Mission variable

Mission variables are states that can be set and queried by a script in script.plist, or any JavaScript script.

They may be set to strings of characters that represent states (often in unspaced capital letters - just a style recommendation), or to numeric values, eg.

set: mission_myGreatMission_status START_OF_THE_MISSION
// mission_myGreatMission_status will be set to the string 'START_OF_THE_MISSION'

set: mission_myGreatMission_rewardValue 105.5
// mission_myGreatMission_rewardValue will be set to 105.5
// I might alter this value before I award it as credits at the end of the mission

They should have a unique name that is always prefixed by mission_. A good naming scheme is to use mission_ followed by a unique identifier for your script (for example, fredJamesMission1) followed by an underscore followed by the use to which the variable is being put (for example, _counter1 or _EnemyName).

Mission variables are saved in the player's saved game file.

Good Examples of Mission Variable Names

mission_fredJamesMission_counter1
// might be set to a number that's incremented or decremented every so often

mission_trumbles_decisionKey
// could be the result of a missionChoice

mission_moonShot_stage
// could be a phrase describing the current scripted action eg. BEGINNING_MISSION or KILLING_ALIENS or MISSION_COMPLETE

Poor Examples of Mission Variable Names

mission_counter
// no mission identifier

mission_variable
// no mission identifier

mission_mymissionisaverycomplexaffairthatImightmisspell_andthisisanequallycomplexvariable
// could be easily misspelt or misunderstood

JavaScript

In JavaScript, script variables can be accessed through the missionVariables global variable. In JavaScript, the mission_ prefix is not used. Two equivalent examples:

missionVariables.myGreatMission_status = "START_OF_THE_MISSION";
missionVariables["myGreatMission_status"] = "START_OF_THE_MISSION";