• New Horizons on Maelstrom
    Maelstrom New Horizons


    Visit our website www.piratehorizons.com to quickly find download links for the newest versions of our New Horizons mods Beyond New Horizons and Maelstrom New Horizons!

Devlin Opera for the 65742th time

Again, I don't think walking across Santiago takes time. (Try it. Moor in port, note the time, then walk to the store and see what time it is there.)

Looking at "PROGRAM\Calendar.c", there are the following functions:
  • GetTime() - returns the time as a floating point number
  • GetHour(), GetMinute(), GetSecond() - return the respective components of the time as floating point numbers
  • GetDayTime() - returns the general time of day as a string: DAY_TIME_NIGHT, DAY_TIME_MORNING, DAY_TIME_DAY or DAY_TIME_EVENING (no quotes round those, they're variable names, not literal strings)
So you can check the time to whatever precision you like. 4:00 is still night; morning starts at 6:00. You could use 'GetDayTime()' to check if it's still night and if not, set the time to 22:00 and maybe tell the player somehow that he had to wait until nightfall for the next bit. Alternatively use a two-level condition on each quest trigger - the player has to be on the right locator and it has to be night time. Then it doesn't matter if the player advances time to day in order to do a bit of shopping, the quest won't trigger until the player advances time to the next night.
 
Pieter Boelen said:
The game doesn't check continuously on "quest win conditions" as that would bring the game performance down too much.
So instead, it only checks whenever the 'QuestsCheck()' function is called.
This happened when dialogs are started; when interfaces are opened; when you move between locations; etc.

You can add this call also in PROGRAM\Loc_ai\types\LAi_stunned.c in the 'LAi_Stunned_StunCharacter' function.
Put 'QuestsCheck();' at the bottom of it and whenever a character gets that far, the game will do a one-time check.
Click to expand...
I've been looking back at old posts about "Devlin Opera" and must have missed this when it was first posted. So I tried it. It works! :onya I've therefore added a check on stunning during Blaze's fight, which now ends if you stun your opponent even if you haven't done enough HP damage to trigger the HP check. This does not make it more likely to win the fight - if the opponent is stunned then he's never going to win anyway. The check for stunning just means that players don't get confused when the opponent sits down and the fight still doesn't end, and also means you don't need to keep thumping him while he's stunned to trigger the HP check.

Also, in the early days when I was writing "Ardent", I was advised that any dialog with a non-story character should go into the character's normal dialog file rather than having a story-specific version. What convinced me to do it was when someone reported a problem with a different storyline - he'd tried to do the "Animists" quest, but the story had its own version of "Reynard Grueneveldt_dialog" which didn't include the sidequest stuff, so the "Animists" quest got stuck right away. "Devlin Opera" has its own versions of "blaze_dialog" and "Josephine Bonassieu_dialog". The latter isn't too important - she's the tavern keeper on Turks Island and in the original version of the story, you'd ask her where to find Short Jack Gold, but the new version has a crewmember talk to you as soon as you arrive in port to tell you about Short Jack Gold. "Blaze_dialog" is another matter, it has several new lines for the new version of the story. So I've merged both of them with the files in "PROGRAM\DIALOGS". Ideally a future installer will get rid of the story versions.
 
Hi, I just want to ask this: Is this storyline completely finished as of release Build 14 Final (1st January 2022)? I ask this because right now I'm stuck with the quest in which Blaze Devlin has to deliver rum, and after finishing the deal with the spanish dealer, the game no longer continues with that quest. Was this intentional?
 
That is as far as it gets so far. You have the choice of which of three characters to play while you make the deal for selling the rum, with three completely different paths. Then you return to either St. Pierre port or Oyster Beach, depending on where you moored your ship.

If @BathtubPirate is still around, he may have plans to continue the storyline. Otherwise it's open for anyone else to take over.

Meanwhile, if you have a saved game from before you landed at Martinique, load it again and play the other characters as they find other ways to sell the rum. I can tell you from personal experience that they're all a lot of fun!
 
It's not cancelled in that it's still playable as far as it goes. @BathtubPirate had written some more but never got round to uploading it. So if you, or anyone else, want to continue the story, go ahead!
 
