# Overwriting NPC snippets

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430>\
**Category:** The Toolbox\
**Created:** [December 17, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430 "2021-12-17T18:16:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NetSysFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@NetSysFire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/NetSysFire)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430/1 "2021-12-17T18:16:15Z")

</div>

I am working on a mod which replaces insults, `<name_b>` in `data/json/npc/talk_tags.json` completely so it only uses my custom set. So I created `modinfo.json` and put the following in in `talk_tags.json`:

```json
[
  {
    "type": "snippet",
    "category": "<name_b>",
    "//": "generic negative/hostile pronouns",
    "text": [
      "lutefisk",
      "protein ration",
      "wastebread"
    ]
  }
]

```

Yet when I create a new world and choose the mod I just created, which looks correct and all, and steal something from the refugee center, they still use the old insults, so it is probably appending those instead of completely overwriting the snippet.  
Is there a way to completely overwrite it? I tried to add the same category but make `"text"` an empty array but that did not seem to work either.

The purpose of that mod is to replace all the mean insults with some more humorous ones.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wwkk222208](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/wwkk222208/32/11715_2.png) [@wwkk222208](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/wwkk222208)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2021, 11:53am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430/2 "2021-12-21T11:53:27Z")

</div>

I am planning to solve this problem in a PR. The general idea is to allow all snippets to have tags which can distinguish between insults and harmonious ones.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NetSysFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@NetSysFire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/NetSysFire)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430/3 "2021-12-21T15:19:42Z")

</div>

I am already working on this small mod, but I fear that we can not overwrite or clear snippets and only append. Might be a technical limitation. It would be great if we could do this to just clear the snippet and replace it:

```json
[
  {
    "type": "snippet",
    "category": "<name_b>",
    "text": []
  },
  {
    "type": "snippet",
    "category": "<name_b>",
    "text": ["this is the only insult now"]
  }
]

```

If you could implement the above in a PR this would be absolutely great.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wwkk222208](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/wwkk222208/32/11715_2.png) [@wwkk222208](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/wwkk222208)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 10:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430/4 "2021-12-23T10:20:30Z")

</div>

What I want to do is to subdivide the types of snippets, not just to distinguish insults. This requires some C++ code changes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wwkk222208](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/wwkk222208/32/11715_2.png) [@wwkk222208](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/wwkk222208)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 10:42am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/overwriting-npc-snippets/27430/5 "2021-12-23T10:42:45Z")

</div>

This is the draft:

> <https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/53706>
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> \#### Summary
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> 
> \#### Purpose of change
> The npc snippets in the current game are very rigid, because they are always randomly selected and not related to the character of NPCs. Players will find that NPCs quickly switch between being polite and rude.
> \<!-- With a few sentences, describe your reasons for making this change. If it relates to an existing issue, you can link it with a # followed by the GitHub issue number, like #1234. If your pull request \*fully\* resolves an issue, include the word "Fix" or "Fixes" before the issue number, like: Fixes #1234.
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> 
> \#### Describe the solution
> 
> \- \[x\] Change the data storage format of snippets.
> 
> \- \[\] Make flags of ssnippets loadable.
> 
> \- \[\] Make snippets with specific flags can be filtered out when randomly selecting snippets, according to the personality and attitude to the player of NPCs.
> 
> \- \[\] Add flags to insults in json.
> 
> 
> 
> \#### Describe alternatives you've considered
> 
> 
> 
> \#### Testing
> 
> 
> 
> \#### Additional context