DTE Scripting Reference

.DTE Mission Scripting Reference

A complete reference to Starlancer's mission trigger/event scripting language — the trigger conditions, Executor command set, AI-behaviour codes, and script-stream opcodes. This page fuses two independent reverse-engineering efforts and contains only original RE analysis (addresses + inferred meaning), no game source or assets.

• Static RE of the game executable (this project; ImageBase 0x400000, Ghidra placeholder names FUN_<addr>) — source of per-command implementation addresses + parameter counts, the trigger enum, and the bytecode VM.
• Black-box RE by Captain Foster / "Starlancer ME" — blog https://starlancerme.blogspot.com/, YouTube @CaptainFoster. Source of the numeric opcode/command/AI/ship/pilot IDs and observed in-game semantics, plus a Python "Mission Ship Editor". Their empirical numbering and our disassembly agree wherever they overlap.

How a mission script runs

A .DTE carries data sections (ships, triggers, globals, strings) plus a block of script bytecode, executed event-driven:

1. An engine event (ship destroyed, proximity sphere entered, timer expired) looks up the acting ship's trigger list and tests each record's condition (TT_* at +0x15) and operands (FUN_0045CEA0).
2. On a match, the record's action id (+0x16) spawns a script thread (FUN_0045B8D0); the block is prefixed by a u16 byte-length.
3. The interpreter FUN_0045C980 runs it: fetch one opcode byte → index the 256-entry handler table DAT_004F6350 → advance the IP → call the handler, until one returns 0. A per-byte flag array (DAT_005294D8) marks yield points for multi-frame scripts.
4. Command opcodes (0x21 <index>) dispatch through the command catalogue DAT_004F3AD0 (installed by FUN_0045CE30), which holds each command's implementation, parameter count, name and parameter labels.

So a disassembler can always advance: 0x21, read the index, consume exactly that command's parameter count of operands.

Trigger conditions (TT_*)

Condition type at trigger-record +0x15. 33 scriptable types, 0x00–0x20 — verified from the FUN_0045B330 string array, identical to Starlancer ME's table. (The condition-descriptor table DAT_0052952C has 35 entries; the 2 past 0x20 are internal/non-scriptable.)

00 TT_SHOTAT	09 TT_JUMPED_IN	12 TT_TARGETTED	1B TT_TRACTOR_BEAM_BROKEN
01 TT_DESTROYED	0A TT_FG_JUMPED_IN	13 TT_PLAYER_L1_DOUBLETAP	1C TT_INSIDE_OBJECT
02 TT_LAUNCHED	0B TT_PLAYER_READY_TO_WARP	14 TT_PLAYER_L2_DOUBLETAP	1D TT_OUTSIDE_OBJECT
03 TT_CAMERAREACHED	0C TT_JUMPED_THROUGH_HOOP	15 TT_PLAYER_R1_DOUBLETAP	1E TT_DOCKED
04 TT_SHIPREACHED	0D TT_PLAYER_WANTS_BACKUP	16 TT_PLAYER_R2_DOUBLETAP	1F TT_UNDOCKED
05 TT_PROXIMITY_CLOSE	0E TT_RIPPER_GRABBED_OBJECT	17 TT_PLAYER_L1_L2_R1_R2_PRESSED	20 TT_BEING_CHASED
06 TT_PROXIMITY_GENERAL	0F TT_RIPPER_DROPPED_OBJECT	18 TT_PLAYER_L1_R1_PRESSED
07 TT_OBJECT_SCOOPED	10 TT_CLOAKED	19 TT_GAME_TIMER_EXPIRED
08 TT_PLAYER_READY_TO_JUMP	11 TT_DECLOAKED	1A TT_TRACTOR_BEAM_LOCKED

Executor commands (0x21 <index>)

Index + name from Starlancer ME (validated in-game); parameter count + implementation address from our decompiled catalogue DAT_004F3AD0 (matched by name). The blog index ≡ catalogue index throughout; (blog only) = documented by the blog but not separately matched in our walk.

