This is a short tutorial that will attempt to describe how to make High ASCII messages for Heretic II. There are some programs utilities, such as Quake Name Maker, that are designed make it easier, but I have found that some of the characters sometimes not shown in these utilities.

The basic way to make messages for Heretic II, or Hexen II for that matter, is to create a text file using a DOS editor that has 4 lines of SAY commands, for a 4 line message height. I believe 4 lines are the default maximum number of lines before a flood would prevent it from showing up properly in the game.

So the file would look like the following

say "something here for line 1"

say "something here for line 2"

say "something here for line 3"

say "something here for line 4"

The basics are to create a text file, put it in your User folder of Heretic II, and bind a key to execute the message. Binding is optional as all you need to do is type exec "file name.txt" to execute the message and have it show up in the game.

High ASCII is just using the ALT key and a number to create the letter or character. To create these you hold the ALT key down and press a number to create the special High ASCII. In some cases you need to do this twice to create the character.

For example to create a

One would press the alt-192.

So the steps are the following:

1. Get into a DOS Editor

1. This is done by pulling up the RUN dialog box and typing in command, going to the proper directory you want, and typing in EDIT.
2. Another way is to pull up a DOS window, going to the directory you want, and typing in EDIT.

2. Create 4 lines of SAY

4. After you created your 4, line message, save it in your USER directory of Heretic II.

5. You are done with creating the file.

A. To run the message in the game simply type the following command at the console:

Exec messagefile.txt

B. You can also bind this command to a key, so it executes with one keystroke.

Bind (the key) "exec messagefile.txt"

The following are all the Heretic II High ASCII corresponding ALT Key combinations. Many of the special ones have alt-16 prior to another set of alt-#. Be sure to release the ALT key between these each combinations, ie. ALT-16, release, ALT-1, release.

Also there is a special ALT combination that eliminates anything before it from the message. This is used to eliminate your name from the message, if you put it as the first character. This special combination is ALT-13. Also notice some ALT-# combinations are not shown. These are either blanks or have a special purpose or character that will can not be shown, such as ".

Notice that some of the special characters are designed to link themselves together. In this fashion you can create large letters. Experiment with it and give it a try.

HexenWorld - HexenII

All of the above is the same for HexenWorld or HexenII only do not put a closing " at the end of the SAY line in the file. Put the text file you create into the HW folder of HexenII. The following are all the HexenWorld High ASCII corresponding ALT Key combinations.