Are character labels re-usable?

[V.T. Marvin]

I intended to spawn a certain class of characters that for further scripting purposes would be marked by a certain label. However I run into a problem that once the first guys is dead - killed by script, old age or battle - his successors are no longer spawned although the preceding part of the script within the same monitor clearly gets executed.

So I suspect that whenever a particular label is given to a character, it becomes sort of "expended" and stuck to that particular guy and no further ones may appear with the same one. If it is indeed the case, then it would be the end to my project, so I would like to ask you whether anybody can in fact confirm this for a fact or if the error is likely elsewhere.

[Miguel_80]

Hello. Yes, labels are for a single character. The labels are not inherited, if that's what you meant.

[V.T. Marvin]

I did not meant inherited, I meant assigned again by the script.

monitor_event BuildingCompleted SettlementBuildingFinished = alliedstate        and SettlementName sett_039
        
		if I_CharacterExists client039
            kill_character client039
        end_if
		
        if I_SettlementOwner sett_039 = f_rome
            spawn_army
                faction f_rome
                character	random_name, named character, age 36, x 130, y 177, label client039
                traits	ClientRuler 1 , TurnsAlive 3 , PoliticsSkill 1 , EthnoDetermined 1 , FamilyNameGiven 1
                unit		italic cavalry sabellian		exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
			end
			move client039, 129, 177
        end_if
    end_monitor

Once i build the required building for the first time, the character appears. However if I tear it down and build it again, the first character dies - as he should and thus confirming that the monitor is firing again - BUT the new character is NOT spawned.

[Miguel_80]

I'm testing, and it seems the label is stored in the registry.

01:00:02.778 [game.script] [error] Script execution error for <spawn_army>, at line 65, in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/campaign_script.txt: 
Character with label random_name could not be created, label alreay exists!

monitor_event BuildingCompleted SettlementBuildingFinished = port        
	and SettlementName Leon
        
	if I_CharacterExists client039
		kill_character client039
        end_if


	if I_SettlementOwner Leon = spain
		spawn_army
			faction spain
			character	random_name, named character, age 36, x 83, y 86, label client039
			traits	PoliticsSkill 1
			unit		SE Bodyguard		exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
		end

		;;move client039, 129, 177
        end_if
end_monitor

[selv]

I have a few labels for specific named characters but i never tried to use the same label twice. I think you are right in thinking that the label is link to only one character.

Why do you need to use labels with random_character ? I am asking because i thought it was only useful for unique names?

[Miguel_80]

It definitely seems that the label is stored in the registry

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType spain
	and I_CharacterExists client039
	and I_TurnNumber > 3

	kill_character client039
	historic_event world_is_round

	terminate_monitor
end_monitor

monitor_event BuildingCompleted SettlementBuildingFinished = port        
	and SettlementName Leon
        
	;if I_CharacterExists client039
	;	kill_character client039
        ;end_if

	log always READ
	if I_SettlementOwner Leon = spain
		spawn_army
			faction spain
			character	random_name, named character, age 36, x 82, y 93, label client039
			traits	PoliticsSkill 1
			unit		SE Bodyguard		exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
		end

        end_if
end_monitor

01:14:27.415 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/Bare_Geomod/data/world/maps/base/water_surface.tga.dds is missing
01:15:18.869 [game.script] [always] READ
01:15:20.105 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/rogues/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists

01:17:42.046 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/Bare_Geomod/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/radar_map_background.tga is missing
01:17:49.217 [game.script] [always] READ
01:17:49.217 [game.script] [error] Script execution error for <spawn_army>, at line 67, in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/campaign_script.txt: 
Character with label random_name could not be created, label alreay exists!
01:17:50.343 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/rogues/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists

01:18:17.944 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/039.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
01:18:22.730 [game.script] [always] READ
01:18:22.730 [game.script] [error] Script execution error for <spawn_army>, at line 67, in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/campaign_script.txt: 
Character with label random_name could not be created, label alreay exists!
01:18:35.524 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/rogues/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists

[Withwnar]

01:00:02.778 [game.script] [error] Script execution error for <spawn_army>, at line 65, in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/campaign_script.txt: 
Character with label random_name could not be created, label alreay exists!

The error message is a little misleading - would be nice if it said the label name instead of the character name ("random_name") - but yes, it is a sad fact that labels can't be reused for named characters.

They can be reused for generals (captains). e.g. Spawn a general with a label, kill him, spawn another general with same label --> no problem. The label exists only as long as that character remains the commander of that army: until he enters something (ship, settlement, fort, another army) - at that point the character no longer exists and neither does his label, so the label may be reused.

See: Unique Names.

[V.T. Marvin]

It definitely seems that the label is stored in the registry

Thank you for testing!

Why do you need to use labels with random_character ? I am asking because i thought it was only useful for unique names?

Name does not matter, it is the character's function that's important to me and I hoped that combination of fixed labels with random names could provide for simple script that does not cause savegame bloat and other problems plaguing similar schemes in RTW.
Sadly, it is not possible, time to devise new scheme...

[Miguel_80]

Thank you for testing!

You're welcome. I don't know exactly what you want to do, or how many characters you need. But, this could be helpful? (with a duplicate entry in EDU)

monitor_event BuildingCompleted SettlementBuildingFinished = alliedstate        
    and SettlementName sett_039

    if I_CharacterExists client039
            kill_character client039
            destroy_units f_rome New Bodyguard
        end_if
        
        if I_SettlementOwner sett_039 = f_rome
            spawn_army
                faction f_rome
                character    random_name, named character, age 36, x 130, y 177, label client039
                traits    ClientRuler 1 , TurnsAlive 3 , PoliticsSkill 1 , EthnoDetermined 1 , FamilyNameGiven 1
                unit        New Bodyguard        exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
            end
            move client039, 129, 177
        end_if
end_monitor

[V.T. Marvin]

Thanks for the suggestion, but that does not solve the problem. If we had dedicated units for the clients, we would made them recruitable and saved ourselves all the troubles with the script spawning/killing. It will probably end this way anyway I guess. But still, thanks for help!