How To: The Ancillary Guide

[Fatecheater]

The image file in ui/ancillaries, must it be .tga format and 33x41 pixels? What will happen if I use a larger image?

[Amon Amarth 930]

Larger images also work... some time ago I use mistakenly wrong sizes, but the game still use the image and show it with the bigger sizes.
But I don´t know how large you can really make the images, you must test it.

In my view 33x41 is actually a good size.

[Blind88]

Greetings!
a quick and maybe stupid question:
ancillaries use the same effects as traits? for example is it possible to add a "+1 command when fighting against XYZ" with the same 'Combat_V_Faction_X' line?

[Swagger]

yes

[Blind88]

Greetings!

First, thank you for the answer!
and here's another... i want to add a new trait, but the game keeps crashing at startup...
here's the trait:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Trait mountainguardveteran
Characters family

Level mountainguard_veteran
Description mountainguard_veteran_desc
EffectsDescription mountainguard_veteran_effects_desc
GainMessage none_desc
LoseMessage none_desc
Threshold 1

Effect Combat_V_Faction_turks 2
Effect Command 1
Effect HitPoints 1
Effect TroopMorale 2

the trigger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Trigger mountainguardveteran
WhenToTest PostBattle

Condition CharFactionType venice
and IsGeneral
GeneralFoughtFaction turks
and WonBattle


Affects mountainguardveteran 1 Chance 50

and here's what the log says:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

17:32:35.265 [script.err] [error] Trigger parsing error in mods/Call_of_Warhammer/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 22235, column 9 :
Unknown identifier for trigger(mountainguardveteran) when expecting an Affect, Advice, Ancillary or Guild.
17:32:35.265 [game.script] [error] Trigger parsing error in mods/Call_of_Warhammer/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 22235, column 9 :
Unknown identifier for trigger(mountainguardveteran) when expecting an Affect, Advice, Ancillary or Guild.
17:32:35.375 [game.script.trigger] [info]

I don't know what's wrong... I don't see something? Can anyone tell me what's the mistake?
thanks in advance!

[Gigantus]

Is an invalid trigger a fatal error?

[Squid]

See your other thread where you asked the same question as I already answered it.

[SpyrosM91]

can we use "or" in the ancillaries and traits files??

e.g. a random example

Trigger merchantinit10
    WhenToTest AgentCreated

    Condition not AtSea
          and AgentType = merchant
          and SettlementBuildingExists >= cathedral
          and PopulationOwnReligion > 80
          and CharFactionType england or france or ...

    Affects ReligiousMerchant  1  Chance  50 


or sth like that:


Trigger merchantinit10
    WhenToTest AgentCreated

    Condition not AtSea
          and AgentType = merchant
          and SettlementBuildingExists >= cathedral
          and PopulationOwnReligion > 80
          and CharFactionType england
          or CharFactionType france

    Affects ReligiousMerchant  1  Chance  50

is it possible??

[Swagger]

better to exclude all faction you don't want to have the trait

[SpyrosM91]

ok, most probably i will do that... but i want to know if the "or" works in these cases....(or e.g. in a building requirement...)

and if yes, when what's the correct sequence of {and, not, or }???? and can be changed through parentheses or sth (like in mathematics)???


thanks!!!

[Gigantus]

I haven't come across the use of "or" in the triggers. Guess you will have to copy it and set a second condition.

[SpyrosM91]

i have found this in an ancillary: "Effect Level 4"... what is its purpose???


sth else: can this happen?? Condition CharacterSurname = Smith (or sth like that???)

and, how can i give to everybody (all character [including captains] of one faction, after an event..) more movement points and line of sight?? should i make a hidden trait with "caracters all" ???

[Gigantus]

Effect level = applies to the strat models being used, see priests and faction leaders\heirs
Surname = the only conditions I know of would be I_CharacterExists or I_CharacterSelected, but that won't work here, only in a script together with give_trait.
Movement points for all = increase it in descr_characters
Line of sight for all = I guess that simply omitting the agent definition should be sufficient as long as the 'WhenToTest' event is agent related, see example:

Trigger witch_hunter_vnv_trigger
WhenToTest AgentCreated
Condition AgentType = priest
and FactionLeaderTrait ReligiousActivity > 1

AcquireAncillary witch_hunter chance 10

[SpyrosM91]

how can i add an event when a faction leader gets an ancillary??? is there any way to script it??


i mean sth like this:

monitor_event CharacterTurnStart IsFactionLeader
and AncillaryGained??? tutor
set_event_counter abc 1 - #10
terminate_monitor
end_monitor

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal - does the FactionTurnStart happens before the CharacterTurnStart???
and I_EventCounter abc = 1
historic_event tutors factions { england, } - #20
set_event_counter abc 0
terminate_monitor
end_monitor

(can i omit the lines of the second group, and simply place line #20 in the first group, instead of the line line #10???)

[Gigantus]

You really have to get the Docudemons and use it to search for this kind of stuff (I searched the 'conditions' section for 'ancillary'):

Identifier: HasAncType
Trigger requirements: character_record
Parameters: ancillary type
Sample use: HasAncType relic
Description: Test to see if character currently has ancillary with specified type

If you use the counter in the same round and nowhere else it is rather pointless to create it in the first place. Put your #20 as you suggested and remove the second monitor.

[SpyrosM91]

ok, thanks..

[Voice of Treason]

...Here's a comment about the temperamentality of the export_descr_ancillaries.txt...
...I recently added plenty of entries for witches...everything worked fine...
...I then added 4 new ancillaries for princesses ALL IN ONE GO...suddenly the game won't start...
...I went through everything with a fine toothcomb (they were all very simple cut/paste entries like the tutorial)...thought it might by "types"..."Excluded cultures" "spelling" the fact I had "Aztec" princesses ticked....nope...
...redone every single entry (from my saved text in Word; so exact copy), one at a time...save...reopen...next...save...etc...
...worked like a charm!...Learn from my wasted Hour

[Squid]

You probably saved the file in an incorrect format, either that you actually did make a change. By the way you should never, ever, ever, ever, ever use word for modding in any way shape or form as it adds hidden formatting characters all over the place which will get copied into your files and screw them up. Also you should be using my ATVTW validator, see my sig, to make sure you've made no errors in editing the file or related files.

[Voice of Treason]

...@ Squid..I don't doubt the validity of the Validator...but this tutorial was all about simple cut n' pasting...so thats why I was doing it that way...
...Going forward I'll have to avoid the "Word" and remember "notepad"...and investigate the validator...

[Squid]

Not all your modding will be cut and paste.