Initiative (Savage): Difference between revisions
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===Orientation=== | ===Orientation=== | ||
Before we launch into the changes that need to be made, we'll start with a quick orientation to how initiative is managed within the Kit. | |||
Every game system possesses some sort of mechanic for determining the order in which characters act during conflicts. Consequently, the Kit provides a built-in framework for handling the process. The most common term used for the game mechanic is "initiative", so the Kit uses the same terminology. | |||
The specifics of initiative range from the simple to the complex. To handle the full spectrum of games, the initiative framework within the Kit provide a fair amount of sophistication. Game systems that don't require all that sophistication can simply ignore what they don't need. | |||
Internally, every character possesses an assortment of fields that are specific to initiative management. However, only two of these fields are exposed to you, as the author, for control. These fields track the primary initiative score for the character and a secondary tie-breaker score. As its name suggests, the tie-breaker is used to resolve situations where two characters possess the same primary initiative score. In many game systems, it's usual for ties to arise, so a mechanic is introduce to decide which character goes first. | |||
The HL engine maintains the initiative for all characters. It automatically sorts characters into appropriate order based on the established rules for the game system. It also will automatically assign initiative values to characters, including the use of random die rolls when the game system calls for it. Provisions are made to allow users to either accept the assigned values or assign their own values. All of this is orchestrated via the Tactical Console. | |||
The data files are responsible for defining how the initiative score is determined for each character, as well as the tie-breaker. This is achieved via the Initiative script, which is defined within the file "definition.def". The script is invoked whenever an initiative score is needed for a character. | |||
===Modeling a Deck of Cards=== | ===Modeling a Deck of Cards=== | ||
Revision as of 03:50, 27 January 2009
Context: HL Kit … Authoring Examples … Savage Worlds Walk-Through
Overview
As mentioned in the previous section on the Tactical Console, initiative is usually pretty simple to implement. However, Savage Worlds uses a deck of playing cards for initiative. That requires a bit more work, so this topic works through the various steps involved in setting up such an initiative mechanism within HL.
Orientation
Before we launch into the changes that need to be made, we'll start with a quick orientation to how initiative is managed within the Kit.
Every game system possesses some sort of mechanic for determining the order in which characters act during conflicts. Consequently, the Kit provides a built-in framework for handling the process. The most common term used for the game mechanic is "initiative", so the Kit uses the same terminology.
The specifics of initiative range from the simple to the complex. To handle the full spectrum of games, the initiative framework within the Kit provide a fair amount of sophistication. Game systems that don't require all that sophistication can simply ignore what they don't need.
Internally, every character possesses an assortment of fields that are specific to initiative management. However, only two of these fields are exposed to you, as the author, for control. These fields track the primary initiative score for the character and a secondary tie-breaker score. As its name suggests, the tie-breaker is used to resolve situations where two characters possess the same primary initiative score. In many game systems, it's usual for ties to arise, so a mechanic is introduce to decide which character goes first.
The HL engine maintains the initiative for all characters. It automatically sorts characters into appropriate order based on the established rules for the game system. It also will automatically assign initiative values to characters, including the use of random die rolls when the game system calls for it. Provisions are made to allow users to either accept the assigned values or assign their own values. All of this is orchestrated via the Tactical Console.
The data files are responsible for defining how the initiative score is determined for each character, as well as the tie-breaker. This is achieved via the Initiative script, which is defined within the file "definition.def". The script is invoked whenever an initiative score is needed for a character.
Modeling a Deck of Cards
Issuing an Initiative
@initiative @tiebreaker
Configuring the Initiative Behavior
per-turn bounds
