Random Text String

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Hi, I'm having trouble figuring out a way to randomise the text of a 3d text object. I'm aiming for having a selection of 5 different strings for the computer to choose from. I'm then thinking that having a random float calculate between 0 and 5.

I can't figure out how to have the number that the float randomly chooses be assigned to the 5 different string variables.

Basically, anyone want to add to this script to see if they can figure out how to select a random string and assign it the the 3d text game object (npcChitChat var)

Thanks in advance

//random text variables

Private var PrefabNum : float =0; var textLine1 = "hello world"; var textLine2 = ""; var textLine3 : String = "three"; var textLine4 : String = ""; var textLine5 : String = "";

function OnTriggerEnter (myTrigger : Collider) {

//checks to see if the players character is in the trigger area. If so, then it starts the trigger if(myTrigger.gameObject.name == "Player") { //prevent the script from firing the text multiple times, this checks whether the timer has begun. if(npcChitChat.active == false) {

 //random text generation



 //displays the text
 Debug.Log("NPC is Chit Chatting");
 npcChitChat.GetComponent.&lt;TextMesh&gt;().text = textLine1;
 npcChitChat.active = true;

 //changes camera
 if(cameraZoom == true)
     {
     Debug.Log("camera wants to zoom");
     cameraObject.active = true;
     }

 //invoke the text so that it disappears after the var timeToWait
 Invoke("StartChitChat", timeToWait);

 }

}

}

function StartChitChat () {

 Debug.Log("NPC is Chit Chatting");
 npcChitChat.active = false;

 if(cameraZoom == true)
     {
     Debug.Log("stopped the camera zoom");
     cameraObject.active = false;
     }

 }

Answer 1

Answer by Alec-Slayden · Feb 24, 2011 at 04:05 PM

You might want to use a string array instead of separate variables, or composed of the contents of those variables.

you can initialize it like so (Javascript example):

var myLines = new String[5]; //string array with 5 strings

function Start(){ myLines[0] = "Hello World"; myLines[1] = ""; myLines[2] = "three"; myLines[3] = ""; myLines[4] = ""; }

from there it's just a matter of a random int between 0 and 4, which you use with

npcChitChat.GetComponent.<TextMesh>().text = myLines[randomInt];

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Greg 9 · Feb 27, 2011 at 11:49 AM 0

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Cheers Alec, this seems like a much more optimised version of the code I had created (using alot of if statements)

Alec-Slayden · Feb 27, 2011 at 06:20 PM 0

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glad it can be of use! You'll still need to generate your own random number but that should be simple enough.

Answer 2

Answer by Greg 9 · Feb 27, 2011 at 11:52 AM

Alec's above comment looks to be a much more optimised version of the fix I had come up with.

Basically, I'm using if statements to pic from a series of 5 variable strings:

//random text generation

 var chance =(Random.Range(1, 2));

 //displays the text
 if(chance == 1)
 {
 Debug.Log("NPC is Chit Chatting");
 npcChitChat.GetComponent.&lt;TextMesh&gt;().text = textLine1;
 npcChitChat.active = true;
 }

     if(chance == 2)
 {
 Debug.Log("NPC is Chit Chatting");
 npcChitChat.GetComponent.&lt;TextMesh&gt;().text = textLine2;
 npcChitChat.active = true;
 }

The original script had a Random.Range from 1 through to 5. But I'm going to try implementing the one Alec suggested.

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Alec-Slayden · Feb 27, 2011 at 06:23 PM 0

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When you find that you have to use a chain of if statements for a certain variable's settings, you may want to use the Switch() statement ins$$anonymous$$d. In addition to saving some typing, it will allow a couple interesting conditional options. http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_switch.asp

Random Text String

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