SHiLLySiT

This problem has appeared in other projects, but I found some way around it. Now, not only do I need this to work, but I really want to know how.

So say I have three different outcomes that I want to randomly choose from. Normally I use the choose() function or give each outcome a number and use the random() function to give me a number. The problem comes in when I want one of the particular outcomes to have a better chance of being chosen than another. How do I do this?

I've been Google-ing and searching the forums but haven't found anything concrete on reading CSV files. Is it possible to do so in GML? I know I can use arrays to store and manipulate the values within the game, but I'm not sure what to do when it comes to reading/writing to/from external CSV files.

[edit] Oops, I mean CSV files, not CVS.

What I'm trying achieve is a system where the user can rewind through previous actions. The actual system works-it stores the x,y coordinates ever three seconds in a list with 30 entires. Once it hits 30, it goes back to the first and starts over writing the old entries. (This limits how far the player can rewind and also keeps the game from getting overloaded) Like I said, this system works, so I dont need assistance but if you see/know a better way let me know.

The problem is when I try to draw the path. I originally started trying to draw a circle in code at each point but the circles would start deleting themselves in the middle of the path instead of the end as the rewind system over wrote the old entires. Say these "*" are the circles and this ">" is the player ship: *******   *******>. I would prefer that the circles delete themselves at the END of the path not the MIDDLE.

I decided to simplify the problem but now I cant get the code to delete the instance it pulls from a list, it just creates another marker and stores the values. I used show message() to check inside the "with" statement and it appears the "posdel" varible isn't caring it over to the instance_destroy() because it shows up in the show_message() as a 0.

See the code here:

if isrewinding=0
{
    if time2<alarm2
        {time2+=1}
    else
        {
        pos+=1
        if pos>max_pos
            {pos=0}
        
        //store and draw rewind lines

**This is the part where the code takes a previously stored value from the list and deletes it before creating and storing another value**

        posdel=ds_list_find_value(marker,pos) 
        show_message(posdel)
        with (posdel){instance_destroy()} **the instance is not destroyed!**
        posnum=instance_create(x,y,obj_marker)
        ds_list_insert(marker,pos,posnum)

        //store cordinates
        ds_list_insert(xrewind,pos,x)
        ds_list_insert(yrewind,pos,y)
        
        time2=0
        }
}   

 
if keyboard_check(ord("X"))
    {
        isrewinding=1    
            
        if ismoving=0
        {
            pos-=1
            if pos=-1
                {pos=max_pos}
            if pos=(cur_pos+1)
                {show_message("stop")}
                
            xx=ds_list_find_value(xrewind,pos)
            yy=ds_list_find_value(yrewind,pos)
            move_towards_point(xx,yy,max_vspeed*2)
            ismoving=1
        }
        
        if distance_to_point(xx,yy)<=5
            {ismoving=0}
        
    }

if keyboard_check_pressed(ord("X"))
    {cur_pos=pos}
if keyboard_check_released(ord("X"))
    {isrewinding=0;ismoving=0}

I know...this method isn't very reasonable, that's why I'm asking for a better way to do this or fix what I have going. Preferably a new way.

edit: Actually i just realized i could create a path for this. I was browsing the manual and found some functions. Don't let this stop suggestions though!

edit2: Okay! I played with the new path functions I found and it made everything so much easier!

if isrewinding=0
{
    path_add_point(path_rewind,object_index.x,object_index.y,100)
}   

 
if keyboard_check_pressed(ord("X"))
{
    isrewinding=1
    path_reverse(path_rewind)    
    path_start(path_rewind,8,0,true)    
}

if keyboard_check_released(ord("X"))
    {
    path_end()
    path_reverse(path_rewind)
    //path_position=0
    isrewinding=0
    }

This code adds points the the objects path every step of the way (No hit in fps!) and when the player wants to rewind, the path is reversed!

