Event flags VS Object flags VS ScummVM debugger console

[lwc]

Unlike most SCI games (including its prequel), EcoQuest 2 barely uses flag events (from global110). It instead mostly uses a Main.sc (script #0) local variable called gCurrentRegionFlags which uses set/test/clear procedures that are defined in Flags.sc (script #985).

Thankfully, the kind people here made EcoQuest2's restored debug smart enough to handle both types using a yes/no question of "Flag Object?" (for alt+b/l/k). If the player chooses yes, it uses gCurrentRegionFlags set/test/clear and if the player chooses no, it uses the standard SetFlag/TestFlag/ClearFlag.

So my questions are:

• Why would Sierra use 2 different ways to track events possibly only in this game, and why barely using the official way? Because of it ScummVM's console flag feature (sf/tf/cf) can barely discover anything in this game, since they expect only the rarely used official way...
• Why isn't a global like global110 considered a Flag Object too? After all, it contains multiple flag events inside itself. I mean, why did the people here that restored the debugger consider the answer of "no" to "Flag Object?" to mean using a global that stores many flags?
• Hope it's okay to ask since it's a bit off-topic, but as far as you know, is there any to use breakpoints to discover such flags in ScummVM's debugger console? The usual way would be bpe 0 3 (since 3 in this game SetFlag is 3), but it isn't worth much due to being barely used. And bpe 0 150 (since gCurrentRegionFlags is 150) is never triggered. Likewise l 150 always shows the same value (assuming because it's an object).
  An easy test is in room 840 - climb the right wall and every time you pull the snake's tale it either runs gCurrentRegionFlags set: 1 or gCurrentRegionFlags clear: 1.

Stats:

• gCurrentRegionFlags set has 156 matches in 38 files practically in every room
• SetFlag has 21 matches in 12 files out of which just 3 rooms - overall just 7 flags! Feel free to describe them in https://tcrf.net/Notes:Lost_Secret_of_the_Rainforest#Flag_Numbers

• gCurrentRegionFlags test has 458 matches in 34 files practically in every room
• isFlag has 65 matches in 18 files out of which just 9 rooms

• gCurrentRegionFlags clear has 33 matches in 13 files practically in every room
• ClearFlag has 14 matches in 9 files out of which just 2 rooms

Thanks!

[lskovlun]

That seems like a general decision to keep data pertaining to specific regions separate. It does the same thing with inventory items: Usually, inventory items are put on the inventory list once at startup and leaves them there for the duration - Eco2 instead adds and deletes items throughout. Oh, and there's the Ecorder flags too.

[lwc]

But there's no separation really because while gCurrentRegionFlags is technically a local, it's declared in Main.sc and thus treated like a global anyway - in the console running l 0 150 is equal to running vv g 150 - in either case the output is 002f:0508 (object 'goldFlags').

About question 3, you would think if bpe can't be used, at least Flags::set should work, but it doesn't. This is even though according to this in KQ6 bpx KQ6Print::say works, whereas KQ6Print is a class just like Flags and say is a method just like set (see code). According to this, it should also be similar to Laura Bow 2's bpx bugsWithMeat::cue (see code).

But I've found an interim solution - bpa 000e:00a7 - I don't like it because there's no pasting in ScummVM's console and who wants to type down this address, but it works nonetheless.

Here's how I deduced that Flags' set can be called directly with address 000e:00a7:

• value_type Flags indeed outputs Object.
• scro 985 outputs:
  === SCRIPT 985 inside Segment 000e (14d) ===
  001:0154: Flags
  
• vo 000e:0154 outputs:
  [000e:0154] Flags :  11 vars,   6 methods
  -- member variables:
    (0000) [1000] -objID- = 0000:1234 (4660)
    (0001) [1001] -size- = 0000:000b (11)
    (0002) [1002] -propDict- = 000e:0008
    (0003) [1003] -methDict- = 0000:001e (30)
    (0004) [1004] -classScript- = 0000:03d9 (985)
    (0005) [1005] -script- = 0000:007d (125)
    (0006) [1006] -super- = 0004:092f (Obj)
    (0007) [1007] -info- = 0000:8000 (32768)
    (0008) [014] name = 000e:016c
    (0009) [056] size = 0000:0000 (0)
    (000a) [1d5] array = 0000:0000 (0)
  -- methods:
    [06e] init = 000e:0038
    [06f] dispose = 000e:0091
    [0ba] setSize = 000e:004a
    [0a0] set = 000e:00a7
    [26c] clear = 000e:00e7
    [26d] test = 000e:0128
    [06d] Obj::new = 0004:02cb
    [039] Obj::doit = 0004:02d2
    [070] Obj::showStr = 0004:02da
    [071] Obj::showSelf = 0004:02e3
    [060] Obj::perform = 0004:02f7
    [072] Obj::isKindOf = 0004:0334
    [073] Obj::isMemberOf = 0004:030a
    [074] Obj::respondsTo = 0004:0302
    [075] Obj::yourself = 0004:036b
  

