CAOS Language Guide

Macro

Description

All these commands apply to the TARG object which must be a creature

DRIV n

Returns the state of the creatures Drive number n

RValue only

DRV!

Returns the number of the creatures most pressing drive

RValue only

CHEM chemical

CHEM chemical amount

Returns the concentration of a chemical in a creatures bloodstream or adds the amount given.

Command and RValue

BABY

Moniker of child genome if creature is pregnant. Set to 0 to finish pregnancy or a moniker to make pregnant.

RValue and LValue

ASLP

Sets/returns whether a creature is asleep. When asleep the eyes close and the creature becomes insensible to some stimuli. A change of action automatically wakes creature up again.

0=awake, 1=asleep

RValue and Command

DEAD

Returns whether a creature is dead or alive

0=alive, 255=dead

RValue only

UNCS

Returns whether a creature is unconscious or not

0=conscious, 1=unconscious

RValue only

INS#

Returns the number of instincts the creature still has left to process. Instincts are processed in the egg and during sleep.

RValue only

DIRN

Returns the direction the creature is facing.

0=North (back to viewer) 1=South (facing viewer)

2=East 3=West

RValue only

MONK

Returns the moniker of the creature

RValue only

CREA moniker

Returns the creature with the specified moniker

RValue only

ORGN

Returns the number of organs in the creature

RValue only

INJR organ amount

Reduce the life force of the specified organ. Amount is in the range of (0-255) and max damage is a 1/10 of the organs initial life force. Organ is -1 for a randomly selected organ and 0 for the body organ.

Command only

FIRE x y amount

Fire the neurone whose position is at xy - amount is the signal strength (0-255)

Command only

TRIG lobe cell amount

Fire the neurone that is at the lobe and cell numbers specified - amount is the signal strength (0-255)

Command only

APPR

Approach _IT_.

Chose a walking gait according to chemo-receptors, then start walking towards _IT_. Continue with next instruction when you are within reach

Command only

WALK

Walk indefinitely. Chose a walking gait according to chemo-receptors, then start walking.

If extraspective you'll continuously walk towards _IT, but the command is primarily for introspective walking.

Command only

TOUC

Reach out and touch _IT_, normally preceded with an APPR macro. Continue with next instruction when you have successfully touched _IT_. If total failure (object gone away) then present action schema is suppressed.

Command only

POIN

Point to _IT_. As for TOUC but creature reaches out to object with head facing the camera.

Command only

AIM: act

Set the target point on the _IT_ object for subsequent APPR and TOUC commands.

act is the action number to decide which spot to aim for

0=activate 1

1=activate 2

2=deactivate

Command only

SAY# number

Speak word number in a speech bubble, and send that word as a signal message to creatures in earshot

Command only

SAY$ [string]

Speak the given string in a speech bubble - no signal sent

Command only

SAYN

Speak your most pressing need

Command only

IMPT value

Signify how important this (voluntary) action is. i.e. how unlikely it is that another action will override this one before it has finished.

value is the amount that gets used to nudge the current decision neurone and should be a low number. This instruction should be used at the start of every creature action script, and may used within a script if the importance changes during a later phase.

Command only

DONE

This voluntary or involuntary action has been completed. For voluntary actions the decision neurone is reset to force the creature to make a new decision. Put this command at the end of any transient voluntary action (e.g. activate 1 but not walk east) and after every involuntary action.

Command only

LTCY action min max

Set the latency for the creatures given involuntary action (only relevant to involuntary actions). Prevent this action from repeating for an amount of time defined by min max. Delay is a random amount of ticks between min*4 and max*4.

This command may be called at the end of an involuntary action script to prevent reactivation until the chemical that triggered the action has subsided.

Command only

DREA max

Start dreaming. This starts processing of any pending instincts instead of receiving sensory data from the environment. Normally this should only be done during deep sleep and during embryology.

max pending instincts will be processed and then dream state switches off automatically.

Command only

DROP

Drop any objects you are carrying

Command only

MATE

Only relevant to male creatures - pass on waiting sperm to _IT_ (if _IT_ is female and the same genus). Female will conceive if she is in the right condition - fertile and receptive.

Command only

SNEZ

Creature sneezes - this will infect any nearby creatures or environment with any live bacteria it has in it.

Command only

CAMN

Returns the creatures age in minutes.

RValue only

CAGE

Returns the creatures stage of life.

0 - embryo

1 - baby

2 - child

3 - adolescent

4 - youth

5 - adult

6 - old

7 - senile

RValue only