Messages.tbl

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FSO Revision: 10943

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List of Tables and related code files
* Notes Modular Tables
** Notes tables which only use modular tables
Ai.tbl*	/ai/aicode.cpp
Ai_profiles.tbl*	/ai/ai_profiles.cpp
Animation.tbl**	/model/modelanimation.cpp
Armor.tbl*	/ship/ship.cpp
Asteroid.tbl*	/asteroid/asteroid.cpp
Autopilot.tbl*	/autopilot/autopilot.cpp
Cheats.tbl*	/cheats_table/cheats_table.cpp
Colors.tbl*	/globalincs/alphacolors.cpp
Curves.tbl*	/math/curves.cpp
Controlconfigdefaults.tbl	/controlconfig/controlsconfigcommon.cpp
Credits.tbl*	/menuui/credits.cpp
Cutscenes.tbl*	/cutscene/cutscenes.cpp
Decals.tbl**	/decals/decals.cpp
Fireball.tbl*	/fireball/fireballs.cpp
Fonts.tbl*	/graphics/font.cpp
Game_settings.tbl*	/mod_table/mod_table.cpp
Glowpoints.tbl*	/model/modelread.cpp
Help.tbl*	/gamehelp/contexthelp.cpp
Hud_gauges.tbl*	/hud/hudparse.cpp
Icons.tbl*	/mission/missionbriefcommon.cpp
Iff_defs.tbl*	/iff_defs/iff_defs.cpp
Keywords.tbl*	Not In Codebase
Lighting_Profiles.tbl*	/lighting/lighting_profiles.cpp
Lightning.tbl*	/nebula/neblightning.cpp
Mainhall.tbl*	/menuui/mainhallmenu.cpp
Medals.tbl*	/stats/medals.cpp
Messages.tbl*	/mission/missionmessage.cpp
Mflash.tbl*	/weapon/muzzleflash.cpp
Music.tbl*	/gamesnd/eventmusic.cpp
Nebula.tbl*	/nebula/neb.cpp
Objecttypes.tbl*	/ship/ship.cpp
Options.tbl*	Not In Codebase
Particle effects(-part.tbm)**	/particle/effects...
Post_processing.tbl	/graphics/gropenglpostprocessing.cpp
Rank.tbl*	/stats/scoring.cpp
Scpui.tbl*	Not In Codebase
Scripting.tbl*	/parse/scripting.cpp
Ships.tbl*	/ship/ship.cpp
Sexps.tbl**	/parse/sexp/sexp_lookup.cpp
Sounds.tbl*	/gamesnd/gamesnd.cpp
Species_defs.tbl*	/species_defs/species_defs.cpp
Species.tbl*	/menuui/techmenu.cpp
Ssm.tbl*	/hud/hudartillery.cpp
Stars.tbl*	/starfield/starfield.cpp
Strings.tbl*	/localization/localize.cpp
Tips.tbl*	/menuui/playermenu.cpp
Traitor.tbl*	/stats/scoring.cpp
Tstrings.tbl*	/localization/localize.cpp
Virtual_pofs.tbl*	/model/modelreplace.cpp
Weapon_expl.tbl*	/weapon/weapons.cpp
Weapons.tbl*	/weapon/weapons.cpp

The messages.tbl is used to link actions, animations, and sounds of the messages received during the mission. Personas are used to group messages by the same talker, for example, all the Wingman 1 (Male Terran Pilot) messages go with a Wingman 1 persona.

Each message is composed of a text macro, and optionally a head .ani and/or an audio macro.

This table is one of the Modular Tables and can be extended with xxx-msg.tbm

#Message Settings

FS2 Open, 23.2: Optional settings for messages behavior

$Allow Any Ship To Send Backup Messages:

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• By default, Backup messages won't play unless they have at least one filter. Enabling this option will enable backup messages globally
• Syntax: boolean

#Message Frequencies

FS2 Open, 3.6.16: Optional Group. Defines how often and how many times during the campaign the messages should be shown.

$Name:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

Required. Defines the message to augment.

• Syntax: String
• Available Values: See $Name in Messages.tbl

+Occurrence Chance:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

Optional. Defines the % chance this message will be played when the associated event occurs. For example, if you score a kill, and the +Occurrence Chance: is 10 for a Praise message, then there is a 10% chance that you a Praise message will play.

• Syntax: Integer
• Available Values: Between 0 and 100

+Maximum Count:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

Optional. Defines the maximum number of times this message will be played during a given mission.

• Syntax: Integer

+Minimum Delay:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

Optional. Defines a minimum delay time between instances of this message being sent. This applies globally across all message sources. Only supported for certain message types: Check 6, Help, Praise (which applies to High Praise as well), Praise Self, and Death. As of FSO 24.2, also supported for Arrive Enemy and Backup (which applies to the legacy Beta/Gamma/Delta/Epsilon Arrived messages as well).

