Quick question (?) about script and the game loop

#1 All of that is controlled in the c++ code. there are many calls that the c++ will make to the code though. For example almost all objects will have onDamage(), onAdd(), and other calls made to them by the engine.

I looked around the documentation for more detailed info but I couldn't find any links. Hopefully someone know where to find an engine call list.

#2 Coming from the same background of having a very controlled, C++ main loop, I can understand your confusion.

When developing Torque games, you kind of have to break out of that mind set, especially when dealing with scripting.

In reference to your example, here's a script based solution:

Assuming you have a PlayerData(Armor) in script:

function Armor::onCollision(%this, %obj, %col)
{
       if(%col.getClassName() $= "Projectile" || %col.getClassName() $= "MeleeWeapon")
              %obj.damage(10);  [b]// Hardcoded damage value[/b]
}

function Armor::damage(%this, %val)
{
      [b]// Apply damage algorithm you decide (like armor vs raw damage)[/b]

      
}

The collision will now happen automatically, and you aren't stuck in a game loop. This is a very, very loose example, but it demonstrates the difference between traditional C++/WinAPI/MFC looping vs a scripted game event.

I can get more specific and provide real, detailed functions, but I just wanted to present an example to get you started. Let me know if you have more questions

#3 Hmm well my game doesn't need to test for collisions. it always makes contact if the player swings (player can only swing if he's close enough to hit) like a classic rpg system.

So if there's some sort of player::onAnimationComplete(), i can simply verify that it was an attack animation and calculate my damage when the swing animation ends (if i make my animation end at the time of impact). from there I'm assuming I can use onDamage();

so, is there a way to test if the animation is complete that would work the way I'm describing?

#4 I tried something from another thread, adding this to server/scripts/player.cs

function Player::animationDone(%this,%obj)
	{
		// Inform the client  
		if (isObject(%obj.client.player))
		{
			echo("Player::animationDone");
		}
	}

i also tried it with function Player::onEndSequence(%this,%obj,%slot)


... but it's not working. I currently have a punch animation (non cyclic) and i push j to execute the punch. he punches... but no echo. At least I'm getting closer to the answer (hopefully)

here's the line where it sends "animationDone"

if ( isServerObject() && mActionAnimation.action >=PlayerData::NumTableActionAnims )
         Con::executef(mDataBlock,3,"animationDone",scriptThis());

I'm not sure why my animation doesn't "qualify". does the animation need some sort of requirement before it'll send ? It looks like it only does it if the player is in a certain animation. Does your animation have to return to the root position or something? In the code, i can manually send animation done by removing the if, and my script functions work.

#5 Most callbacks like that are called on the dataBlock like, "armor onCollision" or "armor onMount". Maybe you should try that.

#6 The callback works, but it's the if statement that's preventing the callback from executing. so now i need to figure out what the requirements for an animation are to get that callback to execute. right now i'm just using a punch animation that doesnt start or end in the root position because i want to be able to return to different positions afterwards.