ZScript global variables

Note: This feature is for ZScript only.

ZScript possesses several global variables accessible by all classes.

Type	Name	Writable?	Use/meaning
Array<class>	AllClasses	no	An array that contains all classes currently available.
Array<class<Actor> >	AllActorClasses	no	An array that contains all Actor classes currently available.
Array<@PlayerClass>	PlayerClasses	no	An array that contains objects related to all player classes currently available.
Array<@PlayerSkin>	PlayerSkins	no	An array that contains objects related to all player skins currently available.
Array<@Team>	Teams	no	An array that contains objects related to all teams currently available.
int	validcount	yes	Internal variable used to avoid processing of the same data during one render frame.
bool	multiplayer	no	Set to true if the game has multiple players.
@KeyBindings	Bindings	yes	Object that contains functionality related to getting keybindings for gameplay.
@KeyBindings	AutomapBindings	yes	Object that contains functionality related to getting keybindings for the automap.
@DehInfo	deh	yes	Play-scoped struct that contains internal values used by DeHackEd-parsing code.
@GameInfoStruct	gameinfo	no	A struct that contains information related to the game info set in MAPINFO.
bool	netgame	no	UI-scoped variable that's set to true if the game is networked.
bool	automapactive	no	Set to true if the player's automap is active.
uint	gameaction	no	Deeply internal variable used to get/set the current engine state.
int	gamestate	no	Internal variable that dictates the current state of the game.
TextureID	skyflatnum	no	Stores the TextureID for the flat that sets skies in maps.
Font	smallfont	no	Default font type for small fonts.
Font	smallfont2	no	Default font type for secondary small fonts.
Font	bigfont	no	Default font type for big fonts.
Font	confont	no	Default font type for console fonts.
Font	NewConsoleFont	no	Default font type for new console fonts.
Font	NewSmallFont	no	Default font type for new small fonts.
Font	AlternativeSmallFont	no	Default font types for alternative small fonts.
Font	OriginalSmallFont	no	Default font type for vanilla small fonts.
Font	OriginalBigFont	no	Default font type for vanilla big fonts.
Font	intermissionfont	no	Default font type for intermission fonts.
int	CleanXFac	no	X scale for best fitting a 320x200 area to the screen without fractional steps
int	CleanYFac	no	Y scale for best fitting a 320x200 area to the screen without fractional steps
int	CleanWidth	no	Virtual width of the screen given CleanXFac
int	CleanHeight	no	Virtual height of the screen given CleanYFac
int	CleanXFac_1	no	Same as CleanXFac but subtracted by 1. Will not go below a value of 1.
int	CleanYFac_1	no	Same as CleanYFac but subtracted by 1. Will not go below a value of 1.
int	CleanWidth_1	no	Virtual width of the screen given CleanXFac_1
int	CleanHeight_1	no	Virtual height of the screen given CleanYFac_1
int	menuactive	yes	UI-scoped variable that's set to true if a menu is open.
@FOptionMenuSettings	OptionMenuSettings	no	A struct that contains information about settings related to the options menu.
int	gametic	no	Stores how many tics have passed since the game started.
bool	demoplayback	no	Set to true if currently playing back a demo file.
int	BackbuttonTime	yes	UI-scoped variable that tracks the alpha fading of the menu back button image.
float	BackbuttonAlpha	yes	UI-scoped variable that stores the alpha value of the menu back button image.
int	Net_Arbitrator	no	The player number for the player currently considered the host of a net game.
BaseStatusBar	StatusBar	yes	UI-scoped variable that stores a pointer to the status bar.
Weapon	WP_NOCHANGE	no	An internal constant to describe the case when PlayerInfo.PendingWeapon doesn't have a value.
int	LocalViewPitch	yes	Stores the player's current pitch change during a tic.
@MusPlayingInfo	musplaying	no	A struct that contains information about the current music playing.
bool	generic_ui	no	If true generic fonts are used instead of game-specific ones.
@PlayerInfo[]	players	yes	Play-scoped array containing all PlayerInfo structs of players in the level.
bool[]	playeringame	no	An array that defines whether the specified PlayerInfo struct in players is set.
int	consoleplayer	no	The player number of the current client.
LevelLocals	level	yes	Play-scoped struct that contains various level-related data.

Creating Global Variables

There are two methods available for handling global variables: EventHandlers and Thinkers. Each has their advantages and disadvantages.

EventHandlers come in two flavors: EventHandler, which is only available within maps but are saved, and StaticEventHandler, which persist outside of maps but are never saved to savegames. See Events and handlers for more information on how to set up an event handler.

Individual EventHandler classes can be referenced using the Find() function, as below.

// The EventHandler itself.
Class MyEventHandler : EventHandler
{
	int MyGlobalInt;
}

// Example of accessing said EventHandler from an actor.
Class MyCustomClass : Actor
{
	MyEventHandler Event;
	override void PostBeginPlay()
	{
		Super.PostBeginPlay();
		// Be sure to call the proper `Find()` method for the type of EventHandler you are using or problems may occur.
		// `EventHandler.Find()` for EventHandler and `StaticEventHandler.Find()` for StaticEventHandler
		Event = MyEventHandler(EventHandler.Find("MyEventHandler"));
		if (Event)
		{
			Event.MyGlobalInt = 1;
			Console.Printf("My global int is: %d", Event.MyGlobalInt);
		}
	}
}

All Thinkers, by contrast, are saved to savegames. Using a ThinkerIterator is slower than the StaticEventHandler's Find function, but a Thinker with the statnum STAT_STATIC is the only way to store information for the duration of a play session, saved and loaded or not. This performance hit can be mitigated by keeping a reference to the Thinker being used for global variables in either the actors needing to reference it or another, higher global variable keeper, such as an EventHandler.

// An example global variables thinker.
class MyGlobalVariables : Thinker
{
	int testVar;

	MyGlobalVariables Init()
	{
		ChangeStatNum(STAT_INFO); // Change this to STAT_STATIC if persisting between maps is desired.
		return self;
	}

	static MyGlobalVariables Get()
	{
		ThinkerIterator it = ThinkerIterator.Create("MyGlobalVariables",STAT_INFO); // Change this to STAT_STATIC if persisting between maps is desired.
		let p = MyGlobalVariables(it.Next());
		if (p == null)
		{
			p = new("MyGlobalVariables").Init();
		}
		return p;
	}
}

// Example of an actor accessing the above thinker's variables.
Class MyCustomClass : Actor
{
	override void PostBeginPlay()
	{
		Super.PostBeginPlay();
		let globalvars = MyGlobalVariables.Get();
		if (globalvars)
		{
			globalvars.testVar++;
			Console.Printf("My global int is: %d", globalvars.testVar);
		}
	}
}