#Moods

FS2 Open, 3.6.16: Optional. You can change the mission mood using the new set-mission-mood SEXP, and those moods can be used to filter what built-in messages are played by defining a mood within a message. This section lists all available moods for use in the table and in the SEXP.

$Mood:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

Optional. The name of a mood to be attached to a message and set as a mission mood. Example: Happy, Vengeful, etc.

• Syntax: String

#End

FS2 Open, 3.6.16: The moods section, if it exists, must end with #End.

#Personas

Required. The #Personas group is used to define the all of the personas used for the messages.

$Persona:

Required. Defines the name of the persona

• Syntax: String
  

$Type:

Required. Defines the type of the persona

• Syntax: String
• Available types:

wingman

support

large

command

+<Species>

Optional. The +<Species> (such as +Vasudan) can be used to assign personas to other species. If omitted, the Persona is assigned to the default species.

• Syntax: +String
  

FS2 Open, 23.2: This line can now appear multiple times, allowing a persona to be used by multiple species.

$Allow substitution of missing messages:

FS2 Open, 3.7.4: Optional. This is set to true by default, meaning that in cases where a Persona does not have defined messages for all built-in message types, the engine will try to find a matching message from other personas of the same type and species.

• Syntax: Boolean
  

$No automatic assignment:

FS2 Open, 23.2: Optional. This excludes a persona from being assigned to a ship that needs to send a message but does not have a specific persona assigned.

• Syntax: Boolean
  

#Messages

Required. The #Messages group contains all available messages.

$Name:

Required. Defines the type of the message

• Syntax: String
• Available types (types marked with * do not have code support) :
  • All Alone
  • All Clear *
  • Arrive Enemy
  • Attack Target
  • AWACS at 25
  • AWACS at 75
  • Backup
  • Check 6
  • Death
  • Depart
  • Disable Target
  • Disarm Target
  • Docking Start *
  • Engage
  • Help
  • Ignore Target
  • Instructor Attack
  • Instructor Hit
  • No Target
  • No
  • On way
  • Oops 1 * (Only Command has code support in Retail)
  • Permission *
  • Player Dead
  • Praise
  • Rearm on Way
  • Rearm warping in
  • Rearm
  • Repair Aborted
  • Repair Done
  • Repair
  • Stray Warning Final
  • Stray Warning
  • Stray *
  • Support Killed
  • Traitor
  • yes

FS2 Open, 3.6.12:

• • High Praise
  • Praise Self
  • Primaries Low

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• • Attack Subsystem
  • Cover me
  • Form on my wing
  • Protect Target

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• • The following have been deprecated. Use Backup with a +Wing Name: Filter instead.
    • Beta Arrived
    • Gamma Arrived
    • Delta Arrived
    • Epsilon Arrived

$Message: and $MessageNew:

Defines the message shown in game screen when the message is triggered. Value is a reference to tstrings.tbl.
$Message: is used for single-line messages, while $MessageNew: is used for multi-line messages (but can also be used for single-line messages)

• $MessageNew: is preferred over $Message:
• Syntax: XSTR("string", integer)
  

+Persona:

Optional. Defines the persona associated with the message

• Syntax:

String

+AVI Name:

Optional. Determines the ANI file to be played when the message is triggered.

In FSO 3.7.4 and later, the game initially attempts to use the file <string>.ani with a persona message. In earlier versions, or if <string>.ani does not exist, the game picks one of <string>a.ani, <string>b.ani and <string>c.ani each time. So if you have defined +Avi Name: Head-Joe, and Head-Joe.ani does not exist, the game will attempt to use the files Head-Joea.ani, Head-Joeb.ani and Head-Joec.ani. For wingmen personas, the c variant is assumed to be a death animation.

• Syntax: String
  

+Wave Name:

Optional. Sets the sounds file that is played when the message is triggered

• Syntax: String
  

$Mood:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

The mood where this message should ideally be played. It may be played on other moods as long as it is not excluded for them below, if no better matching message is found.

• Syntax: String

$Exclude Mood:

FS2 Open, 3.6.16:

A list of moods not to play this message, ever. The list goes in parentheses. See Terran 'Attack Target' example below for usage.

