[Mod] Creatures [git] [minetest_mods_creatures]

[MirceaKitsune]

Ok. That's weird then, this doesn't happen to me. I shall note to look more into it later. Maybe someone else can try, and also explain better what the issue is?

[Weslei]

I will wait answers thanks for everything

[prestidigitator]

Hmm. Just cloned from Git. Running with Minetest 0.4.9 with the the loading of 'player.lua' commented out, and a new world with only this mod enabled. Upon entering the world, I get the following error:

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ERROR: ...home/prestidigitator/.minetest/mods/creatures/api_players.lua:196:
attempt to index local 'race_settings' (a nil value)

EDIT: This mod doesn't appear to work in the 0.4.9 release in any case (see below). However, looking at the code I suspect this will not go away with a Minetest version change. I think it slipped in because the mod has continued to be tested against old worlds which already had a "races.txt" file in the world directory, using players which had already had settings saved by previous versions of the mod. For a completely general solution which doesn't depend on the order of events, I suggest having the creatures:player_get() method check whether there is an entry in creatures.player_settings for the player being queried, and if not return creatures.player_default. For example:

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if not creatures.player_settings[pname] then
   return creatures.player_default;
end

[prestidigitator]

Also, it appears this mod will not work in release 0.4.9 because it calls the set_eye_offset(...) method of the player object, which was added after 0.4.9. It would be nice if version requirements were added to the top post of the thread.

[MirceaKitsune]

Thank you for reporting that issue prestidigitator, I attempted a fix in GIT. That function executing before player settings are present was probably low probability, which is why I didn't notice it. That code should not execute if race settings don't exist, since we don't want it to apply the settings of another creature either (even default).

As for set_eye_offset, it's a fundamental feature of this mod. Maybe I could add a version check behind it, but I'm not sure if I'd even want the mod to be able to run without it. I will consider this.

What is the exact check I should add however, to know a specific player's client version? I only run the latest GIT and cannot test it myself. Also, shouldn't the engine simply ignore Lua functions that don't exist for an older client? If I remember correctly, that's what protocol versions are for, so this shouldn't cause a crash.

[prestidigitator]

Sure thing. Hmm. It would probably be difficult to figure out what methods are stored on player objects when loading the mod, so you could possibly check for a certain API function that's been added since 0.4.9 being non-nil at the beginning of the init.lua. But I was more just thinking it would be good to say it requires the latest dev version and won't work in 0.4.9 here at the top of the thread, where you'd normally list required dependencies and all that. Once 0.4.10 comes out you could say it requires that release version or later.

Great idea for a mod, by the way! I should've said that first off.

[MirceaKitsune]

Okay, so it's been a few days since I fixed the last reported bug. This mod is very relevant to future plans I have for Minetest, so I'd like to hear even more feedback. If anyone likes its ideas enough, please make a public server with this and mention it here! Possibly one where at least 5 players are online at once for several hours.

First of all I wish to catch all potential bugs of any sort, which requires even more extensive testing. Especially since as far as I know, this was never tested in multiplayer! I'd also like to hear more opinions on functionality that can be changed or things that might not be working as intended, or simply what others would like to see added.

As mentioned, I am open to pull request if anyone wishes to correct something. Any bugfix will likely be accepted (if you solve something before me) but I might not add functionality changes unless I agree with them.

Also, while it's possible and easy to design your own creatures, I advice everyone to wait and stick with the default mobs, as I might make changes to the API. If you want to see new mobs, I advice just sending me the textured model (note down animation ranges too) which I will gladly add if license compatible, of quality, and artistically fitting.

[MirceaKitsune]

Didn't have much to do today, so I made a few more changes. The biggest one is that I moved the mob AI and player logics to different files, while allowing each creature to define the functions. This makes mobs / players fully scriptable without changes to the mod! You can add your own AI and disable the SimpleMobs logics, or execute code before / after it. Previously, only on_rightclick was customizable... whereas now on_step / on_punch / on_activate / on_rightclick are all configurable for mobs, while player_join / player_step / player_die / player_respawn can also be scripted for player versions of creatures. Only the base system remains hard-coded, such as application and persistence of player settings and the basic entity definitions for mobs.

