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A question for experienced Doom mappers (2!)

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Okay, I fixed the invisible obstacle problem by using a superior node builder. Now I have a few more questions that I can hopefully get answered...

#1 Using the spark particle effect in WadAuthor... it doesn't do anything. It has variables like a Hexen item but I can't fill them out. How do I make it work?

#2 Using particle fountains... do they always have to be fountaining particles upwards, or can I make one shoot particles left or right? It'd be cool to have one on a ledge shooting to the side, the particles raining down.

#3 Can I make slopes with WadAuthor? I have the lastest ZDoom configuration file from the NotGod forums but that doesn't seem to help me much.

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Okay, BSP 5.0 (Thanks Doomworld editing page) made the file about 10k smaller and that glitch is no longer present. Therefore, the bug is with the internal node builder of WadAuthor. Ahh, that feels good knowing that it WASN'T me screwing up. Yay.

So now only my other two questions stand... can I do ZDoom sparks and slopes with WadAuthor?

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Things like this will automatically be fixed when you run an error check with Dmapedit.

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Well WadAuthor has a pretty damned good error checker, it's just it's exceptionally outdated node builder that was the culprit. BSP 5.0 will be my staple now. =)

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Guest Adriannus

I haven't released any maps, but I've done quite a bit of independent mapping of my own. Anyway, I've experienced the problem you described A LOT. I usually use EdMap (yes, yes...supress your giggles) and plain vanilla Doom myself as all the ports are too much for me. Point is, I know exactly what you're saying and it makes no sense. It's either A.) a glitch with the actual editor and the map (it may have to be scrapped or partially so?) or B.) you have one or two offending linedefs somewhere on the map. Did you experience any visplane overflows and/or is your linedef count really, really high? Maybe that caused it or has a hand in it. I hope I was of some helpe at all, but I have a feeling I wasn't. Oh well. :)

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Heya Comrade, read my addendum. =)

The problem very well might be your nodebuilder. My level runs smooth as silk on vanilla Doom now (although you have to idclip a bit since you can't jump ^_^), and there are NO errors at all.

Try BSP 5.0... its a real bad eijo e perra. For some reason WadAuthor wouldn't let me use that instead of it's own nodebuilder... so I used Stphrz' kickass batchfile send-to trick and that works pretty damned well.

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If the program's not the problem, it can be fixed by checking the "sector" values in the sidedefs/linedefs. At least that's how I fix every stupid error that is not related to items.

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1. Sparks have to be set to dormant in the editor, and then "activated" with a script. For example:

script 1 OPEN
{

Thing_Activate(1);

Delay (96);

Restart;

}


2. Unfortunately, those are the only particle fountains available. However, people have been bugging Randy to add some new ones for ages so perhaps one day he'll relent ;). I'd particularly like to see a particles used to emulate drips (see the first level of the original Thief).


3. First you need to give a linedef the type 181. Then you can set the first argument as 1 (floor of sector at the front of the linedef slopes to floor at the back), 2 (the other way round), or the second argument as either of these, or a combination of both.

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Guest Nuno Correia
deadnail said:

Heya Comrade, read my addendum. =)

The problem very well might be your nodebuilder. My level runs smooth as silk on vanilla Doom now (although you have to idclip a bit since you can't jump ^_^), and there are NO errors at all.

Try BSP 5.0... its a real bad eijo e perra. For some reason WadAuthor wouldn't let me use that instead of it's own nodebuilder... so I used Stphrz' kickass batchfile send-to trick and that works pretty damned well.

Hijo de perra?

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Guest Nuno Correia
deadnail said:

Okay, BSP 5.0 (Thanks Doomworld editing page) made the file about 10k smaller and that glitch is no longer present. Therefore, the bug is with the internal node builder of WadAuthor. Ahh, that feels good knowing that it WASN'T me screwing up. Yay.

So now only my other two questions stand... can I do ZDoom sparks and slopes with WadAuthor?

Hmm... come to think of it, it might be WA node builder that tends to screw up levels, not WA itself...

Or maybe not. Doing stuff that regularly works on other wad editors bungs the sectors up (turning them into unclosed ones). WTF am I doing wrong?

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Nuno Correia said:

Hijo de perra?

Hiecho de puta. (I don't know how to write this... Forgive me if I'm wrong) =)

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NiGHTMARE said:

1. Sparks have to be set to dormant in the editor, and then "activated" with a script. For example:

script 1 OPEN
{

Thing_Activate(1);

Delay (96);

Restart;

}


2. Unfortunately, those are the only particle fountains available. However, people have been bugging Randy to add some new ones for ages so perhaps one day he'll relent ;). I'd particularly like to see a particles used to emulate drips (see the first level of the original Thief).


