How To: Alternate an NPCs action
- tr3lon1st
- 29. Juli 2016
- 3 Min. Lesezeit
Sometimes a simple alternative can bring a little bit of diversity into a game. Clicking on an NPC or triggering them in any other way will eventually become predictable. It can be fun to add an alternative or simply to create a different event and ultimately outcome to a situation.
For the sake of clarity, I will determine the triggered event to be a simple Story Node. All necessary Dungeon Master tools and the necessary props are listed below:
Before I go into detail on how to exactly connect these to one another, I will explain the basic set up. The first icon generally represents an event or in this case, an NPC. Clicking on the NPC will make the two Emissive Cube alternate between on and off. That will alternately trigger one of the lights of the Logic Filter, which in return will trigger either one of the Story Nodes. The entire setup requires 10 links in total. I chose the Emissive Cube, because its reaction is almost instanteneously, whereas the switch would work as well, but requires a second to switch between on and off.
Connecting the NPC to the first switch requires one link:
Link 1
(NPC) When a Luminary clicks this creature, alternate this glow between on and off. (Emissive Cube 1)
Next you connect the switches to each other. This also requires just one link:
Link 2
(Emissive Cube 1) When this glow turns on or off, alternate this glow between on and off. (Emissive Cube 2)
Now you connect both switches to each of the lights of the Logic Filter. This requires 4 links:
Links 3-6 (Emissive Cube 1) When this glow turns on, turn on the blue light. (Logic Filter) (Emissive Cube 1) When this glow turns off, turn on the yellow light. (Logic Filter) (Emissive Cube 2) When this glow turns on, turn off the yellow light. (Logic Filter) (Emissive Cube 2) When this glow turns off, turn off the blue light. (Logic Filter)
Finally, the Logic Filter needs to be connected to both Story Nodes. This requires 2 links:
Links 7-8 (Logic Filter) When the blue light turns on, activate everything on this node. (Story Node 1) (Logic Filter) When the yellow light turns on, activate everything on this node. (Story Node 2)
In order for the NPC to actually act out the Story Nodes, they need to connect to it. This requires 2 more links:
Links 9-10 (Story Node 1) When everything on this node activates, have this create perform everything. (NPC) (Story Node 2) When everything on this node activates, have this create perform everything. (NPC)
This setup requires 2 Emissive Cubes. One to turn on a light on the Logic Filter and one to turn it off again. The event that triggers the Story Node to function is the turning on of a light. However, if that light is already (or still) on, there is no way of turning it on to trigger the Story Node. It only follows that it needs to be turned off before it can be turned on again.
The mechanism described above can alternatively be created by using the Timer Filter instead of a second Emissive Cube. Simply remove the 5th and 6th link and replace the second link with the following:
Links 11-12 (Logic Filter) When either light turns on, start this timer. (Time Filter) (Timer Filter) When this timer completes, turn off both lights. (Logic Filter)
Make sure that the Timer Filter is set to a very small amount, to make sure that a quick click on the NPC won't be ignored. 1 or maybe 2 seconds will allow the lights to turn off in time for the next click to turn them back on.
