Making the case for the reset function

Most of our creations in Landmark are set up to happen in a specific order. Be that a dialog that triggers when a door opens, an NPC walking along his route to perhaps surprise a player on their way across the build site or a light that is supposed to extinguish when the door behind the player closes.

In a secluded environment away from any context, it is no problem to set up scenarios like these. But we all build within the context and limitations of our imagination and the game. What happens when a player goes through your adventure and leaves the door open, kills the NPC and turns the light back on. The next player will not experience any of the events set up before, because they all need to reset.

Resetting in Landmark can happen in two ways: via the Reset Node or a self-made setup.

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The Reset Node

Already briefly described in the overview of all Story Tools, the Reset Node was solely introduced to give us that exact function. The Reset Node cannot function on its own and requires an interactive prop to be linked to it. A switch for example can be linked to reset the build site when it's in Play Mode.

There are a couple of things that players have to keep in mind when using the Reset Node, though. (A) The Reset Node does not work localy, it resets the entire build site. When the node is attached to a prop that will trigger it and the build site is in Play Mode, the Reset Node will reset every single prop and NPC to its status quo.

Which brings me to (B). The status quo of an item can sometimes be tricky to monitor. The status quo of an item is its status in Edit Mode. Let's say a torch was extinguished in Edit Mode and the owner turns on Play Mode. Lighting the torch in Play Mode may change its current status but not its status quo. If the Reset Node is used now, it will always return the torch back to its extinguished status. Because that's the status it had in Edit Mode.

Since Linking & Triggering is often dependent on the status of certain props (i.e. door open, switch on, light off.. etc.), it can be a source of error when creating more intricate systems. It so can happen that the accidental flip of a switch in Edit Mode will change the status quo of a prop unknowing to the owner. That will cause links to not trigger, leaving the owner questioning what might be causing the setup to fail.

The self-made setup

Which is why, personally, I prefer to install a reset mechanism myself... a TR3SET if you will :D

My reset mechanism usually consists of 3 items. Two switches and one Timer Node. I use the first switch to despawn creatures, set back emitters, close doors, lock chests and most important of all turn off both lights on all Logic Filters. Then the timer kicks in with 3-5 seconds that triggers the second switch. The second switch adjusts the total reset. It respawns most of the creatures and reactivates one light on some Logic Filters again.

I choose this particular setup for a number of reasons. For example, I don't like regular respawns of my NPCs. When someone kills every enemy on my adventure, the place will actually be free of enemies. I believe that gives the player a sense of accomplishment and influence.

Another reason is that all of my one-time-only events require the Logic Filter to be set up a specific way. In order to guarantee that it will be set up exactly the way I need it, I have the first switch turn everything off and the second switch turn on exactly the light(s) that are supposed to trigger these events. It doesn't matter what the status quo of the Logic Filter is and whether I accidentally turned one light on or off. Because the reset mechanism will make sure it is correctly set up.

Since I am going to write most of my tutorials with this self-made reset mechanism in mind, I thought it would make sense to explain it once and refer back to it every now and then.

#basics #beginner #Landmark