If a creature is NOT_LIVING, it can't learn the secrets of life and death (IIRC).
I realized that...which is why I am now trying to bypass this by putting the ability straight into the raw of the bronze colossus...but i seem to be having difficulty getting the thing to work.
it worked for the dragonfire by copying the bit for dragon breath
[CAN_DO_INTERACTION:MATERIAL_EMISSION]
[CDI:ADV_NAME:Breath fire]
[CDI:USAGE_HINT:ATTACK]
[CDI:BP_REQUIRED:BY_CATEGORY:MOUTH]
[CDI:FLOW:DRAGONFIRE]
[CDI:TARGET:C:LINE_OF_SIGHT]
[CDI:TARGET_RANGE:C:15]
[CDI:MAX_TARGET_NUMBER:C:1]
[CDI:WAIT_PERIOD:50]
by copying that from the dragon's raw.
the MATERIAL EMISSION refers to a raw under the txt file "interaction_standard"
the material emission itsself's raw is:
[INTERACTION:MATERIAL_EMISSION]
[I_SOURCE:CREATURE_ACTION]
[I_TARGET:A:MATERIAL]
[IT_MATERIAL:CONTEXT_MATERIAL]
[I_TARGET:B:LOCATION]
[IT_LOCATION:CONTEXT_LOCATION] <-- this is always the emitter for now
[I_TARGET:C:LOCATION]
[IT_LOCATION:CONTEXT_LOCATION]
[IT_MANUAL_INPUT:target]
[I_EFFECT:MATERIAL_EMISSION]
[IE_TARGET:A]
[IE_TARGET:B]
[IE_TARGET:C]
[IE_IMMEDIATE]
incidentally just below it is a version with "hidden effects" i can only assume this is the one that titans and forgotten beasts infamously use.
but under the files with the states that give things the ability to raise the dead, which are found under the folder "interaction_examples" in the files "interaction_disturbance" and "interaction_secret" both have the description of the ability...and a listed gained ability...but im having difficulty trying to copy that to the colossus, since everything seems in order for them...i tried using the one that looks more similar to the dragonfire, as far as layout goes:
[CE_CAN_DO_INTERACTION:START:0]
[CDI:ADV_NAME:Animate corpse]
[CDI:INTERACTION:EXAMPLE RAISE]
[CDI:TARGET:A:LINE_OF_SIGHT]
[CDI:TARGET_RANGE:A:10]
[CDI:VERB:gesture:gestures:NA]
[CDI:TARGET_VERB:shudder and begin to move:shudders and begins to move]
[CDI:WAIT_PERIOD:10]
(for mummies, the file looks the same, except with "EXAMPLE D RAISE" instead of "EXAMPLE RAISE")
which seems in order, except for the CE_ bit. and the START:0. removing the CE didnt work, most likely because the EXAMPLE RAISE seems to refer to something in the same file:
[INTERACTION:EXAMPLE RAISE]
[I_TARGET:A:CORPSE]
[IT_LOCATION:CONTEXT_ITEM]
[IT_AFFECTED_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
[IT_REQUIRES:FIT_FOR_ANIMATION]
[IT_FORBIDDEN:NOT_LIVING]
[IT_MANUAL_INPUT:corpses]
[I_EFFECT:ANIMATE]
[IE_TARGET:A]
[IE_IMMEDIATE]
[IE_ARENA_NAME:Animated corpse]
[SYNDROME]
[CE_FLASH_TILE:TILE:165:3:0:0:FREQUENCY:2000:1000:START:0]
[CE_PHYS_ATT_CHANGE:STRENGTH:300:1000:TOUGHNESS:300:1000:START:0]
[CE_SPEED_CHANGE:SPEED_PERC:60:START:0]
which confuses me, because in the case of dragonfire, the raw refers to MATERIAL_EMISSION in a different file, and refers after the CAN_DO_INTERACTION bit. but this one seems to refer to it, whereas this one refers to it under the next line...
of course, this probably has something to do with the fact that the necromancer one is actually under a different interaction, which is to say, reading the book.
the full raw for it:
[INTERACTION:EXAMPLE SECRET]
[I_SOURCE:SECRET]
[IS_NAME:the secrets of life and death]
[IS_SPHERE:DEATH]
[IS_SECRET_GOAL:IMMORTALITY]
[IS_SECRET:SUPERNATURAL_LEARNING_POSSIBLE]
[IS_SECRET:MUNDANE_RESEARCH_POSSIBLE]
[IS_SECRET:MUNDANE_TEACHING_POSSIBLE]
[IS_SECRET:MUNDANE_RECORDING_POSSIBLE:objects/text/book_instruction.txt:objects/text/secret_death.txt]
[I_TARGET:A:CREATURE]
[IT_LOCATION:CONTEXT_CREATURE]
[IT_REQUIRES:MORTAL]
[IT_REQUIRES:CAN_LEARN]
[IT_REQUIRES:CAN_SPEAK]
[I_EFFECT:ADD_SYNDROME]
[IE_TARGET:A]
[IE_IMMEDIATE]
[IE_ARENA_NAME:Necromancer]
[SYNDROME]
[CE_DISPLAY_TILE:TILE:165:5:0:1:START:0]
[CE_DISPLAY_NAME:NAME:necromancer:necromancers:necromantic:START:0]
[CE_ADD_TAG:NOEXERT:NO_AGING:NO_EAT:NO_DRINK:NO_SLEEP:NO_PHYS_ATT_GAIN:NO_PHYS_ATT_RUST:START:0]
[CE_CAN_DO_INTERACTION:START:0]
[CDI:ADV_NAME:Animate corpse]
[CDI:INTERACTION:EXAMPLE RAISE]
[CDI:TARGET:A:LINE_OF_SIGHT]
[CDI:TARGET_RANGE:A:10]
[CDI:VERB:gesture:gestures:NA]
[CDI:TARGET_VERB:shudder and begin to move:shudders and begins to move]
[CDI:WAIT_PERIOD:10]
so now im wonder just what the raw is for what im assuming is added to the file whereever your adventurer is stored. which i would think would look more like the dragonbreath raw, since this one seems to be purely to ADD that raw to your character, rather than the raw itsself
i suppose i could figure it out by creating another adventurer (of a more normal species) and making them become a necromancer normally, then saving, finding where their raw is stored, and examining it for what is probably OBVIOUSLY WHAT IM LOOKING FOR as some sort of [CAN_DO_INTERACTION: ] tag.then copy pasting that.
i am also convinced that the ability doesnt have some sort of built in autoreject tag for non_living, since you can have bronze colossus necromancers in arena mode