Multiple Item drops

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 12:31 pm

In the Wiki it says that you can have an unlimited amount of dropitem entries for an actor.

I've tried this in DECORATE for my own monster but i can't seem to get it to drop more than one item. Instead, when i have more than one, I keep getting error messages when I start zdoom.

Cutmanmike · Post by **Cutmanmike** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 12:36 pm

Make sure you make it like this:

Code: Select all

Dropitem Megasphere
Dropitem DoomImp
Dropitem Blood
etc

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 12:41 pm

Oh I didn't realise that you had to put Dropitem in front of each one.
Thanks.

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:47 pm

I noticed that when I use dropitem to create two more monsters after one has died they get stuck. Is there a way to correct this?

Macil · Post by **Macil** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:51 pm

The reason is because both monsters are spawned at the same spot.

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 2:17 am

Is there any way to stop them being spawned in the same spot.

Or maybe you could put a delay on it so that the first monster has time to move out of the way before the second one spawns.

wildweasel · Post by **wildweasel** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 2:54 am

In your DECORATE lump, in the monster's death state, after you've placed the A_NoBlocking codepointer, add the appropriate delays for the first dropped monster to get out of the way, then add an A_CustomMissile. Example, if you're wanting to make an explosive barrel drop a Doom Imp:

Code: Select all

Death:
NULL Z 1 A_NoBlocking
NULL Z 35
NULL Z 1 A_CustomMissile("DoomImp", 0, 0, 0)
Stop

This makes the actor wait a whole second before spawning the Doom Imp.

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 3:18 am

Basically I'm trying to make a baron of hell that spawns two more of itself when it dies.
This is what I have so far;

Code: Select all

ACTOR SpawnerBaron : BaronOfHell 20607
{

	Obituary "%o was outnumbered by the spawner baron."
	DropItem SpawnerBaron
	DropItem SpawnerBaron
	States
	{
	Death:
	    BOSS I 8
	    BOSS J 8 A_Scream
	    BOSS K 8
	    BOSS L 8 A_NoBlocking
	    BOSS MN 8
	    BOSS O -1 A_BossDeath
	    Stop
	}
}

Which areas of the death state do I change.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 3:55 am

You can't do it that easily. Spawning one new monster is no problem but for the second one to spawn the first one has to move out of the way first. Movement is somewhat random and depends on many factors so it is impossible to tell how long it will take. In your case a script is the only option. The script is executed upon the monster's death and can try to spawn the new monsters in place until both are there.

Anyway, what's a monster worth that replicates endlessly?

Cutmanmike · Post by **Cutmanmike** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 4:41 am

Maybe some kind of boss, which after splitting them for a while you can kill it another way by crushing ceiling or something

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:19 am

What I'm trying to end up with is a monster that keeps spawning more of itself unless you kill it with the correct weapon. If killed with the correct weapon, then the monster won't spawn any more of itself when it dies.

I just haven't got to this part yet.

In your case a script is the only option.

If your talking about ACS then I don't know how I'm going to do that seeing as the ACS program is in DOS and I can't get it to run on my machine.

Post by **Chris** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:24 am

There's a Windows-based ACS compiler. Check the Downloads page.

Post by **TheDarkArchon** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:30 am

IT's easy with no scripts involved. Use DeHackEd to give the projectile of the weapon you need to use to kill the barons the FIREDAMAGE flag. Then you change your DECORATE to this:

Code: Select all

ACTOR SpawnerBaron : BaronOfHell 20607
{
   Obituary "%o was outnumbered by the spawner baron."
   States
   {
   Death:
       BOSS I 8
       BOSS J 8 A_Scream
       BOSS K 8
       BOSS L 0 A_CustomMissile ("SpawnerBaron", 32, 0, 24)
       BOSS L 0 A_CustomMissile ("SpawnerBaron", 32, 0, -24)
       BOSS L 8 A_NoBlocking
       BOSS MN 8
       BOSS O -1 A_BossDeath
       Stop
   Burn:
       BOSS I 8
       BOSS J 8 A_Scream
       BOSS K 8
       BOSS L 8 A_NoBlocking
       BOSS MN 8
       BOSS O -1 A_BossDeath
       Stop
   }

Easy.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:35 am

A_CustomMissile is not the best way to spawn monsters. Depending on the scenario they can get easily stuck or not be spawned at all. To do this reliably the only real way to achieve it is to execute a script that can perfectly control that exactly 2 copies are spawned from it. Why use dirty hacks if it can be done cleanly?

ellmo · Post by **ellmo** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:59 am

Man... I treid to make a Zombie that keeps geeting up after death until you splatter him with rockets or such, It was back in .63a, but I couldn't get it to work properly. Because you really didn't need rockets to kiil it. You just shot it, and stood on it for some time. After a 7 second delay (or so), when the moster is about to get up, it was just killed by the player standing above him, and didn't come back.