[doomlazer]

...why did the people here that restored the debugger consider the answer of "no" to "Flag Object?" to mean using a global that stores many flags?

I recall the debugger script for EQ2 still exists in the resources, so that code was from the Sierra devs and not a conscious decision from anyone here.

Did you report the flag object issue to the ScummVM devs?

[lskovlun]

But there's no separation really because while gCurrentRegionFlags is technically a local, it's declared in Main.sc and thus treated like a global anyway - in the console running l 0 150 is equal to running vv g 150 - in either case the output is 002f:0508 (object 'goldFlags').

No, gCurrentRegionFlags is a pointer to the currently accessible flags. So if gCurrentRegionFlags is pointing to goldFlags, I can't access batFlags, for instance. That script won't even be loaded, so I can't access its flags.
Of course it's a global variable, because every script needs to be able to dereference it.

[lwc]

Did you report the flag object issue to the ScummVM devs?

Report what? Since the game also uses standard flags, ScummVM is unlikely to add a special secondary support, especially since last time I asked something about the console (to add a basic "clear" console command) they told me to stay away from console requests as it's an "internal" too.

No, gCurrentRegionFlags is a pointer to the currently accessible flags. So if gCurrentRegionFlags is pointing to goldFlags, I can't access batFlags, for instance. That script won't even be loaded, so I can't access its flags.
Of course it's a global variable, because every script needs to be able to dereference it.

In Main.sc it appears as:

Code: [Select]

(local
gCurrentRegionFlagsWhere do you see it's a pointer? Other than being declared, it's not defined. It's just used with Flags.sc's set/test/clear.

[lskovlun]

I see these:

Code: [Select]

Bats.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags batFlags)
Cibola.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags cibolaFlags)
Docks.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags dockFlags)
Flood.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags floodFlags)
Gold.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags goldFlags)
Jungle.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags jungleFlags)
Village.sc: (= gCurrentRegionFlags villageFlags)
which set gCurrentRegionFlags to point at each of those instances at the right time. And yes, they are instances, for example:

Code: [Select]

(instance villageFlags of Flags
        (properties
                size 80
        )
)


[lwc]

True, although from what I've seen so far (just a couple of rooms in different areas) they still don't use the same flag number twice, even though you've established they can.
Now I just wonder how to be able catch Flags' set/test/clear with either bpe or bpx instead of having to use bpa which relies on addresses.

[lwc]

So any idea why bpa works in this case while bpx doesn't?

[lskovlun]

Because gCurrentRegionFlags doesn't point to Flags, but to dockFlags etc. You can say

Code: [Select]

bpx dockFlags::testjust fine.

[lwc]

But in each area it's different. In the initial example of room 840 it's goldFlags, not dockFlags, so it would be:

Code: [Select]

bpx goldFlags::setSo:

• How to find something like goldFlags or dockFlags via the debugger console (instead of browsing the source code)? It doesn't show up when running commands like selectors or class_table (unlike Flags).
• Is there any way to use something that's not area dependent (like bpa above)?

[Kawa]

I was wondering that myself, how to peek at the value of gCurrentRegionFlags and invoke methods on an object by address instead of name. I don't use the debuggers much lol.

[lwc]

I was wondering that myself, how to peek at the value of gCurrentRegionFlags and invoke methods on an object by address instead of name. I don't use the debuggers much lol.

I've explained above the flow to get the address of set/test/clear and then use it in bpa. This should work in 100% of the rooms, but it's not comfortable to work with addresses.
I just look for a bpx alternative with a static name.