3. First you need to give a linedef the type 181. Then you can set the first argument as 1 (floor of sector at the front of the linedef slopes to floor at the back), 2 (the other way round), or the second argument as either of these, or a combination of both.

1. I have NO idea about scripts, how to make them or how to include them so I guess sparks are out the window. I know what they are and what they do, but that doesn't help much does it? =P

2. Good to hear.

3. WadAuthor (even with the newer ZDoom.wcf file) won't let me set the attributes for things. When I right click on the linedef and edit the raw data here's what I get:

From: #
To: #
Bitset: 0x0004
Type: 0
Tag:0

I can change the type to 181, but I am still unable to fill out any arguments about it so it won't do me any damn good. =(

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Scripts are easy. First, grab ACC from http://zdoom.notgod.com/ftp/acc113.zip.

Now make a text file with the following contents (oh, and the sparks thing has to have a TID of 1), preferablly calling it something or other .lmp:

#include "zcommon.acs"

script 1 OPEN
{

Thing_Activate(1);

Delay (96);

Restart;

}

Run acc.exe on your script. Import the result (should be scriptname.o) as BEHAVIOR and the original script as SCRIPTS (you don't have to do the last part, but it helps).

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WadAuthor comes with ACC.

Okay let me get this straight before I try it.

1. Make the spark effect have a TID of 1. What the hell does that mean?

2. Make a text file, sparks.lmp, and have it include the following:

#include "zcommon.acs"

script 1 OPEN
{

Thing_Activate(1);

Delay (96);

Restart;

}

3. Run acc on this script. It will give me sparks.o.

4. Import sparks.o into the wad under the lump entry BEHAVIOR. It would also be wise (you say) to import the original sparks.lmp text file under the entry SCRIPTS.


So that's what I need to do to get the spark effect, eh? Just tell me what the hell you mean by TID of 1. =)

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First of all, it might be wise to get the latest ACC, as the WadAuthor version was probably only designed for Hexen scripts. Plus Randy's always making changes to the ACS codes and stuff :)

1. Sorry, I guess I should have explained that. TID stands for Thing ID, which (very confusingly) isn't actually the Thing number but something else entirely. I guess it's kind of the Thing equivalent of linedef and sector tags.

If WadAuthor doesn't let you change the TID, maybe you should do like I did (until recently - another story) and use ZETH (available on the ZDoom homepage) as a secondary editor, for implementing certain ZDoom only stuff. It's a rather basic editor, so it should be pretty easy to pick up.

There's one really annoying thing about ZETH (and DETH), which is that anything else in the .wad (music, graphics, other levels, etc) will be deleted when you save the level. Then again, maybe WadAuthor does this too, I dunno ;)


2. That's right. The (1) is the Thing ID, so it can be anything you like, as long it's the same as that.

The delay can be anything you like as well. Very strangely, a delay of 255 is actually LESS than a delay of 0 :)

The restart bit means that your spark won't only go off once.


3. Yep :)


4. You don't HAVE to import the scripts lump, but it's helpful for two main reasons:

a) if you lose the original script file and what to change something in it

b) so other people can see how you did something

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Disorder said:

Hiecho de puta. (I don't know how to write this... Forgive me if I'm wrong) =)

Umg, it's either "Hijo de perra" or "Hijo de puta".

Spanish has gender differences, if your refering to a woman then it's not "Hijo" but "Hija".

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Okay, here are my steps then:

1. Get the latest ACC just to ensure ZDoom compatability.

2. Create the "Particle Effect/Spark" thing and give it the TID of 1 with Zeth.*

3. Include the script above, both compiled under BEHAVIOR and uncompiled under SCRIPTS.

*I have no fucking idea how to use Zeth, none whatsoever. Could you give me a pointer or two? Last time I tried it the damn thing opened up a prompt with a console-like interface. Yuck. How would I make the Spark thing? How would I modify it (the tag)?

WadAuthor doesn't delete anything out of your wads when you work on them. =)

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How to use ZETH to edit TID's:

1) Load ZETH

2) Type "r mywad.wad", where mywad is the name of your .wad -

3) Type "e 1", where 1 is the number of your map

4) Move your mouse over the thing to edit and press enter; you can click the left mouse button over it and then repeat this with another thing if you want to edit multiple things.

5) Select "7 - Change TID" and type in the number you want

There you go!

