Another custom monster question

[Laocoön]

Sorry to ask such a basic question, but as I have been researching this issue, I've become more confused rather than enlightened. At lot of the information I've found on various forums and YT videos seems legit, but some of it is apparently outdated and some of it might be (and I can't really tell which is which). A lot of the forum responses seem to assume that I already know some basics that honestly are uknown unknowns to me. Moreover, there are different ways of doing it, and although I have an idea what is the relevant method in my case, I can't be absolutely sure. All in all I'm a bit overwhelmed and would appreciate some help in untangling the issue.

 

I have been working on a big megawad for months now, and I've decided that the very last level needs some custom monsters, to ramp things up a bit. If this works out I might even add some monsters to the already-completed levels. I have picked a couple of beasties from Realm667, downloaded them and put them in a folder.

 

Here's what I am working with:
GZDoom, UDMF, my own custom music (and a MUSINFO because one level has multiple tunes), OTEX textures.

 

Here's what I think I have to do, but like I said, my research and understanding of these things are a bit wobbly.

 

• Set up a .PK3 with some necessary .exes that will reduce the file size later.
• Add the monster wads in SLADE <-- But I don't know whether the monsters need to be ZSCRIPT compatible or what that even means, or how I'd find out. I don't even know if they are supposed to be .WAD files, but the ones I downloaded seem to be.
• In SLADE, add a ZMAPINFO lump with actor numbers for the monsters. I am not sure how to create a ZMAPINFO lump in the first place, nor whether it will clash with the MUSINFO lump, mess up my skies, or generally cause issues. In one example I saw, actor numbers were added, but I don't know why they were that many digits or why they were those particular digits.
• Add the monsters in my WAD in UDB, but I don't know how you create a User Defined folder in that programme.
• EDIT: save my .wad into the .pk3 that I set up at the beginning
• ???
• Profit.

 

Is this roughly how it is done? Seeing as I am using UDMF and GZDoom, is there an easier way? AM I also right to think that I don't need to replace monsters when using UDMF/GZDoom? 

 

My WAD: 

 

 

 

Edited February 19 by Laocoön

[Kan3]

Since you're basically starting from scratch with your monster modding journey, it might take a while to get used to it, because you're missing quite a lot of stuff D:

The easiest way to do that is by slapping .wad monsters into your .wad, because you really don't need much else to do.

With a .pk3, instead, you'll need to sort everything into the right folders, which is the best way, but a lot more time consuming.

 

Since your mod is a .wad file, I suggest you, for the time being, to stick with that, especially because you already have plenty of maps and textures there. You can always switch to a .pk3 file later, with patience.

 

So, to add monsters .wad:

When opening up a monster.wad you should find something like this:

Spoiler

You'll be find:

• 1 (or more, depending on the monster complexity or other stuff) DECORATE/ZSCRIPT lump (it doesn't really matter which one actually in your case, it will only change the way for you to set up the monster to be able to use it in the map editor)
• A set of SPRITES between 2 markers: SS_START and SS_END which are necessary to let the engine know that those images are SPRITES

This is all you need to have a new custom monster with custom sprites, but usually you'll also find custom sounds for it and so:

• 1 SNDINFO lump to set up the custom sounds the monster will use
• audio files (monster sounds)

Depending on the monster, you might also find other lumps and graphics (like GLDEFS and brightmaps), but, like I said, the real important things are the DECORATE/ZSCRIPT and the sprites.

 

Now

1. Lumps order: not really needed, just for having things in order (which is important anyway), except for sprites. They always have to be within the 2 markers I said. This is true for sprites and sprites only! Textures have their own, flats have their own too, so be careful to not place anything else inside those markers.
2. DECORATE/SCRIPT: the lumps have to keep this name (unless you setup a global DECORATE/ZSCRIPT lump where you include your other lumps, but that's something you can look into later). It would be better to have all of the code of all of the monsters/things/whatever inside a single DECORATE/ZSCRIPT lump instead of having multiple lumps around the wad with the same name (even because it can freak out the editor)

Your monster now should be correctly implanted into your wad, but there's a catch... You might not be able to see/use it inside the map editor.

Why's that? Because you need to give him a Doomed Number.

 

For DECORATEs, it's really easy, just add the number you want (be careful because things with the same number are not allowed, check the link above) right after the actor class and you're done (you'll find your monster in UDB in the folder called User Defined, unless you specify a Category for it to be in)

Spoiler

 

For ZSCRIPTs there's another passage to do, because you cannot define that number like in DECORATEs, but you'll need a MAPINFO lump.

In that lump is where you have to define your editor number like so:

Spoiler

Don't mind the fact that the lump I'm showing is not named MAPINFO, is the same trick I said before for DECORATE/ZSCRIPT. Remember to close the brackets at the end!

 

I believed I covered the very basics of the process and you should be able to do it now

[Laocoön]

I am glad I asked, because I was heading off in the wrong direction! Thanks so much for helping me out!