Note that you now possess mobs by right-clicking them, as this has become the default on_rightclick action. No more punching random creatures and getting in trouble for hitting a mob that wasn't willing to be possessed.

[paramat]

I haven't tried this yet, but i think the whole concept is excellent.

[MirceaKitsune]

I haven't tried this yet, but i think the whole concept is excellent.

Thank you, glad you like! I know I'm being repetitive, but right now I'm waiting for anyone willing to make a public server with this. I need to test the mod online with multiple players at least a bit, before I can make an initial release version. If anyone wishes to help and makes one, please mention it here.

[Sokomine]

Good luck with finding a server! It'd be very intresting to test this out on one.

[MirceaKitsune]

Good luck with finding a server! It'd be very intresting to test this out on one.

Well, I'm not expecting servers running this mod to grow on trees, so being lucky to find one isn't the problem as much as being lucky to find someone both willing to host a server and who likes this mod. I asked VanessaE but don't think she's interested in this mod, so I'm looking for other server admins who might be.

[MirceaKitsune]

I separated the code and default creature set into two different mods (the repository is now a mod pack). This will allow people to add their own mini-mods on top of Creatures, as well as easily disable the default creature set if they wish to add their own (without editing the mod, just server settings). Note that entity definitions have once again changed, so you will need to create a new world or do another object wipe.

Oh, and did I mention the new snow monster added yesterday? Snow monsters will spawn in snowy biomes, for people who are using this together with a Mapgen V7 mod that adds those biomes.

[MirceaKitsune]

celeron55 added the Creatures mod to his testing server. We gave it a test spin for a few minutes, and everything seems to work very nicely! If anyone else wants to join in and see it in action, the server is minetest.8dromeda.net (default port).

This has already resulted the first change based on experience from another server. I noticed that I couldn't run, and realized that servers doesn't normally give users the "fast" privilege which I always offer to myself in singleplayer. Mobs could however use fast, making it impossible for the player to escape them and also illogical. Therefore, mobs can no longer run by default. To change this, add "fast_mobs = true" in minetest.conf. You should do this if your server or game offers players the "fast" privilege by default, to guarantee that mobs and players have the same abilities.

[MirceaKitsune]

I just committed the last step in making the Creatures system a fully customizable platform, on top of which other developers can create their own mods. A custom field can now be defined for creatures, which lets you add your own player / mob properties of any type to be used in such mods, in the following format:

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custom = {mymod = {param1 = "test", param2 = 0, ...} ...}

On top of that, I've made sure that the builtin functions and personality traits can also contain custom properties. So if you make a sub-mod that requires new mob personalities, you can add those extra personalities in the existing traits field. Also, you can add your own per-creature functions easily, by defining those functions in your mod then including them in on_step / player_step / etc. For example, you can add a mymod_player_die after the logic_player_die line. See the api.txt file for more info.

[philipbenr]

I like how you are a ghost at the beginning, but here is another thing I would suggest; Pick some nicer looking skins off the MT skin database: http://minetest.fensta.bplaced.net/ Some are a bit too plain.

[HeroOfTheWinds]

Any chance of ever being able to possess Dungeon Masters? :3 If so, +1000. Having unlimited fireballs would be massive...

[MirceaKitsune]

Any chance of ever being able to possess Dungeon Masters? :3 If so, +1000. Having unlimited fireballs would be massive...

I believe this is already possible. But unlikely, since DM's have a low loyalty and are therefore unlikely to follow a ghost.

Also, even if you possess one, it won't be possible to throw fireballs as a player. Attacks are one thing that remains mob specific, because players use tools instead. This will be fixed when I'll allow mobs to use items and tools, and disable coded mob attacks. In the case of the DM, the fireball thrower shall become an item (like the bow mod).

[bbaez]

Hi everyone,

I need some clarification on this creatures mod. I just installed [Mod] Creatures [1.1.3 beta] [creatures] by BlockMen because my 8 year old and younger children want to get wool and didn't like the zombies from Zombie Waves. So is this creatures mod different than BlockMen's (sure looks like it)? Also, I found this mod from the post "Inocudom » Sat May 10, 2014 14:09" in New Mobs when searching to add horses and bees that my daughters want. I have BlockMen's creatures mod installed at the game server I am hosting on fw01.treslagos.org:30000. I set up MineTest so that I can have a place for my kids (and now the kids from school are joining in) that is better suited for young-ins that just want to build for the most part.

