This code should work, right?

[ThePlasticBling]

I want the game to give the player a random weapon when impulse 123 is entered. This should work, right?

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
    if ( (random () = 0.1) )
    {
      self.items = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
    }
    else
    {
      if ( (random () = 0.2) )
      {
         self.items = IT_NAILGUN;
      }
      else
      {
         if ( (random () = 0.3) )
         {
            self.items = IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
         }
         else
         {
            if ( (random () = 0.4) )
            {
               self.items = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
            }
         }
      }
      }
};

and then in impulse commands i set impulse 123 to mystery_box

do you guys think this will work?

thanx

[scar3crow]

If I remember correctly, random returns a number from 0 to 1, so that code would in theory only apply 40% of the time, resulting in nothing if random returns 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, or 1. You should broaden the numeric range (from an equals to a less than of the max qualifier) for the weapons you want.

[Spike]

syntax error. assignment to read-only value.

random will not return 0.2. it'll return 0.200001 or 0.19999999 sure, but not 0.2. Okay, it might, but only really really rarely.
store it to a local and then check its value
or:
void() foo =
{
switch(random(0,4))
{
case 0 .. 0.25:
foo();
break;
case 0.25 .. 0.5:
foo();
break;
case 0.5 .. 0.75:
foo();
break;
default:
foo();
break;
};

also your function doesn't return a value. all it does is set an ent field.

[ThePlasticBling]

would this work:

so would this work:

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
    if ( (random () = 0.1) )
    {
      self.weapon = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
    }
    else
    {
      if ( (random () = 0.200001) )
      {
         self.weapon = IT_NAILGUN;
      }
      else
      {
         if ( (random () = 0.3) )
         {
            self.weapon = IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
         }
         else
         {
            if ( (random () = 0.4) )
            {
               self.weapon = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
            }
         }
      }
      }
};

[frag.machine]

would this work:

so would this work:

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
    if ( (random () = 0.1) )
    {
      self.weapon = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
    }
    else
    {
      if ( (random () = 0.200001) )
      {
         self.weapon = IT_NAILGUN;
      }
      else
      {
         if ( (random () = 0.3) )
         {
            self.weapon = IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
         }
         else
         {
            if ( (random () = 0.4) )
            {
               self.weapon = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
            }
         }
      }
      }
};

First things first.

a) I strongly suggest you to read at least a bit about QuakeC syntax before trying to write any code:

Code: Select all

if ( (random () = 0.1) )


This won't work as you expect. "=" means attribution in QuakeC, and you can't assign a value to a function. So this is illegal code, and won't even compile (have you at least tried ?). For comparisons between values, you should be using "==";

b) as Spike said, random() is a function that returns a non-integer value between 0.00 and 1.00. As you may suspect, the chances to random() return exactly 0.10 or 0.20 are slim, so you should instead test if the returned value falls in a range (0.90 to 0.99, 0.80 to 0.89, etc):

Code: Select all

if (random () >= 0.9) {// do something... }
else if (random () >= 0.8) {// do something else...}


c) finally, if you call random () in every test it will return a different value, and you actually want to test only the first value, otherwise you may end passing by all the tests and never give a weapon to the player. So, you should do this instead:

Code: Select all

local float r;

r = random ();
if (r > 0.9) {// do something}
else if (r > 0.8) {// do something else}
(...)


[dreadlorde]

You don't need braces if there is only one statement in if.

[ThePlasticBling]

would this give me a random weapon? I have it set to impulse 123:

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
   local float r;
   
   r = random ();
   if (r > 0.9)
   {
      self.items = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r > 0.8)
   {
      self.items = IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.7)
   {
      self.items = IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.6)
   {
      self.items = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.5)
   {
      self.items = IT_GRENADE_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r < 0.4)
   {
      self.items = IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.3)
   {
      self.items = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.2)
   {
      self.items = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r < 0.1)
   {
      self.items = IT_LIGHTNING;
   }
};

[frag.machine]

would this give me a random weapon? I have it set to impulse 123:

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
   local float r;
   
   r = random ();
   if (r > 0.9)
   {
      self.items = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r > 0.8)
   {
      self.items = IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.7)
   {
      self.items = IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.6)
   {
      self.items = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.5)
   {
      self.items = IT_GRENADE_LAUNCHER;
   }


Up to this point it's similar to what I did, but...

Code: Select all

   else if (r < 0.4)
   {
      self.items = IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.3)
   {
      self.items = IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.2)
   {
      self.items = IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r < 0.1)
   {
      self.items = IT_LIGHTNING;
   }
};

This block of code won't work as you expect. But I won't tell you what is wrong; compare both and you can tell youself what's the difference.

Also, even fixing this, there's another flaw in your code: before you do this:

Code: Select all

self.items = IT_LIGHTNING;

You must remember that self.items is a bitflag actually - every bit, from bit 0 to bit 23 means something in the player's inventory. If you just set it directly with a value, you're actually clearing any other item in the player's inventory - the axe, the shotgun, the nailgun, etc. What you should do instead is just set the single bit referring the given weapon, like this:

Code: Select all

self.items = self.items | IT_LIGHTNING;

[DusterdooSmock]

AS ALMOST EVERYONE HAS SAID: LEARN QC BEFORE YOU TRY TO DO THIS!

[frag.machine]

You don't need braces if there is only one statement in if.

They're indeed not required; I use to always put them so the code turns more easy to read.

[DusterdooSmock]

You don't need braces if there is only one statement in if.

They're indeed not required; I use to always put them so the code turns more easy to read.

I use them too...makes everything easier to read and see what the function does.

[Mexicouger]

Why don't you take someones suggestions and attempt to look at some tutorials and see how some stuff works. Stop asking a question about ever little thing. And Use the search bar for some things. I had a couple questions, and a quick search fixed my problem.

[ThePlasticBling]

Hmmmmm. I just dont get it. when impulse 123 is entered, i don't get a random weapon. here is my code:

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
   local float r;
   
   r = random ();
   if (r > 0.9)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_LIGHTNING;
   }
   else if (r > 0.8)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.7)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r > 0.6)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_GRENADE_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r > 0.5)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.4)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.3)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.2)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r > 0.1)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_NAILGUN;
   }
};

and mexicugar, i am taking peoples advice. I've been looking at tutorials. it helps best if i try a code i made and if it doesnt work, I ask you guys so i can learn from my mistakes.

[Mexicouger]

Try this:

Code: Select all

void () mystery_box =
{
   local float r;
   
   r = random ();
   if (r < 0.9)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_LIGHTNING;
   }
   else if (r < 0.8)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_SUPER_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.7)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_ROCKET_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r < 0.6)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_GRENADE_LAUNCHER;
   }
   else if (r < 0.5)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.4)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.3)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_SUPER_SHOTGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.2)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_NAILGUN;
   }
   else if (r < 0.1)
   {
      self.items = self.items | IT_NAILGUN;
   }
};

[ThePlasticBling]

still doesn't work. what am i doing wrong?