FloatingTextStringOnCreature(string, object, int)

Briefly displays ambient text above targets head.

void FloatingTextStringOnCreature(
    string sStringToDisplay,
    object oCreatureToFloatAbove,
    int bBroadcastToFaction = TRUE
);

Parameters

sStringToDisplay

Message to display.

oCreatureToFloatAbove

Creature to display the message over.

bBroadcastToFaction

If this is TRUE then only creatures in the same faction as oCreatureToFloatAbove will see the floating text, and only if they are within range (30 meters). (Default: TRUE)

Description

Displays ambient text that floats up into the air above the target creature’s head and fades out. Unlike SpeakString, the creatures name isn’t displayed before the text. However, the visibility of the text is limited (see Remarks below).
If bBroadcastToFaction is TRUE, the targeted creature and its faction within 30 meters will see the text. If bBroadcastToFaction is FALSE, then only the targeted creature will see it.

Remarks

This function seems to be most useful for notifying PCs (and possibly their party) of in game effects (detections, environmental perceptions, etc), and not as a way to facilitate PC-to-creature communication. For instance, if a PC passes a Listen check they could be notified via Ambient Text (“You hear footsteps coming down the hall”). Other uses could include Onomatopoeia originating from the PC (“Snap!”, “Cough!”, “Hick!”) and brief game feedback (simulate an overheard conversation, time from a sundial, item status, etc).

This function will not work on placeable objects of any kind, and text targeted to NPCs will never be visible to PCs. You can simulate text coming from a sign, sundial, or any other placeable object by assigning oCreatureToFloatAbove as the PC you want to notify, as long as the PC is near to the object when the text will appear.

Version

1.28

Example

// This script is placed in a sundial's OnUsed event
// The sundial only works during the day. If it is
// day, the sundial will display the time only above
// the PC's head.

void main()
{
     // get the user, assume it is a PC
     object oPC = GetLastUsedBy();
     // Check to see if it is day
     if (GetIsDay())
     {
          // Initialize variables
          int nHour = GetTimeHour();
          string sTime = IntToString(nHour) + " o'clock";
          // Display time only above the PC's head
          FloatingTextStringOnCreature(sTime, oPC, FALSE);
     }
     else
     {
           // If it is night, tell player he can't determine time
          FloatingTextStringOnCreature("There is no sun to cast "  + "a shadow on the sundial.", 
               oPC, 
               FALSE
          );
     }
}