Lua Programming Help Thread

[GuitarGod1134]

HEY CHEEZ PIRATE CATCH!!!!!!
http://dl.qj.net/lua-player-v0.20-mo...8717/catid/151

Lol.

[EminentJonFrost]

edit - nvrmind. ...the mistake was embarrassing...lol

[gameo]

Allright EminentJonFrost, seems like errors never end:

Error: index.lua 27: ´then´ expected near ´x64´

[EminentJonFrost]

um, lol, wheres the script?

[gameo]

Here it is:

white = Color.new(255, 255, 255)

screenrint(136, 136, "Loading LUA Pong...", white)
screen.flip()

background = Image.load("Background.pn g")

bat11 = Image.load("Bat1.png")

bat21 = Image.load("Bat2.png")

bat1 = { x = 20, y = 100 }
bat2 = { x = 460, y = 100 }

ball = { x = 240, y = 146, image = Image.load("Ball.png") }

screen.waitVblankStart(60 )

while true do

screen:clear()
screen:blit(bat1.x, bat1.y, bat11, true)
screen:blit(bat2.x, bat2.y, bat21, true)

pad = Controls.read()

if ball.x == bat.x and ball.y >= bat.y and ball.x < 16x64 then
bounce away
end

if pad:down() then
bat1.y = bat1.y +2
end

if pad:up() then
bat1.y = bat1.y -2
end

if pad:cross() then
bat2.y = bat2.y +2
end

if pad:triangle() then
bat2.y = bat2.y -2
end

if pad:start() then
break
end

screenrint(136, 136, "Welcome to the world of PPP.", white)
screen.waitVblankStart()
screen.flip()
end

[GuitarGod1134]

Are you trying to say if ball.x is greater then the number that is the answer of 16 multiplied by 64? Because I dont see a variable 16x64 in your code.
So if you would like that to be 16 multiplied by 64 which is pointless I think because you can just use the number 1024. but if thats what you want then this should work.

if ball.x == bat.x and ball.y >= bat.y and ball.x < (16*64) then

but i would just do

if ball.x == bat.x and ball.y >= bat.y and ball.x < 1024 then

not to mention bounce away isnt a valid statement.

also while ur loading ur background there is a space in the suffix it should be Background.png not background.pn g

[gameo]

EminentJonFrost explained that i should write the size of my image there.

And the error with background.pn g thats not me, its a little error in QJ or something, because my script is not like that.

[GuitarGod1134]

But Am I right u mean 16 multiplied by 64 right?

[gameo]

Yes. Not ment as a variable.

And the "bounce away" that was eminentjonfrost who told me to write that.

[EminentJonFrost]

i shoulda clarified a bit there... sorry
lemme do it in an edit...gimme a sec

EDIT - ok, lets say that your image of the bat is 5x20. so its 4 times as high is it wide. that wont make a pretty paddle for ping pong, but it fits this example.

the coordinates (i use this word alot lately..) for the image, if it were blitted at (10, 10) would be:
10,10-----15, 10
|
10, 30-----15, 30

pretend thats an image. lol

now, the way to make the ball do something when it comes into contact is to make sure the ball cannot enter the image without something happening.

image = { x = 10, x2 = 15, y = 10, y2 = 30 } -- see where i got these numbers from?

those numbers are from 'image' i made above. look at it until it makes sense.

so this is the code for the 'if' statement. (the if statement is for this example, you gotta change the numbers to fit your case)

if ball.x < image.x2 and ball.x > image.x and ball.y < image.y2 and ball.y > image.y then
bounce away or do something
end

it looks like you're alot newer to this than i thought. you're supposed to put your own code in the if statement so that you get the ball to do what you want, but i dont think you know how to yet...

[GuitarGod1134]

Ok well you use (16*64) then because the x is read according to lua player as a letter the multiplication operator is *.
And do you know what to put where bounce away is? could help u if u dont.

[gameo]

allright.

[EminentJonFrost]

my last post should help...

