Grouped action specials in DECORATE

[Graf Zahl]

Why do people always use TNT1 for zero length states?

If you really want an answer, it just looks neater and easier to keep that way if you're copying code from multiple different actors. ("What's this TROO H doing in this shotgun guy?")

For what it's worth, here's how the proposed syntax would look:

Code: Select all

FOOB R 12
{
 A_Foobar("Foobar")
 A_Foobar1
 A_Foobar2("Foobar")
 goto Foobar
 A_Foobar2If(user_foobar==2,"Foobar",1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
 A_Foobar3(15,"Foobar")
 A_Foobar4(111,222,333)
 A_FoobarEx("FoobarFatShot",1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
}

compared to the current equivalent:

Code: Select all

FOOB R 0 A_Foobar("Foobar")
FOOB R 0 A_Foobar1
FOOB R 0 A_Foobar2("Foobar")
goto Foobar
FOOB R 0 A_Foobar2If(user_foobar==2,"Foobar",1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
FOOB R 0 A_Foobar3(15,"Foobar")
FOOB R 0 A_Foobar4(111,222,333)
FOOB R 12 A_FoobarEx("FoobarFatShot",1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)

EDIT: How would goto and jump work in the suggested syntax anyway? would they just not be allowed?

Syntax rejected. Since this will have to be a stand-in for a scripted function each line must end with a semicolon. And the goto is a complete no-go. The scripting language won't allow a goto, it also won't allow A_Jump constructs, but real script syntax instead. In this area the main objective will be: no stopgap measures. Period.
BTW, if Randi continues his work on the scripting branch and manages to merge it this might not be so far away - but don't expect anything unless the scripting framework is in.

[Major Cooke]

no stopgap measures. Period.

So, it's like custominventory, minus any jumping/stopping/actor defining of said custom inventory item? If so, that'd be sweet!

BTW, if Randi continues his work on the scripting branch and manages to merge it this might not be so far away - but don't expect anything unless the scripting framework is in.

This rekindled my hope.

[Gez]

If you really want an answer, it just looks neater and easier to keep that way if you're copying code from multiple different actors. ("What's this TROO H doing in this shotgun guy?")

You need to learn about that thing called "search and replace".

I disagree that it looks neater ("what's this TNT1 A doing in this shotgun guy?") and I know that it can trigger flickering bugs when you're making an actor switch between visible and invisible constantly.

That's usually when I use it. Generally, I use sprite appropriate to the actor but if I am copying between a bunch of different actors using different sprites, then I will tend to use TNT1 for 0 duration frames to save me having to edit the text every time I paste it into a new actor.

Here's a novel idea: stop using TNT1 A 0, start using "####" "#".

[Enjay]

Here's a novel idea: stop using TNT1 A 0, start using "####" "#".

Given that it means "keep previous", what would it do if that was used at the start of a spawn sequence?

It does tend to be (for me) that the frames in question are at the start of sequences, including spawn. So, keeping the previous isn't always suitable.

[Major Cooke]

Crash 'n burn!*

(I've never tried it. I would assume actually it would say the first frame needs to be defined and prevent startup.)

[Gez]

Here's a novel idea: stop using TNT1 A 0, start using "####" "#".

Given that it means "keep previous", what would it do if that was used at the start of a spawn sequence?

I know you're using the old DeepSea editor, but more modern editors have a handy feature where they parse DECORATE code to add actors automatically with the right icons and all.

This is what happens in these editors:

---

Nice, isn't it? Beautiful, convenient, and elegant. Now, this is what happens when the Spawn state is TNT1 A.

---

Excuse me while I'm going to puke.

[Major Cooke]

What editor are you using, Gez? Or I should say, looks like SLADE but is that in the map editor?

[Enjay]

DeePsea can parse DECORATE... but it doesn't do it particularly well for newer DECORATE stuff.

To be fair, most of my stuff does use the "correct" sprite. It's only when I want to give a whole bunch of actors the same sequence that I end up using TNT1 and, even then, I sometimes go back and edit the actors at a later date. Basically, my default is to use the sprite that immediately follows the 0 length state and I have no idea why so many people default to using TNT1 for a 0 duration state.

And, in answer to my own question "what happens if you use "####" "#" at the start of an actor"...

---

[Gez]

What editor are you using, Gez? Or I should say, looks like SLADE but is that in the map editor?

---

[Ed the Bat]

Why do people always use TNT1 for zero length states?

It's precedented, for one thing.

I know that it can trigger flickering bugs when you're making an actor switch between visible and invisible constantly.

I have never seen or heard of such a thing. Do you have any examples?

[randi]

This is dead simple to add with the scripting branch and is, in fact, already planned. As it happens, every line with an action actually gets turned into an anonymous function in the scripting branch. Calling more than one function per frame is just a matter of putting more than one function call inside the generated function.

[Gez]

Why do people always use TNT1 for zero length states?

It's precedented, for one thing.

It's a custom inventory's Pickup state, so something that would never be shown anyway. The Spawn state is normal and visible.

I know that it can trigger flickering bugs when you're making an actor switch between visible and invisible constantly.

I have never seen or heard of such a thing. Do you have any examples?

download that: http://www.file-upload.net/download-995 ... l.wad.html
idkfa/give all
try the weapons
now do sv_fastweapons 1
try the weapons again

[edward850]

I would like to point out that sv_fastweapons isn't intended to be sane.
Granted, the blank frames could be avoided as you say, but it's still not really the best example. Call me when sv_fastweapons creates a sane result.

[Ed the Bat]

I believe sv_fastweapons is known to be buggy anyway (edit: edward beat me to the punch ). Setting it to 1 makes all states 1 tic in duration, meaning it can potentially be slower than it should be, if it has a lot of 0-tic frames in it. So there should be no surprise things will look weird. And going by what you said, these frames are, also, never intended to be seen. The fact that a wonky console cheat can make it happen is really out of my hands. By this logic, using noclip to walk outside of a map and see HOMs should be considered a problem too.

[Gez]

Call me when sv_fastweapons creates a sane result.

Ring! I've edited the DECORATE definitions of these weapons to use real sprites instead of TNT1 A, and now the result is sane.

The fact that a wonky console cheat can make it happen is really out of my hands. By this logic, using noclip to walk outside of a map and see HOMs should be considered a problem too.

If HOMs never happened when noclipping unless a bad and pointless mapping practice was being used, it would be comparable.