hi all! I'm wondering if it's possible to make an actor from one game that's already technically functional and summonable in other games in uzdoom, and give it a custom editor number for use in mapmaking?
for example, let's say I want to use heretic's KeyGreen in doom 2. if I load up doom 2 in uzdoom, I can use the console to summon KeyGreen (albeit with no sprites, which is expected), and even pick up the item. in this specific example, some of uzdoom's default doom lockdefs even support heretic's keys - there's just no way to place them in my map editor.
I tried assigning KeyGreen a custom editor number in a test wad's MAPINFO, but it didn't show up in my editor even with that wad loaded, and loading the map with that number placed just spawned errors. is there any way to do this?
uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor? [SOLVED]
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uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor? [SOLVED]
Last edited by aeonlight on Wed Apr 22, 2026 4:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor?
The short answer is "yes".
If you provide the necessary resources (usually sprites and sounds) then you can bring actors from any of the supported games into any of the other games. They are already defined in UZDoom's ZScript files. However, they do not have editor numbers (probably because there is overlap across the games with different actors having the same numbers).
However, you can allocate editor numbers to them in your project and then you will be able to place them in your map.
Typically, this can be done in several different ways:
In MAPINFO - allocate an EdNum in MAPINFO. No need to clone/inherit a new actor (though you can do if you want in either DECORATE or ZScript)
In DECORATE - inherit from the original actor and give it an EdNum in the DECORATE (deprecated method, but it works - ZScript does not support allocating EdNums directly in the actor defintions but DECORATE does).
Define a "spawner" item (DECORATE or ZScript) that will drop the actor that you want to spawn and give the spawner an EdNum.
Spawn the actor via ACS (no need for DECORATE/ZScript/MAPINFO but it does have limitations).
Probably some others too.
You can also "summon" actors via the console. This works even if the resources are not loaded. e.g. if you type:
summon keygreen
at the console, the game will spawn the Heretic green key in front of you. If you don't have resources loaded, it will still spawn (it will not be visible of course) and you can walk forward to pick it up. Similarly, you can summon monsters from other games and then be attacked by an invisible Heretic Ophidian or whatever.
However, it's worth pointing out that the actor that you have specifically asked about comes with some additional considerations. I'm sure you have noticed that Doom has blue, yellow and red keys, whereas Heretic has blue, yellow and green (possibly that's why you are asking - the chance to use an extra key). That pattern of colours is the giveaway: the green key operates functionally as a red key and is already defined that way. So, if you go to map04 of Doom2 (which has a red door near the start), summon a "keygreen" and pick it up, you will now be able to open the red door. I don't think the fact that you have the key will be shown on the status bar but, other than that, the KeyGreen actor is functionally identical to the RedCard actor as far as lock opening is concerned.
If you do want additional keys, you might just be better defining your own and writing your own Lockdefs for them.
If you provide the necessary resources (usually sprites and sounds) then you can bring actors from any of the supported games into any of the other games. They are already defined in UZDoom's ZScript files. However, they do not have editor numbers (probably because there is overlap across the games with different actors having the same numbers).
However, you can allocate editor numbers to them in your project and then you will be able to place them in your map.
Typically, this can be done in several different ways:
In MAPINFO - allocate an EdNum in MAPINFO. No need to clone/inherit a new actor (though you can do if you want in either DECORATE or ZScript)
In DECORATE - inherit from the original actor and give it an EdNum in the DECORATE (deprecated method, but it works - ZScript does not support allocating EdNums directly in the actor defintions but DECORATE does).
Define a "spawner" item (DECORATE or ZScript) that will drop the actor that you want to spawn and give the spawner an EdNum.
Spawn the actor via ACS (no need for DECORATE/ZScript/MAPINFO but it does have limitations).
Probably some others too.
You can also "summon" actors via the console. This works even if the resources are not loaded. e.g. if you type:
summon keygreen
at the console, the game will spawn the Heretic green key in front of you. If you don't have resources loaded, it will still spawn (it will not be visible of course) and you can walk forward to pick it up. Similarly, you can summon monsters from other games and then be attacked by an invisible Heretic Ophidian or whatever.
