flags as strings!

[Otacon]

I know the title doesn't say much, but I've no idea how to make it short yet plausible. I'm of course talking about engine flags set via the (local_)setflag command(s). If used in a trigger for a decision, you get something ugly like

(*) Local flag 'PLAYERS_ARE_STUPID' set

But that is arguably ugly, so what about adding or altering the possibility to make the game look for a string with the same name in the CSV files? I could then define PLAYERS_ARE_STUPID as "You need to declare war before you can attack" in a CSV and ingame it'd then say

(*) You need to declare war before you can attack

which looks much better and could be very useful for neat decisions in mods and DH full!

 

[OnFire]

+1

 

[Limith]

Despite my wanting of this feature, it would break so many existing events that it makes it unlikely. I've been lobbying for the ability to add comments as trigger/commands though, but that would be kind of difficult for triggers since NOT(TRUE) = FALSE, so comments may mess up the logic system (can't eval to true by default).

 

[Otacon]

Alternatively, instead of changing the command, there could be a new command added, like "local_flag_loc = BLABLA_EVENT" which serves specifically this purpose. I mean, there wouldn't be much sense at all to have the standard command look for localized strings if the command is mostly used "internally" where the player never sees them. The new command could then be used exclusively for decision = {} fields in events, while the functionality of the old command wouldn't be affected at all.

 

[Otacon]

I have made some suggestions as of now but actually never got a response like

"Thats going to be in asap."
"Not right now, but later!"
"Nah, thats shitty."

I'd be appreciated if you guys could say something along those lines. But atm it feels kinda like it's pretty much ignored and that doesn't really motivate to suggest stuff.

 

[Limith]

Some things may be good ideas, but we have over 300 existing ideas that need to be implemented first, and you can consider my reply as a "not going to be in feasibly". Not the idea isn't bad.

Also, as a general rule, flags in decisions should be avoided whenever possible (I am guilty of breaking this ofc), so I think Martin views this as low priority.