MANUAL.txt

 =========================== OPERATION: DEAD RINGER =========================== 
 =================== MILITARY STRATEGY MEETS THE WEIRD WEST ===================
 
 ================================== FOREWORD ==================================
 
    I'm going to be honest with you: When I pitched this idea to Terminus a 
 month back, I wasn't expecting to get nearly as invested in seeing this 
 through as I did. I was just going to make a couple funny and questionably 
 practical guns to teach myself how to work in ZScript.
 
     My first mistake was not hearing the echo in the room, but I digress. 
 
     What you see before you now is a month's worth of brushing up on my Doom
 modding skills, learning the intricacies of HDest weapon design, and blowing
 myself up with hellfire. Hopefully you'll have as much fun briging some good 
 old-fashioned frontier justice to your Hideous Destructor playthroughs as I 
 did making it. And stay tuned, because I've got a lot more ideas that will be
 making their way into this mod soon.
 
     ...After I take a break for a bit. I'm friggin' exhausted right now.
 
 ============================== LOADING THIS MOD ==============================
 This mod requires the following to run:
 
 GZDoom 4.7.1:
	https://zdoom.org/downloads
 
 Hideous Destructor (v4.7.1c or higher required): 
     https://codeberg.org/mc776/hideousdestructor/src/branch/main
	 
 BulletLib:
     https://gitlab.com/accensi/hd-addons/hdbulletlib
	 
 Load everything into your launcher of choice and go to town!
	 
 ================================ HOW TO PLAY =================================
 
     This mod adds eight new weapons, which occasionally spawn in place of the
 standard Hideous Destructor fare. It also adds a new enemy (technically a 
 variation on the standard Zombie Stormtrooper) which uses one of these weapons
 and will drop a copy when killed.
	
     If you're feeling a bit impatient and want to mess with the new toys right
 away, each new weapon comes with loadout codes. You can check each weapon's 
 individual .zsc file (in the "zscript" folder) for more information.
 
     Want to change how weapon spawning works, or perhaps you want to make some
 adjustments to the gameplay to suit your style? Check out the Operation: Dead
 Ringer Settings menu under HD Options for an absolute mountain of gameplay-
 related tweaks.

 ============================== TIPS AND TRICKS ===============================

 ~ R&C Thunderhawk ~
 - The Thunderhawk is an absolute powerhouse of a sidearm, but is slower to 
   unload and doesn't spawn with extra ammo like some other weapons do. Manage 
   your shots wisely, because you won't be getting a lot of them.
 - You can fan the Thunderhawk by holding down the trigger and pressing Altfire 
   to quickly operate the hammer. This will seriously hurt your wrist and 
   potentially knock the gun out of your grip if you don't have any sort of 
   mystical protection; use this trick as a last resort against tougher foes.
 
 ~ Cintia 1901 ~
 - Even without a shoulder strap, the Cintia is one of the fastest-drawing 
   weapons in your arsenal apart from the Nimurdal. Swapping to the Cintia is
   often faster than reloading other weapons.
 - Mind the longer stroke on the Cintia's lever compared to the Hunter; short-
   stroking the Cintia will completely lock up the weapon until you complete a 
   full stroke, so it pays to learn the rhythm before you put yourself in an
   embarassing spot mid-battle.
 
 ~ Montaraz 1899 ~
 - The Montaraz shares the lightning-fast draw speed of a sidearm, but with 
   double-barreled power. You can use it to quickly take out enemies attempting 
   to ambush you.
 - Holding both Reload keys will allow you to quickly load both barrels.
 - Thanks to a design flaw, the Montaraz can technically hold a second shell in
   each barrel. This is a serious violation of gun safety and should not be 
   attempted, both in game and in real life.
 
 ~ Grasa M-12 ~
 - The Grasa has two components that deteriorate with extensive use: the bolt 
   wears down, and the ammo feed builds up with grime and burnt powder. You'll 
   need to perform the repair process twice to return the weapon to full 
   operating condition.
 - Zombie Troopers are occasionally found wielding the Grasa, and most humanoid
   enemies have a chance to drop one on death. If your Grasa is breaking down,
   it may be faster to pick up a new one from an enemy rather than trying to
   fix your current one.
 
 ~ Gate of Anthrakia ~
 - Opening gates to the depths of Hell has a chance to release Frag sparks into 
   the air. Use your spells wisely to reduce the risk of enemies reviving at 
   inconvenient times.
 - Extensive use of the Gate of Anthrakia burns away at your soul. A drained 
   soul can result in excessive fatigue, hallucinations, and a heightened 
   sensitivity to magic.
 - Soul drain can be recovered by consuming blues, but the process is... less 
   than pleasant. Be careful when using the Gate of Anthrakia while under the 
   influence of healing potions or Soulspheres.
 - Spiritual Armor significantly reduces the rate at which soul drain occurs. It 
   may be worth finding a helmet or Megasphere if you intend to use the Gate of 
   Anthrakia for extended periods of time.
 - While the Gate of Anthrakia starts with only two spells available, there may
   be a way to learn more as you adventure...
 
 ~ Mask of Basilissa ~
 - Even in her sealed state, Basilissa is still a force to be reckoned with.
   Stand well back when drawing upon her flames, or else you'll light yourself 
   ablaze along with your foes.
 - Communing with Basilissa burns away at your soul, but calling upon her power
   frequently can weaken the seals that bind her to her mask and grant her more
   powerful abilities. Is the tradeoff worth it? Only one way to find out...
 - It's more difficult to break Basilissa's seal while wearing Spiritual Armor.
 
 ~ 'Heki' Hunting Bow ~
 - The Heki normally won't kill enemies outright, but it can punch through armor
   and leaves massive wounds on hit. Hit tough enemies with an arrow, then hide
   behind cover and let the blood loss do the rest.
 - Releasing an arrow too quickly after drawing will reduce its speed and power. 
   You can use the gauge that appears on the HUD to determine the optimal time 
   to release an arrow.
 
 ~ 'Nimurdal' Boomerang ~
 - The Nimurdal's flight pattern is influenced by your movement and camera 
   velocity when thrown. You can deal more damage by charging at an enemy before
   releasing your attack.
 - Swapping to and from the Nimurdal is lightning-fast; if you're not holding a 
   boomerang, it takes no time at all! Throw your boomerang, then swap to 
   another weapon and follow up while the enemy is reeling from the blow.