TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

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Draconisaurus
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Draconisaurus »

Who here is capable of learning how the CE external scripting works? TI says he doesn't get it beyond the parts he was handed for RTJP, Slugger is busy, I probably wouldn't stand a chance...?
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Rebel »

Draconisaurus wrote:Who here is capable of learning how the CE external scripting works? TI says he doesn't get it beyond the parts he was handed for RTJP, Slugger is busy, I probably wouldn't stand a chance...?
The documentation for CE is all over the place, it's a pain in the ass to follow. I personally haven't even thought about
looking into the external scripting. Are you certain that no one else hasn't delved into it already?
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Draconisaurus »

Pretty sure... Lee seems to have come in with a few assumptions about the Tres modding community, including that there would be a healthy supply of people adept at various forms of coding. This estimation is u hhh accurate for BigRed's day but really hasn't been TresCom's typical environment for some time :/
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Hilwo »

Took a good look at the prequel level, looks impressive - and big :) I'm not as patient as I used-... actually I was never very patient.
So I'll play it with a walkthrough soon :) Was the level finished yet, or still a work in progress?
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Rebel »

Hilwo wrote:Took a good look at the prequel level, looks impressive - and big :) I'm not as patient as I used-... actually I was never very patient.
So I'll play it with a walkthrough soon :) Was the level finished yet, or still a work in progress?
The level is in alpha stage, Hilwo, meaning all the main elements of the level are in place and it can be completed. What
remains are areas considered not intrinsic to the storyline or puzzling that are incomplete. Those areas will be tended to
with a beta. I don't anticipate that until the fall as I generally don't do level work during late spring, early summer time -
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by TheIdiot »

As far as I can tell, the CE scripting format looks fairly similar to LUA. The problem is, I have no idea how to code (at least without breaking things), otherwise I'd try and give it a go. I understand what I'm looking at, I just don't know how I would go about changing or adding features. Perhaps it would help to look at some example scripts Lee left for us? There seem to be some in the "samples" folder which recreate normal ActionTypes. In any case, the scripting system seems exceptionally powerful. I just wish one of us knew how to work it, because there seem to be some really cool things that could be done with it. :?

Maybe it would be useful to try and contact Lee again and see if he can provide any insight into this?
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Draconisaurus »

Hmmm. Call me strange: I like pushing Tres to do things, with the mechanics that were built into it by the date of release. This scripting thing sounds like it might be sort of omnipotent... Er yeah: I specifically LOVE Trespasser for the fact that it uses objects with brief script listings, inside the levels themselves, in order to make things happen, unlike other games where it's basically normal programming that resides entirely outside the level and could say just about anything. Don't like that. :statue:
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by TheIdiot »

Draconisaurus wrote:Hmmm. Call me strange: I like pushing Tres to do things, with the mechanics that were built into it by the date of release. This scripting thing sounds like it might be sort of omnipotent... Er yeah: I specifically LOVE Trespasser for the fact that it uses objects with brief script listings, inside the levels themselves, in order to make things happen, unlike other games where it's basically normal programming that resides entirely outside the level and could say just about anything. Don't like that. :statue:
I definitely agree with that...I find other games can be impossible to mod because it always comes down to having to understand coding, whereas Tres is extremely simple, almost as if it were intended to be easily modded by the developers. The thing I like about the CE scripting is that in order to make it work with objects in-game, you only have to add 1 line to the T-script. So someone else can handle the coding while we focus on what we know.
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Draconisaurus »

Heheh. I guess the HUD part is not so bad, considering it deals with a menu-like add-on and Tres does that externally to begin with.
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Rebel »

Just a note for anyone who has downloaded the beta version of the trilogy. There's an update to the prequel level, mainly
to make the railcar less deadly. A recent conversation which T.I. made me give it another look which subsequently led me
to make the alterations. Tatu verified my own experience, meaning it worked as intended -

Anyways, so long as all you do is look around while onboard, you should be fine. The update is attached to my signature.
Simply replace the level files -
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Shadefyre »

I finally got around to doing a playthrough of TC-Prequel , and boy is it a hefty level. I took about 3 hours across multiple videos to reach the end, covering multiple paths and a few easter eggs, which in my kind of dated memory makes it quite a bit longer than any of the other anthology maps? And despite that, there's definitely still some things I know I missed (like the gas mask). I really enjoyed it overall, and especially enjoyed that not only were there multiple options for the main progression puzzle, but even a few specific bits with options (bullet or key). Also, with the included settings this is one of the smoothest CE-mod maps that I've played yet. Also thank you for including the walkthrough, as it makes it easier to steer a video playthrough along and helps with trying to show as much of the level as possible.