I have the following mods installed in addition to what comes with minetest_game. I just compiled and migrated to 0.4.10 last night.

animals_modpack
cannons
factions
moreblocks
snow
weather
beds
carts
inventory_plus
moreores
snowdrift
zombies
boats
creatures
skins
torches

Also, here is my world.mt

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gameid = minetest
#backend = sqlite3
redis_address = localhost
redis_port = 6379
redis_hash = minetest
load_mod_animal_big_red = true
load_mod_animal_chicken = true
load_mod_animal_clownfish = true
load_mod_animal_cow = true
load_mod_animal_creeper = true
load_mod_animal_deer = true
load_mod_animal_dm = false
load_mod_animal_fish_blue_white = true
load_mod_animal_gull = true
load_mod_animal_rat = true
load_mod_animal_sheep = false
load_mod_animal_vombie = true
load_mod_animal_wolf = false
load_mod_animalmaterials = true
load_mod_barn = true
load_mod_factions = true
load_mod_mob_archer = false
load_mod_mob_guard = true
load_mod_mob_npc = true
load_mod_mob_oerkki = true
load_mod_mob_ostrich = true
load_mod_mob_shark = true
load_mod_mob_slime = false
load_mod_mobf = true
load_mod_mobf_settings = true
load_mod_trap = false
load_mod_zombies = false
load_mod_beds = true
load_mod_cannons = true
load_mod_moreores = true
load_mod_carts = true
load_mod_boats = true
load_mod_inventory_plus = true
load_mod_skins = true
load_mod_weather = false
load_mod_moreblocks = false
load_mod_snow = true
load_mod_snowdrift = true
load_mod_creatures = true

I will add this creatures to my server so we can all test, but need guidance if there will be conflicts if this is different than BlockMen's. I have been constantly "developing" our MineTest server for the past week with GitHub releases and memory/CPU upgrades to the point I had a rebellion with my kids at hand (they were upset with home IT and server crashes :) Don't want to bring them down today since I promised it should not crash.

Thanks for MineTest and all the mods!

[prestidigitator]

...it won't be possible to throw fireballs as a player. Attacks are one thing that remains mob specific, because players use tools instead. This will be fixed when I'll allow mobs to use items and tools, and disable coded mob attacks. In the case of the DM, the fireball thrower shall become an item (like the bow mod).

Have to tried overriding the default hand item (":") to give an on_use callback (or maybe after_use or on_place so the default dig/damage functionality isn't messed with) that checks your creature type? Not SURE it will work, but it might be worth a try.

[MirceaKitsune]

bbaez: Thanks for the feedback and glad you're interested in the mod! The main difference between this and other mob mods I've seen is that Creatures works by defining races, where species are played by either players or mobs. Unlike the classic approach, where players are the people while mobs are monsters or animals, the only differences between players and mobs here are technical... each creature is simply subject to its species's limitations and capabilities, mobs and players are the same. Also, another difference (added recently) is that this mob mod is rather intended as a platform, which anyone else can design their own mods for and even override the default AI.

As for adding new creatures, this is my current approach: You can already design your own creatures as separate mods, while it's easy to disable the existing ones. However, I still make changes to the API, and there's a chance I might break stuff. So instead, I advice people to send me the art (rigged + animated models of good mobs) as long as it's license compatible and of good quality while not breaking the theme, and the source (blend file) is available. Mention what settings you'd like for the creature and what it should do, and if it's good I add it to races_default. I haven't looked into this yet but might in the future.

prestidigitator: Not really... although that sounds rather hacky. Like I said, my primary plan here is to have mobs able to use attack items like players (sword, bow, etc). Though to be honest, an ability to customize the default punch function might be useful. For example, if I add a dragon that can breathe fire, I wouldn't necessarily want the fire breather to be an item... and of course both mob and player dragons should breathe fire. So this is worth considering, but only if it can be scripted properly.

