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.

[TBD] 

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.

IMPORTANT! Be sure you are familiar with the basics of data manipulation before reviewing this content.

• 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

Auto-Defined Elements

The Kit automatically defines a variety of different structural and visual elements for use in common situations. These auto-defined elements help to streamline and simplify the authoring process, and they are detailed in the topics below.

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

Required Elements

There are an assortment of structural and visual elements that every set of data files is required to define. By standardizing on a core set of objects, everything becomes simpler to manage for the data file author. To make the process as easy as possible, the Skeleton data files pre-define these necessary pieces, which you can leave as is or modify if you wish.

• Required Panels
• Required Forms
• Required Components and Fields
• Required Component Sets
• Required Things

Other File Formats

In addition to the various data files, HL utilizes a few other types of files. The contents of these files is documented in the topics below.

• Timing Report File Reference
• Portfolio File Reference

Skeleton Data Files

To simplify the creation of custom data files for a new game system, the Kit provides the Skeleton data files as a robust starting point. The topics below delve into the various facets of the Skeleton data files that you'll likely want to become familiar with.

• Overview of Skeleton Data Files
• Structural Elements Provided
• Visual Elements Provided
• How Various Pieces Interact