Part 1

I found no mention of macros or scripting in my initial scan of the AoC retail manual. I did not find much in the forums or elsewhere on the web (it may exist but I just haven’t found it) so when I began playing with the chat commands today I began to discover some cool stuff.

First I tried the /script command out of curiosity:

Typing “/script” yielded a chat message that says in red, “Error: too few arguments”.

Ok, well at least I know it does something. To sidetrack for a second, I was talking with a guild mate about how to find a list of emotes, he tells me to do this:

/emote <space> <tab>

Blam! I got a huge list of emotes to pick from in this huge pop up menu:

I immediately began to wonder if this whole thing would bring up menus for other things. Well, if you do this:

/script <space><tab>

You will get a list of all the text files in your scripts folder. I don’t know if everyone has this, but mine had a file in it called ACT.txt and it looked like it was a damage meter kind of script. I’ll elaborate more on that when I figure out if it was standard or if it got there when I installed AoCombatToals. Anyway, the next thing I did was to go into the scripts folder and make a text file called SlitThroat.txt and added an emote and say command to it on separate lines. Then, I typed /script and there it was, a list of files in the scripts folder with my new one there waiting to be clicked on. Click on the image to view the contents of the text file and the path to the scripts folder.

So there it is, you can make your own script files and put them in the scripts folder in the root of your AoC install. These files can contain chat commands and HTML, so you can have colored text. For example, I edited my SlitThroat.txt file from this…

/emote slitthroat
/say You are a dead man.

…to this:

/emote slitthroat
/say You are a <font color=”#ff0000″>dead</font> man.

And the result is what you get below when the script runs by typing /script SlitThroat.txt or by double clicking it in the macro window.
Ok so now on to macros, cause you can tie all this together and call a script from a macro.

So, tried the /macro command to see what would happen:

Typing “/macro” yielded a chat message that says in red, “Usage: /macro <name> <command>

Hrm. Ok, my next thought was to try and find out if there is a macro UI window. /macro open, /macro help, /macro OMGWTF all don’t do anything. So I tried to follow the usage with what I did know was a command, /emote. So I typed, /macro emote foo. Blam! I got a macro window to pop up. As of this post, the only way I know to open that window is to repeat the command. It doesn’t make a new macro every time, so it appears to be a good enough hack to open the window.

The window opened up with a macro called emote and the content window had “foo” in it. No use for that, except its the only way I know to get the damn macro GUI to open. So I take it one step further and create a slitthroat macro and type /script SlitThroat.txt in the content pane. The idea is to have a macro that will execute my SlitThroat.txt file in the scripts folder. Check the image below for the view of the macro window with the slitthroat macro and content:

So there you have it. That’s about what I know right now and should be enough for Part 1. I’ll continue with this series as soon as I soon as I figure out how to do anything beyond these basic scripts and macros. Please feel free to comment if you have any experience with this stuff too.

I’d love to know what commands are available to evoke from these scripts, a list would just be great. I’d also like to know the correct way to open the damn GUI for macros instead of my hack. It would also be fantastic to know how to create a hotbar button to evoke these macros, or how to keybind them. Right now I’m only able to trigger them by double clicking them from the macro window.

Well, happy macroing and scripting. Hope this helps!

Part 2

In part 2 I’d like to share with the AoC community the things I have discovered over the last few days in relation to scripting, macros and such. Much of this builds on part 1 of this series, so if you haven’t read that part yet now might be a good time to catch up, then come back here and read the rest. Back already? Ok, lets see where we are…
Navigating the commands
In part 1 I left off with saying that I’d love to know what the full list of available commands are, so that I’d know what I could experiement with in my scripts and macros. Good news, I did find that out. Bad news, not all of them work right now. But I guess that can be expected with a new game, perhaps all the commands have not been released yet. Hopefully it will open up a bit and more can be done. I discovered this list when playing around with the whole <tab> mechanism to explore possible menus in the game. I found that just typing a forward slash and tabbing, a menu of the core commands became available.

Click here for the complete list of commands. Unfortunately I have not tested them all. I can tell you that things like /delay and /showfile are either disabled or just don’t work right now. I’ll try to update my commands list with explanation and usage info as I have time and remember to do so.

