ZScript Discussion

[kodi]

Just starting to teach myself zscript and I was wondering, is there a function to directly set the state of (pointer) actor without ACS calls?

[Blue Shadow]

SetStateLabel is what you want, I think.

[Graf Zahl]

Feature wise I am done for a first version. I checked the VM call interface to see if it can be optimized but I don't think it's possible with the way it all works. I did implement a global VM stack because that was really expensive and very easy to change.

A quick check of the latest version vs. a regular one pre-ZScript on a map with heavy activity showed no measurable performance impact, meaning it's so low that it gets completely drowned in the normal variations here.


The only thing I still want to investigate is some code optimization with comparisons but I'll probably have to create a test branch for that anyway.
So please test this all the way to hell and back, and please, if something does not seem right, post a bug report. Now is the time to fix all those small issues.

[Edward-san]

Just to be sure: are there any demo incompatibility between master and zscript? If not, I guess one way to find inconsistencies is to make demos in master and play it back in zscript...

[Graf Zahl]

I took some liberties when converting the function code. I looked to make it function-equivanlent but didn't look to make it function identically. So yes, demos may desync.

It'd also make more sense to test the other games more intensively. The Doom AI is overall rather primitive and less likely to be a cause of problems.

[Rachael]

So please test this all the way to hell and back, and please, if something does not seem right, post a bug report. Now is the time to fix all those small issues.

I launched a new GZZScript build for this.

[Nash]

Will get to testing the crap out of this over this weekend! Thank you so much for all your hard work, Graf.

[Kappes Buur]

GZDoom-ZScript-g2.3pre-882-gef52b37-x64.7z

As soon as I fire the pistol this happens


No crash report, just that.

The two versions previous to this one seem to work okay.

edit:
replaced video with image

[Rachael]

Add that to the list of builds that got pulled, then. Got the crash here, too.

[Silentdarkness12]

Allow me to drop into this a complete noob.

What exactly is ZScript, again? : P

I know it's what used to be called Doomscript, but that's about all I know. Just a new script language for Doom mods?.....

[Kinsie]

Allow me to drop into this a complete noob.

What exactly is ZScript, again? : P

I know it's what used to be called Doomscript, but that's about all I know. Just a new script language for Doom mods?.....

But it's explained so well! You just have to pointer the thinker into the method interface.

[Nash]

ZScript is basically this thing except it actually exists.

[Gez]

It's largely like DECORATE but there are differences in syntax, and you can go to a much lower level. For instance, in DECORATE you use existing [wiki]action functions[/wiki], but in ZScript you can create new functions.



You still can't modify existing actor properties, though; that's still something that only DEHACKED can do.

[arookas]

But it's explained so well! You just have to pointer the thinker into the method interface.

Why are people still mocking the lack of documentation? The people testing it for merge are the people who have kept up with its development, kept in touch with the developers, and know how to use it. The people who don't are testing it to make sure none of their existing mods break. It's a futile effort to write documentation on a scripting language where any feature may change on whim, which is the case here because, you know, it's still in development—the only difference here is that the development is public.

Was this your position when the MAPINFO format got overhauled? I can't figure out what you want: it seems you do not want zscript to succeed DECORATE, and also do not want them to be the same thing. Unless, you're telling the developers to neither extend DECORATE nor add zscript? Your example case also won't happen because, at that point, zscript would be more set in stone and there would be actual documentation.

[Graf Zahl]

Hint hint: If I was writing documentation now, while the thing is still in develoment - as I am clearly the only person knowing all the facts - I wouldn't be able to code the goddamn thing - which would mean there's nothing to document. So Kinsie, what do you want? I only can repeat that it makes little sense to document everything before it isn't finished and even less sense to waste my time on docs, because then I wouldn't have time for anything else.

But be it as it may, in the end the docs will have to be written by someone who thinks like a modder, my own perspective on the whole matter is just from a too different point of view as I know ZDoom's source inside out (aside from the software renderer, that is), and wouldn't even recognize the issues a modder might have with it.