Moving actors about with an outside ActionOverride

[temnix]

I'm getting into the making of an item that should move creatures about, issuing simple commands to them. I'll use an invisible creature to tell those targeted actors what to do through, for example, ActionOverride(Nearest,MoveToObject(...)). But first I must know whether that's possible at all. Have you moved creatures around in this way? Or in some other way? Were the creatures neutral, I mean their allegiance? Do share your knowledge.

[Roxanne]

I'm getting into the making of an item that should move creatures about, issuing simple commands to them. I'll use an invisible creature to tell those targeted actors what to do through, for example, ActionOverride(Nearest,MoveToObject(...)). But first I must know whether that's possible at all. Have you moved creatures around in this way? Or in some other way? Were the creatures neutral, I mean their allegiance? Do share your knowledge.

ActionOverride works best on clearly identified actors (Player1...6, or cre's identified by their DV aka script name), It can be used on others (like Nearest whatever) but I did never make recommendable experience with that, sometimes it works sometimes not, there are a number of factors that influence it.

I would rather recommend to temporarily assign a script (override) on the creature you want to control. The script first sets a timer (after that, the previous script is re-established) - then contains the moving actions which the cre now executes on itself - finally the end of control/revert to normal.

Generally speaking, the under control cre follows actions from a script you assign rather than some ActionOverride commands.

[temnix]

The idea is to control the creature first tagged in some other way through a spell effect. The simplest thing is to change its alignment to NONE, which is never the alignment of living creatures. So that's an obvious clue for the invisible who pops up next and starts detecting Nearest and so on.

 

The idea about override scripts sounds promising. Many creatures already have override scripts, though, in their cre files. In addition to default and race scripts. I've never seen a cre file where the race script did anything useful or wasn't overriden - how does it work with different levels and overriding, by the way? Anybody know? - but they do often have an override script. Like trolls. There is a special troll override-level script. So if I put something else instead, won't that disrupt the creature's normal functions?

 

Plus, are you sure normal scripts come back after the override runs through? I assume you mean opcode 82. I've been told that scripts don't revert to normal after the effect's duration runs out, so that's the problem with that effect. Or is that why you suggest putting a timer in? Do you have an example of a self-terminating script like that?

 

As for interference from scripts already in effect, external control should work on creatures of NEUTRAL allegiance the best. They don't get in a fight between you and enemies on either side, unless specially scripted to (as, I suspect, the guards at the Friendly Arm Inn are), so these neutral-neutrals should take well to commands. My control "spell" actually should only affect GOODBUTBLUE creatures, but I can put a temporary allegiance change in there...

[Roxanne]

The idea is to control the creature first tagged in some other way through a spell effect. The simplest thing is to change its alignment to NONE, which is never the alignment of living creatures. So that's an obvious clue for the invisible who pops up next and starts detecting Nearest and so on.

 

The idea about override scripts sounds promising. Many creatures already have override scripts, though, in their cre files. In addition to default and race scripts. I've never seen a cre file where the race script did anything useful or wasn't overriden - how does it work with different levels and overriding, by the way? Anybody know? - but they do often have an override script. Like trolls. There is a special troll override-level script. So if I put something else instead, won't that disrupt the creature's normal functions?

 

Plus, are you sure normal scripts come back after the override runs through? I assume you mean opcode 82. I've been told that scripts don't revert to normal after the effect's duration runs out, so that's the problem with that effect. Or is that why you suggest putting a timer in? Do you have an example of a self-terminating script like that?

 

As for interference from scripts already in effect, external control should work on creatures of NEUTRAL allegiance the best. They don't get in a fight between you and enemies on either side, unless specially scripted to (as, I suspect, the guards at the Friendly Arm Inn are), so these neutral-neutrals should take well to commands. My control "spell" actually should only affect GOODBUTBLUE creatures, but I can put a temporary allegiance change in there...

Forget about my proposal with the script - it does not work for your purpose since at the end of the *control* sequence when reverting the creature, it will always end up either hostile or without its initial script.

In the cases I used it, that was intended. But I understand you want something different.

[temnix]

I don't know. How about an example script? Maybe it will do what I need.