Scripting help - Hotspot interaction (SOLVED)

[Ricardo]

I want my character to say something whe I tell him to look at a hotspot but I can't seem to find the proper script command. Any help would be welcomed.

[Pumaman]

Try this:

player.Say("It's a hotspot.");

also, this really belongs in the Beginners Tech Forum.

[Ricardo]

I didn't mean the actual saying but how to activate it when he looks at the hotspot.

[Pumaman]

Have you worked through the beginner's tutorial?

[Ricardo]

Yes, but the tutorial only teaches how to do it with the wizard. I'm trying to learn how to do it via scripting only.

[Pumaman]

It's the same process, but instead of choosing "Display a message" or whatever in the interaction editor, choose "Run script" and then press the "Edit script" button.

[Ricardo]

I know that. I don't think you understand me correctly. My problam is not making the chracter talk via scipt but to check if and when he looks/uses a hotspot (via script).

[Bernie]

You mean you don't want to use the hotspot/object interaction editor?

[Ricardo]

Exactly! It's not that I have anything against it, I'm just looking for ways to improve my scripting capabilities.

[Ashen]

To clarify (I hope):
The first part of the Interaction Editor - the part with Look at hotspot, Interact hotspot, Use inventory on hotspot, etc:

This bit, is how you set what happens when the player clicks on a hotspot, depending what mode they're using, and is used however you're setting the commands (scripting or the interaction editor commands).

I suppose you could script all that for yourself (with checks in on_mouse_click, and a whole host of custom functions, for example) but it's really not worth it.

The second part:

All you need from the drop-down menu is Run Script.

[Ricardo]

So basiclly you just saying that there isn't a specific script function for checking hotspot interaction (correct me if I'm wrong). Oh well... I guess I'll just have to give up on that one. TNX anyway

[Ashen]

There's no IsPlayerLookingAtHotspot() command, if that's what you mean.

When you click on the interaction type (e.g. Look at hotspot, in the first image) a function is created in the room script (accessable by Ctrl-E, or the '{}' button), which you can edit. The name of the function isn't constant though, so it's best not to try creating them yourself (More Detail - about room edge functions, but the same applies to hotspots, objects, etc.). If you want to call the interaction from somewhere else, you'd use the Hotspot.RunInteraction() command (e.g. hPicture.RunInteraction (eModeLookat);) - check the manual for more information.

And yes, this probably does belong in Beginner's Tech.

[Ricardo]

There's no IsPlayerLookingAtHotspot() command, if that's what you mean.

That's exactly what i meant. Thanks again fot your help.

[SSH]

Actually, Ashen is wrong. You can do Hotspot.GetAtScreenXY(mouse.x, mouse.y) and if it is null, you are not looking at a hotspot, otherwise you are (and the function returns the pointer to that hotspot). You can also use IsIneractionAvailable to tell if a hotspot has an interaction, and you can use CallRoomScript with a aparameter to call a room-based funatiojn which can be codede to be hotspot specific. So you can entirely bypass the ineraction editor if you want, but it takes quite a lot of programming.

[Ashen]

There's no IsPlayerLookingAtHotspot() command, if that's what you mean.

Actually, Ashen is wrong. You can do Hotspot.GetAtScreenXY(mouse.x, mouse.y)

Yes, sorry - bad example. I meant, there're no in-built functions that return whether an interaction is being run - I used 'Looking' as that's what Ricardo originally mentioned, but IsPlayerUsing/TalkingTo/UsingInventoryOn/PickingUpHotspot() would all be the same.

EDIT: (As I was a bit confused by that, and I know what I meant to say)
As, in, you can't do:

Code: ags

if (IsPlayerLookingAtHotspot(hBigDoor) == 1) Display("That's a big door!"); // i.e 'Look at hotspot "BigDoor"'
if (IsPlayerUsingHotspot(hBigDoor) == 1) Display("The big door is locked."); // i.e. 'Use hotspot "BigDoor"'
//etc

Although you could probably create these functions, or similar, if you really wanted to.

The rest of what SSH said is what I meant by "checks in on_mouse_click and a whole host of custom functions" - he's just better at the details that I was.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Naturally, though, if you're going to take that route, you hardly need to use AGS' interface and can feel free to check out other engines which are 100% script-oriented.

[Ricardo]

Thanks everybody. As I said, the purpose of this question wasn't practical but educational... All I was looking for was another way to improve my scripting skills and you helped me a lot with that.

Thanks again