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This tag is specifically for messages that appear on your HUD, including level-specific messages like objectives and global generic interaction messages for vehicles, pickups, and devices. It is created by compiling HMT files with Tool.

Scripted messages

A HUD message can be shown for a 4 second duration like so:

(hud_set_help_text obj_evade)
(sleep 120)
(show_hud_help_text false)

Caveats

Some features like newlines in strings will not work in certain situations.

Text symbols

The engine will replace special placeholder tokens in your message text at runtime. Examples include displaying the necessary key to press for an action and creating a new line in a sentence:

SymbolNote
%a-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the a-button.
%b-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the b-button.
%x-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the x-button.
%y-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the y-button.
%black-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the black-button.
%white-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the white-button.
%left-triggerDisplay the key mapped to the left-trigger.
%right-triggerDisplay the key mapped to the right-trigger.
%dpad-upDisplay the key mapped to dpad-up.
%dpad-downDisplay the key mapped to dpad-down.
%dpad-leftDisplay the key mapped to dpad-left.
%dpad-rightDisplay the key mapped to dpad-right.
%start-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the start-button.
%back-buttonDisplay the key mapped to the back-button.
%left-thumbDisplay the key mapped to left-thumb.
%right-thumbDisplay the key mapped to right-thumb.
%left-stickDisplay the key mapped to the left-stick.
%right-stickDisplay the key mapped to the right-stick.
%actionDisplay the key mapped to action.
%throw-grenadeDisplay the key mapped to throw-grenade
%primary-triggerDisplay the key mapped to the primary-trigger.
%integrated-lightDisplay the key mapped to the integrated-light.
%jumpDisplay the key mapped to jump.
%use-equipmentDisplay the key mapped to use-equipment.
%rotate-weaponsDisplay the key mapped to rotate-weapons.
%rotate-grenadesDisplay the key mapped to rotate-grenades.
%crouchDisplay the key mapped to crouch.
%zoomDisplay the key mapped to zoom.
%acceptDisplay the key mapped to accept.
%backDisplay the key mapped to back.
%moveDisplay the key mapped to move.
%lookDisplay the key mapped to look.
%custom-1Display the key mapped to custom-1.
%custom-2Display the key mapped to custom-2.
%custom-3Display the key mapped to custom-3.
%custom-4Display the key mapped to custom-4.
%custom-5Display the key mapped to custom-5.
%custom-6Display the key mapped to custom-6.
%custom-7Display the key mapped to custom-7.
%custom-8Display the key mapped to custom-8.
|nAdd a newline to a sentence.

Structure and fields

FieldTypeComments
text dataTagDataOffset
FieldTypeComments
sizeuint32
externaluint32
file offsetuint32
pointerptr64
message elementsBlock
  • HEK max count: 8192
FieldTypeComments
typeint8
dataint8
messagesBlock
  • HEK max count: 1024
FieldTypeComments
nameTagString
start index into text blobuint16
start index of message blockuint16
panel countint8

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following individuals for their research or contributions to this topic:

  • Kavawuvi (Invader tag definitions)
  • MosesOfEgypt (Tag structure research)