Another thing I picked up relative to script commands is that they can be in a few different formats. In your scripts folder, you can have scripts saved with .txt, html or without an extension at all. Calling scripts with out an extension is convienient in game, but not so much so when working with the script file. The difference is that when you call have a sample file named test.txt vs. a file named just test with no extension, all you have to do is type /test to call the script in game instead of /test.txt. Working with extensionless files is trickier for novice users, since windows may not know what program to open the file with and will require some extra steps.

Like Anarchy Online?
A really big breakthrough came when the AoC UI community members began to give feedback on my first post. One of the forum members posted a link to the old Anarchy Online scripting information. As soon as I saw it, it made complete sense to me that much of it may be relative since Funcom has developed both games. With that said, the following link was used as a starting point to test some of the scripting and macroing capabilties in game:

http://anarchyonline.wikia.com/wiki/Scripts

This AO Wikia site shed some light on things, letting me know what I thought was probably the case in that attacks and combat movements cannot be scripted. This is good, as it should ease some fears of the anti-mod community who feel that mods make the game too easy. Some good info I got right away was that there are variables that can be put into macros/scripts much like other games allow:

• %0 – Replaces with the name of the script you are running.
• %1…%9 – Replaces with parameters you gave to your script.
• %f – Replaces with the target you currently fight.
• %m – Replaces with your own name.
• %t – Replaces with your current primary target.

I was immediately able to take a macro I made in Part 1, and extend it to use this macro. I took my SlitThroat.txt script and changed it from this:

/emote slitthroat
/say You are a <font color=”#ff0000″>dead</font> man.

to this:

/emote slitthroat
/say You are a <font color=”#ff0000″>dead</font> man, %t.

The end result puts my target’s name into the macro for extra effect. Not a big deal, just adds a bit more flavor to this particular macro.

Making Info Panels
The other significant thing I discovered was the use of the info panel. With scripting, you can invoke a window panel in game that can display text, HTML and other commands. This is done by using the HTML anchor tab, and substituting text:// where the http:// would normally go. For example, I placed the following code into a script file:

<a href=”text://Visit the Age of Conan forums at http:// forums-us.ageofconan.com.”>Aoc Forums Info</a>

Calling that script sends a link to the chat window called “Aoc Forums Info” that can be sent to any chat channel. When people click on that link they will see an Info window open up with your content contained it it. Click the image to the right for a larger image so you can see an example of this.

Now take this a step further and you can make something useful, like an info window that displays your guild information. There should be an image to the left that you can see an example of this. The script I made gives people a link called “Guild Info” to click on, and they can see our guild web site, guild ventrilo server, officers, and other info. Click the image to the right for a larger image so you can see an example of this.

Bringing it all together
Where this starts to get really powerful is the use of the chatcmd:// protocol. This allows you to create a link in chat that will open an info panel when clicked. But this time, the info panel can contain links that will invoke other chat commands. As an example, I took the AO assist macro and tweaked it to work in AoC. I created an auto assist macro maker script. When used it will help to automate making an /assist macro when you are playing in groups or raiding. You can also click the image for an example of what my Auto Assist Maker Macro looks like.

Well, I haven’t made the big scripting breakthroughs I’d hoped for in Age of Conan. Time will tell if I can come up with something really cool or useful, chances are that the community will be cranking out really cool stuff soon enough. Below are the links to the few scripts I’ve made if you want to play with them yourself. You should just be able to dump them in your /scripts folder and be ready to go.

Happy hunting.

© Posted by br3ntbr0 for Im Talkin Games with One comment on 06/13/2010.
Posted in: Advice, Analysis, Misc, Tips Tags: Age of Conan, FunCom

This article was one of the most popular posts on my old site, A Wall of Text.  I’m reposting it here by request as the old site is no longer available.

I recently took a few hours to finally dig into the Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning’s macro and scripting system. I had been meaning to do this for a while now, because I have looked long and hard across the great wide internets for a guide, tutorial, or any other tidbit of info about this. I was unable to find anything substantive about it until the API turned up in a mostly documented form over at thewarwiki.com. I had read that Mythic will be fully supporting mods and Lua scripting for War, but I had yet to even see how to make a basic macro. Well, I finally figured it out and have plenty of info to share with you for those curious about macros and scripting in Warhammer Online, complete with another narrated video. Read after the break for I’ve been threatening to get into mod development at some point (I have a background in web development and programming) but I know how time consuming that can get and have decided just to stick to poking around the macros and basic scripts that can be used in most games. I think that trend will continue in War, but its worth mentioning that the objects, properties and methods listed in the API documentation are the same ones used by mod makers. I am just tapping into that in a small way by putting scripts into small macros. Let’s dive into the video and then I’ll do some follow up after:

What I forgot to mention in that video, was that apparently a way to easily open the macro window was added so there’s really no use for the script command that opens the window. Just hit your ESC> key and choose “Macros” from the menu that appears to open the window!

