Adding a delay to a script effect

[Alasyre]

I've got a simple script that uses "placeatme" to drop a bomb on an enemy upon successfully striking them, like with the various artillery mods. I'd like to add a10 second delay between the actual attack and the script effect. What would I need to add to the script to make this happen?

 

The script is as follows:

 

scn SCRIPTNAME

 

begin gamemode

 

if isininterior == 0

 

placeatme SCRIPTEFFECT, 1

showmessage SCRIPTMESSAGE

 

endif

 

end

 

Thanks!

[BadPenney]

You would need a timer to add a delay. Cipscis has a tutorial on timers.

[Alasyre]

I must not be understanding something.

 

Using the information in the stage delay tutorial, I came up with this:

 

scn SCRIPTNAME

 

float fTimer

int iStage

 

begin gamemode

 

if isininterior == 0

elseif fTimer > 0

 

set fTimer to fTimer - GetSecondsPassed

 

elseif iStage == 0

 

set iStage to 1

set fTimer to 10

showmessage SCRIPTMESSAGE

 

elseif iStage == 1

 

placeatme SCRIPTEFFECT, 1

 

endif

 

end

 

However, this does nothing at all. What am I missing?

[BadPenney]

Actually I had no idea how you expected the first script to accomplish your stated goals, but you didn't ask about that before. So first of all, what sort of script are you writing, effect, object or quest? (Writing your script in a codebox that preserves indents would be helpful.) What will this script be applied to?

 

At first glance, if you were to see any action from this script at all as written, I would guess that it would hit the player with the script effect and messagebox as soon as he enters an exterior cell and then they would both be continually applied endlessly, since there is nothing in the script to tell them to stop. I see nothing that would apply this effect to an enemy when struck. I do not understand why you write "int iStage" rather than "short iStage" if that is your DoOnce condition for the timer.

 

In short, it makes no sense to me. More detail might help, but I can't tell if you are so much better at scripting than me that I cannot suss what you are doing, or if instead you are a novice and do not know what you are doing either.

 

Rather than this script, it might be simpler to create a weapon enchantment that would strike the enemy with a script effect. Then create a script effect that includes a delay, an explosion, a command to show a messagebox, a command to make the messagebox go away, and a markfordelete on the placeatme explosion so that you don't bloat your savegames with their remnants.

 

Cipscis always comes to mind when I think of FO3 uberscripters, but there are plenty of folks around here more skilled at it than me. Maybe someone will chime in.

[Alasyre]

The script works, it only affects the target once and stops after. It's actually already linked to the weapon by a weapon enchantment. I'm not good at scripting, to be honest. This script is "borrowed" and modified for my purposes.

 

Anyway, what it does is this. If in an exterior cell, hitting a target with the weapon triggers the original script, launching the bomb at the target. What I want is to delay the bomb for a few seconds.

 

It works like this:

 

Target is hit, object effect (linked to the weapon) engages, which engages the base effect, which uses the script I posted. The bomb then drops onto the target.

 

Oh, and I used the intStage because that is what was posted on the site you mentioned. I'm really out of my league here. Actually, I barely understood the tutorial. Like I said, I'm no scripter.

[BadPenney]

Not sure if this will do the trick, but you can try it if you like:

 

scn SCRIPTNAME

float fTimer
int iStage
short doOnce

begin gamemode

if isininterior == 0

    if iStage == 0 && doOnce == 0
         set fTimer to 10
         set doOnce to 1
         showmessage SCRIPTMESSAGE

         if fTimer > 0

               set fTimer to fTimer - GetSecondsPassed

         elseif fTimer <= 0 

               set iStage to 1
               placeatme SCRIPTEFFECT, 1
               set doOnce to 0

         endif

    endif

endif

end

[Dyadya_Fedor]

I suggest, what that script will not work (bacause of DoOnce condition)

 

Since we use weapon effect:

scn SCRIPTNAME

float fTimer
short iStage

Begin ScriptEffectStart
  if IsInInterior == 0
     set iStage to 1
     set fTimer to 10
     showmessage SCRIPTMESSAGE
  endif
end

Begin ScriptEffectUpdate

  if iStage == 1
     if fTimer > 0
        set fTimer to (fTimer - GetSecondsPassed)
     else 
        placeatme SCRIPTEFFECT, 1
        set iStage to 0
     endif
  endif

end

 

Note, what if you hit target again until timer expires, effect will be replaced (with new 10 sec delay). To avoid this, you can store timer elsewere (in quest script, for example)

 

Weapon effect script

scn SCRIPTNAME

short iStage

Begin ScriptEffectStart
  if IsInInterior == 0
     set iStage to 1
     if MuQuest.fTimer <= 0 ;if timer expired, set again
        set MuQuest.fTimer to 10
     endif
     showmessage SCRIPTMESSAGE
  endif
end

Begin ScriptEffectUpdate

  if iStage == 1
     if MuQuest.fTimer > 0
        set MuQuest.fTimer to (MuQuest.fTimer - GetSecondsPassed)
     else 
        placeatme SCRIPTEFFECT, 1
        set iStage to 0
     endif
  endif

end

 

Quest Script

scn MyQuestScript

float fTimer

 

And dont forget about effect duration (15 sec is ok)

[Alasyre]

BadPenny, that script displays the message properly, but doesn't do anything after that.

 

Dyadya_Fedor, the first script you posted had the same problem as BadPenny's, the message displayed, but nothing else happened. I didn't try the second one yet. It seems like I shouldn't need a quest to make it work.

 

Any other ideas? I really appreciate the help, guys.

 

Edit: Cipcis' validate program says that both of the scripts have an "Invalid blocktype for Begin statement on line 14" and line 15 for the second script, which is the Begin ScriptEffectUpdate.

[Dyadya_Fedor]

This blocktype is valid http://geck.bethsoft.com/index.php/Category_3ablocktypes

Possible sources of problem:

1) duration of effect (Game Effects->Object Effects->MyEffect->(Weapon)->Effects->New) is not enought (make it bigger than 10 sec). And you can replace GetSecondsPassed with ScriptEffectElapsedSeconds for better timing.

2) your placeatme.whatever command do nothing. To make shure, what this command executed, temporarily replace it with some debug command (like Player.additem caps001 1 or PlaySound UILevelUpText)