• Syntax: String List

$Filter by sender:

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Control when this message can be sent based on the ship sending it. For example, you may want to give a pilot different lines based on whether they're flying a fighter or bomber.
• This may be followed by any number of filters. All filters must match for a message to be sent. A message with at least one filter is preferred to a message with no filters.
• Behind the scenes, "Beta Arrived", "Gamma Arrived", "Delta Arrived", and "Epsilon Arrived" messages are converted to Backup messages with a sender filter. This can be done manually to let other wings announce themselves; for example, $Filter by sender: +Wing: Zeta sets up a "Zeta Arrived" message.
• Syntax: See Filters

$Filter by subject:

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Control when this message can be sent based on the ship the message is "about". For order confirmations, the subject is the target of the order. For Praise/High Praise/Praise Self messages, it's the ship that died. For Help and Check 6, it's the attacker. For arrival messages, it's the wing leader of the arriving wing.
• For example, you might want to provide a special message when enemy bombers arrive, or a special confirmation when attacking a warship.
• This may be followed by any number of filters. All filters must match for a message to be sent. A message with at least one filter is preferred to a message with no filters.
• Syntax: See Filters

$Filter by other ship:

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Control when this message can be sent based on some other ship in the mission.
• This may be followed by any number of filters. At least one ship in the mission must match these filters, as well as the range checks below, if specified. A message with at least one filter is preferred to a message with no filters.
• Syntax: See Filters

+Within range of sender:

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Require that the 'other ship' must be within a certain range of the ship sending the message.
• Syntax: Integer

$Prefer this message very highly

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Prefer this message to any message without $Prefer this message very highly set.

$Prefer this message highly

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Prefer this message to any message without $Prefer this message highly or $Prefer this message very highly set.

$Prefer this message

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Prefer this message to any message without $Prefer this message, $Prefer this message highly or $Prefer this message very highly set.

#End

FS2 Open, 3.6.16: The very last entry must be #End. No exceptions.

#Simulated Speech Overrides

FS2 Open, 3.6.14: Optional. Used to add file names to the generic message list, which defaults to 'none', 'cuevoice', 'cue_voice', 'emptymsg', 'generic', and 'msgstart'. Filenames listed below will be overridden by Text to Speech (TTS) when it is enabled, in addition to those in the default list.

$File Name:

FS2 Open, 3.6.14:

Optional. File name to add to the overrides list. Filenames provided here, however, must include an extension or a warning will be issues, for example msg_1.wav.

• Syntax: String

#End

FS2 Open, 3.6.14: Must also end the optional Simulated Speech Overrides section with #End.

Filters

FS2 Open, 23.2:

• Messages can be filtered with $Filter by sender:, $Filter by subject:, or $Filter by other ship:.
• These can be applied multiple times for each filer. So the following example would match Vasudan or Shivan Bombers and nothing else.

+Species: Vasudan
+Species: Shivan
+Type: Bomber

+Ship name:

• Matches the name of the ship
• Syntax: String

+Callsign:

• Matches the callsign of the ship
• Syntax: String

+Class name:

• Matches the class of the ship
• Respects alt-names as defined in FRED
• Syntax: String

+Wing name:

• Matches the wing that the ship is in
• Syntax: String

+Species:

• Matches the species of the ship
• Syntax: String

+Type:

• Matches the type of the ship as defined in objecttypes.tbl
• Syntax: String

+Team:

• Matches the ship's team as defined in Iff_defs.tbl
• Typically used with 'other ship' filters
• Syntax: String

Sample

This is a snippet of the retail FreeSpace 2 table, highlighting two major examples between a default (Terran) persona and a species (Vasudan) persona. Command, Support, and Large ship message examples are also included. Newer features have been added for extra clarification of their usage.

;; This is a list of moods that the game will use for builtin 
;; messages. Any message without a mood is treated as General

#Moods

$Mood: Happy
$Mood: Angry
$Mood: Vengeful

#End

#Personas

$Persona: Wingman 1	  
$Type: wingman

$Persona: Wingman 6
$Type: wingman
+Vasudan

$Persona: Support Ship
$Type: support

$Persona: Support Ship Vasudan
$Type: support
+Vasudan

$Persona: Large Ship
$Type: large

$Persona: Large Ship Vasudan
$Type: large
+Vasudan

$Persona: Terran Command
$Type: Command

#Messages


;; ALL CLEAR ..................................................................................

$Name: All Clear
$Message: XSTR("Command, we have secured the area.", 2725)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_allclear.wav

$Name: All Clear
$Message: XSTR("All enemy forces negated.", 2730)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_allclear.wav

;; ARRIVAL (Enemy) ...................................................................

$Name: Arrive Enemy
$Message: XSTR("Bandits incoming!", 1079)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_arrival.wav

$Name: Arrive Enemy
$Message: XSTR("Reading hostile indicators.", 2734)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_arrival.wav

$Name: Arrive Enemy
$Message: XSTR("Incoming jump signature! Hostile configuration!", 2736)
+Persona: Terran Command
+Avi Name: Head-CM2
+Wave Name: TC_arrival.wav

;; ATTACK MY TARGET ...........................................................................

