How to make ANY objective bunch up:
1. Make sure the (Plural) navbar description of every objective is the same. Example: "Things to do".
2. Make sure the (Singular) description of every objective is the same. Example "Do the last thing!"
Presto! Now it shows up as "X things to do" and when there's only one left, it shows "Do the last thing!".
Add 4 different hostage rescue objectives, make sure they all have the same singular/plural navbar description text, and they'll collapse as the same objective in the navbar: 4 hostages to rescue.
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How to make ANY objective bunch up:
1. Make sure the (Plural) navbar description of every objective is the same. Example: "Things to do".
2. Make sure the (Singular) description of every objective is the same. Example "Do the last thing!"
Presto! Now it shows up as "X things to do" and when there's only one left, it shows "Do the last thing!".
Add 4 different hostage rescue objectives, make sure they all have the same singular/plural navbar description text, and they'll collapse as the same objective in the navbar: 4 hostages to rescue.
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Wonderful, thank you.
Hm... now, on a completely different tangent, how the heck do I use the Devouring Earth Monster Pack? It's for a different Secret Project. I purchased the pack, but I can't find the monsters anywhere (looking at the DE list right now, trying to add them to a large outdoor map as a test but they aren't on the list). >.<
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Hm... now, on a completely different tangent, how the heck do I use the Devouring Earth Monster Pack? It's for a different Secret Project. I purchased the pack, but I can't find the monsters anywhere (looking at the DE list right now, trying to add them to a large outdoor map as a test but they aren't on the list). >.<
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They're not available to put into a group and then show up multiple times in a generic spawn.
They're available as individuals to become Contacts or Fight a Boss critters.
The list of available critters changes depending on what you're doing.
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Very cool, I have a need for grouping hostages too. After setting up a grouping like that is there any way to restrict another objective to only show once all of the people are rescued?
I know in a linear map I could place them front or middle and the boss in the back, but in an outside map that isn't an option. And chaining them (each hostage triggers the next hostage makes for an unpleasant play experience.)
Thanks!
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Very cool, I have a need for grouping hostages too. After setting up a grouping like that is there any way to restrict another objective to only show once all of the people are rescued?
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Unfortunately, no. Multiple objectives can chain from one completion, but not vice-versa.
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You can add an ally that doesn't fight.
They can follow you, wander away, or other options.
An ally is completed when you rescue them - you don't have to escort them.
There is also a "rescue" objective that just requires you to free them - you don't have to escort them.
I know you expressed displeasure with the playing side, but couldn't you stack all the hostages like you intended with the exception of one of them, then attach a clue "Betty Alpert told you see saw someone she didn't recognize being taken by the Council" for example, to one of the stacked hostages, and then after the unknown fellow is freed, the objective you want accomplished last can spawn.
It'd be a bit obtuse, but most people would probably finish freeing the others first, particularly if the loner had a tougher crowd around him, and it's ensure the completion of at least a few of the hostages, since given the presumably large number of hostages, the chances of the first hostage saved being the spawner would be relatively low.
I didn't test this, but it sounds like it'd work to me.
It can work in a linear map, if you restrict the first set to the front/midde and the last one and the triggered to the back. Unfortunately doesn't work outside.
The arc I was close to publishing, but I can't pin this bit of the play experience, it's basically the Hellions are sick of all of the million inf costume contests (when they are scraping by on 50 inf a pop from stealing purses.) so they've stolen the costume of the to be winner. The other contestants steal them back but are taken hostage.
The Atlas maps don't have floor objects so I was already on a hack using the hostages to have the items. So the sequence would be rescue all the hostages including the unclad winner, then rescue the winner back in costume then take out the boss.
I've shelved it until either a more flexible Atlas map comes out or they enhance the grouped object dependencies.
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Hm... now, on a completely different tangent, how the heck do I use the Devouring Earth Monster Pack? It's for a different Secret Project. I purchased the pack, but I can't find the monsters anywhere (looking at the DE list right now, trying to add them to a large outdoor map as a test but they aren't on the list). >.<
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They're not available to put into a group and then show up multiple times in a generic spawn.
They're available as individuals to become Contacts or Fight a Boss critters.
The list of available critters changes depending on what you're doing.
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Ah. I understand. Thank you.
Now let's see how I can utilize this... /e plot
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What I want to do is simply have a few random hostages spawn and the nav window to say "Rescue X hostages".
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Did you know that there are ordinary Civiilians you can use as NPCs? They're in the "Civilians" standard group and include all those folks you see walking around Paragon, plus scientists and others like that. Using existing characters makes your storyarc files much smaller.
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Very cool, I have a need for grouping hostages too. After setting up a grouping like that is there any way to restrict another objective to only show once all of the people are rescued?
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Unfortunately, no. Multiple objectives can chain from one completion, but not vice-versa.
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If only, that would make one of my missions work much better.
Not escorts. Please, don't tell me escorts. *twitch*
I've been working on a Secret Project, something that I think others will enjoy playing (and hopefully reading) as much as I'm enjoying writing. I've hit a snag, though. At least one of the missions in this Secret Project requires a few hostage rescues, and the only way I've been able to find to add hostages in need of rescue (but NOT escort back to the door) is to create custom Person critters... which, in and of itself is workable, but it leads to a different problem (or two).
If I use custom Person critters, I only have two options - create a different Person for each hostage, but that leads to having multiple "Rescue X" entries in the nav window; or create one Person and tell the interface to spawn multiples as hostages, but that results in a bunch of exact duplicates of that single Person, which really isn't acceptable for, say, a bunch of office or warehouse employees.
What I want to do is simply have a few random hostages spawn and the nav window to say "Rescue X hostages". Heck, they don't even necessarily need to be mission objectives, I just need them as a method of conveying urgency and emphasis. I'd be delighted if I could pick existing NPCs to do this, but I can throw together some bland and unexciting NPC costumes for a handful of Person critters if necessary. And if at all possible, I'd really rather not force players to escort NPCs back to the mission door. That's my least favorite mission aspect and it's something I'd prefer not to add to my Secret Project.
>.>
Pretty please?