Meaning of stat number

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Apeirogon
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Meaning of stat number

Post by Apeirogon »

I did not fully understand what change stat numbers on thinker.
Wiki only says
The engine utilizes stat numbers on thinkers to organize thinkers and whether to call their Tick() functions or not.
Yes, I see that some stat numbers allow thinker to tick and some not, but I dont find on github what is the difference between, say, STAT_DEFAULT, STAT_DLIGHT and STAT_USER_MAX.
Is it call same tick function or no? Or I must define new tick for STAT_USER_MAX thinker?
Or they use one, global, common, communist tick, and stat numbers only tell gzdoom that first it must handle with thinker which have stat number 1, then with stat number 2, 3, 4...inf, -1/12?
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AFADoomer
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Re: Meaning of stat number

Post by AFADoomer »

The STAT_* number determines the order in which actors "think". Basically, it sets the order in which each type of thinker's tick actions are performed during each game tick...

So, anything with STAT_DLIGHT (the dynamic lights) ticks before thinkers with STAT_DEFAULT (most normal in-game thinkers and actors), while ACS scripts (STAT_SCRIPTS), tick *after* most other thinkers.

You shouldn't have to change the stat number unless you require some sort of special handling for your thinker. If you do change it, then it's best to use something in the range between STAT_USER and STAT_USER_MAX (70-90).
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Apeirogon
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Re: Meaning of stat number

Post by Apeirogon »

Then, there are no difference, how much CPU think for, between STAT_DEFAULT and STAT_USER_MAX?!
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Graf Zahl
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Re: Meaning of stat number

Post by Graf Zahl »

No. CPU usage will be the same. This is all about ordering thinkers, because some stuff needs to be done before other. In a few places thinkers also get a special statnum for faster lookup but that shouldn't be abused too much because if you get the order wrong, bad things can happen if you do not think about dependencies.
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Apeirogon
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Re: Meaning of stat number

Post by Apeirogon »

Okay, and whot about thinkers that dont actualy think? They dont tick at all?
Can I use stat_static to make some decoration, like blood pool or bullet mark on wall, which dont consume much of CPU time?
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Graf Zahl
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Re: Meaning of stat number

Post by Graf Zahl »

No. Do not use non-ticking thinkers for map objects. That may cause some unforeseen problems. A non-moving object won't consume much time anyway.
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