ACS scripting

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Revision as of 02:43, 22 July 2016 by Printz (talk | contribs) (Updated the description, removed wrong or outdated information)
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For the upcoming Hexen implementation, Eternity supports ACS scripts. As well as it can run the vanilla Hexen ACS script bytecodes, it can run the modern ACS as produced for ZDoom, and it's designed to be compatible with the functions and definitions provided in zcommon.acs.

Comprehensive information regarding the ACS language for Hexen can be found at the Official Hexen Technical Specs by Ben Morris and Ben Gokey.

Most or all of the parameterized specials can be called from ACS as functions, though the equivalent numbers they use (as listed in zspecial.acs) are from the Hexen namespace. This is also to keep easy compatibility with zcommon.acs, so there will be as little need as possible to rewrite the include files.

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Using ACS for your map

ACS scripts can be loaded with Doom-format maps through the help of EMAPINFO and ExtraData. The MapInfo entry for the map needs at least a specifier for its ExtraData lump and compiled ACS lump (setting the extradata and acsscript entries).

The script can be written in a text editor and compiled using acc. Wad tools like SLADE also have the capability to compile ACS scripts. After obtaining the behavior lump (usually with the .o extension), import it in a wad and place it between lumps A_START and A_END. The acsscript entry from EMAPINFO should then reference this compiled lump.

Important: do not place the compiled ACS script as a BEHAVIOR lump after the level lumps, as it is done in Hexen-format maps. This will cause Eternity to assume your map is designed in the Hexen format (with such specified THINGS and LINEDEFS), despite it being in the Doom format, resulting in errors or unpredictable effects when loading the level.

ACS scripts will be callable from map linedefs by using the parameterized script specials or the legacy non-parameterized specials which used to call FraggleScript or Small before they were removed.

Calling ACS scripts from actor frames

Eternity actors can call ACS scripts directly, by using the StartScript codepointer.

Testing ACS scripts from console

ACS scripts can be tested from the console by using the puke command.

ACS details