Just a suggestion

[Ignis Affero]

Is it possible to add a feature that would allow players to insert comments into their maps using DoomBuilder 2? This would be particularly useful for editing maps that contain numerous Reference Sectors. I'm not sure if anyone else has this problem, but it becomes a hassle when I'm making a complicated map that uses probably 20+ Reference Sectors with no quick way of knowing what each one controls.

At times, I find myself drawing labels for small groups of Reference Sectors to remind me of what they do.

This could also be useful for helping someone else out with their map, or for tutorial maps to help new mappers with certain editing tricks.

Let me know what you think and thanks for your time!

[boris]

You could program a plugin to do that.

[CodeImp]

Unless you are talking about a single comment field for the entire map, this is not really possible. UDMF already has this possibility, but it can't really be done for Doom and Hexen formats.

To do this, we would have to store the comments for the map elements (vertices/lines/sidedefs/sectors/things) in a separate location (such as a different file, or a different lump in the WAD file). But the problem is when a nodebuilder or other editor touches the map and changes the order in which elements are. And Doom Builder usually always runs a nodebuilder when you save your map, so it loses track of the index of map elements. Hence your comments end up in different locations.

UDMF solves this problem because it has a 'comment' field on each map element. You can access it on the Custom tab when you edit the properties of a map element.

If you're talking about a single comment for the entire map, then what boris said, you could make a plugin. But opening a text editor and write a text file along with your map would be just as easy.

[Gez]

Solution: put comments in the map's script lump. The Hexen format has a dedicated lump; and the Doom format can use FraggleScript in the map header.

[Ignis Affero]

CodeImp said:

To do this, we would have to store the comments for the map elements (vertices/lines/sidedefs/sectors/things) in a separate location (such as a different file, or a different lump in the WAD file). But the problem is when a nodebuilder or other editor touches the map and changes the order in which elements are. And Doom Builder usually always runs a nodebuilder when you save your map, so it loses track of the index of map elements. Hence your comments end up in different locations.

Ah, so my idea wouldn't exactly work then. I was thinking of basically a comment Thing that you can place on the map where it is needed. To edit the comment you would right-click like any other Thing and a text box would appear. Once you have your comment set you could hover over it with the mouse cursor, in Edit Things Mode, and the comment would be revealed.

But I guess they wouldn't work unless the person was using Doom Builder and never tried to edit it in a different program.

I wouldn't mind giving it a shot if I were any good at C#.

Thanks guys!

[CodeImp]

Wait a minute! I was thinking far too complicated. It CAN work when the comments are just placed at fixed coordinates and are not attached to any of the map elements. The comments would still have to be stored in a separate location (I think the .dbs file), but if they use absolute fixed coordinates then there is no problem of them getting messed up when any other application changes the map. A simple plugin could indeed do this just fine. I have added it to the list of ideas for plugins. Maybe someone will make it some day ;)