Picking from a list, and then changing a user's variable.

ID:2176094
 
Nov 22 2016, 10:58 am
Code:
var/list/stats = list("str", "dur", "res", "off", "def", "spd", "frc", "energy")
mob
         verb
            Train()
                set waitfor = FALSE
                set category = "Skills"
                usr << output("You have attempted to train.","chat")
                if(stopState())
                    return FALSE
                if(state != STATE_TRAINING)
                    state = STATE_TRAINING
                    state2 = NULL_STATE
                    icon_state = "Training"
                else
                    nullState()
                    training = FALSE
                while(state == STATE_TRAINING)
                    if(energy <= 5)
                        training = FALSE
                        usr << output("You have run out of energy.","chat")
                        nullState()
                    else
                        usr << output("You are training and have [energy] energy.","chat")
                        training = TRUE
                        energy -= 5
                        var/stat = pick(stats)
                        if(stat == "energy")
                            maxEnergy += (maxEnergy / 100) * energyGain
                        else
                             // Add to other stat.
                        sleep(50)


Problem description:
Currently, I have the above code. I'd like a user's stat to be added to depending on which was picked from the list. How would I do so? Originally, I thought [stat] += 1 would work, but it does not.


Ignore the sloppy state code, I'll be changing that so that it just calls a proc (similar to Ter13's method) and changes based on passed variables.
Nov 22 2016, 11:19 am
The list items in stats would have to be named exactly the same as the mob's variables. Then the following would be an option:

vars[stat] += amount


The other way would involve associating the list items in stats with the actual var name of the stat and using that.

var/list/stats = list("energy" = "maxEnergy")

//...

vars[stats[stat]] += amount


Personally, I'd avoid both of these methods because they both involve using the vars list, which can be slow to access. A better option would be to organize mob stats using a list as opposed to using separate variables.
Nov 22 2016, 11:37 am (Edited on Nov 22 2016, 11:47 am)
I would use a more object-oriented approach:
// I think "stat" sometimes collides with the stat() proc,
// so I'm calling this "skill_level" instead.
skill_level
    var
        name
        value
        maximum

    New(Name, Value, Maximum = 1#INF)
        name = Name
        value = Value
        maximum = Maximum

    proc
        Increase(Amount)
            value = min(max(value + Amount, 0), maximum)

        Decrease(Amount)
            Increase(-Amount)

        LevelUp()
            Increase(1)

        Spend(Amount)
            if(value < Amount) return FALSE
            Decrease(Amount)
            return TRUE

    // Instead of the value, on level up, the maximum changes.
    energy
        LevelUp()
            maximum *= 1 + energyGain / 100 // simplified your math for you

mob
    var
        skill_level
            str
            dur
            res
            // ...
            energy/energy

        list/skill_levels

    proc
        // Call this during character creation or something
        InitializeStats()
            // "new" without the type uses the type of the variable, /skill_level
            // change the 0's to your desired starting values
            str = new ("str", 0)
            dur = new ("dur", 0)
            // ...

            // energy is defined as a /skill_level/energy, so that's used here
            // change the 10 to your desired starting maximum energy
            energy = new ("energy", 0, 10)

            skill_levels = list(str, dur, res, /* ... */)

Then, picking a random stat to increase looks like this:
if(energy.Spend(5))
    src << "Training! [energy.value] energy left!"
    var skill_level/skill_level = pick(skill_levels)
    skill_level.LevelUp()
else
    src << "Ran out of energy!"