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07/30/99 20:28 EST - The new SinScript docs are done! Update by Eutectic 476 commands in all First of all, I'd like to say I'm sorry if I didn't post any updates in such a long time but most of you know that it wasn't without a good reason and for a very good cause. Let me just just put it this way... You thought the scripting docs on this site were decent? I used to think so too before... Until I got a wake-up call from GeneralWarT of 2015 who sent me a complete list of ALL the commands. Result?... Big heartbreak. I realize I only have 180 commands documented out of nearly 500 in the list. Plus, there's no explanation or even syntax examples for the ones I don't know. Hmmm... Then, in the course of making hundreds of tests to figure out the new commands, I realized that what most of the ones I documented were all wrong. Result? Anger, denial, bargaining, depression and finally... acceptance. All right then... I'll do it (by myself as usual). Suddenly, a sign from Heaven: bells chimed, a baby cried, a foreign car exploded ... well OK, maybe not. But the Man, though he did not give me fish, actually did better (in a way): he showed me HOW to fish (for source code that is). Result? The best of both worlds. I was able to bring these docs to life and learned TONS of cool stuff while El Generalissimo worked on WOSCTF. BUT... I got there first (na na) :P Anyway, enough babble. Now for the real stuff: In a nutshell, the scripting docs were practically re-done from scratch (that's how bad they were). The command families are completely new and all the commands are now in their proper family (it was a hopeless jumble before). All the new commands have a pic next to them. Are you happy now Hex? ;). The commands are now fully hyperlinked from one to the other in the same page when relevant and often between different pages also. Accurate detailed info with lots of example scripts, reference tables, notes, etc. Some of the lesser known commands even include illustrated tutorials and links to a few example maps I made for the circumstance. So now, you'll actually have to read the docs... MUHUHAHAHAhaha!! ;) So that's it for the scripting docs. I'm fairly confident that they're as complete and accurate as I can make them. As usual, if you spot any errors or broken links, please let me know. So print them, read them, study them and get scriptin' dammit!   06/20/99 00:46 EST - Last set of entity docs updates Update by Eutectic The entity docs are now officially complete and up to date. I updated the following entity docs pages: misc_* func_* trigger_* About time right? 9 months after the game is out, I finally complete this. Anyway... The major highlights: I added all the essential script commands for the skeetlauncher entity and info on how to use them in the notes for that entity. This explains why I updated the misc_* page again. I figured that since the skeetlauncher is completely script controlled, I should include all the scrpting info you need for those all in the same place. The func_* and trigger_* entities docs were simply updated with the already up-to-date info from my custom .CPP entity definition file. Speaking of those, I have also 2 brand new full-fledged entity definition file packages available for download: SiN v1.4 and WOS v1.2. Those include a LOT of updated .def files. Many more than the previous versions: 110 .def files in each archive. I strongly recommend you download and install this latest (and most likely final) version of this package as it rectifies many invalid or missing spawnflags plus a variety of other annoying errors in the originals. Plus you will benefit from a lot of extra entity info directly in SinEd's entity dialog. So that's it for the entity docs. I'm fairly confident that they're as complete and accurate as I can make them. Now comes the REAL work: the scripting docs. There are about 180 script commands documented in the scripting section. About half of those require corrections. But that's only the least of it. There are over 500 commands in SinScript. That means I'm short by at least 320 commands which is almost twice the number I have here. I will do my best to get it done as fast as I can but I'm pretty sure it will take a least a month to complete.   