Setting up Campaigns - Revision history

Datiswous: /* De-Briefing Videos */ Changed text to new way of specifying de-briefing video's per mission in campaign

2025-12-19T22:38:27Z

De-Briefing Videos: Changed text to new way of specifying de-briefing video's per mission in campaign

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:38, 19 December 2025
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	= De-Briefing Videos =		= De-Briefing Videos =
	~~With TDM 1.06 and upwards it~~'s possible to have a video played back immediately after "Mission Complete"~~, so~~-called de-briefings.		It's possible to have a video played back immediately after "Mission Complete". So-called de-briefings.

	The mechanism to set these up is very similar to the above ~~"SDK-controlled"~~ briefing videos, all you need is to add the correct ~~#DEFINE~~ lines in your mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file:		The mechanism to set these up is very similar to the above briefing videos, all you need is to add the correct lines in your mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file:

	#define ~~MM_DEBRIEFING_1_VIDEO_MATERIALS~~ "guis/video/credits/typing_sequence01;"		#if MM_CURRENTMISSION == 1
	~~#define MM_DEBRIEFING_1_VIDEO_LENGTHS "2000;~~"		#define MM_DEBRIEFING_VIDEO_MATERIAL_1 "guis/video/credits/typing_sequence01"
	#define ~~MM_DEBRIEFING_1_VIDEO_SOUND_CMD~~ "music tdm_mainmenu_background_music;"		#define MM_DEBRIEFING_VIDEO_SOUND_CMD "music tdm_mainmenu_background_music;"

	This example will play a credits video after "Mission Complete" ~~for 2 seconds (= 2000 milliseconds)~~. Please refer to the above "~~Briefings~~" section to learn about the precise meaning of these lines, they are pretty much analogous.		This example will play a credits video after "Mission Complete". Please refer to the above "Video briefings" section to learn about the precise meaning of these lines, they are pretty much analogous.

	Side note: this option is not exclusive to campaigns, you can have a de-briefing video in single-mission setups just as well.		Side note: this option is not exclusive to campaigns, you can have a de-briefing video in single-mission setups just as well.

Datiswous: /* Video briefings */ Changed text to new way of specifying video's per mission in campaign.

2025-12-19T22:14:35Z

Video briefings: Changed text to new way of specifying video's per mission in campaign.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:14, 19 December 2025
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	= Video briefings =		= Video briefings =
	It's possible to define briefing/intro videos for each mission in a campaign. To enable videos mappers need to include a mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file in their PK4 and define a few variables in there. You can look at the default file ~~in the TDM PK4s~~ to get more info and read some comments. I'll include the most important settings briefly here:		It's possible to define briefing/intro videos for each mission in a campaign. To enable videos mappers need to include a mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file in their PK4 and define a few variables in there. You can look at the default file <code>tdm_gui01.pk4/guis/mainmenu_custom_defs.gui</code> to get more info and read some comments. I'll include the most important settings briefly here:

	~~Enable SDK-controlled briefing videos by adding this line~~ to ~~your mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file (or uncomment the line if it is present already but commented out)~~:		You'll need to specify which video to be played for each mission:
	~~#define BRIEFING_VIDEO_CONTROLLED_BY_SDK 1~~

	~~Next you'll need to specify which~~ video ~~to be played for each mission. These are bit more complex:~~		#if MM_CURRENTMISSION == 1
			#define MM_BRIEFING_VIDEO_MATERIAL_1 "video/briefing_video_1"
			#define MM_BRIEFING_VIDEO_SOUND_CMD "music video/briefing_video_1;"

	#~~define MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_MATERIALS "video/tdm_briefing_video;guis/video/credits~~/~~typing_sequence01;"~~		The line <code>#if MM_CURRENTMISSION == 1</code> tells this is the first mission of the campaign. The lines under it are single mission video specifics settings that are only applied to the first mission in the campaign because of the top line.
	~~#define MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_LENGTHS "4000;5000"~~
	~~#define MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_SOUND_CMD "music~~ video~~/tdm_briefing_video_sound;"~~

	~~Easy~~ to ~~see, these three definitions refer~~ to the ~~first mission~~ in the ~~campaign, the prefix is "MM_BRIEFING_1"~~.		The last line in this triple is defining the sound to be played along the video: <code>MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_SOUND_CMD</code>. Be sure to include the "music" command in the string and to refer to a valid sound shader.

