Is it simply impossible for me to not get errors and bugs with this engine?

[AlexxShadenk777]

One of the grunts I created is supposed to be a hallucination. So I ticked the 'hallucination' box in the entity properties in the level editor and naturally, it worked.

While it worked, I made several tests while working on a scary event, which also worked. For some reason however, the monster doesn't disappear as an hallucination either. I wrote it into the script too that he's an hallucination but he pretends like he isn't and hangs around like an asshole, destroying proterty, can you believe that?

I don't get it. The setting doesn't work, and the script line supposed to force this monaster to be an hallucination doesn't work either. What gives?

I went as far as deleting said grunt, made a new one, used different names, nothing. He simply does not disappear in smoke.

While it doesn't bother me so much now, since I've scripted the screen fading to black to make him disappear with SetEntityActive, I still would like to understand why it stopped working in the first place.

[Tanshaydar]

Do you know how hallucination works?
You have to get near him.

[MrBigzy]

Did you say you first did it with the level editor, and then put it in the script? I can see three possible problems (just speculation):

1. You set the hallucination script to false.
2. The distance for hallucination was changed in the level editor.
3. Setting the hallucination script to true as well as having it set as a hallucination could cause some error, possibly in the distance that the enemy becomes a hallucination.

If you did set him as a hallucination with scripts, try taking it out and using only the level editor (and remember to set the distance to about 3.5 or so, anything below 3 and he can attack you without turning into a hallucination, or maybe it was 2, can't remember)

Edit: And yea, what Tanshaydar said. If you want him to do the smoke effect from far away, use the script function void FadeEnemyToSmoke(string& asName, bool abPlaySound);

[Acies]

You can set the range of the disappearance, try that out (increase it).

[palistov]

If you ever experience strange errors, try closing Amnesia, deleting the map cache in the maps folder, then re-launching Amnesia.

Many times I've had to do that to see my changes start working.

[AlexxShadenk777]

@Tashyndar: Of course I got close to him. I even stayed in his face for 10+ seconds waiting for him to disappear. Well, until he killed me, anyway.

@MrBigzy: The script line was set to true.
The hallucination distance was always set to 0.5 since I put him in the map. You say he wouldn't disappear with anything below 3 but he did at first. Just doesn't disappear anymore.
Finally, I had removed the setting, and kept the script line in another attempt and he still wouldn't disappear.

For the sake of argument, I'll up the distance to 1, 2 or 3 and see if it works again, but seriously, since the moment I placed him in the editor I changed the distance to 0.5 and didn't touch it ever again (only setting it to this value again when I deleted/recreated him). It still is 0.5 too.

@palistov: I suspected that deleting the cache would help, I did try it several times, but since nothing had changed I didn't mention it.


Edit: Of course, as soon as I changed the disappearing distance to 1, it works again. But there was just no reason for it to not work in the first place, it was always 0.5 every single time I tested it, always. I guess all those times he.. overlapped, somehow, making it possible, then it wasn't.

*rubs temples* Man. Everytime I touch the editor something new and illogical happens. And I have been restraining myself, a lot, from making threads about them. >__>

However, I may just be close enough to release a demo of the Spencer Mansion. Probably next week. I'm really enjoying the whole process, even with bugs and annoying scripting, I'm confident about the consequential result.

[Tanshaydar]

0.5 is too little maybe...

[MrBigzy]

Yeah, anything below 3 or so would make it error. D:

This is because when he attacks, depending on how and what kind of attack it is (regular or a dash attack) his attack distance varies. The only way to ensure he doesn't hurt you and turns to smoke is to put the distance to 3-3.5 or above. That doesn't mean you can't make him disappear at 0.5 or so by trying to run into him while he's attacking, but if you're standing still or running away while he's attacking, he probably won't disappear.