open bor questions

[Wombat2112]

Creating video game experiences is more fun to me than playing games. Have always taken an interest in learning and having the chance to put my own creative input into something. I have a little experience  modding with the GTK radiant engine and Half life. and a small amount of scripting and some beginner level C++ and only recently discovered some great fan made games with open bor. I read that a good way to start is to try some simple modding. There is one game especially I paxploded the main game file(Pak) there are a few simple things I want to do I have been looking through character folders and at script files.  The ideas I have are not all that advanced to start so I thought I would try to learn how to increase the amount of hp for some characters. There are a few characters that appear but are not playable nor appear as enemy you engage, just kinda of background null models that take no action. I have seen several character models use the same animation files so if it is possible I would like to add an NPC null models as a playable character and/ or maybe non playable enemy by using the scripts of other models.....or perhaps later on some of my own and I would like to add some new levels of my own. If it is possible to achieve something like this if anyone can help...do I start with tutorials? Are the things I want to do possible? I would appreciate any guidance or input. I'm brand new.....thanks.  I only recently discovered open bor but I am familiar with some basics that are common in using editing tools and engines and so far have found 2 of the best games I have ever played.

 

[Bloodbane]

Welcome aboard  ;D

so I thought I would try to learn how to increase the amount of hp for some characters.

That's easy, just find that character's text and find health command in header. That text is usually inside folder with same name as the character. After you find the health, you can change the value to any value you like

I would like to add an NPC null models as a playable character and/ or maybe non playable enemy by using the scripts of other models....

It's not that simple. Enemy character usually only have limited sprites for his/her actions and reactions, therefore when he/she is converted to player, he/she is most likely be missing sprites for extra actions players usually have.
Unless, you don't mind having that character be limited like that

The other solution is to get more sprites to give extra actions for that character

I would like to add some new levels of my own

That should be easy. You can start by copying a level and modify couple aspects the level has.
After you understand which command does what, you can go further such as replacing background or adding more layers

 

[msmalik681]

I have a beginners guide on youtube the audio is not the best but hopefully it can help get you started.

https://youtu.be/NtCYvGOpv9I

 

[Wombat2112]

I have a beginners guide on youtube the audio is not the best but hopefully it can help get you started.

https://youtu.be/NtCYvGOpv9I

Thank you I need all the help I can get...I only want to mod one game and have many ideas.

 

[Wombat2112]

Welcome aboard  ;D

so I thought I would try to learn how to increase the amount of hp for some characters.

That's easy, just find that character's text and find health command in header. That text is usually inside folder with same name as the character. After you find the health, you can change the value to any value you like

I would like to add an NPC null models as a playable character and/ or maybe non playable enemy by using the scripts of other models....

It's not that simple. Enemy character usually only have limited sprites for his/her actions and reactions, therefore when he/she is converted to player, he/she is most likely be missing sprites for extra actions players usually have.
Unless, you don't mind having that character be limited like that

The other solution is to get more sprites to give extra actions for that character

Reply
Thank You
The one game I really want to mod has several character models that I think some should have been playable and some should be enemy characters....I would settle for actually getting them to spawn where I want until I can learn to add more animations or sprites....I tried to spawn one of these kinda of  "null characters" but instead it kicked me back to the windows right before the level with my edits began....are their built in command animations that doesn't require every character the animations GIF's for movement and firing a gun like I have seen in all the character folders. I took an enemy character model who just appears and hoped I could add him and eventually as I learn more create some animations for them....I have some good programs for animating.  Just making slow progress.

 

[Bloodbane]

I tried to spawn one of these kinda of  "null characters" but instead it kicked me back to the windows right before the level with my edits began

You can read log file in logs folder to find the error
I can only guess that you've tried to spawn entity which isn't registered yet. One basic rule of OpenBoR is entity must be registered before it/he/she can be spawned

are their built in command animations that doesn't require every character the animations GIF's for movement and firing a gun like I have seen in all the character folders

I begin to wonder what mod you're referring here
Anyways, not all animations are mandatory. You can make character with only IDLE, ATTACK and reaction animations (PAIN, FALL and RISE)
Simply put, just be free in designing your character

I took an enemy character model who just appears and hoped I could add him and eventually as I learn more create some animations for them...

