Reliable method in DECORATE for providing an offhand attack?

[SpeedStriker243]

Is there a way of providing an offhand attack in DECORATE that can be defined once and called to from any weapon?

Right now, all I have for a pseudo-offhand attacking ability is this:

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  Reload:
    TNT1 A 0 A_CheckFloor("KickEX")
    // code for ground attack
    Goto Ready
  KickEX:
    // code for aerial attack
    Goto Ready

and I'm having to copy and paste this across all weapon definitions, and when I want to update something, I have to do it in one weapon definition and then copy and paste to the others. The knockback of the attack is also inconsistent since each definition is just inheriting from the weapon that the Reload state is present in.

I could probably see if I could do it in ZScript, but then I'd have to rewrite everything which will take a while, so I'm not sure I want to do that yet...

[Apeirogon]

You could try custom inventory items (it able to draw sprites on screen in same way as weapon) and bind give "custom item name" to some key. But it would be kinda hacky, like most advanced stuff in created using Decorate.

I could probably see if I could do it in ZScript, but then I'd have to rewrite everything which will take a while, so I'm not sure I want to do that yet...

Not rewrite, just add ; at the end of the each line and put actor default variables in default{} block.

[Jarewill]

Like Apeirogon said, using CustomInventory items are your best bet.
Here's an example "quick kick" item:

---

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version "4.0"

Class QuickKickItem : CustomInventory
{
    int inuse;
    States
    {
    Use:
        TNT1 A 0 A_Overlay(-2,"QuickMelee");
        TNT1 A 0 A_OverlayOffset(-2,0,32);
        Fail;
    QuickMelee: //Kicking animation (using punch sprites here)
        PUNG BC 2;
        PUNG D 2 A_CustomPunch(2*Random(1,10), true, 0, "BulletPuff");
        PUNG CB 2;
        Stop;
    }
    Override void DoEffect()
    {
        Super.DoEffect();
        If(inuse>0){inuse--;}
        If(owner is "PlayerPawn" && owner.GetPlayerInput(MODINPUT_BUTTONS)&BT_RELOAD && inuse==0)
        {
            owner.UseInventory(self);
            inuse=10; //Change this to the duration of the QuickMelee state (in this example it's 10)
        }
    }
} 

Just give this to the player and it should work,

It uses ZScript, but you can include both ZScript and DECORATE, so no need to rewrite everything.

[SpeedStriker243]

Huh, alright. I'll try and see what I can do.

[SpeedStriker243]

That worked really well, thanks so much!

[SpeedStriker243]

Another question though: how do I edit the properties of the attack? Does it inherit from the DECORATE weapon it's called from?

[Jarewill]

Another question though: how do I edit the properties of the attack? Does it inherit from the DECORATE weapon it's called from?

For modifying damage: Just change variables in the A_CustomPunch function in QuickMelee state.
For modifying properties like kickback: You will have to make a new BulletPuff for that with the ProjectileKickBack property:

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Class NewBulletPuff : BulletPuff
{
    Default
    {
        ProjectileKickBack 500;
    }
}

Then use that BulletPuff in A_CustomPunch or whatever function was used.
ZScript is loaded before DECORATE, so I am not sure if DECORATE BulletPuff will work, just in case I posted an example in ZScript.

[Player701]

ZScript is loaded before DECORATE, so I am not sure if DECORATE BulletPuff will work, just in case I posted an example in ZScript.

It is not possible for a ZScript-based actor to inherit from a DECORATE-based one, but you can use class names from both everywhere - they seem to be resolved at a later stage of the compilation. No guarantees that it's not going to change, though...

[Graf Zahl]

Class names as parameters are indeed resolved later. This is by design and won't change.

[Player701]

Oh, good to know that. Thanks, Graf.