Ack, I need some code pointers explained

[Grimm]

I looked through that excellent code pointer thingie Cyb pointed out, and now I have questions! Yay! So, I'll just list the ones I need explained, or don't understand how to use, and hopefully someone will help me.

60 - Display firing frame [Don't understand how to use]
160 - Dead body mode
174 - Wait to wake up
282 - Unknown (used only in flame frames (281... and 791...)) [Has anyone figured it out yet?]
397 - Magic Code Pointer
774 - Magic Code Pointer and Dead Body mode

Also, are there any code pointers for the magic 666 things that the Barons, Arachnatrons, and Mancubi have?

[Nanami]

Wait to wake up means the monster stands there until it sees something to attack.

Dead body mode means it's no longer shootable and goes toward your kill count.

I don't know about the others.

[Grimm]

Wait to wake up means the monster stands there until it sees something to attack.

Could you give an example of how this is used in the game, and/or how I could use it? (i.e, a neat trick :) )

[Nanami]

I once made a mine that repeatedly used this codepointer which means it's constantly ready to wake up and target something. It's used for multiplayer so it will always be ready to target whoever comes near and attack--explode.

If it didn't do that, it'd target one person and then anyone who came near wouldn't get hurt.

[Grimm]

So, if I to pull an Al|en TC and give a decoration a sound, and then give it that code pointer, the sound would play every time someone pased it. Right?

I wonder what the heck that was used for in the original game?

[Graf Zahl]

Here's a more detailed explanation:

60 - Display firing frame [Don't understand how to use]

This is used in weapons frames. Weapon sprites are overlays of 2 different sprites: the regular one and a flash. This code pointer starts the flash animation and does a few other things related to a gun firing.

160 - Dead body mode

This clears the 'SOLID'-flag. This is the only thing it does. It is normally used in a death animation but theoretically it can be used elsewhere. In some source ports (e.g. ZDoom) the weapon spawning upon death is done here also.

174 - Wait to wake up

Used in the 'idle' loop of a monster. This looks for anything it can attack and if it finds one switches to the 'First moving frame'. This also starts the 'Alert sound' if it finds something. The state switch is done unconditionally so it should be properly defined.

So, if I to pull an Al|en TC and give a decoration a sound, and then give it that code pointer, the sound would play every time someone pased it. Right?

You have to be careful with this. Theoretically it would work but if you loop this the sound might be played every time this is called which might sound bad. You should make the loop have a longer duration.

282 - Unknown (used only in flame frames (281... and 791...)) [Has anyone figured it out yet?]

Of course it has been figured out! After all the source has been availble for 5 1/2 years now. ;-) What is does is keep the Arch-Vile's fire in front of its target. It is also used by the Boss's spawn fire to keep the fire in front of the monster being spawned. There is practically no use for this elsewhere.

397 - Magic Code Pointer

This is responsible for the death of a 'Boss' which may cause a special action (the 666/667 stuff like opening the wall in E1M8 and MAP07, ending the level in E2M8, E3M8.) These can only be used with the monsters they are originally assigned to. No source port I know of extends this functionality beyond the 5 monsters that use it (Baron, Cyberdemon, Spider, Mancubus and Arachnotron)


774 - Magic Code Pointer and Dead Body mode

This is interesting. It's the Keen Death codepointer and it causes a door with a tag of 666 to be opened when all monsters of the type that called it are dead. This is not limited to Commander Keen and can be used with everything! (Unless you use Legacy which removed this functionality and limits its use only to Commander Keen himself.)

[Grimm]

Heh, hell yeah. I was hoping Keen's pointer could be flung around. You'd have to use that in the death frames, right?

[Xaser]

Grimm said:

Heh, hell yeah. I was hoping Keen's pointer could be flung around. You'd have to use that in the death frames, right?

Yes. If you used it in the walking frames, for example, the door would open right when the monster starts walking around!

[Graf Zahl]

Xaser said:

Yes. If you used it in the walking frames, for example, the door would open right when the monster starts walking around!

No, it wouldn't! It would never open because it activates the special only if all monsters of the calling type are dead!

[Quasar]

Graf Zahl said:

Here's a more detailed explanation:

397 - Magic Code Pointer

This is responsible for the death of a 'Boss' which may cause a special action (the 666/667 stuff like opening the wall in E1M8 and MAP07, ending the level in E2M8, E3M8.) These can only be used with the monsters they are originally assigned to. No source port I know of extends this functionality beyond the 5 monsters that use it (Baron, Cyberdemon, Spider, Mancubus and Arachnotron)

Eternity allows customization of this via the Bits2 flags E1M8BOSS, E2M8BOSS, E3M8BOSS, E4M6BOSS, and E4M8BOSS. There is also a Bits3 value for Heretic, E5M8BOSS, but it only works with the new HticBossDeath pointer. In Eternity, all members of all thing types with the flag must be dead before the special action occurs. You can't edit the levels they can occur on yet, though. I intend to add that later ;)

[Xaser]

Graf Zahl said:

No, it wouldn't! It would never open because it activates the special only if all monsters of the calling type are dead!

Doh! I should have known that! My brain is dead today.

"Help me! I quoted the Simpsons!"