I'm hoping someone can assist me with modifying the hint system of a Trivia bot.

I think this section in script.mrc controls the process;
Code:
 if ($1 == $getread(-s,triggers,hint) && $getread(-s,gsettings,hint) == on) { 
    floodproc HINT 3 
  if (%trivq != $null) { .msg $getread(-s,csettings,trivia.channel) %h2col Hint: $+ %hcol $+ $left($arg(%trivq,2,*),1) | halt } | msg $getread(-s,csettings,trivia.channel) %h3col $+ What ? You want a hint for future questions ? } 

  if ($1 == $getread(-s,triggers,hint2) && $getread(-s,gsettings,hint) == on) {
    floodproc HINT2 3
    if (%hint == false) {
      if (%trivq != $null && $chr(160) isin $arg(%trivq,2,*) && $getread(-s,triggers,hint2result) == firstword) { var %whint = $arg($arg(%trivq,2,*),1,$chr(160)) | msg $getread(-s,csettings,trivia.channel) 0,10  Hint: %whint $+ $chr(32) $+ $right(%hint4,$calc(0- $len(%whint)))  | set %hint true | halt }
    if (%trivq != $null) { msg $getread(-s,csettings,trivia.channel) 0,10 Hint: %hint3 $+ $right(%hint4,$calc(0-$getread(-s,triggers,hint2resultcount)))  | set %hint true | halt } | msg $getread(-s,csettings,trivia.channel) 14What ? You want a hint for future questions ? }    
  }
  if ($1 == $getread(-s,triggers,skip)) && ($arg(%trivq,2,*) != $null) {
    floodproc SKIP 5
  if ($getread(-s,gsettings,skip) != on) { .notice $nick Sorry, this command seems to lag the bot. | halt } | else { .timer3 off | .timer4 off | .timer5 off | .timer6 off | var %skans = $arg(%trivq,2,*) | unset %trivq | msg $getread(-s,csettings,trivia.channel) 0,1 Player triggered !skip command  $+ %clqb The answer was -> %clqa %skans %clqb <- 0,1 Skipping to next question  | .timerskipped 1 %tme2 trivq | if %chaos = on { unset %allans | set %chaos off } | halt } }

  if ($1 == $getread(-s,triggers,repeat) && $getread(-s,gsettings,repeat) == on) {


but having backed up the file and edited various pieces, I'm not seeing any changes in the hint system when testing.

At present, the 1st hint pops up immediately after a question is asked e.g.

Q: What colour is a blue crayon?
1st Hint: ****

which on occasions gives the answer away immediately e.g. when the answer is yes or no, or true or false, as two examples.

The 2nd hint always shows the first two characters of the answer. Which isn't helpful when the answer is a year and you've no idea of even the decade the answer relates to, leaving 99 possible answers. Two hints down and not very hintful.

The 3rd hint shows more characters of an answer, but with the really long answers, it still isn't very helpful.

Is it possible to customise the 1st hint to appear after a specified period of time and show a random percentage of the characters from the answer e.g. 30%. Customise the 2nd hint to appear after a specified period of time and show a random percentage of the characters from the answer e.g. 60%. Customise the 3rd hint to appear after a specified period of time and show a random percentage of the characters from the answer e.g. 90%?

Hopefully I'm looking in the correct place in the script. If not, I can supply the full script.mrc or one of the various other .mrc files. Any help would be very much appreciated.