[prestidigitator]

prestidigitator: Not really... although that sounds rather hacky. Like I said, my primary plan here is to have mobs able to use attack items like players (sword, bow, etc). Though to be honest, an ability to customize the default punch function might be useful. For example, if I add a dragon that can breathe fire, I wouldn't necessarily want the fire breather to be an item... and of course both mob and player dragons should breathe fire. So this is worth considering, but only if it can be scripted properly.

Right. I don't think it's a hack, though. If you should be able to do something without a tool in your hand, that's defined by the default tool (":"). For example, the "default" mod of "minetest_game" defines:

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-- The hand
minetest.register_item(":", {
    type = "none",
    wield_image = "wieldhand.png",
    wield_scale = {x=1,y=1,z=2.5},
    tool_capabilities = {
        full_punch_interval = 0.9,
        max_drop_level = 0,
        groupcaps = {
            crumbly = {times={[2]=3.00, [3]=0.70}, uses=0, maxlevel=1},
            snappy = {times={[3]=0.40}, uses=0, maxlevel=1},
            oddly_breakable_by_hand = {times={[1]=3.50,[2]=2.00,[3]=0.70}, uses=0}
        },
        damage_groups = {fleshy=1},
    }
})

So rather than being hacky, I think it's the exact right way to do just this, designed into the engine.

[MirceaKitsune]

This has been inactive for a while. I haven't done any more changes since my last post here, but am still curious to hear what people think and if this is working properly. Are you experiencing any bugs? Do you think anything important can and should be improved? Also remember that the mod is open for pull requests if you wish to add anything yourself... although you should ask me first to be sure it's a change I can accept.

[Topywo]

Maybe this part:

"Important: For the mod to work properly, you must first disable the default player script. To do that, open minetest_game/mods/default/init.lua and comment out the dofile line for player.lua.:"

scares potential users off.

[MirceaKitsune]

Maybe this part:

"Important: For the mod to work properly, you must first disable the default player script. To do that, open minetest_game/mods/default/init.lua and comment out the dofile line for player.lua.:"

scares potential users off.

Yes... I need to add a change to minetest_game to allow disabling the normal player script. minetest_game in its current form is not very friendly toward mods that implement their own player appearance management function. A switch was added to the bones mod however, so it shouldn't be too hard.

[Mella]

Maybe this part:

"Important: For the mod to work properly, you must first disable the default player script. To do that, open minetest_game/mods/default/init.lua and comment out the dofile line for player.lua.:"

scares potential users off.

Yes... I need to add a change to minetest_game to allow disabling the normal player script. minetest_game in its current form is not very friendly toward mods that implement their own player appearance management function. A switch was added to the bones mod however, so it shouldn't be too hard.

But I guess that would be easier if you'd just create a new game ;) The mod already sounds great, I can't wait to give it a try :D

[balthazariv]

Hello,

It's a mod such as [Mod] Creatures [1.1.4 beta] [creatures] or it's a complement because you have the same name ?

[philipbenr]

Only one is supposed to be used. One or the other

[MirceaKitsune]

It's a coincidence that I used the same name. I didn't know someone else made a mod named exactly the same way when I started this. Since I have the branch and everything already set up, it would be too late to rename it now. Besides... they two mods would certainly not work together, nor make sense to run at the same time.

Either way, I'm still looking for more servers to run this, so I can experience it more in multiplayer. Let me know if you find any issues or simple improvements to the basic system.

[MirceaKitsune]

I'm happy to announce two major additions to the Creatures mod, which Minetest players have been eager to see in any of the existing mob mods for some time:

- Experimental pathfinding. Enable it by adding "pathfinding = true" in minetest.conf. Currently it's very buggy and barely works, so this is only for testing purposes! Testing and reporting is highly encouraged, as well as looking at the Lua function and suggesting any changes. You can see the code over here, and should also take a look at this thread if you're interested. At this stage, mobs rarely walk toward their target, since minetest.find_path fails frequently... although they sometimes succeed in following the correct pattern to some extent.

- Line of sight: minetest.line_of_sight has been added to the mix. Mobs will only attack / avoid / follow targets which aren't blocked by walls. They will however continue to pursue existing targets, until they're out of their maximum view range, even if they hid out of view while being chased. Mobs will also attack those who hit their allies regardless of visibility, since from a logical perspective a fight would still be heard behind a wall.