Ok class, lets review, step by step. Here’s how you make a basic macro in War. This is accurate as of the time of this writing: (click an image below for a larger view)

1. Hit the <ESC> key and click the “Macros” option. Your macro window will appear. Alternatively, you can type in the following script to launch the macro window:
   /script WindowSetShowing( “EA_Window_Macro”, true )

   

2. Next, click on a macro slot that is empty. When empty, it will say “NO ICON SET” like in the picture below:
3. Next to where it says, “Macro Name” click the empty icon to pick your icon picture for this new macro. After you select an icon picture it will be shown in the slot:
4. Type in a name for your macro where it says, “Macro Name” and type in the actual macro commands where it says, “Macro Text”. In my example below, I called it “Assist” and the macro text is “/assist”:
5. Finally, click the icon in your macro window and drag it to your hotbar where you can click it or use a keybind to execute it:

And that’s it for making a basic macro!

If you weren’t able to discern what it was that I typed in the videos, here’s a few of the commands:

Target self:
/script TargetPlayer(towstring(GameData.Player.name))

Target player by name:
/script TargetPlayer(towstring(‘playernamehere’))

*note: /target playername works just fine too

Open bags:
/script EA_Window_Backpack.ToggleShowing()

Open Macro Window:
/script WindowSetShowing( “EA_Window_Macro”, true )

As I said before, the full API is documented (mostly) at thewarwiki.com, so go check it out as there are tons of commands there to experiment with. Give me a shout with cool macros you guys find, if I get enough submissions I may start a new macros site or page here for them!

As a reminder, here’s the tips I mentioned in the video:

- To scroll through the previous text you’ve entered into the chat window, press <SHIFT> + <UP ARROW>

- Right click any chat tab and choose Command Lists>Commands or Command Lists>Emotes to see a list of either. /help shows the command list also.

© Posted by br3ntbr0 for Im Talkin Games with One comment on 05/29/2010.
Posted in: Technical, Tips Tags: Macros, Warhammer Online

Last night brought me to the completion of the main story line in Dragon Age: Origins.  I had alot of fun with this game, and while some parts seemed a bit drawn out, the end campaign was not.  I’ll post full spoilers and video in another post, but for now I thought I’d take the time to pass along some useful information that I would have liked to have known before getting started.  There’s shouldn’t be much in the way of spoilers below, but if you get satisfaction out of doing it all on your own (even if it means making some mistakes) then you might want to pass on reading the rest.  If you could stand to know 5 things that might help your adventure, then take in the items below:

• You can re-specialize your character, or any character in your party.
  While the core game does not provide a way to easily do it by default, you can download this modification from the BioWare Social Network’s projects area.  In reading up on this topic,  I found that is not recommended to use the console to do it as some have.  I’ve used this mod and it worked flawlessly, so I recommend the mod install route, as it works just like installing DLC does.  It places a Raven at your camp (or by the load in area for the Flemeth’s hut area) that you can talk to for a re-spec.  You select the first dialog option to get a potion of re-specialization that you can use to relearn all those skills and talents, so if you messed up and explored a specialization or talent that you regret, you can correct it.  If you are like me and think Morrigan’s shape-shifting skills are not as useful as the Spirit Healer skills are, you can correct that too.  Just make sure you’ve unlocked a specialization before you unlearn it, or you’ll have Allister unable to learn how to be a Templar like I did.  Luckily the book for that one is at the camp’s vendor!

  Tips:  You can re-spec Ohgren from 2-handers to shields for tanking, since you have to take him to certain fights in the Dwarf campaign.  That way you can sit Allister on the bench, especially useful if you want to keep 2 mages in your group.  Also, there is another download in the projects area that will put a chest in your camp that you can use to store items.

