ZDoom Script Question - Assigning Line Specials

Those of you who pay attention to these forums will know that I am creating some ZDoom .WADs using a non-ZDoom-compatable editor, and I have a question related to that. Basically, I have two copies of my .WAD -- a regular MBF one, and one that has been converted with zwadconv.exe so that I can add ZDoom-specific stuff, e.g. slopes. The problem is that all the ZDoom line tags get erased after converting, so I have to go back and re-add every slope tag; I'm wondering if there is a way to use scripting to do this for me. Basically, in english, here's what I want to happen:

"Upon starting the level, find every line with tag 10, and update each of those lines so that they are tagged with the Sector_PlaneAlign (sloping) tag and the 'slope floor on back of line' argument."

Is this possible? If so, I wouldn't have to re-assign slope tags, but merely copy and paste this script into the level.

I'm afraid that's not possible.

boris said:

I'm afraid that's not possible.

Well, crap. Oh well. By the way, is there an non-HTML version of the ZDoom docs? I gather there haven't been significant changes, but is there a reasonably up-to-date .TXT or .DOC file floating around anywhere?

Yeah, with the way the slope line works it doesn't get applied to a line number (so you can't use setlineidentification and then stick it in a script) but to the actual line it's flagged on. Perhaps Randy can remedy this, he's usually very open to requests as long as you don't say something like "bitch, add this feature to ZDoom!". Just make a post in the Zdoom forums or email him.

The only problem is I THINK (but I'm not 100% sure) that slopes have to be rendered upon loading the map, so if it was possible to add this feature you'd be limited to placing the slope specials in an OPEN script.

EDIT: oh and to answer your prev question, there's no txt that I'm aware of, but you can download a local copy of the html which is a lot easier to navigate than a text file would be: http://zdoom.notgod.com/ftp/ref121299.zip

Cyb said:

The only problem is I THINK (but I'm not 100% sure) that slopes have to be rendered upon loading the map, so if it was possible to add this feature you'd be limited to placing the slope specials in an OPEN script.

That's actually the case, as I once tried to form a slope part-way through a map and it didn't work. (in fact you can't put them in scripts at all, only on linedefs)

Ultimate DooMer said:

That's actually the case, as I once tried to form a slope part-way through a map and it didn't work. (in fact you can't put them in scripts at all, only on linedefs)

Yeah. I tried raisng the floor height of a sloped sector part-way through a map in the hope that the slope angle would change. Unfortunately the whole sector just rose up with the slope angle unchanged. Would have been so cool if it had worked.

What I did was put the Plane_Align special in a script and got an error message when I tried to compile it. You can still move slopes (eg. a satellite dish with slopes in) up and down, but the angle will always stay the same. (which is ok in this case)

Lutz said:

.. I am creating some ZDoom .WADs using a non-ZDoom-compatable editor ... The problem is that all the ZDoom line tags get erased after converting, so I have to go back and re-add every slope tag;

That method of level creation has more problems than just being inefficient if you intend to make ZDOOMHEXEN format levels implementing any advanced ZDOOM features.

There's WAY more that gets lost (besides slopes, which is easy by comparison): TIDs, POLYids, unique FLAGS, Thing Specials and on and on. Seems to me you'll spend weeks/months extra on grunt noncreative tasks working on the final ZDOOM version once the basic version is done. Can't see it myself, but each to their own.

The html docs are pretty dated and missing lots of new stuff.

deep said:

There's WAY more that gets lost (besides slopes, which is easy by comparison): TIDs, POLYids, unique FLAGS, Thing Specials and on and on. Seems to me you'll spend weeks/months extra on grunt noncreative tasks working on the final ZDOOM version once the basic version is done. Can't see it myself, but each to their own.

I have this issue before, and have always managed to ignore it by created maps designed for MBF. At this point, though, the project we're starting is really being forced to use ZDoom (if only by the strength of my ambitions)...but the cost/benefit analysis doesn't promote learning (or paying for) a new editor. Hey, this is just a hobby, you know?

The newest release of ZETH works reasonably well (barring a few random crashes), so it hasn't been a problem. Currently, my plan is to build all of the architecture with WinDEU 5.24, add ZDoom stuff relevant to the current area under construction with ZETH, and then, once the architecture is done, use ZETH to add scripts and all the other bells and whistles.

Of course, in re-reading this, it sounds like a horrendous system...and it is. But I'm stubborn, dammit. Plus, it's working so far...

You can't have had this problem before, since once you go to HEXEN format levels, the problems are identical. What you mean is you made levels for DOOM format ports and there it's not such a issue. Trivial in fact.

I never said you had to use DeePsea. All I said is that once you switch the level HEXEN format, stick with a ZDOOMHEXEN format capable editor. You have 3 choices. If ZETH, stick with ZETH and do NOT go back and forth. You'll see once you get into the details that one cannot go back. Well one can, but it would be incredibly time consuming.

Being stubborn is up to you:)

Edit: Btw, by "thing specials" I mean Line special Actions that Things can take, not just thing types.