Actor dynamic translucency change

[Zeberpal]

I posted it earlier in the "How do I" thread, but I figured it might be a little messy discussing it out there.

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I have this script, which makes a linedef texture dynamically change it's translucency, depending on Player's location regarding that line.
I had a hard time trying to make it myself, however it was entirely redone by ZZYZX afterwards.

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script 1 ENTER
{
    for (int i = 1; i <= 99; i++)
        ACS_NamedExecuteWithResult("LineTransDynamic", i, 0, 0, 0);
}

script "LineTransDynamic" (int i)
{
    int cx = GetActorX(i);
    int cy = GetActorY(i);
    int cz = GetActorZ(i);

    int dst = VectorLength(GetActorZ(0)-cz, VectorLength(GetActorX(0)-cx, GetActorY(0)-cy))>>16;

    int maxdst = 512; // not 256.0

    int alpha = 0;
    if (dst <= maxdst) alpha = 255-(dst*255/maxdst);

    TranslucentLine(i, alpha, 0);

    Delay(1);
    restart;
}

I thought it would be rather easy to "convert it" for the Actors to do the same thing.

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script 1 ENTER
{
    for (int i = 1; i <= 99; i++)
        ACS_NamedExecuteWithResult("ActorTransDynamic", i, 0, 0, 0);
}

script "ActorTransDynamic" (int i)
{
    int cx = GetActorX(i);
    int cy = GetActorY(i);
    int cz = GetActorZ(i);

    int dst = VectorLength(GetActorZ(0)-cz, VectorLength(GetActorX(0)-cx, GetActorY(0)-cy))>>16;

    int maxdst = 512; // not 256.0

    int alpha = 0;
    if (dst <= maxdst) alpha = 255-(dst*255/maxdst);

    SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, alpha);         //  <--changed this line

    Delay(1);
    restart;
}

It doesn't work. I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong. WorldendDominator pointed out to "make sure you have the activators right".
So for a moment I thought I should try something like this:

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ACTOR TranslucentScript : CustomInventory  //in DECORATE
{
	+INVENTORY.UNDROPPABLE
	+AUTOACTIVATE
	Inventory.MaxAmount 0
	States
	{
		Spawn:
		TNT1 A 0
		Stop
		Pickup:
		TNT1 A 0 ACS_ExecuteAlways(1, 0, 0, 0, 0)
		Stop
	}

Script 999 ENTER  //in ACS
{
	SetActivator(-1);
	GiveInventory("TranslucentScript", 1);
}
}

but still..

[RaveYard]

TranslucentLine's alpha paremeter is in 0 to 255 range, but you must use fixed point value of 0.0 to 1.0 in actor's alpha.

[Zeberpal]

TranslucentLine's alpha paremeter is in 0 to 255 range, but you must use fixed point value of 0.0 to 1.0 in actor's alpha.

Thanks for reply RaveYard, I tried a few variants taking into account your advice

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Code: Select all

script "ActorTransDynamic" (int i)
{
    int cx = GetActorX(i);
    int cy = GetActorY(i);
    int cz = GetActorZ(i);

    int dst = VectorLength(GetActorZ(0)-cz, VectorLength(GetActorX(0)-cx, GetActorY(0)-cy))>>16;

    int maxdst = 512; // not 256.0

    int alpha = 0.0;
    if (dst <= maxdst) alpha = 1.0-(dst*1.0/maxdst);   // I don't understand how do you convert XXX range number to fixed number here?

    		SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, alpha);
			SetActorProperty(i, APROP_RenderStyle, STYLE_Normal);

    Delay(1);
    restart;
}

---

Code: Select all

script "ActorTransDynamic" (int i)
{
    int cx = GetActorX(i);
    int cy = GetActorY(i);
    int cz = GetActorZ(i);

    int dst = VectorLength(GetActorZ(0)-cz, VectorLength(GetActorX(0)-cx, GetActorY(0)-cy))>>16;

    int maxdst = 512; // not 256.0

    int alpha = 0;
    if (dst <= maxdst) alpha = 255-(dst*255/maxdst);

    		SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, FixedDiv(alpha, 256.0));
			SetActorProperty(i, APROP_RenderStyle, STYLE_Normal);

    Delay(1);
    restart;
}

I think I understand what I did wrong, but still cant understand how to fix it. There are two type of "numbers" - X.X(fixed) and uhh.. XXX. To commence this "mixed" operation, I have to use just one type of it, so Zdoom would do a correct calculation, right? It kinda looks like 2 different operatins - calculating the distance and calculating the actor's alpha are two different ops with two different rules. I really don't know..

[RaveYard]

I think I understand what I did wrong, but still cant understand how to fix it. There are two type of "numbers" - X.X(fixed) and uhh.. XXX. To commence this "mixed" operation, I have to use just one type of it, so Zdoom would do a correct calculation, right? It kinda looks like 2 different operatins - calculating the distance and calculating the actor's alpha are two different ops with two different rules. I really don't know..

I recommend you take look here:
https://zdoom.org/wiki/Fixed_point_number

In either case, note that here:

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int dst = VectorLength(GetActorZ(0)-cz, VectorLength(GetActorX(0)-cx, GetActorY(0)-cy))>>16;

The coordinates and the resulting distance is in fixed point, but there's also '>>16' at the end which turns the result into integer.

If you take the B variant and change this line:

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SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, FixedDiv(alpha, 256.0));

to this:

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SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, FixedDiv(alpha << 16, 255.0));

It should work. But I'd recommend that you actually go and redo the calculations so that the entire thing is just with fixed point instead of trying quick solutions.

[Zeberpal]

I try my vest to understand how to do it a good way

[/code]
SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, FixedDiv(alpha << 16, 255.0));
[/code]

Uhh, it didn't work unfortunately.

However I tried to "recalculate" to fixed, but still

Code: Select all

script "ActorTransDynamic" (int i)
{
    int cx = GetActorX(i);
    int cy = GetActorY(i);
    int cz = GetActorZ(i);

    int dst = VectorLength(GetActorZ(0)-cz, VectorLength(GetActorX(0)-cx, GetActorY(0)-cy))>>16;

    int maxdst = 512<<16; //

    int alpha = 0.0;
    if (dst <= maxdst) alpha = 255<<16-(dst*255<<16/maxdst);
			SetActorProperty(i, APROP_Alpha, (alpha << 16));
			SetActorProperty(i, APROP_RenderStyle, STYLE_Normal);

    Delay(1);
    restart;
}

script 1 ENTER
{
    for (int i = 31; i <= 35; i++)
        ACS_NamedExecuteWithResult("ActorTransDynamic", i, 0, 0, 0);
}

[RaveYard]

It works, but you are using wrong renderstyle which ignores alpha.

Use STYLE_Translucent instead.

Edit:
Instead of this:

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512<<16

It's much better to write this:

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512.0

The dot is what tells the compiler if it is fixed point or integer that you've written.

[Zeberpal]

Oh wow, It worked! Thank you RaveYard, for calculation explanation as well, it makes much more sense now