They're just used for checking things. The numbers themselves have absolutely no meaning, at least for bxxxx, the one you'll use the most for setting mission requirements what what not. You don't have to use 1-100 for this sort of mission, 101-200 for that sort of mission, or whatever. If its the first mission for a storyline of several, you might want to have the requirement be !bxxxx and have completing any first storyline missions set that bit, so you can't get other storylines, or get that mission again.

Missions that you want to repeat and always be available need to bit requirements.

I used a really simple system for Colosseum. Starting at b10, each story mission would require the next one up: b11, b12, b13, etc. On completing each mission, the bit for getting that mission would be unset and the next one set. I.E, that first one would do !b10 & b11.

Hopefully that clears things up.

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 9 2008, 01:07 PM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

They're just used for checking things. The numbers themselves have absolutely no meaning, at least for bxxxx, the one you'll use the most for setting mission requirements what what not. You don't have to use 1-100 for this sort of mission, 101-200 for that sort of mission, or whatever. If its the first mission for a storyline of several, you might want to have the requirement be !bxxxx and have completing any first storyline missions set that bit, so you can't get other storylines, or get that mission again.

Missions that you want to repeat and always be available need to bit requirements.

I used a really simple system for Colosseum. Starting at b10, each story mission would require the next one up: b11, b12, b13, etc. On completing each mission, the bit for getting that mission would be unset and the next one set. I.E, that first one would do !b10 & b11.

Hopefully that clears things up.

Let me get this straight.

Any mission I make doesn't require a bit. If the mission needs a bit, I can go up to b9999 and the numbers don't have a meaning. However, if it is a storyline, I would say b10, b11, and whatnot, as long as the numbers were in order. If I don't want one to do another storyline, I say !b<insert number here>.

When you want a number of missions in a row, I would say !b10 & b11 & b12, right? And if I want a mission to repeat over and over again, I use bits.

Did I get this right? If so, then the bit system is much more easier. Thanks for having to put up with a newbie who is still learning MC.

You don't have to have the numbers in order for storylines, but it makes things heck of alot easier.

Missions will repeat so long as the requirements are met. Any mission with no requirements will be repeatedly available no matter what.

For the record, in the require field, bxxxx and !bxxxx check to see if the bit is set or unset, respectively. In the other fields, they set or unset the bits.

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 9 2008, 07:29 PM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

You don't have to have the numbers in order for storylines, but it makes things heck of alot easier.

Missions will repeat so long as the requirements are met. Any mission with no requirements will be repeatedly available no matter what.

For the record, in the require field, bxxxx and !bxxxx check to see if the bit is set or unset, respectively. In the other fields, they set or unset the bits.

I don't like it when numbers are out of order. It's really confusing in times when you want a certain number and you go "Where the crap is it?!" I must agree with statement one.

With number two, I did try to make Polycon EV have an Urgent Delivery mission. Without bits, it did work. I just forgot the descriptions.

In number three, do you write numbers in place of the x's, like b9602? Or do you just leave it at bxxxx and/or !bxxxx? I need a better grasping of the bit system, and I'm just making sure I read this post right.

Put in numbers. If you put in 'x's, it either wouldn't work or crash Nova. Never tried, so I don't know which.

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 10 2008, 12:13 AM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

Put in numbers. If you put in 'x's, it either wouldn't work or crash Nova. Never tried, so I don't know which.

Let's not know. Seriously, I don't want anybody to have a crashed Nova.

Ok.... I tried, and it still didn't work. Does the bit you set/unset have to be existing? Or, can you just put in a random number?

The moment you put it in, the moment it exists. If you may wish to check to see if the pilot has the proper bits set or unset by checking your pilotlog. If you, like me, can't memorize bits, just open it up next to the mission in the editor and compare.

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 10 2008, 10:22 AM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

The moment you put it in, the moment it exists. If you may wish to check to see if the pilot has the proper bits set or unset by checking your pilotlog. If you, like me, can't memorize bits, just open it up next to the mission in the editor and compare.

I am slightly confused. So you say b7999 when you want a bit to exist and when the mission is complete, you write !b7999?

And by the way, I am nearing 200 systems on the map of EV: Scarred. I'll post a picture when I get it complete.

Eh, more or less. The b7999 will turn it on and put anything that requires it either into effect or make it available. !b7999 will do the opposite.

Ok. So to start my storyline I say b7999. When the mission is completed successfully I would write !b7999. For the next mission the availability is !b7999, and accepting the mission, the bit becomes b8000. Then completion of that mission is !b8000, and so on and so forth until the storyline is complete.