idx	name	p	impl	idx	name	p	impl
00	PrintShipName	2	0x458AB0	30	SetNavPoint	2	0x459270
01	CreateTimer	4	0x45D210	31	SetEscortPoint	2	0x4592F0
02	DestroyTimer	1	0x45D290	32	ResetAfterBurners	0	0x4594C0
03	CreateFlightGroup	1	0x457C40	33	DisableMissiles	2	0x459370
04	DestroyFlightGroup	1	0x457FD0	34	DisableEngines	2	0x4593E0
05	WaitNSeconds	—	(blog)	35	DisableEject	2	0x459450
06	PlaySpeech	1	0x458090	36	SetHostile	2	0x4594F0
07	WaitForSpeech	0	0x458100	37	ResetToSpawnPositions	0	0x4591B0
08	PlayCommsMovie	3	0x458120	38	UpdateEnvironmentFXState	0	0x4591A0
09	WaitForMovie	0	0x458180	39	SetPrimaryTarget	1	0x459550
0A	PrintDebugMessage	1	0x4581A0	3A	WaitForJumpOrLaunch	1	0x4595A0
0B	SetAI	4	0x4581F0	3B	DoNotDisturb	2	0x459640
0C	ClearAI	1	0x4588C0	3C	SetEnvironmentFXNebula	1	0x459190
0D	SetPatrolRoute	2	0x458860	3D	StartShipAnimationReverse	2	0x4587D0
0E	SetPilot	2	0x458830	3E	SnapToPoint	2	0x4596A0
0F	SetTriggerState	3	0x45D300	3F	PlayFostersLastStand	0	0x459740
10	StartDirectorCam	5	0x4582E0	40	OpenInstrument	1	0x45D9D0
11	StartShipAnimation	2	0x458720	41	CloseInstrument	1	0x45DA30
12	ShipFollowCurve	3	0x4585D0	42	DestroySubObject	2	0x459750
13	SetupLaunch	3	0x458970	43	SetObjective	2	0x459870
14	StartLaunch	1	0x458A40	44	SetRescueProbabilities	3	0x4598D0
15	DisplaySubTitle	1	0x458A80	45	IsShipThisPlayer	1	0x4598F0
16	GTextPilotDefine	—	(blog)	46	SetFlybackMarker	2	0x459910
17	ResetCodePriority	1	0x458A90	47	ResetFlybackMarker	0	0x4599E0
18	InterruptTriggerCode	0	0x45D450	48	StopShipAnimation	2	0x458770
19	CommsFromShip	3	0x458AC0	49	SetShipAvoidance	2	0x459A30
1A	SetInvulnerability	2	0x458BC0	4A	MatchSpeed	2	0x459A90
1B	MovingShipFollowCurve	4	0x4585A0	4B	MovingShipBackupCurve	4	0x458670
1C	DisableObject	2	0x4583C0	4C	WaitForKey	1	0x459AE0
1D	PositionRelative	2	0x4584D0	4D	TerminateMission	0	0x459BB0
1E	WhenPlayerLastJumped	0	0x458580	4E	TurretSetTarget	2	0x459BD0
1F	StartMissileCam	1	0x458B60	4F	SetAnyTriggerState	4	0x45D3A0
20	StartChaseCam	1	0x458B80	50	WaitForDirectorCam	0	0x459C90
21	SetPlayerTarget	2	0x458C80	51	KillAllScriptExecutionExceptMe	0	0x45D990
22	SetTargetable	2	0x458D50	52	StackDirectorCam	5	0x458300
23	PlayMusic	2	0x458DF0	53	Scanner	1	0x459CB0
24	StopDirectorCam	0	0x458E30	54	ReplaceSubObject	2	0x459CF0
25	SetActionCentre	2	0x458E60	55	Fire	2	0x459DD0
26	RadiusOfSphere	—	(blog)	56	MultiplayerScriptSync	1	0x459DF0
27	ShipToDock	—	(blog)	57	FriendlyFire	0	0x459F30
28	DisableTaunts	1	0x458F40	58	EntityToCloak	—	(blog)
29	ShipPointToFlyTo	—	(blog)	59	ReplenishWeapons	1	0x459FA0
2A	CommsFromShipOnce	3	0x458FD0	5A	WillsBlag	1	0x45A1C0
2B	DisableLights	2	0x459070	5B	ShowHudIcon	2	0x45A1F0
2C	SetEnvironmentFX	2	0x459170	5C	DisableListing	2	0x45A210
2D	MultiPlayerSync	0	0x4591E0	5D	DisableObjectAtNextJump	2	0x45A250
2E	DisableGenericComms	1	0x4591F0	5E	DarrensNaughtyBlag	2	0x45A290
2F	DisableGuns	2	0x459200	5F	Test_AI_Function	2	(head)

