Using ZScript to create custom player states

[Arctangent]

Most likely is that you didn't tell the game to actually use the new player actor, as ZDoom doesn't make assumptions about what player classes you want active ( otherwise, since all native actor data is valid for all games, you'd get the player classes for Heretic and Hexen in Doom, not to mention if you created a base class for a bunch of new player classes then that'd automatically get sucked in too ). You can define what player classes are in use in the GameInfo block of MAPINFO, specifically with the playerclasses property.

[vAethor]

Most likely is that you didn't tell the game to actually use the new player actor, as ZDoom doesn't make assumptions about what player classes you want active ( otherwise, since all native actor data is valid for all games, you'd get the player classes for Heretic and Hexen in Doom, not to mention if you created a base class for a bunch of new player classes then that'd automatically get sucked in too ). You can define what player classes are in use in the GameInfo block of MAPINFO, specifically with the playerclasses property.

I found my problem, and that was I had my "3DPlayer" code in a separate script that I was going to call from within the main Zscript lump, but never did. I also moved all my player sprites up a directory, into the main Sprites directory instead of the "Player" subdirectory. For now at least, so I don't need to specify the paths every single time I call a sprite.

Now my 3DPlayer script is inside the main Zscript.txt lump, and I added this in Zmapinfo:

Code: Select all

// Set up the 3D Player
gameinfo
{
	playerclasses = "3DPlayer"
}

I tried running it and I got this error:
Script error,
3Dmoveset.pk3:zscript.txt"line 2:
Unexpected integer constant
Expecting identifier

Now quite sure how to fix it yet.

EDIT: An example might be in order. Here's the entire "see" state sequence from HD's playerpawn. "A_CheckSeeState()" is a function that checks a bunch of things that must happen when the player first takes a step, and then sets the playerpawn's state depending on various factors. "runwalksprint" is a custom variable that is modified elsewhere.

Code: Select all

    see:
        ---- A 0 A_CheckSeeState();
        #### ABCD 4;
        goto spawn;
    seestun:
        #### ABCD random(2,10) A_GiveInventory("IsMoving",2);
        goto spawn;
    seewalk:
        #### ABCD 6{
            if(height>40 && runwalksprint<0)A_TakeInventory("IsMoving",5);
        }
        goto spawn;
    seesprint:
        ---- A 4 A_TakeInventory("PowerFrightener");
        #### B 2;
        #### C 4;
        #### D 2;
        goto spawn;

That code looks handy. I presume this could be used to invoke different states and animations, if available, for running, walking slowly, etc. but correct me if I'm wrong.
I'll play around with this later.

[hideousdestructor]

I tried running it and I got this error:
Script error,
3Dmoveset.pk3:zscript.txt"line 2:
Unexpected integer constant
Expecting identifier

Open up your zscript.txt in a text editor (Notepad++ or Geany, *not* Notepad or Wordpad) and see what line 2 is... if you can't see anything in or around that line that should fail to parse, post it.

[vAethor]

I tried running it and I got this error:
Script error,
3Dmoveset.pk3:zscript.txt"line 2:
Unexpected integer constant
Expecting identifier

Open up your zscript.txt in a text editor (Notepad++ or Geany, *not* Notepad or Wordpad) and see what line 2 is... if you can't see anything in or around that line that should fail to parse, post it.

I just downloaded and installed Notepad++ (damn, I think I'm gonna be using this a lot, it looks handy for both Doom scripting and my more general coding,) I set the language/syntax highlighting to C++, like so:


Now what did you want me to do again? FYI I copied and pasted the contents from Zscript.txt into a new Notepad++ document, as you can see here.

[Xaser]

I don't think class names are allowed to start with a number. Try changing it to "ThreeDeePlayer" and see if it works.

[vAethor]

You are right, I changed it to "ThreeDPlayer" but now I have another error, and it isn't even telling me what line of code it's on, and what lump it's in.

Missing displayname for player class 'ThreeDPlayer'
Execution could not continue.
No player classes defined.

[Cherno]

From the PlayerPawn zDoom wiki page:

Player.DisplayName string
This is the identification string of the player class. It is used in addplayerclass KEYCONF command, in playerclass console variable, in skin definitions, and in menus. Each player class used in game must have an unique display name!

[vAethor]

From the PlayerPawn zDoom wiki page:

Player.DisplayName string
This is the identification string of the player class. It is used in addplayerclass KEYCONF command, in playerclass console variable, in skin definitions, and in menus. Each player class used in game must have an unique display name!

Code: Select all

	Default
	{
		// NOTE: Custom PlayerPawns NEED a unique display name to run!
		Player.DisplayName "Marine";
	}

Now it runs, and I even have the walking sprite I want! Definitely coming along.

But now the only problem is the other states aren't able to be called yet it seems. I push the fire button on my controller and he doesn't shoot.

I am guessing this has to do with my not fully defining the Missile and Melee states yet. Hmm, perhaps Matt's code example from several posts ago might give me some answers on how to get his attack states to work.

I have not forgotten about jumping yet, I just need to get the basics working first.

[Arctangent]

Missile and Melee states by default are only used when the player, respectively, fires their weapon and calls A_GunFlash ( usually via their weapon ). If you're not using the standard weapon system, then you'll have to write your own attack code into your PlayerPawn, most likely through overriding CheckWeaponFire or FireWeapon.

[vAethor]

Missile and Melee states by default are only used when the player, respectively, fires their weapon and calls A_GunFlash ( usually via their weapon ). If you're not using the standard weapon system, then you'll have to write your own attack code into your PlayerPawn, most likely through overriding CheckWeaponFire or FireWeapon.

Sounds good, I think I'll write my own attack states. I can easily look up Decorate functions off the wiki and apply them, and now that I know Zscript can be used just like Decorate I feel less daunted by learning it. But I'll probably still need help with other tings as they come up.

Edit: I just looked at the link you sent, yikes, definitely gonna need help understanding that. I certainly know functions, structs, datatypes, etc. from C++, but applying them to Doom scripting is something I will need to get used to. And some of these types like "virtual," "meta" or "native" I *definitely* don't know at all yet. I did just find the shared/player script in the GZdoom pack file though, and will probably be referring to that a lot.