When I want a ship, outfit, and whatnot to appear when I give the player clearance, I would probably say in the ship dialogue OnPurchase=b8025 when I want the player to get the ship/outfit/whatever to appear after they are handed the mission with b8025. If I say OnPurchase=!b8025 the player would get the ship/outfit after they complete the mission with b8025.

If I say b8025 or !b8025 with k50, however, it means the player must have the rank of whatever k50 is to get the item b8025 is associated with.

Am I right so far? If so, then I have just probably grasped the easiest parts of making bits, and that it will be harder from here on out.

EDIT: ARRRGHHH!!!!! That wasn't right either. What now...

This post has been edited by king_of_manticores : 10 February 2008 - 06:27 PM

When the mission completes, you'd do !b7999 and b8000, that way it unsets b7999 and sets b8000.

OnPurchase sets said bit when the ship is bought. Look under the availability fields for placing required bits.

If you want to grant a ship or outfit, you need to use a different operator. Can't recall which off the top of my head, but its a letter than the item ID.

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 10 2008, 09:41 PM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

When the mission completes, you'd do !b7999 and b8000, that way it unsets b7999 and sets b8000.

OnPurchase sets said bit when the ship is bought. Look under the availability fields for placing required bits.

If you want to grant a ship or outfit, you need to use a different operator. Can't recall which off the top of my head, but its a letter than the item ID.

Ok, thanks. Then I'd say for mission two Availability !b7999 and b8000?

I'll see about granting ships and outfits later... I still don't know how to make outfits, but I can do ships. Thanks for the information about using a different operator to grant ships.

You'd put that in the mission complete field while it would require b7999. Let me break down the fields and use the bits of a Colosseum mission as illustration, if anything to prevent future confusion.

Colosseum Mission said:

Offer the mission if: b13
When player accepts mission:
When player refuses mission:
When the mission completes: !b13 b14 L129 K130 b101 !b100
When player fails mission: b13
When player aborts mission: b13
When player completes the special ship objectives:

This mission will show up if the bit b13 is set. When it completes, it unsets b13 and b100, sets b14 and b101, removes rank 129, and grants rank 130. b13 is unset to prevent the mission from triggering again, while b14 is set for the next mission. Bits 100 and 101 are used for checking other things in Colosseum and don't apply to this mission specifically. L and K remove and grant ranks, respectively. You could use this to say, promote a player from Rear Admiral to Admiral, among other things. The fail and abort bits may be unnecessary, I'm not sure. They're there just for safeguards against possible bugs. Note that only the first field checks the bits, everything else sets, unsets, or activates things based on what's in there.

Just so you have a complete list of operators...

Axxx - aborts mission of the ID, if active

Fxxx - fails mission of the ID inputted, if active

Sxxx - starts mission of the ID

Gxxx - grants one outfit of the indicated ID

Dxxx - removes one outfit of the indicated ID

Mxxx - moves the player to the indicated system ID. Places player over the first spob or, if none are present, the system center

Nxxx - moves player to the indicated system ID, but have the same location relative to the system center

Cxxx - grants player the ship of the ID. They keep all items they own and gain none of the ship's defaults

Exxx - grants player the ship of the ID. They keep all items they own and gain all of the ship's defaults

Hxxx- grants player the ship of the ID. They loose all items they own and gain all of the ship's defaults

Kxxx - grants the player rank of the ID

Lxxx - removes the rank of the ID

Pxxx - players sound of the ID

Yxxx - destroys stellar of the ID

Uxxx - regenerates stellar of the ID

Qxxx - Forces the player to leave the spob immediately and displays a random message from the STR# indicated

Txxx - Changes the player's ship name to a randomly chosen name of the STR# indicated

Xxxx - Explored system of the ID

Note, all of these operators refer to a specific ID. So, for example, A129 will abort mission 129, A130 will abort mission 130, etc. Only bxxx doesn't refer to any specific IDs. Also, none of these apply to the test fields (such as Offer if). See below for those.

Also, for bits, you can use ^bxxx to toggle the bit on and off. Using crons, you could use that to have systems appear and vanish, among other things. You can also make the game do a random choice between two options using R(). For example, R(b2 !b3) would either set b2 or unset b3, but not do both. Not sure if that works with other operators, never tried it.

For the test fields, heres what else you can use.

