Dipscript

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A dipscript, or "diplomat script", is what controls the behavior of visiting diplomats when they meet with your nobles. Dipscripts were originally used to trigger special events at specific points in the lifetime of one's fortress (such as undead invasions), but much of this was stripped out by the time the first version of Dwarf Fortress was actually released.

Only 5 different dipscripts are ever executed during gameplay, and they are defined in records 13-17 of the game's "index" file: ELVES_FIRSTCONTACT, HUMAN_STANDARD, DWARF_LIAISON, HUMAN_TRADE, and ELVES_STANDARD. The dipscript files themselves are compressed - with the proper tools, editing them is fairly straightforward.

Script Tokens

Token	Meaning
INITIAL_LOAD	Presumably indicates that the dipscript should be loaded on game startup instead of on-demand. All of the default dipscripts specify this, as the game does not appear to contain logic for dynamic loading.
DIPSCRIPT:name	Specifies the script's name. Must be one of the names defined above if you want the game to ever execute it.
VAR:type:name	Declares a variable. Type can either be UNIT or LONG.
SETVAR:dest_class:dest_name:src_class:src_name	Sets one variable to another. See below for more information.
IF:class1:name1:comparison:class2:name2	Compares the two specified variables and performs the following script steps if the condition is true.
ELSE	Performs the following script steps if the above IF condition was false.
ENDIF	Ends the above IF statement
TEXTVIEWER:filename:varname	Opens a text viewer using the specified filename (located within data/dipscripts/text). Second parameter is optional - if specified, indicates a LONG script variable which will be set based on the hyperlink selected.
CONSTRUCTTOPICLIST	Builds a list of appropriate discussion topics (discuss current agreement, request peace treaty, propose tree quota, establish land holder, promote land holder, establish export agreement, establish import agreement, make small talk, or report recent world events), based on the type of civilization the diplomat came from.
TOPICDISCUSSION	Discuss all topics selected via CONSTRUCTTOPICLIST.
DISCUSS:length	Inserts a delay into the meeting. Valid lengths are SHORT (500-1000 steps, about a half a day) and LONG (2-4 days).
HISTORY_DIPEV:type	Records a historical event once the diplomat leaves your fortress. The only valid event type is FIRSTCONTACT, used by the Elves to control whether or not they will send their diplomat to propose logging quotas.
ACTION:type:subtype	Performs a simple action. Only valid action is DREAM:UNDEAD_ARMY, which causes one of your dwarves to have "a terrifying nightmare about an army of the dead".
DIPEVENT:parm1:parm2:parm3:parm4:parm5	Has no effect. Most likely, pre-release versions used this to perform special actions.
INVASION:parm	Has no effect. Most likely, pre-release versions used this to trigger invasions of specific types.

Variables

Dipscripts (and their text screens) can make use of any number of special variables. Each variable has a class, name, and type.

Readable variables

Class	Name	Type	Description
GLOBAL	DIPLOMACYFLAG_SUCCESS	Integer	Value 4, to be used with DIPEV:ADD_FLAG and DIPEV:REMOVE_FLAG.
GLOBAL	DIPLOMACYFLAG_FAILURE	Integer	Value 2, to be used with DIPEV:ADD_FLAG and DIPEV:REMOVE_FLAG.
GLOBAL	YOURCIV	Entity	Your fortress's parent civilization.
GLOBAL	YOURFORT	Plot Info	Your fortress itself.
GLOBAL	TREESREMOVED	Integer	The number of trees that have been destroyed at your fortress, whether by cutting them down or by smashing them with ballista bolts.
GLOBAL	NULL	Null	A null pointer. Used during comparisons to detect unset variables.
GLOBAL	LOCAL_LARGE_PREDATOR	Creature Definition	A random large predator that can be found near your fortress.
GLOBAL	RANGE.min.max	Integer	A random number between 'min' and 'max'.
GLOBAL	number	Integer	An explicit integer value.
DIPEV	DIPLOMAT	Unit	The diplomat who is meeting with your noble.
DIPEV	ASSOCIATE	Unit	The diplomat's associate. By default, this is null.
MEETING	ACTOR	Unit	The diplomat who is meeting with your noble.
MEETING	NOBLE	Unit	Your noble who is meeting with the diplomat.
DIPSCRIPT	varname	Integer or Unit	A variable you have declared using the VAR command above.

Writable variables

Class	Name	Type	Description
GLOBAL	TREESREMOVED	Integer	The number of trees that have been destroyed at your fortress.
DIPEV	ADD_FLAG	Integer	A specific flag to set in the diplomacy event. Valid values are GLOBAL:DIPLOMACYFLAG_SUCCESS (4) and GLOBAL:DIPLOMACYFLAG_FAILURE (2).
DIPEV	REMOVE_FLAG	Integer	A specific flag to set in the diplomacy event. Valid values are GLOBAL:DIPLOMACYFLAG_SUCCESS (4) and GLOBAL:DIPLOMACYFLAG_FAILURE (2).
DIPEV	DIPLOMAT	Unit	The diplomat who is meeting with your noble. Changing this may have unexpected effects.
DIPEV	ASSOCIATE	Unit	The diplomat's associate. If you set this to a unit in your fortress, then that unit will bid you farewell and depart from your fortress with the diplomat.
MEETING	ACTOR	Unit	The diplomat who is meeting with your noble. Changing this may have unexpected effects.
MEETING	NOBLE	Unit	Your noble who is meeting with the diplomat. Changing this may have unexpected effects.
DIPSCRIPT	varname	Integer or Unit	A variable you have declared using the VAR command above.

Displayable variables

Some of the above variables can be displayed in custom screens opened by the TEXTVIEWER command using the syntax [C:VAR:class:name] (to set the text color) and [VAR:format:class:name] to output the value in a particular format. Certain formats are only valid with specific types - trying to use it on the wrong type will likely result in a blank string.

Format	Type	Description
TITLENAME	Unit	Displays the unit's profession. Noble professions will be prefixed with "the ".
HISTNAME	Historical Figure	Displays the historical figure's name and race.
NAME_PLURAL	Creature Definition	Displays the plural name for the creature selected.
NATIVENAME	Unit	Displays the unit's name in its native language.
NATIVENAME	Entity	Displays the civilization's name in its native language.
NATIVENAME	Plot Info	Displays your fortress's name in its native language.
TRANSLATEDNAME	Unit	Displays the unit's name, translated into English.
TRANSLATEDNAME	Entity	Displays the civilization's name, translated into English.
TRANSLATEDNAME	Plot Info	Displays your fortress's name, translated into English.
[anything]	Integer	Displays the number in decimal form.