Progress Report for EE v3.31 beta 3

The Eternity Engine is progressing relatively quickly toward the third beta release for v3.31. The beta should include the following features:

* Mostly complete Small support

Already finished are callbacks, call-by-number for lines and thing frames, and the levelscript. What might be missing from beta 3 are some of the extensive suites of native functions, which I probably just won't have time to get to because of the sheer volume.

* ExtraData

Now being worked on, ExtraData will allow any type of information to be attached to special things, lines, and sectors. Currently very little of this is done, but the groundwork is in and building rapidly.

* EDF

Yeah, that's right. EDF is also progressing. Currently it can load the sprite names dynamically, and hashes them for use as mnemonics in the frames section, which isn't ready yet. But by beta 3 release, sprites, frames, and things should ALL be moved to EDF. This means, for the uninformed, that Eternity will have no limits on sprites, frames, or things, and that you'll be able to add totally new ones without replacing anything. The syntax is also much cleaner and more flexible than that of DeHackEd. However, Eternity still retains DeHackEd capabilities -- DeHackEd patches can be loaded over EDF, and can even edit new stuff added via EDF, to an extent.

* GFS

GFS is a clever little idea that I had that makes loading multi-file mods much easier. GFS, or game file script, is a simple script with a format like this:

wadfile = blah.wad
dehfile = yomama.bex

In this file, you can name ANY number of WADs, DEHs, CSCs, and eventually, an EDF file, and the engine will load them all. GFS, unlike response files, won't interfere with other uses of the command line. This file is meant to be included with mods by the mod authors, so that users can just add the GFS instead of all the separate files. Its also easy for users to create GFS files for existing mods that don't have them.

I don't understand one thing you just mentioned, but it sounds promising. :D

I do and I am excited as hell.

/me can't wait to fuck around with the weapons (not in b3, weapons support won't be in b3, sorry)

Also, I might check out ExtraData somehow, load up an editor and edit one of the Doom 2 maps...heh...

Quasar said:

The beta should include the following features:

Mmmm...sweeeeet...

/queue sounds of drooling

im shure quasar can speak where no one can understand him yet mak eperfect sence

Excellent news! Can't wait to play around with the new stuff!

All very sweet sounding stuff, but what does this mean?:

Already finished are callbacks, call-by-number for lines and thing frames, and the levelscript.

Sounds vague yet really useful