So like I keep coming upon script like this.

scn CrNightkinCloakUntilFireScriptshort combatcheckshort soundcheckfloat timerEffectint Cloaked								; 0 = Stealth Boy effect not on											; 1 = Stealth Boy effect on											; This var is meant to ensure we never try to remove											; the effect when it's not already on.begin onLoad	ModActorValue sneak 100	; Add the effect, update the flag	if Cloaked == 0		addspell StealthBoyInvisibilitySpell		set Cloaked to 1	endif	set soundcheck to 0	set timerEffect to 0endbegin OnSTARTCombat	set combatcheck to 1endbegin OnCombatEND	set combatcheck to 0endbegin OnDeath	set combatcheck to 0	; If the nightkin is currently using the Stealth Boy effect, remove it	if Cloaked == 1		RemoveSpell StealthBoyInvisibilitySpell		set Cloaked to 0	endifendbegin GameMode	ref refvar             ;   <--------------- YO ITS RIGHT IN THE BLOCK	set refvar to this		;if GetDetected player	;	startcombat player	;endif	if combatcheck == 1		ref mytarget       ;   <---------------------- YO IT DID IT AGAIN		set mytarget to refvar.GetCombatTarget		endif	else		if refvar.GetDead == 0;			addspell StealthBoyInvisibilitySpell					set soundcheck to 0		endif	endif	if GetAnimAction == 2 && Cloaked == 1;		ShowWarning "Nightkin attacking, decloaking now"		RemoveSpell StealthBoyInvisibilitySpell		set Cloaked to 0	endifend

And this isn't the only place I've seen this.

Alright so. huh??? I didn't even know you could do that?

According to the http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/Declaring_Variables:


So, yeah... you can do it, but it's just like indenting IF blocks, it just makes maintaining the script easier if you declare all the variables at the top of the script.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* begins a new era of unreadable, cryptic, yet functional code *

hehehehh

I think I'll follow you on that. People already complain about my scripts being almost indecipherable, so I'll really give them something to scratch the head over.

That might really be fun, seeing how disorienting we can make the scripts...

lol... :slap:
There is nothing new about cryptic scripts around here, but I do have some tips for ya,
don't use comments
no blank lines
no indents
don't use descriptive variable names
don't use capitalization....

Oh, and when you post your script because it is impossible to debug, don't use CODE tags, or SPOILER tags.... so that it will end up looking something like this:

scn sssgunnysackcontscript
int actstate
int button
float gsw
begin onactivate
if isactionref player == 1
if sssgunnysackcontstasisref.actstate == 1
set gsw to sssgunnysackcontstasisref.fgsiw
set sssgunnysackcontstasisref.actstate to 2
endif
showmessage sssgunnysackcontmessage
set actstate to 1
endif
end
begin gamemode
if actstate != 0
if actstate == 1
set button to getbuttonpressed
if button > -1
if button == 0
float iw1
set iw1 to player.getav inventoryweight
activate player 0
set actstate to 2
return
elseif button == 1
if gsw != sssgunnysackcontstasisref.fgsiw
set sssgunnysackcontstasisref.fgsiw to gsw
set gsw to (gsw + 0.1)
setweight gsw sssgunnysackmisc
endif
removeallitems sssgunnysackcontstasisref, 1
player.additem sssgunnysackmisc 1 1
set sssgunnysackcontstasisref.actstate to 0
set actstate to 0
disable
markfordelete
endif
endif
endif
if actstate == 2
float iw2
set iw2 to player.getav inventoryweight
if iw1 != iw2
set iw1 to (iw1 - iw2)
set gsw to (gsw + iw1)
endif
set actstate to 0
endif
endif
end

...pretty, ain't it? :dance:

Well thing is - - - its possible for code to be cryptic and nuts. yet be indented perfectly, and commented, and capitalized, and ...

Yeah see that's where it's at! "doesn't this code look nice" "well yeah but ... " hehe

I don't have FO3's geck open ATM but, the FOOK follower weapon selection code is kinda like... that.

If you really want to make your scripts hard to follow, use misleading variable names. Mixing up common variable names like "doOnce", "count" or "target" can make a script take ages to follow. If you're really dedicated/evil, then you can use FNVEdit to remove the source code from your plugin so anyone trying to edit it has only the compiled code to work with, which is pretty much entirely useless for editing purposes.

I didn't know that it was permissible to declare variables within begin/end blocks before now, thanks for posting this. That's 2 new things about script syntax I've learned today, which doesn't happen very often anymore (the other being that semicolons in strings are treated as the beginning of a line comment and therefore result in a "mismatched quotes" syntax error).

