I agree its necessary and I have exactly that concept in my game (3 levels of the primary weapon similar to the excellector)
I opened up the Item.PRM and Item.PR2 files to have a look see if I can figure out how the map references them. I dont see item numbers in there, but there is a file that I need to find that will show exactly what is stored in a save game for map configuration.
Does anyone know which file is created/modified that holds the information about a map that was visited? In other words, surely SOM creates a section of the save file that remembers counters, items still on the map and whether or not they were picked up. This is not an SOM config file, but a section of the save file.
I know if I make map changes about what is in a treasure chest or barrel, then load a save game and try to get those items the changes will not show up...so there is something in the save file that remembers whether or not the chest was opened and apparently caches the item that should be in the chest when you do open it.
example:
I create a map with a chest that holds a moonstone...run a game and save it before opening the chest.
I then edit the map and change the moonstone to a moonlight sword in the chest. I output the information and test the map...while in test mode I load my save game and then open the chest, I will get the moon stone not the sword.
Furthermore, if I make a change to a map that had not yet been visited in the save game, I can change it all I want and the changes will show up when I go to test them in the save game. So it writes each map as you enter it the first time, and not the whole game when you first start it. (if we could force SOM to load all maps into the save file when you first start a game it might help the warp stage slowness or choppiness some people get changing maps in tom's game).
So my feeling is if we can find where in the save file that information is stored, then we can see how SOM looks for that info, whether its by name or item id number etc. Then we can at least be sure the naming convention isnt the cause of the problem.
I opened up the Item.PRM and Item.PR2 files to have a look see if I can figure out how the map references them. I dont see item numbers in there, but there is a file that I need to find that will show exactly what is stored in a save game for map configuration.
Does anyone know which file is created/modified that holds the information about a map that was visited? In other words, surely SOM creates a section of the save file that remembers counters, items still on the map and whether or not they were picked up. This is not an SOM config file, but a section of the save file.
I know if I make map changes about what is in a treasure chest or barrel, then load a save game and try to get those items the changes will not show up...so there is something in the save file that remembers whether or not the chest was opened and apparently caches the item that should be in the chest when you do open it.
example:
I create a map with a chest that holds a moonstone...run a game and save it before opening the chest.
I then edit the map and change the moonstone to a moonlight sword in the chest. I output the information and test the map...while in test mode I load my save game and then open the chest, I will get the moon stone not the sword.
Furthermore, if I make a change to a map that had not yet been visited in the save game, I can change it all I want and the changes will show up when I go to test them in the save game. So it writes each map as you enter it the first time, and not the whole game when you first start it. (if we could force SOM to load all maps into the save file when you first start a game it might help the warp stage slowness or choppiness some people get changing maps in tom's game).
So my feeling is if we can find where in the save file that information is stored, then we can see how SOM looks for that info, whether its by name or item id number etc. Then we can at least be sure the naming convention isnt the cause of the problem.
- Todd DuFore (DMPDesign)
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