However, it's worth pointing out that the actor that you have specifically asked about comes with some additional considerations. I'm sure you have noticed that Doom has blue, yellow and red keys, whereas Heretic has blue, yellow and green (possibly that's why you are asking - the chance to use an extra key). That pattern of colours is the giveaway: the green key operates functionally as a red key and is already defined that way. So, if you go to map04 of Doom2 (which has a red door near the start), summon a "keygreen" and pick it up, you will now be able to open the red door. I don't think the fact that you have the key will be shown on the status bar but, other than that, the KeyGreen actor is functionally identical to the RedCard actor as far as lock opening is concerned.
If you do want additional keys, you might just be better defining your own and writing your own Lockdefs for them.
Re: uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor?
keygreen was just an example, I'm aware it functions as another red key in doom. it's just the item I chose to mess with to try to get this concept working.
as I said, I did try to assign keygreen editor numbers in MAPINFO, but it didn't show up when I loaded the wad in my editor, and when placing a thing with that number set manually and loading the test map with the wad active, errors appear instead of keygreen on map load (summoning works as expected).
if I'm understanding your comment here, I need to provide sprite assets in my wad for keygreen (or whatever other actor) to get this functionality to actually work?
as I said, I did try to assign keygreen editor numbers in MAPINFO, but it didn't show up when I loaded the wad in my editor, and when placing a thing with that number set manually and loading the test map with the wad active, errors appear instead of keygreen on map load (summoning works as expected).
if I'm understanding your comment here, I need to provide sprite assets in my wad for keygreen (or whatever other actor) to get this functionality to actually work?
Re: uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor?
I don't think I have ever actually tried to give a legitimate actor an EdNum without providing the resources. I have a vague recollection that at least the first spawn sprite needs to be there, but I could just be misremembering that.
So, I can't say for certain whether it would appear or not without them. However, simply copying across the sprites from Heretic.wad will give you the sprites that you need. (I recommend exporting them as PNGs in Slade to keep their colour and offsets.)
But, to get back to the main point, you should be able to give them an EdNum in MAPINFO and get actors from other games to appear. I've done it myself many times. Providing the resources may be required for it to work, and they will obviously be essential for you to see the actor in game.
So, I can't say for certain whether it would appear or not without them. However, simply copying across the sprites from Heretic.wad will give you the sprites that you need. (I recommend exporting them as PNGs in Slade to keep their colour and offsets.)
But, to get back to the main point, you should be able to give them an EdNum in MAPINFO and get actors from other games to appear. I've done it myself many times. Providing the resources may be required for it to work, and they will obviously be essential for you to see the actor in game.
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Kappes Buur
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Re: uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor?
In addition to Enjay's posts
I'm not sure if this will help you. Some time ago I made a couple of examples,
1. a green keycard with new spries
2. a lavapit collected from Heretic
Anyways, play the pwads and then open them with Slade3 to have a look at how I structured them.
They were made for DiHF but are easily converted to UDMF with UDB (F2).
I'm not sure if this will help you. Some time ago I made a couple of examples,
1. a green keycard with new spries
2. a lavapit collected from Heretic
Anyways, play the pwads and then open them with Slade3 to have a look at how I structured them.
They were made for DiHF but are easily converted to UDMF with UDB (F2).
Re: uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor?
this actually helped me a lot - thanks for shouting these out! though they still don't get detected for slade's editor menu, manually inputting the numbers defined in my mapinfo lump now loads all three heretic keys into my doom game! the actual colors of the textures is messed up, but I'm sure I can figure out how to solve the palette issue... this should be all the info I need to do what I'm trying to now, thanks!Kappes Buur wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 11:40 pm Anyways, play the pwads and then open them with Slade3 to have a look at how I structured them.
(as an aside, I'll be setting aside lock 201 as a shoutout to your maps in the codecomments of my upcoming chex quest/doom compatibility mod. please enjoy!)
Re: uzdoom-defined actor from one game in another game's editor?
aeonlight wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2026 4:22 am the actual colors of the textures is messed up, but I'm sure I can figure out how to solve the palette issue...
Enjay wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 3:08 pm (I recommend exporting them as PNGs in Slade to keep their colour and offsets.)
If you don't want to use PNGs, you could get Slade to map them to the nearest colours in the Doom palette and keep them as Doom format graphics.