Hpl3:Engine:naming convention

Naming Convention

Level Editor

The following is an overview of how different game elements should be named when created inside the Level Editor. For anybody working for Frictional Games, this is a must. For all else, see it as guidelines to have consistent style, which is especially good if you want share your stuff.

Remember also to look at existing code and try and copy the looks.

NOTE: Not all entities need to follow the naming convention. In case of art assets and background elements, it is not mandatory. Object that have a gameplay role or that are called through script, though, should follow the naming convention.

Entities

Type	Style	Example
Prop	[Name]{_Description}{_#}	Throne Pillar_Left Pot_Blue_12
Item	Item_[Description]{_#}	Item_MagicSword	Item that the player can pick up (ends in Inventory)
Readable	Readable_[Description]{_#}	Readable_DeathNote	Item that the player can read (ends in Notes)
Actor	[Type]_[Description]{_#}	Monster_DarkCorridor Flesher_Patrol_2

Areas

Type	Style	Example
Start Position	Start{_DS}_[Location]	Start_Begin Start_Corridor Start_DS_MonsterNest	The first StartPos is always called Start_Begin Use DS for Death Scenarios
Trigger	Trigger_[Verb][Object]	Trigger_OpenPortcullis Trigger_ActivateMonster Trigger_StartSeq1	Triggers are only considered as areas that trigger functions OnCollide and OnLookAt
Fog	FogArea_[#]	FogArea_14
Death	DeathArea_[Location]{_#}	DeathArea_Chambers_1 DeathArea_Corridor
Sound Area	SoundArea_[Description]	SoundArea_RockFalls	Area (empty Trigger) used to position a sound created through script
Soundscape	Soundscape_[Description]{_#}	Soundscape_MedRoom_2
Path Node	PathNode{_Description}_[#]	PathNode_MonsterTarget_1 PathNode_ChamberRoute_13
Player Path	PlayerPath_[Location]_[#]	PlayerPath_Corridor_14	Area (empty Trigger, not actual PathNodes) used to define a sequence of player's positions
Other Types	[AreaType]{_Description}_[#]	GhoulHole_Chambers_1 SpawnArea_4 PosArea_TargetPosition_2

Sounds

Type	Style
Sound	Sound_[Description]	Sound_RockFalls

Lights

Type	Name	Example
Any	Light_[Description]{_Type}{_#}	Light_MonsterAppears_Point_2 Light_Sunshine	Allows for good use of wildcards

Particle Systems

Type	Style
Any	PS_[Description]{_#}	PS_CeilingCrumble

Script

The following is an overview of how different game elements should be named when created inside a script. For anybody working for Frictional Games, this is a must. For all else, see it as guidelines to have consistent style, which is especially good if you want share your stuff.

Remember also to look at existing code and try and copy the looks.

Objects

Type	Style	Example
Timer	Timer_[Description]	Map_AddTimer("Timer_MonsterLeaves",3,"OnTimer_MonsterLeaves");	Unless name is used as OnTimer argument
Sound	Sound_[Description]	Sound_CreateAtEntity("Sound_MonsterScream", …);
Particle System	PS_[Description]{_#}	ParticleSystem_CreateAtEntity("PS_CeilingCrumble", …);

Methods

Type	Style	Example
Main Callbacks	On[Verb]_[Subject]_[Description]	OnLookAt_Player_ChangeCorpsePose(){} OnCollide_Monster_MakeLoudSound(){} OnCollide_RingBell(){}	[Description] can be omitted if stating the subject hinders the clarity of the method name
Interact	OnInteract_[Description]	OnInteract_CallElevator(){}
Death	OnDeath_[Cause]	OnDeath_MonsterCorridor(){}
Change State	OnConnectionStateChange_[Object]	OnConnectionStateChange_PortcullisLever(){}
End Of Track	OnEndOfTrack_[MonsterName]	OnEndOfTrack_MonsterCorridor(){}
Timer	OnTimer_[TimerDescription]	OnTimer_MonsterLeaves(){}
Sequence	Seq_[Description]	Seq_CallElevator(){}
Other	[Object]_[Verb]	Corridor_SetupAfterDeath(){} Corpse_Reset(){} LeftPillar_Move(){} Monster_ClimbWindow(){}