The following is a detailed description of each of the entries in a Game Def file. For a more practical view, see the example below


• Start Zone
  
• Start Act
  
  
  These values specify the ID numbers of the "Zone" and "Act" that should start up as soon as the game is run.
  
  Generally this would point to a "Zone" that contains a "Status Script" that presents a Logo or Title Screen, but it may also point directly to a gameplay Level.
  
  
  
• Start Character 0
  
• Start Character 1
  
  
  These values specify the Player Character that should be active for Players 1 and 2 when the game starts
  
  
  
• Num Registers
  
  
  This is the number of user "Registers" (variables) that should be created for use in this "Game".
  
  If a "Register" whose ID value is above this number is called on, the game may crash. This number must represent the highest user "Register" ID that will be used in any script called by this game
  
  Using comments to list descriptions for each User Register just below this entry can be helpful.
  
  
• Main Font File
  
  
  "Fonts", sprites that represent numbers, letters, and symbols for use in displaying text, can be loaded here so that they can be made available to any part of the game that calls them. This entry should contain the name of the "Font Listing File" that lists all fonts that should be loaded as "Game Global".
  
  If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Font Listing File" from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  Even if the game contains no text, there must still be a "Global" Font set. The first three "Fonts" (0, 1, and 2) are used by HCGE itself. Font 0 is an "unhighlighted" font, and Font 1 is a "highlighted" font. They must both be type 6, and their character images must be 8x8 in size. Font 2 is an 4x5 type 7 font used by the editor for displaying angle values in the level editor. The "default" folder contains a "Font Listing File" that will load the default editor fonts. User-created Font Listings can either use them, or replace them with a new font of the same type and size. Any Fonts loaded for ID 3 or above may be any type or size.
  
  
  
• Number of Texts
  
  
  Text strings may be loaded by the "Game Def" and stored for use by "Functions" or "Status Scripts" that are called at any time. This value specifies how many will be listed, which should appear directly below:
  
  
  • Text
    
    
    Any text that should be displayed at any time or used for file loading purposes can appear on these lines. Linebreaks (enter keypresses) are not allowed within any string, as they signify the end of the string itself
    
  
  
• Main Music Def File
  
  
  Music that must be available to all parts of the game can be loaded here by entering the name of a "Music Def" file that contains a list of the desired musics.
  
  If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "Zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Music Def" File from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  There must be a "Global" music file with at least one music.
  
  
  
• Main Sound Effect Def File
  
  
  Sounds that must be available to all parts of the game can be loaded here by entering the name of a "Sound Effect Def" file that contains a list of the desired sounds.
  
  If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Sound Effect Def" File from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  There must be a "Global" sound effect file, whose first sound effect must be a silent file. The file "sfx000.wav" in the "default" folder should fill this space.
  
  
  
• Number of Constants per Character
  
  
  Player Character "Constants" are values that are defined for each Player Character within their "Character Def" Files, which are used for defining certain properties of that Character. They usually aren't ever modified, but can be if necessary. There are several "Main Constants" that are standard for all HCGE games, which must be listed.
  
  This value specifies how many "Custom Constants" should be defined, which must be listed within each Player's Character Def File immediately following the "Main Constants". These extra "Constants" can be used to define any non-standard, Script-controlled aspect of a Player Character.
  
  This setting applies to all Characters; all Character Defs must list this many "Custom Constants".
  
  If no "Custom Constants" are needed, this value should be 0, and there should be no "Custom Constants" listed in any Character Def.
  
  
• Number of Variables per Character
  
  
  Player Variables are values that each active Player has that are modified at various times during gameplay to control the Player's actions during each game frame. There are many "Main Variables" that are modified directly by the program, which can also be controlled through various types of Script Functions.
  
  This value specifies how many "Custom Variables" should be defined. This extra variable space can be used by Script Functions for controlling any non-standard, Script-controlled Player behavior.
  
  If no "Custom Variables" are needed, this value should be 0.
  