Dev-original names (PlayFostersLastStand, WillsBlag, DarrensNaughtyBlag) confirm these are recovered symbols. Parameter labels are recoverable from catalogue debug strings — e.g. SetInvulnerability modes 0 none / 1 player-can-hit / 2 fully-invulnerable / 3 eject-before- exploding; SetObjective state 0 Inactive / 1 Active / 2 Current.

AI behaviour codes (0x32 <index>)

From Starlancer ME's AI Codes page, 0x00–0x44:

00 Do Nothing · 01 Fly Aimlessly · 02/03 Launch Missile · 04 Warp In · 05 Warp Out · 06 Fly · 07 Run Away · 08 Land · 09 Escort · 0A Find New Target · 0B Explode · 0C Ripper grabs object · 0D Object Attach · 0E Formation Regroup · 0F Patrol Route · 10 Toggle Cloak · 11 Ship Follow Curve · 12 Slow Rotate · 13 Jump In · 14 Jump Out · 15 Find Scoop Up · 16–18 Random Spin Slow/Med/Fast · 19/1A Fixed Gate Jump In/Out · 1B Formation · 1C/1D Fixed Gate Open/Close · 1E Eject · 1F Fixed Gate Collapse · 20 Match Speed · 21 Dark Reign shoot · 22 Move to spawn pos · 23 Object lights on · 24 Boridin breakaway · 25 FAIL · 26 Rotate Boridin warp projector · 27 Ripper drop object · 28 Jump In · 29 Jump Out · 2A (unknown) · 2B Huge explosion · 2C Zero velocity+rotation · 2D Fly backwards · 2E Player Control · 2F Multiplayer Control · 30 Avoid Target · 31 Torpedo · 32 Launch · 33 Fight · 34 Destroy itself · 35 Scoop Up · 36 Eject Spin · 37 Dock · 38 Dark reign shoot · 39 Ripper end drop · 3A Ripper attach pod to Mammoth · 3B Eject fighter attack · 3C Disrupted · 3D/3E Capship list left/right · 3F Friendly Fire · 40 Eject Player · 41 Ship Follow Curve Backwards · 42 Mill · 43 Deathmatch Respawn Effect · 44 Deathmatch Dark Reign target.

Stream & expression opcodes

opcode	meaning
0x21 <i>	Call Executor command #i (consumes that command's params)
0x32 <i>	Set AI behaviour #i
0x2A <n>	Play speech (index n; some copies embed an inline .ut filename)
0x2C <o> / 0x2D <g>	Single-object / flight-group reference
0x22 <p> / 0x4D <p>	Script "part" marker / branch into part
0x27 <i> / 0x40 <i>	Read global value / push global address (write)
0x3F <i>	Push array-slot address (lvalue); land-loop branch in the ending context
0x23/0x24 · 0x28 · 0x02/0x03 · 0x14	push-immediate · wait/operand · compare !=/== · squad test

Win/lose (Starlancer ME's observation, matching our decode): the kill condition's 0x40 writes a flag; at mission end 0x27 reads it and 0x02/0x03 selects SUCCESS vs FAIL. Missions default to "Failure" and are promoted to one of five grades: Failure / Partial Failure / Partial Success / Success / Success + Bonus (0–4, selector DAT_0052A428).

Credit

Numeric opcode/command/AI/ship/pilot tables and runtime semantics: Captain Foster / Starlancer ME (https://starlancerme.blogspot.com/, @CaptainFoster). Implementation addresses, parameter counts, the VM and struct layouts: this project's static decompilation. See Missions, AI & Scripting for the file format and lifecycle.