Explain the needs system?

[WiseWoodrow]

Heyo, just some guy trying to get into modding here - can someone explain the properties for needs.txt?

IE, things like AutoCharge, Chance, RandomActionPoints? I've tried figuring these out myself by just setting random values and changing them around, as well as copying other needs and modifying them/renaming them, but it doesn't appear my needs.txt is doing anything whatsoever, so I'd appreciate some more information on what different values of the needs do.


Specifically, amongst my toying about, I attempted to make a new need using another need (freedom, I believe) as a template, and the mod schema aswell -

Code: Select all

BEGIN Need       
    Name                 StartRiot 
    Priority             9   
    MisbehaviorType      Rioting 
    TimeToAction         20.00 
    TimeToFailure        20.00 
    StartingActionPoints 10 
    RandomActionPoints   10 
    Chance               1.00000   
    Visibility           Visible
    Properties           AutoCharge
    Properties           RaisesTemp
END

Though, since I'm not aware what most of the properties do, I can't tell what exactly this is suppose to do, or why it might not work, apart from that it "raises temp" and causes rioting of some sort.
(The name being startRiot, as I'm seeing if I can mod in a need that nearly instantly causes a riot.)

[knoest26]

Code: Select all

BEGIN Need       
    Name                 StartRiot   (Name of the need)
    Priority             9   (The importance of the need, 0 is low, 9 is high)
    MisbehaviorType      Rioting   (What the prisoner will do when this need cannot be satisfied)
    TimeToAction         20.00    (Time untill the MisbehaviorType is executed, in seconds)
    TimeToFailure        20.00   (Time untill the prisoner will fail (overdose in case of drugs))
    StartingActionPoints 10   (Points all prisoners start with)
    RandomActionPoints   10    (Random amount of points that can be added to the prisoner)
    Chance               1.00000    (The chance of a prisoner having this need)
    Visibility           Visible   (Toggles visibility(Drugs and Alcohol are set to invisible))
    Properties           AutoCharge   (The need will auto recharge after it has been lowered of the misbehavior has occurred)
    Properties           RaisesTemp   (Raises the overall 'temperature' of your prison)
END

[WiseWoodrow]

Code: Select all

BEGIN Need       
    Name                 StartRiot   (Name of the need)
    Priority             9   (The importance of the need, 0 is low, 9 is high)
    MisbehaviorType      Rioting   (What the prisoner will do when this need cannot be satisfied)
    TimeToAction         20.00    (Time untill the MisbehaviorType is executed, in seconds)
    TimeToFailure        20.00   (Time untill the prisoner will fail (overdose in case of drugs))
    StartingActionPoints 10   (Points all prisoners start with)
    RandomActionPoints   10    (Random amount of points that can be added to the prisoner)
    Chance               1.00000    (The chance of a prisoner having this need)
    Visibility           Visible   (Toggles visibility(Drugs and Alcohol are set to invisible))
    Properties           AutoCharge   (The need will auto recharge after it has been lowered of the misbehavior has occurred)
    Properties           RaisesTemp   (Raises the overall 'temperature' of your prison)
END

Thanks, I appreciate that. Though, I don't see that need pop up when I've inserted it into needs.txt and enabled my mod.


Edit: Yeah, I just now realized I've had the mod enabled for quite some time, no riots, nor needs. What am I doin wrong?

[knoest26]

Did you activate the mod properly? where did you place the file? have you made the language file for it?

[keep_on]

Have you set a Provider for this new need. Not sure that you can create a need that can't be satisfied...

[WiseWoodrow]

Did you activate the mod properly? where did you place the file? have you made the language file for it?

Oh, I need one of those language file things for needs?

Else, it was in the proper data folder in the mod folder, yeah, it was activated right. I'll go research the language file.


..What would that be, need_StartRiot or something? Syntax for that language bit if you will?



Edit:

Opening up my Needs in the game menu, shows Need_Name_StartRiot, though nobody has that need, so I'm obviously doing something wrong with how people actually get that need.

I guess the only thing that isn't happening, is the need isn't "increasing". I totally overlooked the fact I might simply not know how to make a need actually increase.

[knoest26]

The property 'autocharge' should mean that it increases again but I believe your issue is a lot more simple; did you start on a new map?

[WiseWoodrow]

The property 'autocharge' should mean that it increases again but I believe your issue is a lot more simple; did you start on a new map?

Should I have to? That sort of defeats the purpose of the mod to begin with, I sorta wanted it to just make my prisoners go insane and start rioting at the click of a mod. Guess not, then?

It appeared on new prisoners, though didn't go up, so I wish it would actually work, but dang.

EDIT:
Toying around, I foolishly removed the autocharge property - putting it back, now it works on new prisoners.
Though, the fact that it doesn't work on existing prisoners still applies, making it fairly useless to me still.

[elDiablo]

Needs are given to prisoners when they are generated, so only when they arrive at your prison. Existing prisoners have their needs saved in the save file and are never re-generated. Existing prisoner's needs are saved to keep track of their need levels, etc.

[knoest26]

Needs are given to prisoners when they are generated, so only when they arrive at your prison. Existing prisoners have their needs saved in the save file and are never re-generated. Existing prisoner's needs are saved to keep track of their need levels, etc.

what he said

[WiseWoodrow]

Well, shux. That really puts a damper on modding for me.

[elDiablo]

The mod system is being worked on, and will likely open up more systems in the future.

[WiseWoodrow]

I do hope so. Mods that require restarting a prison are sadface for a game like this.

[MikaelMello]

How can i remove a need?