Coding proposal Created 18 years ago2006-10-03 08:53:36 UTC by The Mad Carrot

Since i can do some very basic HL SDK coding, and since i managed to get the monster_otis, monster_cleansuit_scientist, monster_zombie_barney and monster_zombie_soldier working in my test project mod, i would like to write a tutorial on achieving this. Because having these monsters from Oppsing Force in your mod/map adds to the gameplay. I mean, why are there only scientist zombies? Thats why i would like to write a tutorial on this subject: How to code some of the monsters from Opposing Force for use in your own project?

The problem is: Its coding. Coding = C++. C++ = hard. So im not really sure people will find it usefull... I will of course provide a detailed tutorial, and give you example code. All you got to do, is copy/paste the code, and put in the right spot which im gonna tell you. You must own a working C++ compiler and developer environment which is compatible with the latest release of the HL SDK (version 2.3 i think) The HL SDK will be downloadable from my site shortly (:thefinger: fileplanet!).

If there are enough people interested in this, and if i get the permission to write this tutorial, ill be happy to do it.

Sounds good, but I don't have those two things you need. I should get them.

i am very interested. i myself am a visual basic programmer, and havent gotten fully into c++ yet, and i know alot of the HL/2 coding is copy/paste, but i dont know what .

my suggestion is at the end the tutorial, have a small section about what changes you are using hl2. (the file trees are similar iirc)

TWHL needs more coding tutorials!
but, including it for HL2 would be more useful for me.

Sounds good, but I don't have those two things you need. I should get them.

The HL SDK will available at my site very shortly. I can help you get a C++ developer environment, but i don't want to talk illegal stuff here... Email me. The same goes for anyone else.

penguinboy:

Sorry, this tutorial will be for HL1 only.
There aren't much changes, only additions. But ya, its good idea, i can put together a list of all the additions and possible changes of the code at the of the tutorial.

I like it!
But also, you would first need to write a tutorial suggesting what program you should use (and where you can download it if it's a free program which would be great) and also how to set it up.

Yes that would be good as well.

Off Topic: OMG MADCOW!

Well, i only have some experience with Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 which is the recommended tool for compiling the SDK. Setting it up for HL is very easy and ill cover it in the tutorial.

Im uploading the SDK now... Check my site very soon.

<3
FTW muzzle, I bet loads of people will have use for it (I won't but I think I will experiment with it a little )

Off Topic: ZOMG ANNY!

SDK is live.

Get it now!

Thats a great idea, I agree we need more coding tuts.

Yay. Tutorial: Go for it.

We need some variety.

Allright.

Just one more thing:

Should i make one big tutorial covering most of OppFor's monsters or should i do it in parts? Like:

First ill cover the zombie barney, zombie soldier and cleansuit scientist

Then the second tutorial will cover Otis and BlackOps.

Hows that?

separate, as long as they are based on the same method or,, what ever.
I mean if like "otis" and "BlackOps" are totaly different then don't combine them, you know what I mean.
I mean that would be confusing.

start with the easiest things you know.

I would get Barney Zombies by making a barney-zombie model and using that. cool that it has its own enity tho

Ya, coding zombie barney, zombie soldier and cleansuit sci are very easy compared to Otis, black ops and what not.

Ok so, first tutorial is gonna be:

How to code monster_zombie_barney, monster_zombie_soldier and monster_cleansuit_scientist for use in your mod?

Can't wait.

I just tested something in my Uplink Ext mod:

PWN!

This won't make it in the mod though. Its just a test. But w00t!

Are you planning on making the tutorial n00b-proof? As in, you can understand it even if you're one of those people who has never tried coding in their life? Because I'd really like to know how to do this, but all the coding tutorials I've seen assume you have some kind of basic knowledge of what you're doing, which always put me out of luck.

Thats the whole point of this tutorial.

Yippee!

Nice stuff there, Muzzle. I see you got quite some further than my simple copy-pasting some year ago. I wonder, could you get those grunts to utilize Teh Mightly Grenade Machinegun? For some additional mayhem?

To everyone who's interesting in getting started with C++, Microsoft Visual Studio Express is freely available. I'm not sure if it works well with the HL SDK, but in fact, MSV 6.0 had two particular things it fell about too (wavelength has an article on how to fix those 2 code lines).

sounds good. But perhaps you can go from a range of things. Like, adding a scientist would be one.. then adding an alien and what kind of effects you could have it make, like perhaps go over the houndeye and it's attack.. etc.. hard to explain.. but ya.. sounds good.

Bump**
Now would be a good time to make up that tutorial.
I got a robot that I want to add for my mod. And don't know where to begin. :

Ahh... yay noob-proof. I can only make simple simple BASIC programs. You know, just the command-promt style page that you can write stuff and maybe make it add stuff together, call you funny names, do math. =D

@ CP and Unb: Lets not make things too complicated, shall we? Ktnx.

First tutorial in this series will be about how to code a zombie barney, a zombie soldier, and a cleansuit scientist for use in your maps/mods.

aah ok. I'll wait then

I think the only programming lanugages I can say I really know more than just some basics are PHP and MySQL but a lot of people can do that (I'de consider making things like forums more than basic knowledge)

Muzzle, Which C++ Program/s do you use?

Good idea

Should i make one big tutorial covering most of OppFor's monsters or should i do it in parts?

Most monsters is added basically the same way.
Just find an existing monster class to base it on and remove all the crap you don't need such as blood, change the model and sounds and add new attacks etc.

So I'd say make a tutorial covering the general process.

yep, I got a new robot model I need to add.

Ansith: I use Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 Enterprise Edition.

Ok thanks.

You're still doing this thing, right? I haven't heard anything new about it in a bit. :

I allready made a start. But im going to finish HL:UE first, then ill focus on the tutorial.

Oh, okay. I just tend to get a bit impatient.

Your break is over. Get back to work.

Argh! I am!

Bump.

Are you sure you're gonna be able to squeeze a full tut out of this? Coding in a zombie_barney and zombie_grunt requires the changing of just a few lines of code. Just copy zombie.cpp into a new file, replace all the instances of CZombie with CZombieGrunt (or any unique classname), change the models/sounds in Precache(), and link it to the right entity. I'm pretty sure you could do the same for Otis with barney.cpp, although I haven't actually done it yet.

True, but there's a much easier method. No need to duplicated .cpp files.

Ah, right, basing the Zombie Grunt class off of the Zombie class. Which, in theory, would require even less code.

Yup.

Can't wait for the first tutorial! I've always wanted to learn it (I have the SDK, but I never opened it ).

WITH OUR NEW CODING SKILLZ, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN HL1 FOREVER!!1

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True, true! GOLDSRC SHALL RULE THE LANDS WITH AN IRON HAMMER FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY!

SURPASSING ALL OTHER ENGINES UNEQUIVOCALLY!!

Argh. There's a problem with my cleansuit scientist: he still heals the player!

That's not really that bad, is it?

Yes it is, the cleansuit sci's don't have a needle. Its just silly if he still can heal you.

Just make CanHeal() return FALSE no matter what, and/or over ride the function that calls CanHeal() in the first place.

I have exactly that, but he still heals. Piece of shit!

Change CScientist::Heal to
[quote]
void CScientist::Heal( void )
{

	return;

}
[/quote]