Talk:Ettin

Spawning source?

In addition, they spawn randomly (about one per minute?) as long as the player is on a given map. 

Is there any kind of technical detail available that explains this? I'm not really a big Hexen player, so I can't say I've ever noticed random spawning of Ettins. - DooMAD 22:22, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

For now, I can tell that several maps in Hexen have an OPEN script that is used to spawn Ettins. Both the target map spot and the duration between the spawns have been randomized. So it is true. I'm now in the middle of an investigation process with the things of Heretic's E1M3: The Gatehouse but can later make an edit to deepen the topic in this article. --Jartapran 22:39, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

It's not necessarily ettins. In Deathkings at least, there are maps where the respawning monsters are centaurs or bishops or whatever. Anyway, it's not a property of the monsters themselves. --Gez 07:34, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

Shouldn't ever guess things ... Well, here's the mysterious script #255 from Hexen v.1.0.:

script 255 OPEN
{
    int var0;

    delay(const:8400);
    var0 = random(const:0, 1);
    if(var0 == 1)
    {
        Thing_Spawn(255, T_ETTIN, 64);
    }
    var0 = random(const:0, 1);
    if(var0 == 1)
    {
        Thing_Spawn(254, T_ETTIN, 64);
    }
    var0 = random(const:0, 1);
    if(var0 == 1)
    {
        Thing_Spawn(253, T_ETTIN, 64);
    }
    var0 = random(const:0, 1);
    if(var0 == 1)
    {
        Thing_Spawn(252, T_ETTIN, 64);
    }
    var0 = random(const:0, 1);
    if(var0 == 1)
    {
        Thing_Spawn(251, T_ETTIN, 64);
    }
    restart;
}

This one is from the BEHAVIOR lump of the Guardian of Fire. The structure remains consistent throughout the game. Below is a list of the essentials of the script level by level. The number means the amount of different map spots (teleport destinations). The monster types have been listed next to it.

- Winnowing Hall (4; Ettin)
- Seven Portals (11; Ettin)
- Guardian of Ice (8; 5x Ettin + 2x Afrit + Wendigo)
- Guardian of Fire (5; Ettin)
- Guardian of Steel (5; 3x Ettin + Centaur + Wendigo)
- Bright Crucible (6; Ettin) 

- Every map in the Shadow Wood hub (5; Ettin)

- Every map in the Heresiarch's Seminary hub (5; Ettin) except for Silent Refectory (N/A)

- Every map in the Castle of Grief hub (5; Ettin)

- Every map in the Necropolis hub (5; Ettin) except for Dark Crucible (N/A)

Gez is correct, there are two levels of which scripts have been set to spawn Afrits, Centaurs or Wendigos in addition to Ettins. A perfect replica of the version in Caves of Circe has been used in all subsequent maps of the game, excluding the two levels that lack the script. The version is also set to the Guardian of Fire.

Here are yet some oddities I found out about:

• The Silent Refectory has the corresponding map things (255, 254, 253...) set although it is missing the script in its BEHAVIOR lump.
• Darkmere has an erroneous identification number for one of the map things: 154 instead of 254. Thus, the command associated with 254 never reaches its target spot.
• The Guardian of Ice has a duplicate map spot for 251 but not a single thing for 250. Both numbers are used to spawn Ettins. Similarly, the Desolate Garden has two things with identifier 255 but is lacking the map spot for 252.

Before making a contribution to the article itself, I wish to hear an opinion about this: since the information has been gathered from the original version v1.0., is it okay to add content based on it to the article? What I'm thinking is that if the updated versions have some of these things altered, the data from the old version is, in a way, considered false. Then again, if some reader questions the content and finds out about differences, I believe that he/she is willing to use the wiki to either inform about it or replace outdated pieces of information with valid ones. Two cents, anyone? --Jartapran 16:00, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

In my opinion, the decompiled scripts from version 1.1 should be used as a reference. Of course, they might be mostly identical. I think most of this should be left out of the ettin article as it's not really relevant to them. Instead, a Hexen scripted monster spawning article might be created and linked to. Data from Deathkings of the Dark Citadel would also be appreciated. --Gez 11:30, 14 February 2012 (UTC)

Judging by the content, the research above has been confirmed in v.1.1. If that is the case, I'm perfectly satisfied with the changes you made. --Jartapran 19:26, 14 February 2012 (UTC)