Adding things to Doombuilder

[Lishy]

Hey guys. How exactly do I add my own custom foes to Doom Builder? I could technically place them on my maps using the actor's ID, however in the editor they appear almost like "blank" actors, and very, VERY small. It makes locating and managing them very difficult!

Any way to "add" things to Doombuilder's resources similar to how you could select a Cacodemon from its resources? Furthermore, how can I make it appear bigger on the map than it is?

Screen of actor using ID of 10002:

[Blue Shadow]

For your first question, if your custom monster has a DoomEd number, which it does in your example, and is loaded properly in DB, then you'll find a Decorate entry in the list of "things" to put in a map (it's usually at the bottom of the list). Expand that entry and you'll see every custom actor that has a DoomEd number in there. However, they'll still be displayed as generic things with no specific size and such.

As for the second question, you'll have to do some configuration work to get that done. An example:

• Create a text file and put this in, editing the bottom part to suit your needs:

  ---

  Code: Select all

  monsters // anything that goes inside this should be a monster
  {
  	color = 12;	// Light Red
  	arrow = 1;
  	title = "Monsters";
  	width = 20;
  	sort = 1;
  	height = 56;
  	hangs = 0;
  	blocking = 1;
  	error = 2;
  	
  	11001 // DoomEd number
  	{
  		title = "Black Demon";
  		width = 30;
  		sprite = "SDRGA2A8";
  	}
  	
  	// down here you can add more monstets...
  }
  

• Save the file as custom_things.cfg (you can give it any name you want) and put it in the Configurations\Includes directory in Doom Builder directory.
• Make a copy of the game configuration file that you're using for your map(s) (the game config I used in this example is GZDoom: Doom in Hexen) and locate a piece of code that starts with thingtypes:

  ---

  Code: Select all

  thingtypes
  {
  	// Basic game actors
  	include("Includes\\Doom_things.cfg");
  	include("Includes\\Doom2_things.cfg");
  	// Additional ZDoom actors for that game
  	include("Includes\\ZDoom_things.cfg", "doom");
  	// Standard ZDoom actors
  	include("Includes\\ZDoom_things.cfg", "zdoom");
  	// Additional actors from the engine
  	include("Includes\\GZDoom_things.cfg", "gzdoom");
  }
  

• Put this line... (I'm not sure whether it's important or not on where this line goes in there. But that's how I do it)

  Code: Select all

  include("Includes\\custom_things.cfg");

  after this line and then save the file...

  Code: Select all

  include("Includes\\Doom2_things.cfg");

One last thing is to make sure to add the wad/pk3 that contains the sprites for the monster as resources when using that game configuration you just edited. Otherwise the sprite of the monster won't display.

Note: I don't know if the above way I described is the best/right way to do this, however, it works for me.

[CodeImp]

DB should be able to get more from the decorate info than just the name. But if you want to edit config files please COPY a game configuration for your projects! Don't edit the existing ones because they are managed by me and are over written with updates on new versions. (and if an existing configuration needs a fix, let me know on the DB forums.)

[HellCattX]

Thank you for that, now i can see my custom items in Doom Builder!

@CodeImp, when i have a huge decorate list, i add #include "Namehere" lump for additional decorate info to the top of the decorate file, mayhaps if it doesnt already have doom builder read "Namehere" lump as well for looking up things.

[NeuralStunner]

DB2 supports Decorate #Include already.

[HellCattX]

it doesnt on mine then lol, and i have the latest, oh well, this method works too.

[Blue Shadow]

But if you want to edit config files please COPY a game configuration for your projects! Don't edit the existing ones because they are managed by me and are over written with updates on new versions.

It has slipped my mind that it's better to edit a copy of the game configuration instead of editing the original for that reason.

I got used to the fact that Doom Builder 1 will never be updated anymore (that's what I used to use) that editing the original configs or the copies makes no difference to me in that regard. I only started using Doom Builder 2 recently.

Of course, I always keep a back up copy of the original somewhere. Just in case.

Edit: I updated my first post.

[cq75]

It is much easier to add thing information to your DECORATE files, I made an example on this article: [wiki]Doom_Builder[/wiki]

[HellCattX]

i do that, but it never shows up in doom builder.

[cq75]

Check to be sure that the category you're assigning it to exists, capitalization counts, it's possible that you're assigning it to a new category by accident, and it's being put at the bottom of the list.

Also be sure that it's given a thing ID right in the DECORATE definition; even if you are replacing something that already exists, and it has the same ThingID. For it to show up in doombuilder, you need to give it an editornumber in the definition.

A good example of this is when I added my berserk pack replacement to my mod (Chex Quest), it worked fine without the editornumber in game, but you definitely need the editornumber after the actor in order for it to show in the game.

[If you put the editor number in there, zDoom will give you a warning about multiple things having the same editornumber, you can ignore that warning safely if you are replacing something, though]

[HellCattX]

Ok this is one of my custom items.

Code: Select all

ACTOR Rake 684
{
//$Category Decoration
//$Sprite RAKEW0
//$Name "Rake"
  Radius 2
  Height 15
  States
  {
  Spawn:
	RAKE W -1
	loop
	}
}

It doesnt not Show up ANYWARE in doombuilder. Not At the top, not in the category its supost to, nothing. If i am not mistaken it does have a DoomED number but no ThingID, and if thats my error,Whats the code to assign that.

[cq75]

The keyword is $Title, not $Name for the name of the actor. Also, I guess these commented lines should be inside of the brackets, but I'm not sure. Everything else looks fine

ThingIDs are not necessary.

Try this:

Code: Select all

ACTOR Rake 684
{
//$Category Decoration
//$Title "Rake"
//$Sprite RAKEW0
  Radius 2
  Height 15
  States
  {
  Spawn:
   RAKE W -1
   loop
   }
}

EDIT - tested and it works, I used the talk icon from Skulltag as RAKEW0

[HellCattX]

Still didnt work. Idk whats going on here lol. But if i put the item in the .cfg files they show up, if i put them in decorate or #include files they do not. The Rake is the first entry in Decorate file though.

I cant load that wad file in Doom Builder either.

[cq75]

Are you using Doom builder 2?

[HellCattX]

i think i see my problem here, when i first started my wad, i made it with, just basic "doom 2" configurations, and i had to open ur wad in Doom in UDMF format to see it, and in that mode i did see the item, however it ruined the map. So do i have to re-build my maps from scratch using doom in a different format to see em? Like doom in hexen format or what?

And yes i run the lastest everything.

*Edit, I got my maps to open in a different format, and Now i can see my items, i think if you build a map with just the basic "doom" seeting, it doesnt work.