Cipscis

Well I was laughing at the above part because of it sounding funny...



That one I don't like.... it's got Nilla****ster written all over it.... not even funny...




Semicolons what?

Umm I want you to know that I'm kidding about personally trying to make my scripts cryptic.... I would like my scripts to be understandable in fact but, I think sometimes the processes are hard to document well :/

To top it off, make sure to prefix all your floats with 'b', bools with 'r', refs with 'i', and integers with 'f'. That'll really help with the legibility. Also, extraneous parenthesis always help! Another thing one could do is use FormID's whenever possible instead of Editor ID's.

Don't forget the ultimate encryption to variable names and Editor IDs, majuscule "i" and minuscule "L" in random order of ~20 characters! I'll personally be using this tactic...

There'll be no doubt about people rippin' my junk.

I know. I'm kidding too, don't worry.
Extra endifs could also help. Something like this, for example, should be hard to follow:To save you a bit of time, it adds 3 caps to the player's inventory every iteration, but only if NVSE is loaded. Ugh, now I feel dirty...

Cipscis

I don't believe I could code like that ... !!!! I couldn't tell the variables apart myself. But funny to think about! Kinda, um.



I thought those were a feature, actually... ask Justin, he'll tell ya.

Hah! :laugh: This thread is hilarious. Adding a 'glOb' suffix to local variables is brilliant! I think I'll go revise all my scripts now to make sure everything doesn't not make any more (I mean less) sense those who might read them. I might even experiment with reverse indentation.

this is puke omg.

I should see if I can find the list I have (or at least had at some point) of syntax errors that the GECK will accept, like extra "endif" statements, conditions on "else" statements, and "elseif" statements after there's already been an "else" statement.

Cipscis

Those are my absolute favorite! Every script should have at least two or three, particularly when they have ElseIf/ElseIf/EndIf sections with no 'If' and are reverse-indented. :laugh: If it compiles; it's perfect, right?

Yep, a high endif:if ratio is a hallmark of a good scripter! They should also be able to use unclear and little-known function aliases such as http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/, http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/GetSelf, http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/DamageObject, and http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/AddNote.

Calling non-reference functions on references is another great way to confuse readers, particularly if the function reads as though it might be a reference function, like http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/RewardXP and http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/RewardKarma.

Cipscis

	set refvar to this

I had wondered...

what... the.. hell..

Now I know!

.... I'd like to know what/how/something that guy knew all this weird [censored] like "this" being an alias for getself... I don't think I saw "this" in Fallout 3's esm (maybe its there but really, I just did not see it in my travels).

I've known about that one since Oblivion, although I don't think it's ever been in common use. http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/DamageObject was the one that really confused me at first in Fallout 3. I've used http://fose.silverlock.org/Fallout3Commands.html of functions from the initial release of Fallout 3 to confirm most aliases.

I couldn't find a list of syntax errors that the GECK will admit, although if I really wanted to (I don't) I could pull one out of my validator. I'm fairly familiar with it though, thanks to doing plenty of work in that department. I don't think I've every used my powers for evil like this before though, haha.

Cipscis

Don't forget about using NVSE's Label and GoTo bloody everywhere just because you can, no matter if it's supposed to be a loop or not.

Jumping between blocks as well, naturally. Multiple labels of the same index also help, and I'd be thoroughly impressed if I could see a working script obfuscated to a reasonable degree in this way.

Cipscis

EDIT:

Speaking of blocks, you absolutely must have multiple blocks of the same type. Ideally, different sections of code should be separated into different blocks:
Cipscis

you guys are making my head hurt.

:sadvaultboy:

This thread is awesome.



"this" is a commonly used keyword in object-oriented programming languages (Ie. C++) as a pointer to the object the executing code is a member of (sorry, my explanation-fu is weak, so don't blame me if the exact words I used are wrong )

Ugh, I despise the use of "do". It took me days to figure out that it stood for DamageObject.

Yeah, I agree. Luckily, it's one of the things that my http://www.cipscis.com/fallout/utilities/validator.aspx can "fix". Whenever I'm having trouble following a script, I run it through my validator with "long aliases" and "standardise capitalisation" ticked, which forces all known functions and keywords to use their long aliases, and the capitalisation scheme that I use when writing scripts.

If use of an alias in order to shorten code requires more comments to be added in order to prevent the code from becoming difficult to follow, it's not a very useful alias.

@Weirwynn:
Sounds like a good explanation to me.

Cipscis