[eldiablov]

Im really gettin angry i'm making my game and there must be such a simple error but i just cant see it. line 12 loop in gettable. Whats wrong ?
white = Color.new(255,255,255)
kitchen = Image.load("kitchen.png")
Player = Image.load("mouse.png")
while true do
pad = Controls.read()
if pad:up() then
Player.y = Player.y + 1
end
if pad:down() then
Player.y = Player.y - 1
end
if pad:right() then
Player.x = Player.x + 1
end
if pad:left() then
Player.x = Player.x - 2
end
screen:clear()
screen:blit(0,0,kitchen)
screen:blit(240,130,Playe r)
screen.waitVblankStart()
screen.flip()
end

[Grimfate126]

Im really gettin angry i'm making my game and there must be such a simple error but i just cant see it. line 12 loop in gettable. Whats wrong ?
white = Color.new(255,255,255)
kitchen = Image.load("kitchen.png")
Player = Image.load("mouse.png")
while true do
pad = Controls.read()
if pad:up() then
Player.y = Player.y + 1
end
if pad:down() then
Player.y = Player.y - 1
end
if pad:right() then
Player.x = Player.x + 1
end
if pad:left() then
Player.x = Player.x - 2
end
screen:clear()
screen:blit(0,0,kitchen)
screen:blit(240,130,Playe r)
screen.waitVblankStart()
screen.flip()
end

you havent defined anything called "Player.x" or "Player.y"

[eldiablov]

Erm i just thought that it'd know that it's the players co-ordinates ?

[EminentJonFrost]

you gotta give player.x and player.y values.
edit - nope. you gotta spell it out for luaplayer.

[TacticalPenguin]

Luaplayer doesn't know ANYTHING except for what to do when you give it a command. You can't go off using undefined variables.

[eldiablov]

Ive added this in
Player = {}
Player.x = 230
Player.y = 135

then carry on as normal but it still doesnt work. Someone give me some sort of direction

[TacticalPenguin]

"but it doesn't work"

What error does it give?

I know what's wrong, but you DO need to be more specific in "it doesn't work"

Anyways, you need to define the player's image with a different variable than the x-y table. Also you need to put player.x and player.y inside the table, like this:
Player = { x = blah, y = blah }

[eldiablov]

Ok thank you ill try it

[Vaza]

It says image expected got table and i define the players image on Player = Image.load("mouse.png") dont i ?

after you do player = {}
do: Player.img = Image.load("mouse.png")

then change all the times you use Player to Player.img
--Vaza
-= Double Post =-

"but it doesn't work"

What error does it give?

I know what's wrong, but you DO need to be more specific in "it doesn't work"

Anyways, you need to define the player's image with a different variable than the x-y table. Also you need to put player.x and player.y inside the table, like this:
Player = { x = blah, y = blah }

you don't HAVE to do that.
you can define like player.x, but its cleaner this way^^
--Vaza

[eldiablov]

white = Color.new(255,255,255)
kitchen = Image.load("kitchen.png")
Player.img = {x = 240, y = 130}
Player.img = Image.load("mouse.png")
while true do
pad = Controls.read()
if pad:up() then
Player.img.y = Player.y + 1
end
if pad:down() then
Player.img.y = Player.img.y - 1
end
if pad:right() then
Player.img.x = Player.img.x + 1
end
if pad:left() then
Player.img.x = Player.img.x - 2
end
screen:blit(240,130,Playe r.img)
screen:clear()
screen:blit(0,0,kitchen)
screen.waitVblankStart()
screen.flip()
end

ATtempt to index Player a nil value ?

[TacticalPenguin]

You defined player as a table then you defined it as an image.

Luaplayer thinks player is an image.

You need to use different variables when defining them.

