Using the Conditional Examine: A Guide
Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 12:55 am
M i s s c l i c k ' s
"CONDITIONAL EXAMINE"
T u t o r i a l G u i d e
The conditional examine is an in-game tool, created by VVuzek, that allows other players to learn and share additional details via character description. It functions similarly to the "Bio Editor" examine, and can be used as such, but it has the added benefit of having assignable 'conditions' where, if met, can reveal esoteric information to characters that meet the requirements. Please keep in mind, it's not a perfect system and can be a bit finicky at times, but hopefully this guide will be able to help you navigate its use.
I. OPENING THE C.EXAMINE INTERFACE
First things first: open the conditional examine interface. You can do this by right clicking on your character and selecting "Conditional Examine" from the list of options. This will open the UI. The same steps can be used on someone else's character to inspect their examine.
(Your window may appear slightly different when using the base game UI)
II. FUNCTIONS - THE BASICS
1. Description - This is where your text will go.
2. Conditions - This sets the parameters and requirements for what information will be visible.
3. Value - Here you can set an minimum DC requirement for a conditional skill.
4. Insert - Insert the selected condition (and value) into your description.
5. Save - Save the changes that have been made.
6. Publish - Make your saved changes visible.
7. Examine - What everyone will see with parameters in place.
8. Raw Text - Preview everything you've written with no parameters.
9. Analysis - A color-coded view of what parameters have been applied to which lines of text.
10. Page Selection - Create different descriptions and switch between them if need be.
III. WRITING YOUR DESCRIPTION - FIRST STEPS
To begin writing your conditional examine, you want to ensure you're working on one of the pages between two and five. Using page 1 has proven to be buggy in the past, and has some issue saving and displaying content. Select page two from the options along the bottom(10), and you'll be presented with a blank text window to begin constructing your description.
How you choose to use your conditional examine is entirely up to you.
IV. INSERTING CONDITIONS
To insert a conditional parameter into your description, you'll first need to select one from the "conditions" list on the right hand side. These range from skills, all the way through races and religions. As mentioned earlier, you can set a minimum amount for a skill investment meaning anyone with less than those points invested will not be able to read what's written. Unconditional means everyone can see it.
Select your condition(2), input the skill level/DC needed to see it as your value(3) and add it to your description box by clicking insert(4). This generates a string of code depicting your condition, and will look something along the lines of this: $0@0&0#. Anything you write in the paragraph directly below that line of code will be tied to the condition you selected.
As an example, you might choose the "Spot" condition, with a value of 25, and, after inserting the code, describe the dagger that's on your character's hip. Once's you've saved and published your description, only people with a spot skill of 25 or higher will be able to read that detail. One of the greater things about this, in my opinion, is the fact that there's also a "DM" condition, meaning that any information of dire importance a DM should know, or could know to better enhance your experience, it can go here.
For each condition you write, it should look something like this:$0@0&0#
This is where you would write your detail.
V. PREVIEWING AND PUBLISHING YOUR EXAMINE
Before you take your new description out into the world, it's a good idea to double check the finished result and make sure everything is displaying as you like it. The analysis button(9) is really useful here, as it will show your conditions with their headings and an assigned color so you can be one hundred percent certain the right information is being shown to the right people.
Examine(7) will give you a public view of your description, whilst Raw Text(8) lets you see everything you've written in the examine window without bias. You need to save and publish before previewing.
VI. Q&A TROUBLESHOOTING
⁍ Can I assign two conditions to one paragraph of text?
Unfortunately not. Putting one string of code directly after another one will cancel it out, meaning your text will only apply to one. If you have a block of text that needs to be seen by two different groups of people, you will have to have that same paragraph written twice; once under each conditional code.
⁍ I don't see anything when I click examine.
Make sure you've hit both "save" and "publish" before clicking any of the examine, raw text or analysis buttons, and that your description is written on page two or above (10).
⁍ I'm getting an error that says....
You have an invalid character somewhere in your description or using language that is not permitted (cussing, etc). On attempting to submit your examine, you'll find that in addition to the error displayed in your combat log, part of the description in your text window will be separated from the rest. This will help you find the problem area.
This issue can also derive from having no condition set. If you wish to display a portion of your description openly to others, ensure it has the 'unconditional' property set by inserting the hashcode from the right side panel. Once it's fixed, save and submit!
⁍ Does the conditional examine support HTML?
In a limited capacity, yes! Your text transform tags (bold, italics, etc) will work as per usual and support the NWN2 color chart.
⁍ I've pre-written a description in notepad, can I paste this in my examine?
Not through the usual means, but if you download and open the AoS copy tool you can parse any copied text into the selected window with the "pause break" key.
⁍ I want to insert a condition between two paragraphs, can I do this?
If you've typed up what you wanted to and realized you've forgotten to assign a parameter to something you want hidden you can place a semicolon (;) at the desired location and click "insert" below your chosen condition, the code will be generated at that location.
This concludes the guide on using the conditional examine.
If you have any additional questions or happen to have an issue or an addendum, please let me know and I'll do my best to see it added. While I have no affiliation with the tool's creation, I noticed a few people have been seeking help with troubleshooting and/or wanting to learn to use it. It's far from a perfect guide and much of what's written has been self-taught, pieced together with the aid of others, and come from my own trial and error, so please consider this a work-in-progress that is open to correction and addition. Good luck!
