[Not a bug] [Latest] DECORATE Error w/Strife Preset Translations

[Xaser]

Strife includes several preset translations that are used for the peasants and acolytes, which can be referenced similar to Doom's via "Translation #", where # is the number of the preset translation to use. However, a game inconsistency occurs here: Strife has more preset translations than Doom, thus when attempting to load a wad that uses them in a non-Strife game, the engine aborts with a DECORATE error, stating that the translation is out of range (despite working perfectly if the IWAD is Strife).

See the attached test wad. It works fine in Strife (summon "GreenRebel" if you simply must), but attempting to load the same wad in Doom, Heretic, or any other supported game, will cause the engine to abort with the following message:

Code: Select all • Expand view

Script error, "strifetran.wad:DECORATE" line 3:
Translation must be in the range [0,2]

strifetran.zip

Test wad: works if Strife is the IWAD, aborts if any other IWAD used.

(236 Bytes) Downloaded 16 times

This is a problem for cross-game wads, as it makes it impossible for them to use Strife's built-in translations.

[ChronoSeth]

I don't think this is possible to "fix" without breaking other mods.

[Xaser]

Huh? How so?

[Graf Zahl]

Strife has more preset translations than the other games so it allows a greater parameter value here. This particular property is not portable between games.

[Xaser]

Why shouldn't it be, though? It's a modding landmine for someone to step on.

If the solution is "Don't do this," then IMO translations above 2 should be restricted outside of zdoom.pk3 to prevent this sort of situation. That's not normally something I'd suggest, but the inconsistency seems wrong. Probably too late for that anyhow, though, if someone's made a mod using it.

[Graf Zahl]

These translations are available in Strife so limiting them makes no sense.

Using translations in cross-game mods makes even less sense because they depend on the palette and are therefore limited to one game only - and I see no point in breaking a legitimate feature just so that some mods that'd be broken anyway can start up without complaining.

[Xaser]

I was using them on modified Strife enemies. They wouldn't work in the other games anyway for virtue of not having sprites, much less a correct translation. This basically resulted in the situation in which Doom wouldn't start due to a problem with an actor Doom doesn't need.

At the very least, the wiki should be updated with a warning about this. The relevant page already provides the correct translation values for the presets so a viable alternative is there for modders to use once they encounter the disclaimer.

[Graf Zahl]

Then change the Wiki.

[Xaser]

Wiki changified. Luckily it's a really special-case scenario, it seems.

[Gez]

Shouldn't the preset translations be defined in MAPINFO/GameInfo anyway?