Special Sprites

Hi-Tags and Lo-Tags

Hi-Tags and Lo-Tags are difficult to understand at first, but they are a simple concept. Hi-Tags and Lo-Tags are number values which can be assigned to an object such as sprites, walls, or sectors. A Hi-Tag is most commonly used as a link or a channel between two objects, such as a door and the switch that activates it. Lo-Tags are most commonly used to start a pre-set instruction which tells an object how to act, such as telling a sector to move up and down like a piston. Read the BUILD Keypress Reference section for details on assigning Hi-Tags and Lo-Tags to an object.

Special Sprites

Sprite # 1

The Sector Effector is used to manipulate sector attributes and create the game effects.

Lo-Tag : a pre-set number which tells the sector how to act.
Hi-Tag : used to link another Sector Effector with the same Lo-Tag so they activate together.

Sprite # 2

The Activator is used with Switches or the Touchplate Sprite to activate the Sector Lotag function or any Sector Effectors within the Sector.

Lo-Tag : Set equal to a Switch Lotag or a Touchplate Lotag
Hi-Tag : 0 = normal/default.
         1 = Open door only.   Only works for Sector Tag 20 or 21 doors.
         2 = Close door only.  Only works for Sector Tag 20 or 21 doors.

Sprite # 3

The Touchplate will activate an Activator or Masterswitch when the player walks on the sector floor.

Lo-Tag : Set equal to an Activator or Masterswitch Lo-Tag
Hi-Tag : 0 = Activate Touchplate every time the player steps on the sector floor.
         > 0 = Activate the Touchplate this many times than never again.

Sprite # 4

The ActivatorLocked locks a sector's Lo-Tag function until the player unlocks it.

Lo-Tag : Set equal to a switch, Touchplate, keycard access switch, or other sprite's Lo-Tag 
used to unlock it.
Hi-Tag : none.

Sprite # 5

The Music and SFX sprite can be used in three different ways:

  1. Activation Sound

    When used in a sector with a Lo-Tag, the sound will play when the sector's Lo-Tag function is activated.

    Lo-Tag : Sound number to be played (Primary sound)
    Hi-Tag : Sound number to be played (Secondary sound)
    
  2. Ambient Sound

    When used in a sector without a Lo-Tag, an ambient sound will be played.

    Lo-Tag : Ambient sound number
    Hi-Tag : Maximum distance the sound can be heard (1024 = the largest grid square in 
    BUILD)
    
  3. Echo Effect

    When used in a sector without a Lo-Tag, all sounds will have an echo effect.

    Lo-Tag : 1000 + the amount of echo from 0-255 (0 being the least amount of echo)
    Hi-Tag : Maximum distance the sound can be heard (1024 = the largest grid square in 
    BUILD)
    

Sprite # 6

The Locator is used to define the series of points that a pigcop recon control vehicle or a moving sector (subway) will move to. You can only have one Locator path set in a sector. You cannot have a Pigcop RCV and a subway in the same map.

Lo-Tag : Set in an increasing order beginning with 0. When the vehicle reaches the last 
point, It will loop back to the Locator with Lo-Tag 0.
Hi-Tag : If set to 1, the subway will stop at that point for 5 seconds, then continue. The 
pigcop RCV however, is not affected.

Sprite # 7

The Cycler sprite is used to make the sector pulsate in brightness.

Lo-Tag : Set the offset of how bright it will start.
Hi-Tag : none.
Palette : Set to a color if you want to.
Shade : Set the Cycler shade to how bright the sector will get. Set the sector shade to how 
dark it will get.

Sprite # 8

The MasterSwitch activates Sector Lo-Tags or Sector Effectors. It is the exact same as an activator, except it has a time-delay ability.

Lo-Tag : Set equal to a Touchplate or switch Lo-Tag to be activated by.
Hi-Tag : Set for time delay until action occurs (32 = 1 second).

Sprite # 9

The Respawn sprite is used to spawn an actor or an item when activated by a switch or Touchplate.

Lo-Tag : Set equal to the switch or Touchplate Lo-Tag to be activated by.
Hi-Tag : Set equal to any sprite number that has a name assigned to it (the name is displayed 
in BUILD and EDITART).

Sprite # 10

The GPSPEED is most commonly used to determine the speed of an object.

Lo-Tag : Rate of movement
Hi-Tag : none.

Basic Knowledge

I will refer to these special sprites in the following format:

SpriteAcronym
Sector EffectorS
ActivatorA
TouchplateT
Activator LockedL
Music and SFXM
LocatorL+
CyclerC
MasterSwitchD
RespawnR
GPSPEEDSp

In the Advanced FX tutorials, I will use the acronym followed by the Hi-Tag and Lo-Tag you need to assign to the sprite:

acronym[Hi-Tag,Lo-Tag]

For example, If I wanted to say "Give an activator a unique Lo-Tag and a Hi-Tag of 215", I would say it like this:

A[215,unique]

If any of these sprites are in superscript and brackets, it means that they are optional:

A[215,unique] (S[delay,10])

Sector Tags and other Sprite Tags are referred to in the same format, but without the acronym:

[Hi-Tag,Lo-Tag]

So If I wanted to say "Give that sector a Hi-Tag of 23, and a Lo-Tag of 7", I would say it like this:

[23,7]

You might be wondering what the word channel means. A channel is a unique number which two or more objects will share. Like giving two doors the same unique Hi-Tag to link them, so when either door is pressed against, both doors will open. This concludes some basic knowledge you will need to understand the Advanced FX section.

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