Now I have a new problem; after the player has reversed along the path and let go of the key, the code links the last point...oh here to hard to explain:

The recorded path:
http://img251.imageshack.us/content_round.php?page=done&l=img251/1522/screenshot000080.png

After rewind:
]http://img808.images...nshot000081.png

I can't seem to find a way to trim the path from the player's new position to the last point before the rewind. I was trying to combine both the list function and the paths but I haven't turned a result yet.

if keyboard_check(ord("X"))
{
    if onitem=1
    {
       if item.type="consumable"//if item is consumable item
       {
            {
            do
            {slot+=1;inventory=ds_list_find_value(global.inventory,slot)}                  
            until (inventory=0)
            {
                if slot=1
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot1.x
                   item.y=obj_slot1.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,1,1)
                }
                if slot=2
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot2.x
                   item.y=obj_slot2.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,2,1)
                }
                if slot=3
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot3.x
                   item.y=obj_slot3.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,3,1)
                }
                if slot=4
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot4.x
                   item.y=obj_slot4.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,4,1)
                }
                if slot=5
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot5.x
                   item.y=obj_slot5.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,5,1)
                }
                if slot=6
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot6.x
                   item.y=obj_slot6.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,6,1)
                }
                if slot=7
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot7.x
                   item.y=obj_slot7.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,7,1)
                }
                if slot=8
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot8.x
                   item.y=obj_slot8.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,8,1)
                }
                if slot=9
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot9.x
                   item.y=obj_slot9.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,9,1)
                }
                if slot=10
                {
                   item.x=obj_slot10.x
                   item.y=obj_slot10.y
                   ds_list_replace(global.inventory,10,1)
                } 
                if slot=11
                   {exit;}
            }
            }//end do
       
       item.status="equipped"
       slot=0
       exit;
       }
      if item.type="class"//if class item
      {                    
          class=item.setclass
          with(item){instance_destroy()} 
          exit;
      }
   }
}

This code is what moves an item from the floor of the game into the player's inventory. It's supposed to check the slots and see which one is empty. The problem is, it keeps placing it in the first slot. This is my first time using a do loop, so I'm pretty sure thats what is causing it.

Please don't suggest an inventory engine, I'd rather write the code my self and understand how it works. Other alternative methods are welcome though. =]

Okay so basically my game is one of those 'defend' the house type games. Instead of trying to explain it and confuse you, here is a flash game example: http://armorgames.co...616/age-of-war. My theme and game play is different;(1)instead of cash you have action points(AP points) that you gain from each kill (2)you can fire arrows from your base at the cost of 1 AP points or (3)chose to create a unit for its relative cost. The arrows are strictly for killing enemy units and the units are primarily used to attack the enemy wall/castle though a few of them have unit to unit attacks. There are also several abilities amongst the units that you can choose to use AP points on instead.

So I'm not have any problems with game play, in fact, it's already pretty much done. I just recently started on the enemy AI and it's making me pull my hair out. I set up a Google Docs flow chart to help ease my headache with some visual organization: https://docs.google....thkey=CPmj9tQC. (yellow boxes are variables affecting the chance, red boxes are random/chance/choose functions, green and blue are just normal.)

I had a very primitve beginning to this when I was testing the engine with one unit vs firing arrows:

alarm[1]=thinkstep//always set alarm

if ((ceil(irandom(100)))>unitorattack_chance)//decide to create unit or attack
    {
    //chance_repeat=(ceil(irandom(max_actionpoints/peasant_cost)))
    if actionpoints>=peasant_cost//create a peasant
        //repeat(chance_repeat)
        {
        instance_create(x+64,y+88,obj_enemy_peasant)
        actionpoints-=2
        }
    else
        {exit}
    }
else
    {
    if (actionpoints>=1)
        {
        if instance_exists(obj_player_parent)
            {
            tokill=instance_nearest(x,y,obj_player_parent)
            range=distance_to_object(tokill)
            dir=point_direction(x,y,(tokill.x),(tokill.y))
            dir-=(ceil(irandom_range(15,30)))//angle adjust
            arrow=instance_create(x+25,y+45,obj_enemy_arrow)
            arrow.dir=dir
            with (arrow){motion_set(dir,8)}
            actionpoints-=1
            }
        }
    else
        {exit}
    }

Which worked fine, but now it has gotten very complex; 4 units and 4 abilities plus the enemy needs to judge threat levels. For example, if a player unit is very close to the enemy castle, there needs to be more weight (or more of a chance) on shooting an arrow. Also, the enemy should learn to save when it is low on AP and sometimes decide to save for more powerful units, otherwise after reaching low AP, it will always release an arrow or cheap unit because it doesn't have enough for more.