Pieter Boelen said:
He hasn't been seen online since September last year.
So it seems safe to assume real life caught up with him...
Click to expand...
He's alive, isn't that the thing that matters most? xD

I think you can go back exactly a year in this thread and find a similar post about how I just lose interest in my passions and projects regularly (with Pirates and NH modding it has always been 2-3 months of intense pasion followed by 6-9 months of other interests taking over) and about how I just happened to think of this forum and drop in.

The main hesitations are also still the same as last year: I already dislike re-installing and updating the whole thing, and I doubt how relevant this whole project is 20 years after the original game release and considering I've always only been working on it two or three months per year. But two users asking about it in 2022 and Grey Roger calling it a lot of fun is admittedly encouraging.

About real life catching up: With the stupid bachelor thesis finally submitted and now working a mostly steady 8-5 job, I should even be in a better place than last year, so I guess there isn't really any excuse not do finish this story. :D
 
Welcome back, @BathtubPirate! :cheers

As I recall, you had done some more on "Devlin Opera" already. Is it in a playable state? If so, could you upload it? The whole story doesn't need to be complete - even if there is just one more quest which can be completed after all the fun on Martinique, that would be enough to add to the next update.
 
BathtubPirate said:
He's alive, isn't that the thing that matters most? xD

I think you can go back exactly a year in this thread and find a similar post about how I just lose interest in my passions and projects regularly (with Pirates and NH modding it has always been 2-3 months of intense pasion followed by 6-9 months of other interests taking over) and about how I just happened to think of this forum and drop in.

The main hesitations are also still the same as last year: I already dislike re-installing and updating the whole thing, and I doubt how relevant this whole project is 20 years after the original game release and considering I've always only been working on it two or three months per year. But two users asking about it in 2022 and Grey Roger calling it a lot of fun is admittedly encouraging.

About real life catching up: With the stupid bachelor thesis finally submitted and now working a mostly steady 8-5 job, I should even be in a better place than last year, so I guess there isn't really any excuse not do finish this story. :D
Click to expand...

Welcome back!

I have played Devlin Opera and did enjoy it, so as long as you are willing to do it there will be a few peeps who will want to try it out ;)

And regarding relevance, we will finally have continuation of Hoisit the colours almost 12 years after it's original release, why not make Devlin Opera happen as well :D
 
BathtubPirate said:
The main hesitations are also still the same as last year: I already dislike re-installing and updating the whole thing, and I doubt how relevant this whole project is 20 years after the original game release and considering I've always only been working on it two or three months per year.
Click to expand...
I must admit I wonder similar things.
I'm thinking of what might be possible to move forward a bit.

One of my ideas is that one thing we haven't yet done is make a "PotC:NH" standalone installer.
Since Disney never gave us grief even in the slightest; and the game files are now available for anyone on Pirates of the Caribbean (Windows) ,
I'm thinking there may just be very little harm in giving this a try.
Worst case scenario, some legal entity will tell us to have it removed again.
But for sure it'll help make our work ever more accessible to people who might be interested.

I'm going to look into setting more things up in a few weeks.
But first...
 
Grey Roger said:
Welcome back, @BathtubPirate! :cheers

As I recall, you had done some more on "Devlin Opera" already. Is it in a playable state? If so, could you upload it? The whole story doesn't need to be complete - even if there is just one more quest which can be completed after all the fun on Martinique, that would be enough to add to the next update.
Click to expand...
Thank you! :) I've been sick for a few days, went to the office this morning, went back home after 30 minutes but promised to do some work stuff this afternoon, but I might need some sleep first, so all in good time. I'd need to look into it, to get used to the game and all the files again and see where exactly I stopped.

Roughly I can remember: After Martinica, the route should now lead to Cuba where another choice of three small adventures happens, and one of those three is as good as finished I think.

Pieter Boelen said:
I'm going to look into setting more things up in a few weeks.
But first...
Click to expand...
Thank you and @Sebrian too, and again, all in good time. I don't know what you're trying to say with that link, as I don't have permision to watch it.
 
Pieter Boelen said:
I must admit I wonder similar things.
I'm thinking of what might be possible to move forward a bit.

