README.md

Weird Tasks Framework

Made for WTF v3h1 (aka terribly OUTDATED)

Special thanks to GhenTuong

This is my addon for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Anomaly based on GhenTuong Tasks. The main idea is making global handler for all types of quests... Well, you can call it quest intepreter. Although it's possibilities are strictly limited, I will try to do it as suitable to random-generated tasks as possible.

Stable parts

1. Task setup table
2. Subtask system
3. How task is created
4. Generic status functor
5. Subtask statuses
6. Reward system

Task table

Tasks are defined by their setup table, currently defined in json and converted to lua table when needed. Task setup consists of:

• Entity table
• "disabled" boolean
• optional reward and precondition tables

Subtasks

Subtask = entity with target.

Entity = table representing one unit of interaction with world (i.e. item, squad, location). You always need to define entity_type for every entity. As of WTF v3h1 these types are location, item and squad.

target field represents what interaction player needs to do with entity (aka what do I do to complete task). Target may change every aspect of entity lifecycle, from preparing to cleanup after task completion. You may define your own targets in scripts as well as inherit another target's functionality using PATTERN variable.

Setup and Create

Setup is a entity lifecycle step used for preparation to creation. It's recommended to resolve your random here, but mainly this step is used to define locations and sections of entities.

Create is a step where entity is generated and prepared for main task walkthrough. After creation step subtask is no more initialised and it's status becomes "running" unless stated otherwise.

Task status

Status functor from igi_generic_task.script is running in background every 3 seconds. Main status steps:

1. On first run: Create
2. Update map marks for entities
3. Do online activities
4. Update subtask statuses
5. If failed unoptional subtask: task failed
6. If no more running subtasks: task completed
7. If task completed and no need to return: give reward
8. Update map target for task

Subtask statuses

Statuses are defined in igi_subtask.script. Every task cycle status functors for running and ready to complete subtasks are called and statuses may be changed.

Rewards

Rewards may be static or dynamic. Dynamic rewards are defined by target, static are written in "predefined_rewards" entity table. You may also set static reward for the whole task.

On task fail rewards are defined by failed subtasks. On success by both failed and completed subtasks because failed must be all optional.

Dynamic groups

Whenever static number of groups is not enough, you can generate group entities dynamically with generate pattern. It unfolds lists (comma-separated strings) into separate entity per list value.

For example, we want to dynamically create location entities by random path from some table. Group entity:

{
    entity_type = "location",
    path = "&TableValueRandom(paths_table)&"
}

Obviously, it won't work since where field is not defined and where field can only direct to one location. We can generate locations like this:

{
    entity_type = "location",
    path = "&TableValueRandom(paths_table)&",
    ["generate:where"] = "$this.path$"
}

Let our path be "aaa,bbb,ccc". Then this construct will unfold into:

{
    entity_type = "location",
    path = "&TableValueRandom(paths_table)&",
    where_gen_id = 1,
    where = "aaa"
}
{
    entity_type = "location",
    path = "&TableValueRandom(paths_table)&",
    where_gen_id = 2,
    where = "bbb"
}
{
    entity_type = "location",
    path = "&TableValueRandom(paths_table)&",
    where_gen_id = 3,
    where = "ccc"
}

Note that after desugaring every generated entity will have the same order. You can reference gen_id field to set it customly:

{
    entity_type = "location",
    path = "&TableValueRandom(paths_table)&",
    ["generate:where"] = "$this.path$",
    order = "$this.where_gen_id$"
}