Switchable Decorations

[Hindsight2020]

This is something that I am really sore on. I get the concept and have even made it work (sort of... horrible graphics and poor timing, but at least proof of concept was there). What I really want to do is take the Pipe Pack from Realm 667's prop stop and make the wheel pipe turnable, thus allowing a user to fill a room with water by "turning" the wheel on the pipe.

The problems I've run into are as follows:
1) MS Paint wont let me save with transparency. So when the sprite is going through the motions is displays with WHITE background. Been gritting my teeth over that one.

2) Can I make the Thing itself the activator? As of right now I can only set a line to activate it, which is certainly doable just a paid in the rear.

Unfortunately I began this project before UDMF and have to continue working under Doom in Hexen format with DB2 (technically GZDB2).

Thanks for any feedback you can offer. I'm heavy into mapping my mega wad right now, but I've been trying to create new actors to add to my unique map. Once I'm done, I'd love to share them with the community.

[Arch]

1) Get Paint.net, it allows transparency (save as PNG), and, as far as I remember, it's free.

2) Use +USESPECIAL flag on actor to make it the activator.

[cocka]

2) Use +USESPECIAL flag on actor to make it the activator.

I tried it. It's not true. If you set USESPECIAL for a monster, assign a TID to the player and the monster and use it by pressing use button, the activator will be the player!

[wiki]SetActivator[/wiki] will do the trick for you.

[Hindsight2020]

2) Use +USESPECIAL flag on actor to make it the activator.

I tried it. It's not true. If you set USESPECIAL for a monster, assign a TID to the player and the monster and use it by pressing use button, the activator will be the player!

[wiki]SetActivator[/wiki] will do the trick for you.

Tried +USESPECIAL, worked just fine. Haven't tried the SetActivator. Would probably come up with the same result anyhow. Would you add that command in DECORATE?

Anyway, thanks for the great input guys! Used Paint.net to make the sprites and +USESPECIAL to make it the activator. Does exactly what I want now!!!

[cocka]

Your question was:

Can I make the Thing itself the activator?

This means that you want the thing to be the activator of the script regardless of the activation mode.

Would you add that command in DECORATE?

This is an ACS function, but of course you can use ACS functions in DECORATE code too.

So you put the wrong question here.

The correct one should have been like this:

How can I change the mode of activation for an actor/monster? But even if you change the mode of activation, the player remains the activator by default.

[Hindsight2020]

OHHHH, I see now my error in the question, but it seems Arch knew what I meant. The +USESPECIAL did what I wanted. Sorry about the ignorant wording and thanks for correcting me!

[Demolisher]

2) Use +USESPECIAL flag on actor to make it the activator.

I tried it. It's not true. If you set USESPECIAL for a monster, assign a TID to the player and the monster and use it by pressing use button, the activator will be the player!

[wiki]SetActivator[/wiki] will do the trick for you.

[wiki=Actor_properties#Activation]Uhhhh...[/wiki]