One of my ideas is that one thing we haven't yet done is make a "PotC:NH" standalone installer.
Since Disney never gave us grief even in the slightest; and the game files are now available for anyone on Pirates of the Caribbean (Windows) ,
I'm thinking there may just be very little harm in giving this a try.
Worst case scenario, some legal entity will tell us to have it removed again.
But for sure it'll help make our work ever more accessible to people who might be interested.

I'm going to look into setting more things up in a few weeks.
But first...
Click to expand...

Great idea!
I think this game still has some potential, as there is no real alternative to a sailing simulator, let alone with so much content, and even if we are talking about "POTC" film games... well they are not so great to say the least. Of course some graphical updates would go a long way, like making HD texture packs for the game, but that's a ton of work...

Regardless a lot of people still don't even know about this mod's / game's existence.
 
BathtubPirate said:
I don't know what you're trying to say with that link, as I don't have permision to watch it.
Click to expand...
Holy crap, you're RIGHT! That is shamefully negligent of mine. I'm SO SORRY!!
You deserved your promotion to "Storm Modder" aaaages ago.
So you finally just got it. And @Sebrian too while I'm at it.
Now the both of you do have access to https://www.piratesahoy.net/forums/potc-modding.68/ . :onya

Sebrian said:
I think this game still has some potential, as there is no real alternative to a sailing simulator, let alone with so much content, and even if we are talking about "POTC" film games... well they are not so great to say the least. Of course some graphical updates would go a long way, like making HD texture packs for the game, but that's a ton of work...
Click to expand...
Further updates are certainly possible.
Many textures have already been bumped since the release in 2003; and on the Buccaneer's Reef,
@Mirsaneli and crew have been making all sorts of improvements on their own branch too.

In the meantime, @Hammie has an improved version of the open source engine in the works.
But since "engine upgrades" are both complicated and politically touchy, I figured step one could just be a standalone of what we have now.
And I'd call that "Build 15". Because surely we warrant that by now!

Sebrian said:
Regardless a lot of people still don't even know about this mod's / game's existence.
Click to expand...
True; many people don't. But on the other hand, another many people DO!
And this here article (This 17-year mod project makes the Pirates of the Caribbean tie-in game one of the best pirate sims around) was SO prolific that it:
1. Caused such a spike in site traffic that PA! couldn't cope with it anymore; both when they first posted it; as well as on their unexpected repost a year later.
2. A good colleague of mine from the Houston office actually sent me a work email about how he noticed it.

So while we seem to exist a little bit under a rock...
It may not be such a big rock after all. ;)
 
Holy crap, you're RIGHT! That is shamefully negligent of mine. I'm SO SORRY!!
You deserved your promotion to "Storm Modder" aaaages ago.
So you finally just got it. And @Sebrian too while I'm at it.
Now the both of you do have access to https://www.piratesahoy.net/forums/potc-modding.68/ . :onya
Click to expand...

Much appreciated :doff

Bumps up my motivation to finish the film trilogy a bit more, hope you enjoy your much deserved vacation!
 
Sebrian said:
Much appreciated :doff

Bumps up my motivation to finish the film trilogy a bit more, hope you enjoy your much deserved vacation!
Click to expand...
Maelstrom 2022-06-17 20-23-57.png
Maelstrom 2022-06-17 20-24-20.png

Yes, the graphics can look nice, as you can see from the screenshots... :)
 
I've just started New Horizons after almost a year and played through "my" Devlin Opera, first the wild goose chase in whatever Falaise de Fleur is called, then "find the missing sailors" in Santiago de Cuba. Oh, the memories! "Hmmmm... Your face look suspiciously familiar!" :oops: Love it.

I'll see when I have the time and especially the nerves to deal with the logistics of extracting the right files for you, @Grey Roger , then probably updating the whole game and everything. I kinda have to approach everything step by step, it's been a while.
 
Okay, @Grey Roger , I'm motivated to work again...

So without much further ado, here's the current state of the quest, nothing is changed from last year yet. I guess the best thing would be if you could merge this into the latest state of the game so I can do a fresh update or even install which is up to date in every regard, then I can continue from there.

EDIT: I'll definitely need a new install, I've got a constant game crash.

we.tl

Devlin.zip

1 file sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world
we.tl we.tl
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top