$Name: Attack Target
$Message: XSTR("Roger that, sir. Engaging your target.", 2737)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_attack.wav

$Name: Attack Target
$Message: XSTR("Yes sir, I'll make the bastards pay for Capella!", 2737)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_attack_shivans_suck.wav
$Mood: Vengeful
$Exclude Mood: ( "Happy" )
$Filter by subject:
+Species: Shivan

$Name: Attack Target
$Message: XSTR("Yes sir. I just love killing Shivans!", 2737)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_attack_love_killing_shivans.wav
$Mood: Happy
$Exclude Mood: ( "Angry" "Vengeful" )
$Filter by subject:
+Species: Shivan

$Name: Attack Target
$Message: XSTR("Affirmative. We will destroy your target.", 2742)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_attack.wav

$Name: Attack Target
$Message: XSTR("Affirmative. Bombing run commencing.", 2802)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_attack_bombing.wav
$Filter by sender:
+Type: Bomber
$Filter by subject:
+Type: Transport
+Type: Freighter
+Type: AWACS
+Type: Gas Miner
+Type: Cruiser
+Type: Corvette
+Type: Capital
+Type: Super Cap
+Type: Drydock

;; BACKUP ARRIVAL (previously named "REINFORCEMENTS") .........................................

; These line won't be used unless $Allow Any Ship To Send Backup Messages: is turned on.

$Name: Backup
$Message: XSTR("Reinforcements on station. Request status brief.", 2744)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_backup.wav

$Name: Backup
$Message: XSTR("We are here to assist. What is your status?", 2749)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_backup.wav

; This line will be used, since it has a filter.

$Name: Backup
$Message: XSTR("Omega wing on station. Request permission to kick ass.", 2803)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_backup_omega.wav
$Filter by sender:
+Wing: Omega

;; BETA WING ARRIVAL ..........................................................................

$Name: Beta Arrived
$Message: XSTR("Beta wing here. Standing by.", 2751)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_beta.wav

$Name: Beta Arrived
$Message: XSTR("Beta wing is on station.", 2756)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_beta.wav

;; CHECK YOUR SIX .............................................................................

$Name: Check 6
$Message: XSTR("Check your six!", 2758)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_Check6.wav

$Name: Check 6
$Message: XSTR("Take evasive action, pilot!", 2763)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_Check6.wav

;; DEATH (previously wingman scream)...................................................

$Name: Death
$Message: XSTR("Noooooooo!!!", 2765)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_Death.wav

$Name: Death
$Message: XSTR("Avenge me!", 2770)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_Death.wav

;; DELTA WING ARRIVAL .........................................................................

$Name: Delta Arrived
$Message: XSTR("This is Delta wing. What's your status?", 2772)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_Delta.wav

; Or equivalently...
; $Name: Delta Arrived
; $Message: XSTR("This is Delta wing. What's your status?", 2772)
; +Persona: Wingman 1
; +Avi Name: Head-TP1
; +Wave Name: 1_Delta.wav
; $Filter by sender:
; +Wing: Delta

$Name: Delta Arrived
$Message: XSTR("Delta wing is ready to assist, pilot.", 2777)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_Delta.wav

;; DEPART (previously named "WARPOUT") ........................................................

$Name: Depart
$Message: XSTR("Yes, sir! I'm outta here!", 2779)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_depart.wav

$Name: Depart
$Message: XSTR("We are departing as ordered.", 2784)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_depart.wav

$Name: Depart
$Message: XSTR("I copy. Engaging jump drive now.", 2786)
+Persona: Support Ship
+Avi Name: Head-TP3
+Wave Name: S_depart.wav

$Name: Depart
$Message: XSTR("Departing field of engagement.", 2787)
+Persona: Support Ship Vasudan
+Avi Name: Head-VP2
+Wave Name: VS_depart.wav

$Name: Depart
$Message: XSTR("We are departing as ordered.", 2788)
+Persona: Large Ship Vasudan
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_depart.wav

;; DISABLE TARGET .............................................................................

$Name: Disable Target
$Message: XSTR("Roger that, sir. Disabling your target.", 2789)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_Disable.wav 

$Name: Disable Target
$Message: XSTR("Affirmative. Disabling your target.", 2794)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_Disable.wav

;; DISARM TARGET ..............................................................................

$Name: Disarm Target
$Message: XSTR("Yes, sir! Targeting weapons now!", 2796)
+Persona: Wingman 1
+Avi Name: Head-TP1
+Wave Name: 1_Disarm.wav 

$Name: Disarm Target
$Message: XSTR("Acknowledged. Weapon subsystem targeted. ", 2801)
+Persona: Wingman 6
+Avi Name: Head-VP1
+Wave Name: 6_Disarm.wav 

#End

#Simulated Speech Overrides

$File Name: msg_1.wav
$File Name: msg_2.wav
$File Name: msg_3.wav
$File Name: msg_4.wav
$File Name: msg_5.wav
$File Name: msg_6.wav

#End