Can't wait for DoomScript

[Mighty Duck X-treme]

I really hope DoomScript gets done! ^_^

After that, move over DDF and DeHackEd! This will hopefully become the best feature in ZDoom, IMO

[Thrasher]

What is DOOM Script?

I know that Zdoom already has ACS scripting (which is very impressive in itself).

[Kate]

Ever played Unreal? there's a scripting language in it that controls everything from how monsters behave to the physics of projectiles. Doomscript would allow you to change [edit](or create)[/edit] anything in the game from the monsters to weapons and even the players themselves.

[Randy110887]

So, 2 items that are normally the same can be easily scripted to be completely different from one another? One imp shoots fireballs, the other shoots plasma, yet they are the same item?

[Kate]

So, 2 items that are normally the same can be easily scripted to be completely different from one another? One imp shoots fireballs, the other shoots plasma, yet they are the same item?

Yes, that would be possible.

[bimshwel]

If that's so much like this "Unreal" thing, why not just play Unreal, then? The more features Doom has, the less fun it is to see them, after a certain point. Why, I can remember, some years ago, thinking invisible platforms were neat effects. Neat (though I admit I was never especially impressed with those "3d bridges").

[Thrasher]

Ever played Unreal? there's a scripting language in it that controls everything from how monsters behave to the physics of projectiles. Doomscript would allow you to change [edit](or create)[/edit] anything in the game from the monsters to weapons and even the players themselves.

From what I have observed in many Zdoom TCs that use ACS is that it does just about the same thing. Controling monsters, and modifying weapons, and other cool stuff that are already availible. I don't see any real reason to add another scripting language if Zdoom already has a good one. Long Live ACS!

[Mighty Duck X-treme]

Ah.

But some people can't wait for Doomscript to be done because it can do things that ACS can't do, IIRC. I can see your point though. ;)

[Hirogen2]

What things would that be?

[Mighty Duck X-treme]

Take a look at the DDF pages, for example.

[Graf Zahl]

Before we start thinking about what Doomscript can/should and cannot/should not do we need a mechanism to add custom monsters to the game first. Something like this:

Code: Select all

ACTOR ZombieMan
{        
	DoomEdNum 3004
	Monster
	Health 20
	Radius 20
	Height 56
	Speed 8
	PainChance 200
	SeeSound dsposit1
	AttackSound dspistol 
	PainSound dspopain 
	DeathSound dspodth1
	ActiveSound dsposact
	SpawnOnDeath Clip
	States
	{
	Spawn:
		POSS AB 10 A_Look
		Loop
	See:
		POSS AABBCCDD 4 A_Chase
		Loop
	Missile:
		POSS E 10 A_FaceTarget
		POSS F 8 A_PosAttack
		POSS E 8
		Goto See
	Pain:
		POSS G 3
		POSS G 3 A_Pain
		Goto See
	Death:
		POSS H 5
		POSS I 5 A_Scream
		POSS J 5 A_Fall
		POSS K 5
		POSS L -1 A_Death
		Stop
	XDeath:
		POSS M 5
		POSS N 5 A_PlaySound dsslop
		POSS O 5 A_Fall
		POSS PQRST 5
		POSS U -1 A_Death
		Stop
	Raise:
		POSS KJIH 5
		Goto See
	}
}

(Just something I designed for my own private port of PrBoom...)

[Enjay]

Clear, easy to understand and not too different from what Randy has started to do with things like decorate projectiles and destroyable items which are viewed as the first rung on the doomscript ladder.

You say your own private port of PRBoom? Is this something you have actually compiled? Do you plan on making it public?

[Graf Zahl]

This 'private port' is something I did some time ago but I've stopped developing it. It was mostly enhancements of PrBooms OpenGL renderer in order to make it fully Boom compatible (originally it didn't properly support colormaps) Then I started adding stuff from some other ports like Legacy's 3D-floors. Unfortunately some of this added stuff is just too buggy and I don't have the time to fix all the bugs in order to make it public. So I doubt I will release the whole thing ever.
The parser for the file format I posted, however is fully functional. In its current form it's probably useless because it relies on modified data structures that do not exist in this form in any source ports. I could modify it to work with ZDoom (this stuff could easily be integrated into the DECORATE lump) but this would require some minor changes to the data organization because I added a parameter field to the states to make it more flexible.

[Hirogen2]

Code: Select all

ACTOR ZombieMan
{        
	DoomEdNum 3004
	Monster
	Health 20
	Radius 20
	Height 56
	Speed 8
	PainChance 200
	SeeSound dsposit1
	AttackSound dspistol 
	PainSound dspopain 
	DeathSound dspodth1
	ActiveSound dsposact
	SpawnOnDeath Clip
	States
	{
	Spawn:
		POSS AB 10 A_Look
		Loop
	See:
		POSS AABBCCDD 4 A_Chase
		Loop
	Missile:
		POSS E 10 A_FaceTarget
		POSS F 8 A_PosAttack
		POSS E 8
		Goto See
	Pain:
		POSS G 3
		POSS G 3 A_Pain
		Goto See
[...]
Goto See
	}
}

Though I would propose one variable at the beginning which stores the 4-char ID, like

ACTOR { id POSS }

so one doesnot need to type it over and over. Nice start. This is just what I would like to have. And of course, if possible, get rid of the old frame tables, which are also limited to 967 frames anyway.

[Graf Zahl]

Though I would propose one variable at the beginning which stores the 4-char ID, like

ACTOR { id POSS }

so one doesnot need to type it over and over. Nice start. This is just what I would like to have.

I didn't do that on purpose because you may want to use different sprite names in an actor (like some projectiles in Doom or some monsters with a lot of different frames in Hexen.

And of course, if possible, get rid of the old frame tables, which are also limited to 967 frames anyway.

The frame table length is no longer an issue in ZDoom (except in Dehacked). Even now you can create new ones with the existing DECORATE functionality and all things combined (Doom, Heretic and Hexen) there are already 4000-5000 states right now.