• You only need basic Health and Lyrium potions, and you can have them in unlimited supply.
  With basic herbalism you can make these crucial potions in nearly unlimited supply.  Go to the Elf (Brecilian Forest) and Mage (Circle Tower) campaign areas and talk to the quartermaster/vendor there and buy Lyrium dust and Elfroot in unlimited supply.  In the tavern in Denerim you can buy unlimited flasks.  Buy all the stacks you can afford and crank out as many potions you need to ease the burden of healing, crowd controlling and damage on the Mage(s) in your party.  Your Rogues and Warriors will be able to use the health potions quite regularly as well.  Rinse and repeat as  you run low on potions.  There are areas where you can buy unlimited reagents for the larger potions if you wish to go that route, but that is a more expensive thing to do and you can get by without them.

  
  Tip:  Need room for all those potion materials?  Check the full item list of any vendor you interact with, some of them sell backpacks that will add to the total amount of items you can hold at once.  The Dwarf vendor in your camp has one.

• Two Mages are better than one, so pick up Wynne as soon as you can.
  Wynne is a playable party member you pick up during the Circle of Mages campaign. I recommend going to gather that part of your army first since she is there, and so is your unlimited supply of Lyrium dust for mana potions.  Wynne is already specialized into Spirit Healing, but you can change that (see above) later if you wish.  With Wynne and Morrigan re-specialized in Spirit Healing for group support you will struggle less to get through the tough encounters.  You won’t regret having not one – but two – resurrection spells to cast in some of your fights.  If you don’t mind tripping over traps and leaving many doors and chests unlocked because you don’t have a Rogue, you can play a Mage yourself and have 3 in the party!

  Tip: Get one Mage into cold and one Mage into telekinetic spells and have your mages sustain force and cold weapon buffs for your Rogues and Warriors.

• Crowd control is key, and AOE damage is icing on the cake.
  Mages are pretty much the way to go here (see two mages are better than one above), but which skills you choose for Mages is even more critical.  Force field, Cone of cold, Crushing prison and other spells like Blizzard and Fireball for AOE damage also have crowd control components.  You can light the slippery AOE grease spell on fire with any fire spell for the double whammy.  Blood magic specialization has a great crowd control spell, with quick re-use for creatures that have blood – like Darkspawn.  Its not only Mages that are useful here, as your tank’s shield bash or two handed pummel will knock enemies down for s short period.  Shield bash can also interrupt that Ogre from pounding your healer into the Dust too.

  Tips: When faced with a group of nasties coming at you, one or two of them are usually tougher than the rest.  Look for baddies with a yellow or orange colored name, and use force field or crushing prison to take these guys out of the fight while you kill the rest.  Better yet, when a Mage (or anyone in your party) gets aggro and is about to die, have another mage put a force field on them since you can put it on party members to make them invulnerable as well.  When the mob leaves, have the other mage dispel the force field to put them back in action!

• Learn to use your tactics, and the pause and escape keys are your friends.
  I started using tactics way too late in the game, but these basically allow you to program the behaviors of the party members you aren’t controlling at that moment.  You can set Mages with healing spells to heal anyone under 75% health, and you can have Mages drink potions when under 75% mana – automatically.  Have your characters apply the buffs they have automatically with tactics too.  There is much more you can do to program behavior so that these common things you’ll constantly do will happen without you having to do them.  The fights can get large and hectic with many things happening at once.  Not only will tactics help, but so does pausing.  Use the pause button (space bar by default) to plan out every move you need to make to get through a tough fight.  Also, use the escape key to skip dialog.  While the story is great, there are some parts where you just don’t want to hear it.  When you go to the same vendor 20 times in a game, you probably don’t want to hear his diatribe just to see what he’s got to sell.

  Tip:  You can set the game to automatically pause the game when combat starts.  This will help you visually locate and assess the bad guys.  Preparing for that Mage’s fireball by running other people out of the way or crowd controlling them to prevent it are much easier things to do when you pause first.  Having the game automatically do it for you helps you get a jump on the action.

Well that about wraps up the tips.  I hope these help you on your journey in Fereldon without spoiling too much of the game for you!

- br3ntbr0

© Posted by br3ntbr0 for Im Talkin Games with 4 comments on 11/24/2009.
Posted in: Featured, Opinion, Tips Tags: BioWare, Dragon Age: Origins, RPG