function int ActorLink(int start_tag, int end_tag, str actor)
{
    //print(s:"start_tag = ", i:start_tag);
    if (ThingCount(0, start_tag) <= 0)
        return 0;
    // this is the helper script that handles fire spawning

    //print(s:"end_tag = ", i:end_tag);
    if (!end_tag || (ThingCount(0, end_tag) <= 0))
        return 0;

    int X = GetActorX(start_tag);
    int Y = GetActorY(start_tag);
    int Z = GetActorZ(start_tag);

    int Xd = GetActorX(end_tag)-X;
    int Yd = GetActorY(end_tag)-Y;
    int Zd = GetActorZ(end_tag)-Z;

    //print(s:"Xd, Yd, Zd = ", f:Xd, s:" ", f:Yd, s:" ", f:Zd);

    int steps = (VectorLength(Xd, Yd)/3)>>16;
    Xd /= steps;
    Yd /= steps;
    Zd /= steps;

    for (int i = 0; i < steps; i++)
    {
        SpawnForced(actor, X, Y, Z, 0, 0);
        X += Xd;
        Y += Yd;
        Z += Zd;
    }
	return 1;
}