
======<<<<<<      Jim’s Mini-FAQ on Duke3D Palette Version 1.0
>>>>>>======

AUTHOR: Jim Morley, ZTXJIN@AOL.COM

INTRODUCTION:

Palettes refer to color groups indexed with a number between 0-25. While some
of these numbers have special use in Duke3d, many are open for
level-designers or code-writers. We’ll take a look at some.

MISSING CODE IN GAME.CON / INTRODUCING "IFSPRITEPAL":

The boss from the first episode shows up as a regular player in later
episodes, but acts differently. However, they both use the same sprites, so
how is this done? A close look at the code shows the secret:

ifspritepal 0 { } else ... 

It’s that "ifspritepal" that does the trick. A quick look at the MAP file
shows that the first episode boss has a palette of  "0" while the
"minibosses" of later episodes are set to palette "21". Check out this code:

ifcount THAWTIME { ai AIBOSS1SEEKENEMY spritepal 21 }
else ifcount FROZENDRIPTIME { ifactioncount 26 { spawn WATERDRIP
resetactioncount } }

Yes, after the miniboss thaws out, and a quick check shows that only the
miniboss can be frozen, he’s set back to palette 21. In fact this same code
shows up for BOSS2, look under "ifaction ABOSSxFROZEN". Now here’s some
homework, 3drealms has all the code for a "mini" BOSS3 to get frozen, but
forgot to put in the thaw code, those two lines above. Your assignment is to
copy those two lines to the correct position, you have two examples in the
BOSS1 and BOSS2 code. Now you can add "mini" BOSS3s to your  levels!

ADDING NEW ACTORS THE EASY WAY:

If this used anywhere else? Yes, the one other place this kind of code is
used is in the TROOPER section. And once again it’s palette 21 that’s used as
a key to change actions. So what can we do with this? Let’s add a bunch of
actors! Here’s how:

Let’s make it simple to start, let’s give different weapons to different
ranks. We can use code like this:

ifspritepal 11 { shoot RPG }
else ifspritepal 12 { shoot FIRELASER }
else ifspritepal 13 { shoot SHOTSPARK1 }
else ifspritepal 14 { shoot SHOTGUN ifrnd 128 shoot MORTER }
else ifspritepal 15 { shoot COOLEXPLOSION1 }
else { shoot SPIT }

You get the idea. By the way, that’s just about all you can have them shoot
at you. You can come up with all kinds of mixes, though I would suggest
experimenting with one weaker than normal and one strnger than normal. Say
for Pigcops you have Rookie, Street Cop, Swat Team.

PALETTE QUICK CHART:

Just incase you don’t have a handy palette chart here’s one. Note that the
color blue is used in the clothing and uniforms of chicks and some enimies,
this blue turns different colors. I’ll call this blue "key blue" so you know
what I’m talking about.

Palette - Remarks
0 - the normal palette
1 - shades of blue, also used to indicate multiplayer weapons and switches
2 - shades of red
3 - no visible effects most of the time - turns off killer BIGORBIT sky
(actuallly many colors do this)
4 - all black, great for shadows, or how about cloaked enimies?
5 - nothing visibile
6 - the night vision look, possible electric monsters?
7 - weird yellow cast, could be cool effect, like low pressure sodium lights
8 - shades of green
9 - not much
10 - key blue turns red
11 - key blue turns lt. green
12 - key blue turns white
13 - key blue turns grey
14 - key blue turns drk. green
15 - key blue turns brown
16 - key blue turns drk. blue
17 - blue skin on many actors
18 - key blue turns grey/white
19 - red skin on many actors
20 - blue skin on many actors
21 - key blue turns bri. red - used for red key/lock and to designate
mini-boss and trooper
22 - key blue turns green
23 - key blue turns yellow - used for yellow key/lock
24 - often stange effects, more blood, etc

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