[eldiablov]

Sorry to go on but could you go further into what you're saying i'm quite new to this

[TacticalPenguin]

white = Color.new(255,255,255)
kitchen = Image.load("kitchen.png")
Player = {x = 240, y = 130, img = Image.load("mouse.png") }
while true do
pad = Controls.read()
if pad:up() then
Player.y = Player.y - 1
end
if pad:down() then
Player.y = Player.y + 1 -- You had the +/- backwards
end
if pad:right() then
Player.x = Player.x + 1
end
if pad:left() then
Player.x = Player.x - 2
end
screen:clear()
screen:blit(0,0,kitchen)
screen:blit(Player.x,Play er.y,Player.img)
screen.waitVblankStart()
screen.flip()
end
You needed to fix a few different things. There's a script that SHOULD do as intended.

[eldiablov]

You don't know how much i appreciate that. Thanks very much to all three of you

[pspillows]

Okay, I just started LUA yesterday... I made a little sample of an RPG I'm trying to make... I can't seem to get it to work... I attached the file here so you can download it and see it... Also, I need help with adding images underneath the text of the player/enemy. I know how to load/display images, I just can't get them to display properly in the game, it gives me an error when I try... Please try out the sample/demo I made... And please, don't flame me. I'm just looking for help

[EminentJonFrost]

pspillows, heed my advice, it will help indefinitely. you say you got started with lua yesterday? if thats the extent of your programming history its best not to aim high and try to make an RPG. not gonna happen. sorry, way of the virtual world my friend. see how long i've been a member here? i still dont get alot of the things people do on here, even in lua, my most experienced field. heck, in a second i'm about to post about my problem. i cant say what you should do to further yourself in this, but i can tell you what NOT to do. dont aim high with a crossbow when you need a sniper. look at what other devs do and ask a question here and there after honestly putting effort into it and, before you know it, you'll be doing fine.

EDIT - i need help with reading and writing other files. i'm making a save file, if you will, that tracks progress so the player cant do some of the things that are possible in the beginning. in my game, players will first have to customize their..er..characters (cant really call them characters really, but thats another story) then they set off to play the rest of the game. i'm making a save file so that the result would be something like:

while (player hasnt played before, variable from save file) do
customize character
else
while (player has played before, same variable with different value) do
whatever comes next
end

-= Double Post =-
my menu leaves to another script which starts here:

screen:clear(black)
screen.flip()
screen:clear(black)

bg = Image.load("project pics/statsbg.png")

size = 2
speed = 2
recovery = 2

selectstat = 3

save = io.open("save.lua", "r") -- \
first = save:read() ------------- heres whats giving me trouble
save:close() -------------------/

while first== true do

the script automatically goes back to the menu after it flickers.

[Access_Denied]

pspillows, heed my advice, it will help indefinitely. you say you got started with lua yesterday? if thats the extent of your programming history its best not to aim high and try to make an RPG. not gonna happen. sorry, way of the virtual world my friend. see how long i've been a member here? i still dont get alot of the things people do on here, even in lua, my most experienced field. heck, in a second i'm about to post about my problem. i cant say what you should do to further yourself in this, but i can tell you what NOT to do. dont aim high with a crossbow when you need a sniper. look at what other devs do and ask a question here and there after honestly putting effort into it and, before you know it, you'll be doing fine.

EDIT - i need help with reading and writing other files. i'm making a save file, if you will, that tracks progress so the player cant do some of the things that are possible in the beginning. in my game, players will first have to customize their..er..characters (cant really call them characters really, but thats another story) then they set off to play the rest of the game. i'm making a save file so that the result would be something like:

while (player hasnt played before, variable from save file) do
customize character
else
while (player has played before, same variable with different value) do
whatever comes next
end

-= Double Post =-
my menu leaves to another script which starts here:

screen:clear(black)
screen.flip()
screen:clear(black)

bg = Image.load("project pics/statsbg.png")

size = 2
speed = 2
recovery = 2

selectstat = 3

save = io.open("save.lua", "r") -- \
first = save:read() ------------- heres whats giving me trouble
save:close() -------------------/

while first== true do

the script automatically goes back to the menu after it flickers.

Use a different file name, not save. There's probably a function that starts with 'save:'