Discussion: Creation of a "Global" GoW python system

[Chacal]

Think of "chronicles" as stored variables.
For example, in your vault there is a variable named "ZandiWelcome" that keeps track of whether you have been welcomed by Zandi or not. That is why Zandi won't welcome you again if you go back to see him.

You can browse your vault by using VaultShop by Zrax.

[diafero]

And no, this has nothing at all to do with AlcScript (which is not actually a scripting language but a descriptive language, so I always wondered why it was called a script ). We talk about Python scripts here, used to implement the actual puzzle logic.

I got the first version of the file, D'Lanor, and it will be part of the next Ofline KI. There's no release scheduled yet. Should I try to make one within the next, say, 3 weeks to get the file out?

[D'Lanor]

If you want. I don't think we are in a hurry.

[Jamey]

Think of "chronicles" as stored variables.
For example, in your vault there is a variable named "ZandiWelcome" that keeps track of whether you have been welcomed by Zandi or not. That is why Zandi won't welcome you again if you go back to see him.

You can browse your vault by using VaultShop by Zrax.

Oh! So these "Chronicles" work like the variables in the SDL files? Is there a significant difference between Chronicles and SDL files? What is the difference between the two, if any?

[Chacal]

IIRC, SDL "variables" are actually descriptors for state variables for the Age itself. They are used for communicating to the Uru client which variables will hold the state of things such as open/closed doors, existence of barriers, etc.

SDL files are read by the Plasma engine and the variables they describe, and their default values, are written into the vault if they are newer than the ones already there (which is why it is important to increment the version number when modifying SDL files).

For instance, in the ahnySphere01.sdl file, you find those 3 variables:

VAR BOOL ahnyCurrent[1] DEFAULT=1 DISPLAYOPTION=red
VAR BYTE ahnyQuabs[1] DEFAULT=20 DISPLAYOPTION=red
VAR BOOL ahnyHutDoor[1] DEFAULT=0 DISPLAYOPTION=red

These are state descriptors, you see, because they describe state variables that will be used. SDL files themselves are not used for variables during the game (ie the game does not change the files). SDL means State Descriptor Language, I think.

Once this has been read into the vault, you will find this in [player]'s vault / [player] / Ages I own / Sphere1 / AhnySphere01:
ahnyCurrent true
ahnyQuabs 20
ahnyHutDoor False

Those values will change when you play the game.

Disclaimer: people with more knowledge will correct this if I'm wrong. Also I'm not venturing into on-line concepts, I'll leave that to guys like D'Lanor, diafero and Dustin.

[Trylon]

AlcScript (which is not actually a scripting language but a descriptive language, so I always wondered why it was called a script ).

Oh, that's quite simple: I couldn't think of a better name that could be catchy, descriptive and fairly pronouncable, so it ended up being called alcscript, even though that was a bit off.

[Nadnerb]

Okay, I think Chacal may have said this, but it took way too long, so I didn't read it.

SDL are variables local to age instances.
Chronicles are variables local to avatars.

[diafero]

Yeah, Nad summed it up quite well - Chacal also explained that the underlying technical system is *completely* different (SDL management is something very deep within the engine, and it's horrible; while chronicles work on top of the whole vault thingy), but I doubt the casual age writer will care.

[Robert The Rebuilder]

I remember a couple years ago when D'Lanor first proposed a standard chronicle system on the MOUL boards. It was a good idea back then, and still is.

Will the Offline KI be the only way to have these global python files, or will they be available in a separate download?

[diafero]

It would be fairly easy to make a pak file containing only this script... however we have to make sure we don't get version confusion if people have both that manual file and the Offline KI (where it will reside in offlineki.pak) installed.