Scripting: Advanced text on screen + logos

In this tutorial I will give you examples of different ways to display your text pictures and logos

Refer to the previous tutorial regarding setting up a ds, os and sp file and how to print the text strings in your map

For these examples I am assuming that the string package name is RDAM

-------------------------------------------------------

Here is an original SoF text string

INDEX 0
{
FLAGS SP_FLAG_CAPTIONED
REFERENCE C3D2
TEXT_ENGLISH "JOHN: Doesn't sound like you have a choice, captain."
TEXT_GERMAN "JOHN: Sieht so aus, als hätten Sie keine Chance, Captain."
TEXT_FRENCH "JOHN: Je crois que vous n'avez pas le choix, capitaine."
}

Notice the translated text for German and French users as previously mentioned

The main thing I am pointing out here is the FLAGS
This example has SP_FLAGS_CAPTIONED
This makes the text appear at the bottom of the game screen and is mainly used in the original SoF game to provide sub-titles when a character is speaking. Text colour is yellow


In the script you would put...

print RDAM_C3D2
-----------------------------------------------------------


INDEX 0
{
FLAGS SP_FLAG_TYPEAMATIC
REFERENCE JAN
TEXT_ENGLISH "Map Construction: Jan R'dam\nDate: 1/1/06\nTime: 23:20"
TEXT_GERMAN "Map Construction: Jan R'dam\nDate: 1/1/06\nTime: 23:20"
TEXT_FRENCH "Map Construction: Jan R'dam\nDate: 1/1/06\nTime: 23:20"
}



The above example has the flags SP_FLAGS_TYPEAMATIC which will print the text in the bottom left hand corner of the game screen in green writing letter by letter as if it is being received as a message
The letter "n" before date and time cause that text to be printed on a new line
So the text will appear as....

MAP construction: Jan R'dam
Date: 1/1/06
Time: 23.20

To see this in action - load any of the RDAM co-op maps

In the script you would put...

print RDAM_JAN

--------------------------------------------------------------


INDEX 0
{
FLAGS SP_FLAG_CENTERED
REFERENCE RESCUE
TEXT_ENGLISH "Rescue the hostages !"
TEXT_GERMAN "Rescue the hostages !"
TEXT_FRENCH "Rescue the hostages !"
}



With the flags SP_FLAG_CENTERED the text will appear in yellow writing in the middle of the game screen

In the script you would put...

print RDAM_RESCUE

------------------------------------------------------------------

To make a logo or picture appear - you will need to convert your picture into an m32 texture of a standard size
I make all mine 256x256 pixels
The m32 file must be in sof/base/pics/console folder which you may have to create
Imagine I have a 256x256 m32 file of a RDAM logo in that folder and it is called logo_RDAM.m32


In the ds file it is still referenced by a single word - same as any other text string

ie in a RDAM.ds file I have the reference...

#define RDAM_LOGO 0x6400

so there is no difference there

In the sp file you have something like the following...

INDEX 0
{
FLAGS SP_FLAG_CENTERED SP_FLAG_CREDIT
REFERENCE LOGO
TEXT_ENGLISH "50;50;3;1;0.5;0;255;0;console/logo_RDAM"
TEXT_GERMAN "50;50;4;1;1;0;255;0;console/logo_RDAM"
TEXT_FRENCH "50;50;3;1;0.5;0;255;0;console/logo_RDAM"
}


Use the same flags as in the example above
The first few numbers are the position of the picture on the game screen + time to display it etc - you can change these and experiment with different positions etc but I nearly always leave it as it is so that the picture is centred in the screen

The last 3 numbers are important - these are the RGB values given to the picture
In the above example, I want the RDAM logo to appear as a bright green colour so the last 3 numbers represent this as an RGB value of 0 255 0

If you have a real picture with many colours etc then you will want this to be white or pale yellow to show all the colours
The RGB value would probably be 255 255 0 Think of it as a coloured light shining on your picture and you will get the right idea


Here is an example with a different RGB value...

INDEX 0
{
FLAGS SP_FLAG_CENTERED SP_FLAG_CREDIT
REFERENCE LOGO
TEXT_ENGLISH "50;50;3;1;0.5;255;255;0;console/logo_RDAM"
TEXT_GERMAN "50;50;4;1;1;255;255;0;console/logo_RDAM"
TEXT_FRENCH "50;50;3;1;0.5;255;255;0;console/logo_RDAM"
}


In the script you would put...

print RDAM_LOGO

To see many more examples - extract the STRIP folder from pak0 (in sof/base folder) and take a look inside...

P.S. The simplest method of getting text on screen would be to put..

print "message"

...in your script - but this displays white writing in the top left corner of the screen , same as an error message so is not much use really


That's it !

Easy

Hope this helps

Demise RDAM

edited on Oct. 15, 2006 04:17 pm by SeTanTA

Awesome... lot's of tutorials. I guess I should ask. Would it be fine if I added these tutorials to what is already available in the SOF section? I'm asking for all the tutorials you have posted recently.

Yes, that is np Supersword - I would appreciate if you could do that

There will probably be at least another 4 tutorials produced in the near future to add also

Bot animation is popular and also how to manipulate triggers etc but I am open to suggestions if anybody would like to see a specific scripting tutorial...


Demise RDAM