	~~The MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_MATERIALS line specifies~~ the various ROQ materials that should be played (in this order). ROQ files have a maximum length of 60 seconds, so TDM added support to a sequence of ROQs to allow for longer videos. The materials should be separated by semicolons. Be sure to define the playback duration of each clip in the VIDEO_LENGTHS line.		For the second mission you use line <code>#if MM_CURRENTMISSION == 2</code> and then specify the correct video and sound files for the second mission's video briefing.

	~~The next line MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_LENGTHS corresponds to the MATERIALS line above~~ and ~~contains the playback duration of each ROQ clip. The time is specified in milliseconds, multiple times are separated by semicolons.~~

	~~The last line in this triple is defining the sound to be played along~~ the video~~: MM_BRIEFING_1_VIDEO_SOUND_CMD. Sounds don't have a length limit, so there is no need to define multiple sounds like with the ROQ clips. Be sure to include the "music" command in the string~~ and ~~to refer to a valid~~ sound ~~shader.~~

	~~The original TDM mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file contains a lot of comments about these defs, please take a look there to learn more.~~

	~~Side note:~~ the ~~SDK-controlled video is also available in ordinary (single)~~ mission ~~packs. You don't need to build a full-blown campaign (with tdm_mapsequence.txt, etc.) to use this option, it~~'s ~~enough to make the correct #DEFINE statements above~~.

	= De-Briefing Videos =		= De-Briefing Videos =

Datiswous: /* Text briefings */

2025-12-05T11:13:11Z

Text briefings

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:13, 5 December 2025
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	</nowiki>		</nowiki>

	See for complete information on this text inside mainmenu_custom_defs.gui .		See for complete information on this text inside mainmenu_custom_defs.gui, which can be found inside file tdm_gui01.pk4 .

Datiswous: /* Text briefings */

2025-12-05T11:03:11Z

Text briefings

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:03, 5 December 2025
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	<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width: 60%">		<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width: 60%">
	Via the "Expand"-button you can access the old (still viable) method of making advanced text briefings work in campaigns. It's adviced to not use this, because it means more work and is more complicated.		Via the [Expand]-button you can access the old (still viable) method of making advanced text briefings work in campaigns. It's adviced to not use this, because it means more work and is more complicated.

	<div class="mw-collapsible-content">		<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

Datiswous at 11:02, 5 December 2025

2025-12-05T11:02:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:02, 5 December 2025
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	<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width: 60%">		<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width: 60%">
	~~Under here is~~ the old (still viable) method of making advanced text briefings work in campaigns. It's adviced to not use this, because it means more work and is more complicated.		Via the "Expand"-button you can access the old (still viable) method of making advanced text briefings work in campaigns. It's adviced to not use this, because it means more work and is more complicated.

	<div class="mw-collapsible-content">		<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

Datiswous: /* Briefing Videos */

2025-12-05T11:01:00Z

Briefing Videos

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:01, 5 December 2025
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	</div>		</div>

	= ~~Briefing Videos~~ =		= Video briefings =
	It's possible to define briefing/intro videos for each mission in a campaign. To enable videos mappers need to include a mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file in their PK4 and define a few variables in there. You can look at the default file in the TDM PK4s to get more info and read some comments. I'll include the most important settings briefly here:		It's possible to define briefing/intro videos for each mission in a campaign. To enable videos mappers need to include a mainmenu_custom_defs.gui file in their PK4 and define a few variables in there. You can look at the default file in the TDM PK4s to get more info and read some comments. I'll include the most important settings briefly here:

Datiswous: /* Briefings */ Updatet the text with a "new" (tdm 2.08) method for making campaigns work. Got info from Stgatilov.

2025-12-05T10:58:53Z

Briefings: Updatet the text with a "new" (tdm 2.08) method for making campaigns work. Got info from Stgatilov.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 Looking at that, the syntax of the file is pretty much self-explanatory. The first mission has the number one, the map file is mentioned after the colon and the following space. You don't need to specify the ".map" extension of the map file that is handled automatically. See the main [[tdm_mapsequence.txt]] article for further reference, for this article it's enough to have the above lines I suppose.
-= Briefings =
+= Text briefings =
 Once the map sequence is defined one needs to take care of the briefing. If you like to keep it simple, just refer to the Briefing article in the [[Briefing#Text-only_Briefing|Text-only Briefing]] section. Each map needs its own xdata block with the briefing and you'll be done.
-For advanced setups like the "Timed Flowing Briefing" mentioned in the [[Briefing]] article there are a few modifications to be made to your GUI code. As the mainmenu_briefing.gui file is the same for the whole campaign your GUI needs to know which map the player is about to play next. For this purpose a new GUI variable <tt>gui::CurrentMission</tt> has been introduced which can be used in if-else GUI code blocks in the BriefingStateInit windowDef. For single-missions, mappers just called the GUI animation block like this:
+For advanced setups there are a few modifications to be made. In the briefing gui file mainmenu_briefing.gui you can define what advanced briefing is loaded with every mission in your campaign. It's advised to make seperate missions and then combine them together into a campaing using code inside mainmenu_briefing.gui .
   windowDef BriefingStateInit
@@ Line 107: / Line 152: @@
+  	}
+  }
 = Briefing Videos =

