Agent: Mind Arrows

You know, with all the messing around I've done in CAOS, I don't think I've ever actually compiled a complete agent before. Not for C3/DS anyway. But just for the sake of my own learning and amusement, I spent the better part of the day scripting these Mind Arrows.

They're quite simple, and contain some of the concepts I mentioned in a previous post about mind control. If a creature comes within range of the arrows, his mind is bombarded with very strong suggestions to go right or left. I dropped a sezz line in there too, just so I could tell easily if the creature was acting out of his own will or under the control of the arrows. I suppose I might comment that out in future versions if it gets too annoying.

Scripting the commands for the up and down arrows was a little trickier; after trying multiple solutions I finally set the agent to first check if it is touching a lift-- if so, the creature will be told to push/pull it in accordance with the arrow's direction; if not, the creature will be told to push the call button until the lift appears. For this reason, arrows pointing up or down need to be place in a position where they will be touching the lift when it is called; otherwise the creatures will be pushing that call button until they starve.

They're astonishingly effective. I was able to use the arrows to get all my norns in the meso crowded into a single corner fairly quickly. If I do develop this further I would like to add a similar concept to the left and right arrows for doors and teleporters, so the "walkways" don't have to be limited to the metaroom.

What you actually do with this agent is up to you. You might use it as sort of mental forcefield to keep creatures away from a certain area, or as a way to encourage norns to travel more if they start crowding together in one place. I think I'm going to see if I can create a path that wraps around the entire C12DS world so my norns can take a tour of the world rather than sitting by the incubator all day.

Of course, in case you couldn't guess it already, I created this agent as a very, very early prototype for that mental barrier I was thinking about in my last post.. you know, for that metaroom I'll never actually be able to make? Despite my complete lack of skill I've been plotting it out anyway... you know, just in case I end up with the necessary skills someday.

So I do plan on expanding/specifying this agent...trying to figure out how to only make it activate in certain seasons, how to make it distinguish between male and female norns. It's got a ways to go, but right now it's a fun little toy for getting your creatures where they need to go.

Anyway enough rambling. Download the Mind Arrows here!