06/18/99 19:25 EST - Fifth set of entity docs updates Update by Eutectic A brand new fx_* entities page I updated the following entity docs pages: fx_* info_* light_* I was sure that I could finish updating the rest of the entities for this post but I've been away for a couple of days and the fx_* entities proved to be more work than I had expected. Also, I figured the remaining families (func_* and trigger_*) will take a couple of days to bring up to date so it's better to do it in 2 separate posts in order not to hold this one up. The major highlights: As usual, many previously undocumented keys were added, some that don't work or cause problems for some entities were removed. But unlike in the usual updates, the main changes were done to the fx_* entities page while the changes to the others were mainly description and key info "tune-up's". I added screenshots for each of the the fx_* entities (except fx_sprite which is a generic sprite generating entity). Sorry if some of those don't look that good but things like smoke are kind of hard to get a clean shot of. I added LOTS of new description, key info and notes info to nearly all the fx_type entities as those were probably the least documented of the whole set. Not anymore. I added the NOT_SOLID and NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflags to fx_laser since this is just a regular world model. I also added all the keys typical of this kind of entity. I added the NOT_SOLID spawnflag to all the model based fx_* entities. I updated the .def files for those entities as well so the proper spawnflags appear in SinEd's entity dialog and corrected another minor thing concerning the "anim" key for some sprite based effects: I removed the useless "idle" alias which points to no sprite animation command but stupidly was selected by default. Now, even if you don't set the key, you won't end up with nothing in your map, you get one of the real sprite animations by default. Sorry if I don't distribute the new .def files right away but I want to make sure I get all the updates in first. Once I'm done updating the entities (next update), I will distribute a new sinedf14.zip and wosedf12.zip files with all the new .def files (over 100 in each). That way, I don't have to post over and over and increment the version each time which is a pain. The ones you will get will be the absolute latest and final (I hope). So that's it. Check out the fx_* entities page.   06/13/99 16:49 EST - Fourth set of entity docs updates Update by Eutectic Plus a little goodie :) I updated the following entity docs pages: gib_* projectile_* trap_* vehicles_* misc_* It took longer than I had expected (nearly a week) but much testing was required and I was sidetracked for a bit by a little side project which I think you will like. More on that in a bit. First, the updates. The major highlights: Many previously undocumented keys were added, some that don't work or cause problems for some entities were removed. This is so elaborate and detailed that I can't list it here. Suffice it to say that everything is in order in that aspect for all the entities above. The main entities page navigation menus and main page were cleaned up and the sorting of the entity families was improved. I added the skeetlauncher entity in the misc_* page and updated the info on all the other entities on that page (consoles and worldspawn in particular). I removed the info_monster_spawnspot and info_navbeacon entities from the misc_* page since those don't work. The rest of the info_* page updates will come later. I removed the func_electrocute and func_shield entities from the func_* page since those don't work. The rest of the func_* page updates will come later. I added the NOT_SOLID and NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflags to all the gib_* and projectile_* entities since those are just regular world models. I also removed the anim key since those don't have any real animations. Major overhaul of the info in the Notes of the trap_* entities. The descriptions were also improved. I removed the NOT_SOLID and NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflags from all the vehicles front and back wheels. Those are always non solid and indestructible no matter what. I took out the NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflag for all the drivable and undrivable vehicles. Drivable vehicles are always destructible no matter what and undrivable vehicles are always indestructible no matter what. So the spawnflag applies to neither. The vehicles descriptions tell you at a glance which of those entities are real vehicles and which are just regular world models. I added a LOT of new and useful info in the Descriptions and Notes of the vehicles_* entities. This is the most substantial part of the update (Lamprey's in particular). And in the course of testing the vehicles_* entities for the update, I discovered how to use 4 very useful script commands which I previously thought didn't work: doActivate, doBlocked, doTouch and doUse (I was using the wrong syntax which caused the game to crash badly). I added those in the UltraEdit wordfile and a new version is available for download in the Tools section. Now for the surprise. I made an example map on how to make a working helicopter from func_scriptmodels complete with working rotor, heligun and Blade gunner. All the parts are bound together properly so that the rotor and heligun can be rotated independently but will move with the helicopter. But that's not all... I designed a script thread makes it possible to place all the helicopter "components" anywhere in the map and, as long as the map is large enough to contain the big parts (fuselage and rotor), the thread will assemble your helicopter "on the fly". IOW, it will move and bind all your components together for you and the resulting "assembly" is ready to used by other threads to make it fly around. And the best thing is that the thread itself is only 24 lines of code and it's not position dependent so it's 100% portable. The example map can be downloaded from the Files section. Check it out :)   06/07/99 11:11 EST - Third set of entity docs updates Update by Eutectic All world object type entities updated I updated the following entity docs pages: deskitems_* furniture_* items_* plant_* world_* The major highlights: Many previously undocumented keys were added: alpha, target, killtarget. I also took out the anim key since it's not really useful for those. The only exception is plant_tree for which the anim key is essential to select between 3 possible tree shapes. I took out the NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflag from deskitems_cpu_keyboarduseable and deskitems_cpu_monitoruseable because both are set to "nodamage" in their respective .def files. The spawnflag is therefore useless. New .def files will be supplied for those in the next entity definition packages (SiN and WOS). I removed the NOT_SOLID and NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflags from world_sink, world_toilet and world_urinal. Since those entities are really sentients and NOT world objects, those 2 spawnflags have absolutely no effect on them. New .def files will be supplied for those as well. Since the sinks, toilets and urinals are sentients, the selection of possible keys are not the same as for world objects. For those, I added alpha, target and killthread. The notes at the end of the world_sink entity include a cool custom AI script that fixes that incredibly annoying sound bug with the sinks. I'm talking about the water flowing sound that never stops even if you shut off the tap. Nevermore! With this thread, your sinks will work perfectly :) The next and last round of updates for model based entities will include gibs_*, projectiles_*, traps_* and vehicles_*.   06/06/99 04:00 EST - Second set of entity docs updates Update by Eutectic All pickup-able type entities updated And here's the second wave of documentation updates. I updated the following entity docs pages: Ammo_* Health_* Inventory_* Armor_* and Powerup_* weapon_* The major highlights: Many previously undocumented keys were added: alpha, target, killtarget, message, noise, key and gravityaxis. I also took out the anim key since it's not really useful for those. A few of those are only static models and not pickup-able items despite the entity class to which they belong. In those cases, the descriptions include info to this effect (Powerup_U4, weapon_sledgehammer, weapon_stun and weapon_wrench). These don't support the message, noise, key, gravityaxis and thread keys like the other ones. However, unlike the normal ones, they DO support the NOT_SOLID and NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflags and the targetname key since they are static objects. I removed the NOT_SOLID and NOT_DAMAGEABLE spawnflags from the Inventory_* type entities since they make absolutely no sense for pickup-able items. 28 .def files had to be updated to reflect the changes in the last 2 bullet points. I will include those in the next release of the entity definition ZIP files (SiN and WOS). There's no point in releasing those right now since I find something to change and update almost every day. When the entity docs update is done and I'm confident the info is accurate and stable, then I'll release the new CPP's and .def files. Yesterday, I downloaded the latest version of UltraEdit 32 (6.10b) which I use for my SiN scripts and all my HTML authoring: that's the reason for the logo on the left side of the page :) It has some cool new features and an improved wordfile. So I decided to update mine as well and post a new version in the Tools section. Nothing new in the custom SinScript language section of the file apart from the addition of the 'exitcon' command previously unknown to me and brought to my attention by BlindTypist.   06/05/99 01:44 EST - The first set of entity docs updates Update by Eutectic All sentient & actor type entities updated Here's the first in what promises to be a long string of documentation updates. I updated the following entity docs pages: Animals_* Cinematic_* Hero_* Innocent_* Monsters_* Neutral_* For all the entities in those pages: I improved the descriptions by adding the name of each's default AI script and allegiance (enemy, friend, civilian, etc). Some sentients and actors have peculiar characteristics or sometimes flaws. In those cases, the descriptions include additional relevant details (eg: Animals_Pigeon, Monster_Eon, Monster_Mancini, etc). I improved the notes by adding general info on the requirements for setting the animations of actors in scripts and the true role of the anim key. In the case of peculiar or flawed sentients and actors, the notes sometimes include script examples for quick and dirty fixes. Only one new key for the sentients (Animals_*): alpha. 