m01.lua
OnInit()
The lua file contains the mission’s scripting and the events. The top of the file contains variables and some generic functions that will be used later on. Have a look for function OnInit() - this function must exist in the lua file. It is the function that will be called when the game loads the mission. The OnInit() function is normally used to set up the initial mission conditions. For the tutorial, the function is used mainly to restrict certain actions that the player isn’t supposed to do yet:
function OnInit()
SPRestrict()
addObjective("learn")
-- hide the popup that happens automatically
UI_HideScreen("ObjectivesPopup")
HW2_SetResearchLevel( 1 )
Sound_EnableAllSpeech(1)
Universe_EnableSkip(0)
--scuttle OFF
Universe_EnableCmd(0, MUI_ScuttleCommand)
-- retire OFF
Universe_EnableCmd(0, MUI_RetireCommand)
--Camera off
Camera_AllowControl(0)
-- launch functions off
UI_SetElementEnabled("NewLaunchMenu","launchButton",0)
UI_SetElementEnabled("NewLaunchMenu","launchAllButton",0)
UI_SetElementEnabled("NewLaunchMenu","stayDockedButton",0)
UI_SetElementEnabled("NewLaunchMenu","autoLaunchButton",0)
Sound_SpeechSubtitlePath("speech:missions/TUT_01/")
-- initialize permissions
-- panning off
Camera_UsePanning(0)
-- moving off
Universe_EnableCmd(0, MUI_MoveCommand)
-- (de)selecting off
Universe_AllowSelect(0)
SobGroup_Create("sob_BothFighters")
SobGroup_Create("asteroidShip")
SobGroup_CreateSubSystem("Carrier", "FighterProduction" )
SobGroup_AbilityActivate( "Carrier", AB_Scuttle, 0 )
SobGroup_AbilityActivate( "Carrier", AB_Retire, 0 )
Event_Start("intelevent_SetupWorld")
Rule_Add("Rule_Intro")
end
Events
The OnInit function also calls the first “event”, in this case intelevent_SetupWorld. Events are stored in a table called “Events” at the end of the file. An event is effectively an in-game a cutscene. This event is not very sophisticated - it simply hides some UI things, brings the carrier out of hyperspace and selects a camera:
Events = {} -- the name of this table must always be Events - this is what the game looks for
Events.intelevent_SetupWorld =
{
{
{"Universe_EnableSkip(0)",""},
},
{
{"UI_HideScreen('NewTaskbar')",""},
{"UI_HideScreen('ObjectivesPopup')",""},
{"UI_HideScreen('UnitsMenu')",""},
{"UI_HideScreen('ResourceMenu')",""},
{"UI_HideScreen('UnitCapInfoPopup')",""},
},
{
{"SobGroup_ExitHyperSpace ('Carrier', 'Carrier_EnterVolume')", "" },
{"Camera_UseCameraPoint('camera1')",""},
},
}
Rules
The OnInit function also adds the first mission “Rule”. A Rule is a function that is continually executed until it is removed. The first rule in m01 is Rule_Intro:
function Rule_Intro()
if (Event_IsDone("intelevent_SetupWorld")==1) then
Event_Start("intelevent_intro")
Rule_Add("Rule_IntroTaskbar")
Rule_Remove("Rule_Intro")
end
end
This rule simply waits for the event “intelevent_SetupWorld” to finish. If the event is finished, it kicks of another event (“intelevent_intro”) and adds another rule “Rule_IntroTaskbar”. Then it removes itself to prevent it from being called again.
Nothing very exciting happens in the tutorial, but obviously the main functions you will be using are the ones relating to ships (via SobGroups). The event “intelevent_dragselection” has a function that creates a scout from the carrier:
Scout_1 = SobGroup_CreateShip('Carrier', 'Hgn_Scout')
And in the Rule_PreMoveIssued, the code checks for whether this group is doing the “AB_Move” ability, i.e. is it moving?
local hasIssued1 = SobGroup_IsDoingAbility(Scout_1, AB_Move)
There are a ton of functions relating to SobGroups. They either perform a test on a group (is it dead? is it under attack?) or issue an order (move, guard, attack).
teamcolour.lua
This file does exactly what you would expect: it defines the paint scheme, badge and engine trail used by each team in the mission. Here is an example from the Taiidan Republic Mod:
teamcolours = {
[0] = {{1, 1, 1}, {0, 0.502, 0.502}, "DATA:Badges/27th_black.tga", {1, 1, 1}, "data:/effect/trails/tai_trail_clr.tga"},
[1] = {{.900,.900,.900}, {.100,.100,.100}, "DATA:Badges/Vaygr.tga", {.921,.75,.419}, "data:/effect/trails/vgr_trail_clr.tga"},
[2] = {{0.365, 0.553, 0.667}, {0.8, 0.8, 0.8}, "DATA:Badges/Hiigaran.tga", {0.365, 0.553, 0.667}, "data:/effect/trails/hgn_trail_clr.tga"},
}
Note that the British spelling of “colour” is used, who knows why…