I did run into a few issues, though they were mostly just typical Trespasser type things. For example, when doing the path to get the key from the little platform, the game crashed while the tram was on the return trip, and then it wouldn't move at all on loading saves (and would kill on touch after being activated). I did find it odd that the other piece of the dam had a ladder to climb out, but the main one didn't, but I managed to teleport across the gap. And the bigger problem was when I first found the crashed train, and didn't know what the items there were for, the one that I later turned out to need was immediately eaten by the train after touching it. Again, a normal Trespasser thing. However, a more general issue I found was that with some of the puzzle solutions, they were things I wouldn't have even tried or assumed could work in Trespasser if the walkthrough didn't mention them, like being able to shoot the actual lock on the door instead of chunky retail padlocks. Which isn't a criticism, far from it since I love to see "new" things in Trepasser that I haven't encountered before. But maybe, to take a page out of the world of Doom mods, just have a little "things you can do" section in the readme for nonstandard actions. Then again, in game text can be pretty handy there too, like maybe a "I could probably bust a lock with this" kind of prompt when you pick up the Ruger.

Anyhow, it was a pleasant surprise when you first announced a new level for Trescom Ops, and a pleasant experience to play through.
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Rebel »

Hey, Shadefyre. Thanks for checking out the level and for the feedback. ;) And yah,
I probably should have dropped a few more subtle hints with some of the puzzles, per-
haps like you suggested, pick up a particular object (ie.gun) and throw in some text.
Generally speaking, what I try to do is make a puzzle somewhat challenging yet do so
in a way that isn't generally seen in typical trespasser levels. Challenging in some
ways, yes, but I imagine it can also cause some frustration as well.

I'm not sure why the tram crashed on you, that never happened to me in all the rides
I've taken (dozens +), but as you mentioned that's trespasser. As far as save games,
I never played this particular level off of one. Mainly, because of the many complex
scripts, I somewhat just assumed saved games would most likely cause problems. Level
size; yeah it is quite large and I doubt anyone (other than maybe TheIdiot) explored
every nook n' cranny. I would say at least 50% of the level is considered OTP areas
(not intrinsic to level completion), but I believe there's some pretty cool stuff to
see none-the-less, if one is so inclined to explore the entire map. Otherwise, once
you get out of the compound one can pretty much follow the tracks, solve the runnin'
maintenance shack puzzle, retrieve the rv key (discovering the code inside) and head
out across the bridge and down the road to the gatebox and the final puzzle.

In closing, thanks again for checking out the level and minus the hiccups mentioned
you seemed to enjoy it and that's always nice to hear. :) One a personal note, your
videos of this game are not only appreciated and enjoyed as well, but are valued and
just as responsible for keeping trespasser and its community alive as the levels that
you cover. ;)

@Edit: Had a rain day off and took a few tram rides. I couldn't duplicate your crash,
but towards winter I'll look into it further. About the only thing I can say here is that
while riding the tram try not to touch anything. I also periodically walk forward a bit
to be sure that Anne isn't stuck. That particular setup pushes the physics to the limit
(ie. attached subobjects, magnets, etc), as well as a rather complicated trigger setup.
I recall years back when we setup the balloon in the trescom level if you touched the
rails while going up it would crash. (I think I resolved that one by removing one of the
$Objects attached to the balloon).
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Rebel »

For example, when doing the path to get the key from the little platform, the game crashed while the tram was on the return trip, and then it wouldn't move at all on loading saves (and would kill on touch after being activated). I did find it odd that the other piece of the dam had a ladder to climb out, but the main one didn't, but I managed to teleport across the gap.
ShadeFyre, I still can't duplicate the tram crash you suffered. I'm at a loss as to why it happened so I'm stumped. Oh, and you can still get down to the front side of the dam without
laddering if you happen to ditch the return tram ride back and walk back through the water. Just walk over the to end of the dam's spillway and you can walk down the dam sideways
(you can actually slip into the the flood control chamber that way, but there isn't really anything to do inside of there, I just modeled it in there to complete the dam's logic).

Anyhoo, I just thought I'd add to my edit above that I tried to duplicate the crash again.
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by tatu »

While I haven't got around to play this yet (as I am very bad at playing fan levels overall), the crash(es) could be related to something simple as the CE settings.
And it is Trespasser, maybe it crashed first, but next time it might not. :D
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Re: TRESCOM_ANTHOLOGY

Post by Draconisaurus »

Hmm, still have not been able to find the key for the bulldozer. But I wanted to pop in and say, I'm extremely glad that you put together TC~Rescue, back in the day. It stands as the only example of a compact, fully puzzle based level I can think of, and a complex one in its own right. I just wish more levels like this had come around by now.
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