2 new keys for all the actors: killthread and alpha. I corrected the ridiculous definition of the 'target' key I had posted for all the actors that erroneously stated that pointing it to an info_pathnode would automatically generate a path (.pth) file (now I wonder where I got that from...). It simply triggers the entity it points to when the actor dies. I also updated the variables page in the scripting docs because it was filled with command syntax errors and bad or incomplete descriptions especially for the vector variables operators: lotsa details now. I removed 3 vector variable operators (angles_toforward, angles_toright and angles_toup) because IMHO, they don't do anything consistent. I haven't been able to discern a recognizable pattern about them despite the fact that my knowledge of vectorial algebra is quite decent. If you think I'm wrong, please, please email me the mathematical equations (this means you Mark in case you're reading this). Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to assume I'm right. So that's it for the first batch of updates. I'm doing these in stages to give a chance to read and digest the new info instead of making you wait a month and them throw it in your face in one big lump. Next on the list: all the pickup-able items (health, ammo, armor, etc.). Please take the time to explore these pages.   05/29/99 20:25 EST - A few HTML fixes for The Node Update by Eutectic Netscape didn't like a few things... There were a few things that caused the site to look not quite like it was supposed to in Netscape and I did a few quick fixes for this: The news updates text was being all in bold. Very annoying. IE doesn't care about closing /font tags but Netscape does. Netscape understands scrollbars in a different way than IE and placed both side and bottom of frame scroll bars when those are enabled. This seriously screwed up the entities, scripting and tutorials pages. I decided to remove the scrollbars in the frames where those weren't really useful. Netscape doesn't like IE style sheets for some reason. The text font in the tutorials menus was appearing one font point lower than in IE making it virtually unreadable. I increased it by one point. This makes it 1 point larger in IE but the compromise is worth it. I wasn't able to align everything perfectly for both browsers in the pages other than scripting and entities. This one I can't fix: if I make it align perfectly for Netscape, I'll have to make it unaligned for IE. Damm browser differences. At times, having a choice can be more of a curse than a blessing. So much for that. The pages should look acceptable in Netscape now. It's odd that nobody ever complained about this. I discovered the problems while browsing my pages from someone else's computer using Netscape. In my last post, I said I would look into implementing a search engine for the scripting pages... uhh.. hmm... well CGI scripting is a lot more complicated than I thought. I really don't think I'll be able to do this by myself. If I get help, that's a different story though :)   05/25/99 18:18 EST - New CPP files for SiN and WOS Update by Eutectic Plus a brand new wordfile for UtraEdit32 I updated and added a couple of things for the SinEd entity definition files (SiN and WOS). The major highlights are: All the trigger entities that support the "message" key also support a key which I was previously unaware of: "noise". This is the sound that's played when the message is displayed. Updated. There were some minor errors and omissions in the trap_securityturret and trap_rocketturret .def files. Updated. I fixed the problem which caused the wrong model to appear in SinEd's camera view when inserting a trap_rocketturret. This made it kinda hard to predict how much space it really takes and where it would end up in your map. The .def file simply pointed to the wrong model. I decided to include all the updated .def files with the WOS zip file instead of just the updated WOS specific camera.def. This way, you don't have download both the SiN and WOS archives to have all the latest .def files. Many many other little but important fixes. The complete list is in the readme file and the CPP files themselves. I encourage you to update ASAP. And, I finally completed testing all the SinScript commands from GeneralWarT's master list. I'm now starting the "big overhaul" of the scripting docs: on top of adding all the new commands and correcting the errors in the existing ones, I want to change the layout and possibly implement some kind of search engine. So this is going to take a good while before it's ready. Because of this, I figured it would be better to make an up-to-date UltraEdit32 wordfile with all the new commands and distribute it right away. The commands have been re-classified in a much more logical and clean way. Plus there's a brand new color scheme for it described in the readme file :) Download all this new stuff from the Tools section.