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SimScripts - Yet another pile of discoveries
Date Posted: 9th Jun 2024 at 11:39 PM Views: 89
I know... More SimScripts stuff.
Just a note: I do not know what I'm doing when it comes to game development!!! If you know something that I'm saying is wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me! I only say what I understand with my knowledge, so if I say something downright ridiculously stupid give me a small notice of it.
I found an InteractionMap.txt file thrown in like that in the SimScripts folder in the The Sims Life Stories game files, so naturally I had to take a look to satisfy my curiosity. This is what it says:
Code: 
#
# This file contains mappings between the SimScript name of interactions and thier associated real names in the game.
#
# The purpose of this file is to provide a name mapping to real names..  This is useful
# for Interactions who's name may change from time to time.
#
# Format:   {logical interaction name}:{real interaction name in game}
#
#

Chair_Sit:Sit
Aquarium_Refill:Restock
Telescope_Look:Look Through
Toilet_Use:Use


And... That's it. No more interactions.
Not sure if they wanted only the interactions that would change names or all of them, but it seems that they never finished the map.

Second discovery:
In the "Unit" sub-folder of the SimScripts folder, there exists a txt file called CASUnit.txt. The reason why I listed this is because it provides info about how the CAS lot functions.
If you didn't know, the rooms which your Sims stand in CAS are merged into an actual lot. There are some special objects in that lot which make it function as a CAS lot: The backdrops. If these items do not exist CAS itself doesn't function.
Here's what this file says:
Code: 
##############################
#
# Basic Test: CASUnit
# Version 1.0	Merlin Andrews	09/29/04	Prototype Draft
#
##############################
#
# Description: Runs through a unit test of Create a Sim
# Preconditions: Automation Neighborhood
# Includes: None
#
##############################

logmessage "----- Begin CAS Test -----"

waitUntil neighborhood loaded equal "z_Automation"

loadLot "CAS!"
waitUntil lot loaded equal "CAS!"
waitUntil gameState playMode equal "CASMode"
waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASFamilyUI"

logmessage "----- Create a new Family -----"

setDialog string "CASFamilyName" "Unit"

logmessage "----- Add a Sim to the family (Sim 1) -----"

waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASNewSim"
setDialog response "CASAddFamilyMemberButton" "CASAddFamilyMemberButton"
waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASAddFamilyMemberPanel"
setDialog response "CASAddFamilyMemberPanel" "CASAddSimButton"
waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASPanelButtons"

logmessage "----- Test CAS Panels -----"

include_script SimScript\Includes\CAS\CASSelectStep1.txt
include_script SimScript\Includes\CAS\CASSelectStep2.txt
include_script SimScript\Includes\CAS\CASSelectStep3.txt
include_script SimScript\Includes\CAS\CASSelectStep4.txt
include_script SimScript\Includes\CAS\CASSelectStep5.txt
include_script SimScript\Includes\CAS\CASSelectStep6.txt

logmessage "----- Exit CAS -----"

waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASControlPanel"
setDialog response "CASControlPanel" "CASCancelSim"
waitUntil dialog exists equal "StandardDialog"
setDialog response "StandardDialog" "Yes"

waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASFamilyUI"
setDialog response "CASMainUI" "CASCancelFamily"
waitUntil dialog exists equal "StandardDialog"
setDialog response "StandardDialog" "Yes"

waitUntil neighborhood loaded equal "z_Automation"

logmessage "----- CAS Unit Test Complete -----"
waitFor 5
quit false false


Hmm. So we can see at the top what happens when you load CAS (Maybe?).
First, the game loads the CAS lot, then it waits until it loads, and then waits once again for the "gameState playMode" to be "CASMode", then whatever "waitUntil dialog exists equal "CASFamilyUI"" means . Because these files in SimScript were used during development (Although it does mention NL and some other EP's?) I'm not sure if something changed after.

These were what useless but interesting(?) stuff I dug up from the SimScripts folder. That folder is certainly a gold mine for learning about TS2's development, and I find it quite funny that the developers of The Sims Life Stories left this out. I guess they just didn't really care about it although it does take up space in the game files.
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