Pxxx - checks to see if the game has been registered or not and how many days. Since unregistered users can't use plug-ins, its pointless to use this operator

G - looks up the player's gender. Returns -1 for male and 0 for female. So, you could make missions and other things available based on the players gender with G-1 or G0.

Oxxx - Checks to see if the players has the outfit of the indicated ID. One use for this is to have weapon ammunition not show up unless you own the launcher.

Exxx - Checks to see if the player has explored the system of the indicated ID.

| - Logical or operator (Offer mission if b5 | b6 would grant a mission if either bit is set).

& - Logical and operator (Offer mission if b5 & b6 would require both bits to be set)

! - Negation operator, you could use it with Oxxx, Exxx, G, and Pxxx as well, such as checking to see if a player doesn't have a specific outfit

() - Parenthetical enclosure, use to seperate requirements and what not, as well as to avoid confusing Nova. For example, b5 & (b6 | b7) would check to see if the player has b5 and b6 or b7 set. Basically, use them when you have multiple & and | operators.

Hopefully, all this clears things up instead of making it more confusing.

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 11 2008, 07:28 PM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

You'd put that in the mission complete field while it would require b7999. Let me break down the fields and use the bits of a Colosseum mission as illustration, if anything to prevent future confusion.

Colosseum Mission said:

Offer the mission if: b13
When player accepts mission:
When player refuses mission:
When the mission completes: !b13 b14 L129 K130 b101 !b100
When player fails mission: b13
When player aborts mission: b13
When player completes the special ship objectives:

Hopefully, all this clears things up instead of making it more confusing.

That is a very very huge list. Thanks very much. So I'd say G130 to get an outfit, such as a reactor, for free? This is so interesting, thanks a lot again.

So, for my beginning mission, I would write bit b7999, right? Then, when I want the player to move on after finishing mission one, I would say !b7999 b8000, and write b7999 for if the mission is aborted or failed (to fail this mission, the player must be killed first), right?

What about ship objectives? I was planning on a destroy-ship-to-finish-mission kind of thing.

It's kind of strange how you can grant someone a new ship and let them keep their weapons while not be able to get the ship's defaults, or get the ship, its weapons, and keep your weapons.

And finally, for the Sxxx operator, would I use that in the 'accepts mission' box? If I understood right, if I use S1000 then I would be able to start mission ID 1000.

This post has been edited by king_of_manticores : 12 February 2008 - 12:17 AM

Doing b7999 on abort or fail may not be necessary, I'm not sure. However, putting it there doesn't mess anything up and eliminates worrying about whether it is an issue or not, hence why I do it.

Ship objective section just runs bits and such when the ship objective is complete. You can achieve all sorts of effects with it. For example, some people made temporary outfits using an invisible mission, an auto-exploding ship, and removing the temp power-up when it finishes exploding with ship objective finished bits.

You don't need to Sxxx the mission that is being offered to the player. Sxxx is mostly commonly used to run silent missions, like adding more ships to a mission battle after you've used both the special and auxiliary ship slots in the main mission. It'd be like say, having a battle between the Polaris and Feds and wanting a special Polaris and Fed ship to appear as well.

Oh. So you can make it that in the ship objective section that you can have an outfit for a while and then get rid of it after the mission is complete? I see...

Back to MC on my old computer... hopefully these hints actually do work.

@king_of_manticores, on Feb 12 2008, 06:08 PM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

Oh. So you can make it that in the ship objective section that you can have an outfit for a while and then get rid of it after the mission is complete? I see...

Back to MC on my old computer... hopefully these hints actually do work.

Yeah, its fairly complicated. I haven't done it myself, so you'd need to ask someone else for all the details on setting up something like that.

I tried making the Availability of my starting mission b7999. Unfortunately, it still doesn't appear. How do I get it to appear again? And Josh, this is a mission to start a storyline. If you could help me, please...

Does the pilot have b7999 set? If so, are there any non-bit factors that could be messing with it, such as location offered, random chance, cargo requirements, etc.?

@joshtigerheart, on Feb 12 2008, 07:47 PM, said in Escape Velocity: Eon:

Does the pilot have b7999 set? If so, are there any non-bit factors that could be messing with it, such as location offered, random chance, cargo requirements, etc.?

The pilotlog says nothing about b7999. If you want, here's the information about this storyline initiation mission:

The mission requires one to carry chemical weapons (again, this is Polycon, not normal Nova). It requires, I think, 60 tons of cargo space. Also, the mission will not appear if the player does not have the required space. There is a 95% chance of it happening, and it happens on one of the planets I made on Polycon.

Hope you can find my problem here.