  
• Character Common Data:
  
  
  Functions that must be available to all Player Characters can be loaded here by entering the name of the Character-Common Function file.
  
  If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Character-Common Function file from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  
  
• Number of Characters:
  
  
  This value specifies the number of Player Character files to load for use in this game. The names of the files themselves are listed immediately after:
  
  
  • Character:
    
    
    Each of these entries should contain the name of a Player Character File.
    
    If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Character File" from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory".
    
    
    Advanced - All games do not necessarily have to load all Player Character data at once. If it is not required that all Player Character types be available at all times, this section can be used to allocate and initialize a smaller number of "slots", into which other Player Character data can be loaded at any time by use of the _Character_Reload Script Command, thus cutting down on memory usage.
  
  
• Main Object Def File
  
  
  This entry should contain the name of the "Object Def" file that lists all of the "Game Objects" that should be loaded as "Global", to be used anywhere in the game.
  
  If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "Zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Object Def" File from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory".
  
  There must be a "Global" Object file with at least one Object Type Entry.
  
  
  
• Number of Main Status Objects
  
  
  This is the number of "Status Scripts" that should be loaded as "Global", to be used anywhere in the game. Each Script that should be loaded is listed immediately after:
  
  
  • Main Status Object
    
    
    Each of these entries should contain the name of a "Status Script" file that should be loaded as "Global".
    
    If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Status Script" File from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
  
  
• Number of Total Game Funcs
  
  
  This value specifies how many "Functions" the game should make room for in its "Global" Function list. This must be equal to the number of total "Functions" that are listed in the "Function Files" that are listed below.
  
  
  
• Number of Game Func Files
  
  
  "Functions" may be grouped together by including more than one in each file, so they are easier to keep track of. This value specifies how many files should be read in order to load all of the "Functions" that should be made "Global", accessible to all of the game. The names of the files themselves are listed immediately after:
  
  
  • Function File
    
    
    Each of these entries should contain the name of a "Function File" that should be loaded as "Global".
    
    Each file may contain more than one "Function", and the ID numbers of each "Function" are determined by the order in which they would appear if they were all in a single file, in the order that their files are listed.
    
    If the file is not in the "Game Folder" (the folder that contains "game.def" and all of the current game's "zone" folders), its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Function File" from the "Game Folder", not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    

The following is an example setup for a Game Def file to better demonstrate how to put the above information into practice. Use the same format and fill in the appropriate values given the information contained throughout the various documents to create a basic Game setup for HCGE.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; Example Game Def ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Start Zone:       95   ;Game starts in "Zone 95"
Start Act:         0   ;Game starts in "Act 0" of "Zone 95"
Start Character 0: 0   ;Player 1 starts as Character 0
Start Character 1: 255 ;Player 2 starts as invalid (no Character)

Num Registers:     8
                   ;0- User Register 0 Description
                   ;1- User Register 1 Description
                   ;2- User Register 2 Description
                   ;3- User Register 3 Description
                   ;4- User Register 4 Description
                   ;5- User Register 5 Description
                   ;6- User Register 6 Description
                   ;7- User Register 7 Description


Main Font File:               ..\default\fonts.def


Number of Texts:    1
         Text 0:    Example Text


Main Music Def File:          music.def


Main Sound Effect Def File:   sfx.def


Number of Custom Constants per Character:  22
Number of Custom Variables per Character:  64

Common Character Data: chars\common.def

Number of Characters: 3

  Character 0 Script: chars\char0.def
  Character 1 Script: chars\char1.def
  Character 2 Script: chars\char2.def


Main Object Def File:      mastrobj.def


Number of Main Status Objects:   2

         Main Status Object 0:   stats\hud.def
         Main Status Object 1:   stats\gameover.def


Number of total Main Funcs:   3
Number of Main Func Files:    1
         Main Func File 0:    funcs\mainfunc.def
                              ;0- Game Function 0
                              ;1- Game Function 1
                              ;2- Game Function 2