Good luck

 

[Wombat2112]

I begin to wonder what mod you're referring here
Anyways, not all animations are mandatory. You can make character with only IDLE, ATTACK and reaction animations (PAIN, FALL and RISE)

Simply put, just be free in designing your character

I was skeptical to say I'll it's a great game already and I don't want to step on anyone's toes or offend anyone by editing their work. Plus I did't know if my ideas were dumb or unrealistic. I love the game so much...It's GI Joe attack on Cobra Island. I actually like playing it most on the Play station classic and I know that kmfdmManiac could help me if their were any issues once done getting it on the Play station which is my goal if possible I am a console gamer at heart.  There never was a good GI Joe Game and my 2 favorites are it and he-man so far. I am only interested in editing GI Joe Because it seems to have been completed by the original mod team. Characters as you see below appear in the game but are probably not registered  entities the models are spawned in the coding however so I had hoped that might change. Characters like Duke and Scarlet I feel were very much a part of that series its based on the Sunbow 80's cartoon and then there is Mutt and Junkyard (Snake Eyes has a dog that assists him in battle so I thought maybe the same thing might could be done with Mutt and Junkyard and thought maybe using similar coding for his dog would work about as good. Although I figured some animation would be needed to do this...I thought maybe by modifying Snake eyes wolf I might could get a similar result from Junkyard's dog as a assisted attack.  Usually games that have more than one each character's different play style is what gives you the incentive to replay the game. Other characters that appear as models are Shipwreck, Falcon

I tried to spawn one of these kinda of  "null characters" but instead it kicked me back to the windows right before the level with my edits began

Here are a few I am referring to

-

[size=14pt]BEACHHEAD​

​

​

[]​

[/size]

This is what Beech heads model coding looks like
name Beachhead
type none
gfxshadow 1


anim idle
loop 1
delay 55
offset 101 113
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Beachhead.gif
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Beachhead2.gif
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Beachhead.gif
delay 55
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Beachhead2.gif

  DUKE

Duke's is a little different I think being that he is in an animation scene at the beginning.
name Duke
type none
gfxshadow 1
animationscript data/scripts/enemy.c

anim idle
loop 1
delay 40
offset 40 65
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Duke.gif
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Duke2.gif
sound data/sounds/shotgun.wav
@cmd shoot "bullet2" 15 30 0
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Duke.gif
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Duke2.gif

Mutt and Junkyard​

Here is mutt's tho he would require a different approach because of the dog...similar to Snake Eyes

name Mutt
type none
gfxshadow 1


anim idle
loop 1
delay 55
offset 101 113
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Mutt.gif
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Mutt2.gif
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Mutt.gif
delay 55
frame data/chars/misc/cameos/Mutt2.gif

FALCON​

Is it possible to use the art I posted and establish them as a Global variant? Cobra COMMANDER is already in the game. His model folder has two different files commander 1 and 2. This pic came from a cameo folder in the main models folder.  I'd to make him fight in this high tech suit he took on later against the player as an NPC but with this look. All of them will spawn but most of these characters just stand back in the background

COBRA COMMANDER(A?)

 

[Wombat2112]

are their built in command animations that doesn't require every character the animations GIF's for movement and firing a gun like I have seen in all the character folders

I begin to wonder what mod you're referring here
Anyways, not all animations are mandatory. You can make character with only IDLE, ATTACK and reaction animations (PAIN, FALL and RISE)
Simply put, just be free in designing your character

are those 4 the only ones? I remember something like :
  @cmdshoot "bullet2" 15 30 0

 

[Wombat2112]

are their built in command animations that doesn't require every character the animations GIF's for movement and firing a gun like I have seen in all the character folders

I begin to wonder what mod you're referring here
Anyways, not all animations are mandatory. You can make character with only IDLE, ATTACK and reaction animations (PAIN, FALL and RISE)
Simply put, just be free in designing your character

are those 4 the only ones? I remember something like :
  @cmdshoot "bullet2" 15 30 0

also what is the thumbz file I assume a database file?

 

[Bloodbane]

Here are a few I am referring to

Ow, those characters are just cameos. We only had one sprite for each of them. FYI, Count Monte and me worked on that mod

Back to topic, Count Monte edited each sprite to allow making simple animation for each of them
Simply put, you can't create whole character from these cameos unless you can get missing sprites for them

what is the thumbz file I assume a database file?

Yes, it's database file to show thumbnails while previewing images in a folder. It must have been left behind or not purged yet

@cmd shoot "bullet2" 15 30 0

That's shooting function, normally declared in shooting animation

my 2 favorites are it and he-man so far.

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it  ;D

 

[Wombat2112]

Here are a few I am referring to

Ow, those characters are just cameos. We only had one sprite for each of them. FYI, Count Monte and me worked on that mod

Back to topic, Count Monte edited each sprite to allow making simple animation for each of them
Simply put, you can't create whole character from these cameos unless you can get missing sprites for them


Ia he still an active member?

what is the thumbz file I assume a database file?

Yes, it's database file to show thumbnails while previewing images in a folder. It must have been left behind or not purged yet

@cmd shoot "bullet2" 15 30 0

That's shooting function, normally declared in shooting animation

my 2 favorites are it and he-man so far.

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it  ;D

 

[Wombat2112]

I have a beginners guide on youtube the audio is not the best but hopefully it can help get you started.

https://youtu.be/NtCYvGOpv9I

Thanks for sharing your tutorial video. If there are any other videos that you know of please lmk

All the best!

 

[Bloodbane]

Ia he still an active member?

I think not
The last time I read his post is when he posts about hacked D&D Rise of Warduke mod we made years ago