Problem using a paint in a plugin.

DanielStaal

Ok, I'm working on my first, small, plugin. I've got an outfit (part of a pair, where one requires the other) that has one of its effects is that gives the ship a paint job. Unfortunately, due to EVN's engine this means that the outfit has it's effects, but is not registered as being added to the ship. (IE: you can buy unlimited quantities, there are no mass effects, etc.) I'm looking for a way around this, if possible. Any ideas?

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Luck

Hola, welcome to the board. (You're the first person I have welcomed! The circle of life turns!)

Part of a pair... Well, you can write the description of the outf to say whatever you want, regardless of what it really does. So, I'd just make one outf change the paint and have the other do everything else. The player only sees your description and the end effect, so it should work out the same.

As far as I know, an outf that changes ship paint will always have the characteristics you describe.

Peace,
Luck

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DanielStaal

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Originally posted by Luck:
**Part of a pair... Well, you can write the description of the outf to say whatever you want, regardless of what it really does. So, I'd just make one outf change the paint and have the other do everything else. The player only sees your description and the end effect, so it should work out the same.
**

Not quite... Let me try to explain a little better what I'm doing. I've got two (well, there are more more, but we'll get there in a moment) outfits, with a total of eight effects being used. Most of the effects are minor. You buy the first one, (which is actually where I want the paint effect), and only then are you offered the second. There are actually several choices for the second, and the player makes a choice depending on space and power requirements.

Think of it this way: there is a special gun mount available, and if you have it you can choose one of three different guns for it, but you have to purchase it separately.

All this works just fine, except if I add the paint to the mix. Then none of this works, since the first outfit doesn't 'register'. It does not take up mass, it doesn't have limits on the amount you can buy, it doesn't set 'contributed' flags, it does set on-purchase flags, but you can't sell it and the flags don't clear when you get a new ship... And it doesn't help to set the paint on the second outfit, since that only solves the flags problem. (Note: this a great way to get unlimited numbers of guns, just add a paint to the gun outfit.)

I'll probably end up doing it without the paint, but I feel like a bug in the program is not letting me do what I want here. I wanted to see if anyone who knows the system better has a clever idea first.

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Azratax2

Hmmmm, i noticed similar oddness with map outfits.
Make a third outfit that has the paint effect.
Give it the flag that removes it as soon as its purchased.
Have it available nowhere (0% avail chance or nonexistant techlevel).

Then have the onPurchase field of the first one grant (gxxx) this paint outfit.

If you want to unpaint it when the first outfit is sold, you would have to make a second paint outfit that restores the ship to its natural color, and have the unpaint outfit granted by the onsell field of the main outfit.
-Az

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(This message has been edited by Azratax2 (edited 09-05-2003).)

Luck

Quote

Think of it this way: there is a special gun mount available, and if you have it you can choose one of three different guns for it, but you have to purchase it separately.

Ok, gotcha. Yeah, I think I'd just make the paint a third outfit, like Az suggested.

Peace,
Luck

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mrxak

You can always use ncbs to give you that third outfit when you buy one of the others, and remove it (or give it a "blank" paint, or however it works) when you sell one of the others.

DanielStaal

Quote

Originally posted by Azratax2:
**Make a third outfit that has the paint effect.
Give it the flag that removes it as soon as its purchased.
Have it available nowhere (0% avail chance or nonexistant techlevel).

Then have the onPurchase field of the first one grant (gxxx) this paint outfit.
**

It works! Thanks both to Azratax2 and mrxak. Now to polish up the rest.

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