Messages.tbl

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FSO Revision: 10943

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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.

List of Tables

#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 the minimum delay time between being queue by the game and the time the message actually plays. (This helps simulate "organic" AI's)

• Syntax: Integer in milliseconds

#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
  

$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
  

#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) :

Arrive Enemy

Attack Target

Beta Arrived

Check 6

Engage

Gamma Arrived

Help

Praise

Backup

Ignore Target

No

Oops 1 * (Only Command has code support in Retail)

Permission *

Stray *

Depart

yes

Rearm on Way

On way

Rearm warping in

No Target

Docking Start *

Repair Done

Repair Aborted

Traitor

Rearm

Disable Target

Disarm Target

Player Dead

Death

Support Killed

All Clear *

All Alone

Repair

Delta Arrived

Epsilon Arrived

Instructor Hit

Instructor Attack

Stray Warning

Stray Warning Final

AWACS at 75

AWACS at 25

FS2 Open, 3.6.12:

Praise Self

High Praise

Primaries Low

$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

#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', '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.

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.wav
$Mood: Vengeful
$Exclude Mood: ( "Happy" )

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

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

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

$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

;; 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

$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