MessageBox Tutorial/Spell Scripts

Multiple Menus in a Spell Script

A spell presents several challenges for multiple menus, but it can be done. Most importantly, you will need to set a high duration on the spell (see GetButtonPressed#GameMode or MenuMode?). However, the player could still open enough menus to run down the duration, no matter how long. To cover this scenario, all of the menu variables will be copied to a persistent object (in this case, the quest MenuVariables) when the spell runs out, and the spell will be recast.

This leads to one more small problem - if the variables are left set, then every time the spell is cast the menu would start more it left off before (well, ok, this could be cool, but I'll assume it's undesirable). To solve this, all of the external menu variables will be reset when the player exits the menu.

The quest script:

scn MenuVariablesScript

Short Choosing
Short Choice

The spell script:

Short Choosing
Short Choice
Short DoOnce
Ref TargetRef


Begin SpellEffectStart
  Set TargetRef to GetSelf
  if MenuVariables.Choosing
    Set Choosing to MenuVariables.Choosing
    Set Choice to MenuVariables.Choice
  else
    Set Choosing to -1
  endif
End



Begin SpellEffectUpdate
  If (Choosing == 0) ;meaning it shouldn't be running
    set MenuVariables.Choosing to 0
    set MenuVariables.Choice to 0
;Following section is to add spell effect when choice is made and
;to dispel the spell so it doesn't appear to still be active
    If (DoOnce == 0)
      PlayMagicShaderVisuals ;place effect shader Editor ID here i.e. effectEnchantMysticism
      Set DoOnce to 1
      Set Timer to 4
    ElseIf (Timer > 0)
      Set Timer to Timer - GetSecondsPassed
    ElseIf (Timer < 0)
      StopMagicShaderVisuals ;place effect shader Editor ID here i.e. effectEnchantMysticism
      Set Timer to 0
      TargetRef.Dispel Spell
    EndIf

  Elseif (Choosing == -1) ;Display your menu
    Messagebox "What do you want to do?", ["Button0"], ..., ["Button8"], "Next Page"
    Set Choosing to 1
    Set Choice to GetButtonPressed

  Elseif (Choosing == 1)
    If (Choice == -1) ;No choice yet
      Set Choice to GetButtonPressed
    Elseif (Choice == 0) ;Button0
      ;Whatever you want to do
      Set Choosing to 0
...
    Elseif (Choice == 8) ;Button8
      ;Whatever you want to do
      Set Choosing to 0
    Elseif (Choice == 9) ;Next Page
      Set Choosing to -2 ;Following menu (choosing == -2)
    Endif

  Elseif (Choosing == -2) ;Gold menu
    Messagebox "What do you want to do?", ["Button0"], ..., ["Button8"], "Exit"
    Set Choosing to 2
    Set Choice to GetButtonPressed

  Elseif (Choosing == 2)
    If (Choice == -1) ;No choice yet
      Set Choice to GetButtonPressed
    Elseif (Choice == 0) ;Button0
      ;Whatever you want to do
      set Choosing to 0
    ...
    Elseif (Choice == 8) ;Button8
      ;Whatever you want to do
      Set Choosing to 0
    Elseif (Choice == 9) ;Exit
      Set Choosing to 0 ;to close the menus
    Endif


  Endif
End



begin ScriptEffectFinish
  if Choosing
    set MenuVariables.Choosing to Choosing
    set MenuVariables.Choice to Choice
    TargetRef.Cast Spell TargetRef
  endif
end

Notes

• This should only be used for spells cast on the player. If the target's script already uses GetButtonPressed, it may interfere with this menu (see GetButtonPressed for more details). That will probably never happen for the player, but any other object is questionable.
• Using multiple menus, or catching a button press with GetButtonPressed in a magic effect script requires that the spell duration be more than 0 in order for GetButtonPressed to capture the button.
• The ScriptEffectFinish block will always run immediately after the last running of the ScriptEffectUpdate block. Due to this, if the ScriptEffectUpdate block has a Return statement that fires at this point of the script, the ScriptEffectFinish block will not run.
• Spell using the script must have a Range of Self
• Spell in the above script (TargetRef.Cast Spell TargetRef and TargetRef.Dispel Spell) must be replaced with Editor ID of the Spell using the script