Monsters to be able to [USE] PolyObjects

[Enjay]

I am assuming that this is simply an unimplemented feature, but I guess it could be a bug. Or maybe it's simply something that can't be done with PolyObjects.

When setting up a PolyObject doors, (simple one-sided, sliding doors) it has become obvious that the only way to get monsters to activate them is to use the "Monster Bumps" activation type on them. "Monster Use" or simply setting the "Monster Activates" flag doesn't work.

Not a big problem right? Just set "Monster Bumps" and be done with it. That's what I have been doing but this comes with a disadvantage. It is my impression that "Monster Use" activates an item when the monster is within [USE] range of the activating line whereas "Monster Bumps" requires the monster to physically touch the line.

The impact that this has in game is that when a (normal) door has a "Monster Use" activation, the door opens as the monster is approaching it and it is usually open enough for the monster to continue walking by the time it reaches the open doorway. i.e. It usually opens the door and then walks through. If a door is set to "Monster Bumps" then the monster will have made contact with the impassable line and changed direction by the time the door has opened. Therefore, the common result is that the door opens but the monster does not come through. The only time the monster does come through is if the door stays open long enough for the monster to change direction again and come through the still-open gap.

So, because of the way that monsters activate them, PolyObject doors create a (possibly undesirable) change to gameplay.

If "Monster Use" was possible on a PolyObject door, it would make it far more likely that a monster would open the door and walk through (i.e. like they tend to do with vanilla Doom doors).

[Graf Zahl]

Monsters have no use range. Whether it's use or bump, both are done in the same place:

Code: Select all

			while (spechit.Pop (spec))
			{
				// [RH] let monsters push lines, as well as use them
				if (((actor->flags4 & MF4_CANUSEWALLS) && P_ActivateLine (spec.line, actor, 0, SPAC_Use)) ||
					((actor->flags2 & MF2_PUSHWALL) && P_ActivateLine (spec.line, actor, 0, SPAC_Push)))
				{
					good |= spec.line == actor->BlockingLine ? 1 : 2;
				}
			}

Even for use you need the monster to touch the line.

[Enjay]

Curious. I guess perhaps there might just be something different about the opening method and how monsters see through, or how the collision allows them through a vertically opening space versus a horizontally opening one. There is definitely a difference in their willingness to come through a regular door versus a Poly one (most noticeable with a small (64x72) door). Oh well, so be it. Thanks for the input.

It would still be nice if setting "Monster Activates" or "Monster Use" worked on PolyObjects but the need is less if the end result would basically be the same.