Kit Reference

Context: HL Kit

This section details all of the specific formats and mechanisms used within the Kit. This encompasses all of the different file formats, all the scripting contexts and transitions, required and pre-defined elements, and anything else that requires specification. Click on the various topics below to delve into the details for that facet of the Kit.

IMPORTANT! This section of the documentation is not yet complete. Topics that have been written will be found at the top of the list below and possess live links. Other topics are simply identified by name, sometimes along with a few notes about what the topic will contain. These topics will be added over time to complete the documentation.

XML Details

Most of the basics regarding the Kit's use of XML files and their implications can be found in the section on XML Files. Additional reference details are outlined in the topics below.

• XML Character Encoding Set

Conventions Used Below

The reference section of this documentation utilizes a variety of notational conventions for presenting how things work. This includes the syntax used for data files, as well as the formats for other types of files, which are outlined in the topics below.

• XML Attributes in Data Files
• Specifying PCDATA in Data Files
• Optional Attributes in Data Files

Tags and Tag Expressions

Tags are a fundamental building block that a wide range of mechanisms leverage through the Kit. Tags are utilized to identify and classify objects through tag expressions. The following topics delve into the various facets of using tags.

• Leveraging Tags Via Tag Expressions
• Tag Expression Types

Scripting Language

The types of behaviors that exist within the realm of RPGs is limitless. As such, it's impossible for HL to anticipate everything, so the Kit provides a versatile scripting language that enables data files to adapt to virtually any game system. The scripting language has many facets that you should be familiar with, and the topics below outline the information you'll need.

• Scripting Language Overview
• Language Syntax
• Declaring Variables
• Basic Language Mechanisms
• Flow Control
• Other Language Statements
• Language Intrinsics
• Special Symbols
• Script Macros
• Re-usable Procedures
• Debugging Mechanisms
• Compiler Error Messages

Script Data Access

The majority of your scripts will focus on accessing and manipulating the data managed within HL. This will involving identifying both the structural and visual elements throughout the data hierarchy. The following topics detail the various pieces involved in data access.

• Script Contexts
• Context Transitions
• Target References
• Data Access Examples
• Employing Script Macros
• Script Types

Structure of Data Files

There are a number of different types of files that comprise the data files for a game system. Each of the topics below describes the structure of one of these file types.

• Definition File Reference
• Structural File Reference
• Data File Reference

[TBD] 

• Evaluation cycle
  • Relative timing of Leads vs. masters vs. minions
  • Rules for sequencing of tasks with the same phase and priority

• Visual Elements
  • Rules for auto-sizing and default sizing

• Pre-Defined Elements
  • Tags and Tag Groups
  • Components (journal, transact, stackable, gear, shortname, etc.)
  • Component Sets
  • Fields
  • Pseudo-fields
  • Sort Sets
  • Things
  • Built-in Resources
  • System Resources

• Required Elements
  • Components
  • Component Sets

• Auto-Defined Tags

• Timing report contents and structure

• Skeleton Data Files
  • What's provided
  • How things work
  • Why elements are provided