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The "tag" in Things IS the TID - so you can avoid ZETH:)

For Polyobject ids, it becomes the "angle" field. Both are not obvious and more custom identification would have been useful.

The standard names for script files end in ".acs", as script.acs. The output becomes script.o when run through Acc.exe ("script" is anyname of course).

The DeePsea editor is very clear in this area and has ZDOOM specific linedef & sector flags without having to hack or constantly change the wcf file (you'll get there soon enough<g>).

Press F9 if you like predefined objects. F6 is the script specific menu. The next release will make it clearer from the menu bar that both prefabs and line drawing are supported, plus add prefab preview as well as complete texture option in the prefab tools:)

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Well I can choose that kinda stuff for Hexen but not ZDoom, even with the newer wcf file. Oh well, I'll just make due with Zeth and WadAuthor.

After all, I'm running ICQ, I wouldn't want to cause problems.

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ZDOOM (with scripts) -is- HEXEN mode, so the "Tags" are the TIDS. If you don't see "Tags", then you are not set up properly. That means you are running it as "regular" DOOM with the new wcf file - which won't work for scripting.

The only thing you have to know is when something can have a PolyID. That's no different than before. I suppose if you got high enough PolyIDs it could get confused with an angle?

What does ICQ have to do with anything? Sounds like one of those myths again. Amazing.

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I know ZDoom gets a lot of it's code from Hexen, hell, that's what the map formats are in.

I've had a lot of people telling my my copy of WadAuthor must be weird because I don't get all the full Hexen editing features with the ZDoom.wcf file. Oh well.

Zeth sure had an interesting side effect, though. I open up the level, change the TID to one, and add the scripts to the wad. Oddly enough, all the doors stopped working. =)

I noclipped my way to the spark. It worked. I preferred being able to play the level though so I just got rid of that experiment since WadAuthor refused to let me edit that wad anymore. Oh well.

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deadnail said:

After all, I'm running ICQ, I wouldn't want to cause problems

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

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There's no prob with ICQ. Pretty much like your supposed problems with Win98. Pretty easy to prove:)))

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deadnail said:

I know ZDoom gets a lot of it's code from Hexen, hell, that's what the map formats are in.

I've had a lot of people telling my my copy of WadAuthor must be weird because I don't get all the full Hexen editing features with the ZDoom.wcf file. Oh well.

Zeth sure had an interesting side effect, though. I open up the level, change the TID to one, and add the scripts to the wad. Oddly enough, all the doors stopped working. =)

I noclipped my way to the spark. It worked. I preferred being able to play the level though so I just got rid of that experiment since WadAuthor refused to let me edit that wad anymore. Oh well.

You are not running a "modified" DOOM IWAD. Read the instructions.

(I'm relying on your statement that HEXEN works!)

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deepteam said:

There's no prob with ICQ. Pretty much like your supposed problems with Win98. Pretty easy to prove:)))

I never said there was a problem a problem a problem a problem a problem with ICQ.

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deepteam said:

You are not running a "modified" DOOM IWAD. Read the instructions.

(I'm relying on your statement that HEXEN works!)

Aha, I guess that makes sense that I would need to mod the iwad. After all, the wcf asks for zdoom2.wad. Instructions you say? That's funny, the zipfile to add support for ZDoom in WadAuthor ONLY comes with two wcf files and nothing more, and opening them up in a text editor shows descriptions yet no special instructions.

I guess I'll try meshing the zdoom wad and doom2 wads together and give that a shot.

Oh, and Hexen works beautifully.

"Read the instructions." Where? There not on the ZDoom download page for the wcf files and they're not on the Doomworld download page either. There not even in the zipfile, or linked to nearby the download. This reminds me of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... how was I supposed to know my house is being bulldozed?

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Well.. the Doomworld editing pages linked to a dead site on Notgod... eventually I found it.

http://zdoom.notgod.com/zdkb/zdoom4.html

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Reading all the info is not easy, both because of incomplete data and scattered sources - One of the biggest problems for all the new ports.

With that in mind, you may think that the wcf file is "complete"? But it's not a complete list of ALL available specials - something that should again be volunteered up front (easy enough to document in the wcf file) and avoid repeats of exactly the same questions (like the IWAD thing).

Why? Because WA does not support the new ZDOOM sector and linedef flags - since it would make the list pretty large. What's done is that partial subsets are made or one "hacks" the hex flags. There a few "flagged" sector specials added and that's it.

Review the detailed ZDOOM sector and linedef flag specs on the Zdoom site and you'll see that there are new sector and linedef flags.

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