Checking Equipment Inside Formulas

ThreeNippledWanda

I'm setting up formulas to calculate a challenge rating for combatants in game, one of which needs to first check whether they have a weapon, then check the weapon's type to decide which skill bonuses apply. I thought a logical first step would be to create a 'Select Equipment' node:

Value Type - Value

Value - (not sure what to put hear. tried inputting a few things directly, including the name of an item, and nothing happens)

Change Type - Add

Equipment Settings

All equipment - not checked

Equipment Part - 1: Right Hand

Limit Item Type - not checked

Combatant Settings

Status Origin - User

Group Leader - not checked

The combatant I'm using for testing is set up with a weapon equipped in this slot, but nothing registers. the formula doesn't recognize any of the variables assigned to the item or their values. Also, for my next step, which is to run through a series of 'Check Status' nodes looking for 'Weapon Item Type' I always end up with the skill bonus assigned to 'Hand2Hand'-in other words, the checks always fail. What additional steps do I need to add between these two stages in order to correctly assign whatever weapon (or any piece of equipment) is currently being held by a combatant? Ideally, I'd like to simply check whether any weapon is assigned to them at all, regardless of which equipment slot currently holds it and excluding what's merely carried in their inventory. The tutorials weren't helpful to me in understanding this conundrum, though I'm sure there's a simple enough solution. In any case, figuring this out will help immensely going forward, as I know I'll need to understand this for other formulas as well.

gamingislove

The first settings define the key used to store the equipment for use in the following nodes, e.g.:

Value Type > Value
Value > equipment In the following nodes, the selected key must match these settings when using selected data for e.g. variables.

However, if you want to check if something is equipped, use a Check Status node, which allows checking for different stat related things like equipment, effects or other stuff.

ThreeNippledWanda

So... are you saying that the value we input for a selected data node, i.e. 'equipment', actually creates an new variable inside the formula that references all of the stats and variables for whatever data is selected by the node? In other words, lets say that in my 'Select Equipment' node I were to input the value as 'BigFoot'sUncle', would Bigfoot'sUnlcle then hold all of data for whatever happens to be equipped in my 'RightHand' equipment slot? Hold on, let's check...

Nope, that didn't work. I set up a 'Check Variable' right after the 'Select Equipment' node and branched to two separate values to check whether it succeeded.

Variable Origin- Selected

Value Type- Value

Value- equipment (decided to start simple)

Needed- All

Variable Condition 0

Condition Type- Variable

Variable Key Value Type- Value

Value- Material_Blade (one of the variables attached to the item in the equipment slot)

Is Valid- Yup

Type- Float

Check Type- Is equal

Value- 3 (what it should be, according to the variable)

Failed every time. The 'Check Status' node isn't working for me either. Frankly, I don't believe it's checking in the right place, and I don't notice a setting to direct its target manually aside from selecting either 'User', 'Target' or 'Player', none of which do bubkis. As I stated above, what I'm searching for there is:

Status Needed- Weapon Item Type

Selection- (Should be '18: Sword')

Is Equipped- Check

I've set up a list for it to run through until it hits on something, and it never does. So, in that case, if you could please explain the nodes/steps between 'A' (Select Equipment) and 'Z' (Check Status) that I need to set up to ensure that it checks my equipment properly, that will probably be enough information for me to figure out the rest. Thanks.

UserName

I use those nodes successfully in my game, if you could post a screen shot with your setup that would help. For instance, with the check equipment node, I check if a weapon is equipped on an equipment slot, with a success and fail branch. If weapons could be equipped on many places I would just check every of those places.

Also if you're testing the check status node with a specific item, make sure it has the item type 18:sword, and not a sub category of it. For instance, if you have a category like that: 18:sword > 19:short sword > 20: long sword, and you test it with an equipped weapon an item type long sword, it won't work even though 20:long sword is a sub category of 18:sword.

gamingislove

There's no connection between Select Equipment and Check Status.

Check Status allows you to check various status conditions on a combatant.

Select Equipment stores an equipment as selected data, e.g. to change or check variables on that equipment. Selected data stores references to data instances, e.g. of an equipment, a combatant, game object or an item. When using it for variables, it'll try to find them on the stored data, e.g. for game objects or combatants it'll try to find object variables, while for equipment it'll be the equipment variables. I.e. if you want to use selected data for your equipment checks, it'll allow you to check for equipment variables.

ThreeNippledWanda

Thanks, UserName, that's useful information about Item subtypes. I haven't found a 'Check Equipment' node usable inside formulas apart from one that's selectable as an option under the 'Check Status' node, but that apparently forces me to check for one specific piece of equipment, so I don't believe it's of use. Here's are some pics displaying stages of my formula. Not sure how to post them directly as images on these forums, but the links should work.

The initial node is just a basic node. Nothing to see here.

A 'Select Equipment' node follows.

Ignore the jumble of inactive nodes off to the side, they're just testing blocks. The node is named 'weapon' (lower camel). I don't know why. Still don't understand whether it matters what you assign for a value there. Indeed, according to GIL, it shouldn't even matter for what I'm attempting in this particular formula (though it will once I've gotten to its follow up steps), because all I'm trying to get it to do at this stage is check whether my weapon's Item Type matches the one assigned to the check field, like so...

That's the first node in a series of checks--the one following directly after 'Select Equipment'. The one that's actually supposed to trigger, according to the starting item I've assigned to my test combatant, is the very next one, marked 'Sword'.

But the check breezes past, all the way through to the end.

It always returns the value for that lowermost node chain you see leading to the 'Hand2Hand' skill. Some other relevant screens show the Item Type as listed on the Item my combatant is meant to be holding

A field where I placed it into his starting inventory, for good measure

A playful monkey

And where I've set up the weapon to appear as part of my combatant's starting inventory

The field there always appears as blank no matter what I set it to, so maybe that's the problem. If so, I'd like to know what I might be doing wrong there to proceed with troubleshooting. Also, here's a shot of a particular variable on that item I've been trying to reference without any luck.

It just doesn't seem to be linking. It's some basic setting or step that I've ignored, I'm sure, but I really need to figure out what I'm doing wrong here. Incidentally, I was also wondering whether variables set up on an item were also available to be referenced as global variables. In other words, if I create a few formulas intended to define the properties of a specific item variable and just write it in directly a'la 'Check Game Variable', 'Change Game Variable' etc., without first referencing a selected data variable will it still recognize it on an item if I call the formula through an event, and the item/equipment is selected as data in the event?

UserName

<blockquote>The field there always appears as blank no matter what I set it to, so maybe that's the problem.</blockquote>

There you go, that's the problem, a problem I encountered a thousand times. Your combatant doesn't have anything equipped, that empty field should list the equipped weapon. Two typical causes : 1 -go to your class or combatant, and add the weapon in the allowed weapon for the class or combatant. 2- Go to your weapon, make sure it can be equipped on right hand. Then reselect your weapon in starting equipment.

ThreeNippledWanda

Holy crap in my pants, that's done it! EUREKA!!! For anyone having similar troubles, just remember that, every time you create a new piece of equipment, you're going to have to cycle through all of your classes and select it as equippable in order for them to use it. Every-single-time, apparently. Same with new equipment slots when you set those up. If you're like me and close all your windows, to make it seem like less of a visual cluster$#*&, just remember the tabs you'll need to check are: in the 'Class' category under the 'Combatants' tab, open 'Equipment Parts', 'Weapons' and 'Armors', and then do what needs doin'. My thanks to GIL and UserName for walking me through this issue. On to the next hangup!