standard "do task/collect reward" formula. This syetem should be robust enough to handle a wide variety of semi-randomized interactable content.
<br>
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Now all I have to do is iron out the quest generation method, and convince myself that the extra startup time while generating the adventure will be worth it... Oh well. By the time GH2 is at the same level as GH1 we'll all be using quantum computers anyhow.</blockquote>
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Not to complicate things further, but a nice touch on a randomized quest given the item structure of the game would be to look through the base components of an item and base a reason around why the person might want you to get it. An item with a communication module might have a vital, important contact information stored in it for example. A computer might have an important file saved there. Things like that to round out the reason for the NPC wanting something done.
<br>
A new version of <a href="http://gearhead.roguelikedevelopment.org/">Gearhead 2</a> is out with a hefty dose of the story generation stuff tweaked, added, and fixed. Here's a bit about the new version:
<br>
<ul><li>Lots of reorganization in the core story elements; many corporate elements added
<br>
<li>If xxran debugging on, story will store list of components (playwright.pp)
<br>
This can be very useful for tracing strange developments in the story. There is currently a bug where the reward for a mission will be skipped for some reason; I haven't managed to replicate it with this feature in place but when I do that should tell me the exact sequence of components that is responsible.
<br>
<li>Fixed bug with \ELEMENT, \NARRATIVE message tags (arenascript.pp)
<br>
<li>GSkillLevel guarantees that basic combat skills known (arenascript.pp)
<br>
So, if you call GSkillLevel on a noncombatant character like a Citizen or Shopkeeper, they will now be given all of the basic combat skills and a mecha appropriate to their level.
<br>
<li>Added "." for current scene element selector (playwright.pp)
<br>
<li>Added SkillTar ASL command (arenascript.pp)
<br>
<li>Neverfail characters now get passive teamdata (playwright.pp)
<br>
<li>Added SetID gearparser command (gearparser.pp)
<br>
<li>Faction search now includes ArchAlly, ArchEnemy (playwright.pp)
<br>
<li>Added PC stats to the OpenGL main display (arenacfe.pp)</ul>
<br>
And a brief bit on the future:
<br>
<blockquote>Most of the changes are bug fixes. The next big change will be to add random static quests. These will be non-repeating local events, such as the GSP stories in GH1 or the various hardcoded quests. These quests will have a greater degree of randomization than the ones in GH1: for example, in the Elisha Kettel quest it might start with just the details that she wants the PC to recover an item for her. The item would be chosen from the artifact list, then a location for it selected (is it in a dungeon? posessed by another NPC? in the basement of some rival corporation?), complications added (are there other NPCs who might also want the item, or who might not want Elisha to have it?), clues added (so the PC can learn the location of the item), etc.
<br>
<br>
Each of the major NPCs could have one or more personal adventure seeds- Hyolee needs [item] for research, Turing is searching for [criminal], Jang Bogo will pay you to steal [item] from [someone].
<br>
<br>
Not all of the "quests" should follow the standard "do task/collect reward" formula. This syetem should be robust enough to handle a wide variety of semi-randomized interactable content.
<br>
<br>
Now all I have to do is iron out the quest generation method, and convince myself that the extra startup time while generating the adventure will be worth it... Oh well. By the time GH2 is at the same level as GH1 we'll all be using quantum computers anyhow.</blockquote>
<br>
Not to complicate things further, but a nice touch on a randomized quest given the item structure of the game would be to look through the base components of an item and base a reason around why the person might want you to get it. An item with a communication module might have a vital, important contact information stored in it for example. A computer might have an important file saved there. Things like that to round out the reason for the NPC wanting something done.
<br>
