Let start out by giving credit to theTribes 2 Coding FAQ. This is a direct copy of there FAQ page. I hope they don't get made at me now for copying it since I gave them credit.
What do I need to get started?
Obviously, you need a working copy of Tribes 2. If you have been messing with your script files
in the base directory you should reinstall and apply the latest patch. Make sure you patch your
game BEFORE you start editing. You need a zip program like WinZip to
extract the scripts. Also, you need a good plain text editor with search and replace features. The ability to search
through multiple files at once will save you tons of time. Personally, I use Editplus 2.
Others have suggested UltraEdit32 and Microsoft Visual Studio.
David Dunscombe is working on a Tribes2 Code IDE. Beta versions can be found at
http://tribes.barrysworld.net/ide/ or in the files section.
Where are the script files?
The scripts are located inside the scripts.vl2 file in your \Tribes2GameData.ase directory. All
*.vl2 files are actually regular zip files with a renamed extension. You can use WinZip to open them. To
get started, make a directory called whatever you want your mod to be names in your
\Tribes2GameData directory. I will call the directory MyMod for the purpose of this FAQ. Now
extract the scripts.vl2 file into the \Tribes2GameDataMyMod directory. Now your ready to get
started.
Note: I recommend that newbie coders have two mod directories, one to serve as a test bed
for modifications, and another with finalized code.
What are *.dso files?
A *.dso file is the compiled version of the corresponding *.cs file. If you want to distribute
modifications without showing people your code, you can distribute the .dso file instead of the .cs
file. Rumor has it that Dynamix will be switching to a one .dso file system for easier distribution.
What language are the scripts written in?
The scripts are not written in any existing programming language. They are written in a scripting
language created by Dynamix (the developers). Therefore, there are no books you can buy to
learn more about this specific language. The language does have a syntax that roughly resembles
C, so if you learn more C you should have an easier time editing the scripts.
How do I test my modifications?
Create a shortcut to the Tribes2.exe file located in your \Tribes2GameData directory and place it
wherever you want. Right-click on the shortcut and go to "Properties". Edit the "Target" line so
that it has "-nologin -mod MyMod" at the end. Replace MyMod with the name of the directory
you created in \Tribes2GameData. My target line looks like this (I put my scripts in a directory
called "Evo"): C:\DynamixTribes2GameDataTribes2.exe -nologin -mod Evo
Now double-click the shortcut and the game will run using your mod.
How do I get a log of any errors my modifications generate?
You have to edit your console_start.cs file in your \Tribes2GameData directory to enable
logging. Goto around line 135 and find the part that says:
All you have to do is add a line after \$i += 2; that says: setLogMode(1);
Any messages will be outputted to console.log in your \Tribes2GameData directory. You can
safely leave this file modified and it shouldn't hurt anything.
How do I log function entry and exits?
Use the trace() function. To turn on function tracing, use: trace(1);
And to turn it off, use:
trace(0);
How do I comment my scripts?
Anything after a "//" on a line is a comment and is ignored by the game. Simply place a "//" at the
start of a line and put your comment after that. You can also put a comment after a statement:
DoSomething(); // This code does XYZ
What are all the semicolons for?
Much like the C or C++ programming languages, the Tribes 2 scripting language requires that all commands
end with a semicolon. The syntax is: statement;
Forgetting a semicolon is probably the most common cause of errors in a newbie's script.
How do I declare a variable?
You are not required to declare variables in the Tribes 2 scripting language before you use them. You can
start assigning them values.
What are the \$ and % symbols in the scripts?
When a percent sign (%) is used before a variable name, the variable is defined or accessed locally
(exists only in that function). When a variable name is preceded by a dollar sign (\$), the variable is
defined or accessed globally (visible to all functions). If anyone has further information on how these work, please let me know.
What is the syntax for switch and switch\$ statments?
Tribes2 switch statments act much like C switch statments except for one major difference. Since the
Tribes2 scripting language does not have variable types, you must use switch to compare numerical data
and switch\$ to compare strings. They are the switch equivalents of == and $= (see below). Here are some
samples I pulled from various *.cs files:
From ChatGui.cs, this handles IRC commands:
switch\$(%command)
{
case "PING":
IRCClient::onPing(%prefix,%params);
case "PONG":
IRCClient::onPong(%prefix,%params);
// Removed other cases for length
default:
return false;
}
From LaunchLanGui.cs this handles the Launch menu:
switch(%id)
{
case 0:
LaunchGame();
case 1: // Start Training Mission
LaunchTraining();
case 2:
LaunchNews();
// Removed other cases for length
case 12:
LaunchCredits();
}
What is the syntax for if statments?
If statments use the same syntax as the C programming language. A few samples are below:
if (myvar == 3)
echo( "Myvar is 3." );
if (name \$= "Bob" || name $= "Joe")
{
echo( "Your name is either Joe or Bob." );
}
if (name \$= "Fred")
{
echo( "Hi, Fred!" ');
} else {
echo( "Hey!! Your not Fred!" );
}
Check the reference section for a list of operators you can use in if statments (comparison operators).
How do I add items or take away items from a player's inventory?
Use the incInventory and decInventory. Examples:
// Add one grenade to player's inventory
%player.incInventory(%gren, 1)
// Subtract one unit of ammo from player's inventory
%player.decInventory(%ammo, 1)
Which projectiles are fired by which gun?
These are the ones that have been found so far:
