SetCVar

[Nash]

As I said: If you need some functionality, make a request.

But a lot of people requested custom statusbar/HUD scripting language (HUDDEF or something) and they were all rejected. =(

[Graf Zahl]

Do you have any idea how much work it is to implement such a thing? Randy and I can't do all the work for your special needs.

[Nash]

In that case, what HotWax suggested would be a quick workaround... since it's too much work to do it the real way, it would be easier to use CVARs in such a hacked way.

[HotWax]

CVARs are not designed for this. They are designed as global properties that define the user's configuration. That's all they are and what they will ever be.

Except that they've already been used to accomplish other effects, including toggle-type effects that were not originally intended or custom weapon zooms and similar effects. Most of which would be impossible without support from randy in the form of the alias command, wait command, the calculation commands, support for custom cvars, etc etc etc. Clearly, CVars are not just for storing a configuration. What I'm asking is a way to accomplish effects such as the one Nash is asking for without having to add support for new lumps or make other changes where the coding involved would be prohibitive. At the most, all I see required to implement this is to extend the ini sections we already have to include storage of cvars, and to conditionally load those when they're called for by ACS scripts. Otherwise, the cvars already stored in the general section of the ini will be unaffected and will be used the next time ZDoom is loaded. Unless there's some coding feat I'm missing here, this can't be all that difficult, and I don't believe this falls too far outside of what cvars were "intended" or "designed" to do.

[Graf Zahl]

No. You can argue as much as you want.

The entire scheme you are proposing makes it DOA. What's the point in building a complex and convoluted mechanism into the CVAR management? It'd be much easier to add specific ACS commands for the tasks you need. That method had the advantage that there would be some degree of control. CVARs will never give that.

@Nash: A hack is not a solution to any problem. All it will do is cause problems later.

So, instead of beating a dead horse, how about making specific requests of a functionality you really need. That would have a much better chance of being implemented.

[Theshooter7]

Not to hijack, but how about an ACS Command that can load in lumps? Or maybe even one that can generate a txt file with Variable Scopes in it? I think this would be helpful, if, say you have an RPG Script. You want to save your stats for a later game or even a diffrent wad. Now all you have to do is puke the script that will save this info, and then load it later.

[Graf Zahl]

That doesn't sound even remotely useful.

[Bio Hazard]

As I said: If you need some functionality, make a request.

So, instead of beating a dead horse, how about making specific requests of a functionality you really need. That would have a much better chance of being implemented.

Request: Make a way to force the status bar off.

[edward850]

As I said: If you need some functionality, make a request.

A music fade request was made some time ago and nothing happened, your making us ask for stuff that’s already been mentioned, and possibly going to say no to any way because you complain that its going to need 'too much work' or 'cant be done'

Well I'm sure this can

If not abused this can be the most powerful command in ACS, and hell, at least half of all ACS scripters here would know how to make this work in multiplayer

[Graf Zahl]

Request: Make a way to force the status bar off.

Ok, but what show instead? Full screen with the weapon lowered to the bottom of the screen isn't a problem. But what if you want to replace the status bar? Currently we have 4 different ones so a generic solution is not as simple as it might seem at first. There's also factors like scaling and such that might complicate matters.

[Graf Zahl]

If not abused this can be the most powerful command in ACS

I'm allowed to laugh about this statement, aren't I?

[edward850]

Do you really think you have won this topic?

[Bio Hazard]

Ok, but what show instead? Full screen with the weapon lowered to the bottom of the screen isn't a problem. But what if you want to replace the status bar? Currently we have 4 different ones so a generic solution is not as simple as it might seem at first. There's also factors like scaling and such that might complicate matters.

Functions can have arguments can't they? If that's too hard for you, I'm sure forcing it to the same as fullscreen would be fine for most cases.

[HotWax]

Forcing it the same as maximum screenblocks (no status bar, no HUD of any kind) would work just fine for every scenario. The mapper would then have to draw a custom HUD using ACS from scratch, which shouldn't be a problem.

If it's determined useful you could also have a parameter that controls whether to draw the fullscreen HUD or not.

Regarding the original point of this thread, I strongly disagree, but as I can see this isn't getting anywhere, I guess I'll accept it. I do agree it's ironic how you keep saying we should make specific requests when those requests have been repeatedly shot down in the past.

[TheDarkArchon]

If a mapper has gone to the trouble of selecting specific music, and determining specific circumstances where this music should fade in or out, or change to a different music track, then it's the player's loss if he/she ignores this.

If fades mean setting the volume, the player can have a nasty jumping if the volume suddenly goes on.

You've got a volume control on your speakers/headphones. Use it. Oh, you mean the mapper has the music volume set higher than the sound effects? Well that's an error that can the mapper can, and should, fix.

Actually, I don't. My laptops speakers nor my headphones have volume controls. Also, there's the issue of audio balance which headphone/speaker controls don't control.

MUS? OPL? More information, please.

OPL is a chip on old soundcards that Doom used to play music. ZDoom can emulate it, though by default it uses MIDI. The crunch of the matter is that if the player uses OPL emulation, it's controled by a different volume slider than if MIDI was used.