Stgatilov: Game & gui: Added link to bugtracker.

2025-01-05T18:58:15Z

Game & gui: Added link to bugtracker.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:58, 5 January 2025
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	===== game & gui =====		===== game & gui =====

	Starting with '''TDM 2.13''', persistent information is also provided as GUI variables.		Starting with '''TDM 2.13''', persistent information is also provided as GUI variables ([https://bugs.thedarkmod.com/view.php?id=6509 #6509]).
	The information is automatically synchronized between game script variables and GUI variables.		The information is automatically synchronized between game script variables and GUI variables.

Stgatilov: Refined section about persistent info and added a subsection about passing information between game and GUI.

2025-01-05T18:56:07Z

Refined section about persistent info and added a subsection about passing information between game and GUI.

@@ Line 157: / Line 157: @@
 There are a few script methods which are specifically designed to be used in maps. See the file tdm_events.script for more details about them.
 Use the getCurrentMission() method on the sys entity to retrieve the current mission number. Note that the mission numbers are 0-based in the code, the function will return 0 for the first mission in a campaign. The following snippet will print the number to the console:
   sys.println("Current Mission: " + sys.getCurrentMissionNum());
-Furthermore there are a couple of script events that can be used to store data in between missions. This data is stored in the so-called "persistent level info", which is designed to store key/value pairs.
+===== persistent info =====
-The script events are very similar to the routines used to query entity spawnargs (which is not surprising, as the persistent level info is using the same C++ class idDict to store the data). Since the persistent level info is not associated to any entity, these methods need to be called on the sys object. See doom_events.script file for further reference.
+ void   setPersistentArg( string key, string value );
- // Sets a key/value pair that persists between maps, overwriting existing keys with the same name
+For example, you can store a number value like this (all values are stored as strings):
   sys.setPersistentArg("dummyvar", "20");
@@ Line 183: / Line 177: @@
 If you ever need to clear out the entire level info there's a separate routine for that:
   sys.clearPersistentArgs();
 = Inventory Items =

Stgatilov: TDM 2.13: "persistant" is renamed to "persistent" in script function names

2025-01-05T17:32:09Z

TDM 2.13: "persistant" is renamed to "persistent" in script function names

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:32, 5 January 2025
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	// Sets a key/value pair that persists between maps, overwriting existing keys with the same name		// Sets a key/value pair that persists between maps, overwriting existing keys with the same name
	scriptEvent ~~setPersistantArg~~( string key, string value );		scriptEvent setPersistentArg( string key, string value );

	// Returns the string for the given persistent arg		// Returns the string for the given persistent arg
	scriptEvent string ~~getPersistantString~~( string key );		scriptEvent string getPersistentString( string key );

	// Returns the floating point value for the given persistent arg		// Returns the floating point value for the given persistent arg
	scriptEvent float ~~getPersistantFloat~~( string key );		scriptEvent float getPersistentFloat( string key );

	// Returns the vector for the given persistent arg		// Returns the vector for the given persistent arg
	scriptEvent vector ~~getPersistantVector~~( string key );		scriptEvent vector getPersistentVector( string key );

	As example, you can store a number value like this (all values are stored as string)		As example, you can store a number value like this (all values are stored as string)
	sys.~~setPersistantArg~~("dummyvar", "20");		sys.setPersistentArg("dummyvar", "20");

	Later on you receive the number value like this:		Later on you receive the number value like this:
	float testvar = sys.~~getPersistantFloat~~("dummyvar");		float testvar = sys.getPersistentFloat("dummyvar");

	If you ever need to clear out the entire level info there's a separate routine for that:		If you ever need to clear out the entire level info there's a separate routine for that:
	// clears data that persists between maps		// clears data that persists between maps
	sys.~~clearPersistantArgs~~();		sys.clearPersistentArgs();

	= Inventory Items =		= Inventory Items =