Navigating the source swamp: a list of questions

[Animyr]

My sortie into HL2 mod tools has raised a few issues. Any guidance involving any of these items would be appreciated-

Making a door connected by a pully system (or something) to a basket, which raises when you put enough weight in the basket (causing it to drop).

Spawning enemies in water. I can't figure out where you put the npc and the point template, against the ground or against the water?

Getting lights to flicker. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough but I can't find any tutorials on that.

Making a water pouring effect, out of a pipe and such (so when raising the level of a pool, it doesn't look like it's for no reason.)

Thanks!

[Ark11]

To make a light flicker, go into it's properties then set the Appearance parameter to 'Flicker 1' but there are other options to just search the drop bar.

[Kosire]

Just place the npcs on top of the water and for the water use info_particle_system entity

[crazycarl]

Making a door connected by a pully system (or something) to a basket, which raises when you put enough weight in the basket (causing it to drop).

You'll need to make both the door and the basket as func_physbox or prop_physics entities. The entity phys_pulleyconstraint can connect two physics entities in this way. It works just like you'd expect, except the two sides of the "pulley" can be placed wherever you want. Any wheels and cables you add are purely visual.

Spawning enemies in water. I can't figure out where you put the npc and the point template, against the ground or against the water?

Most NPCs don't have the AI to swim. Wherever you put them, they will fall to the floor.

[Animyr]

Just to clarify, the water is only knee high.

[Animyr]

I don't want to make a seperate thread for this, so quick bump-how can I get the player to start the game inside a vehicle (a compine pod, more precisely)?

Also, how can I do a white screen flash (for a teleport)?

[Gradius]

1. A logic_auto firing the vehicle's input for sending the player to it with the "on map spawn" output
2. Use a fade (just type it into the entity list, I can remember what the exact name is)

[Animyr]

Two problems. Firstly, I can't figure out how to get the pod to hang from the ceiling. Secondly the black fade never ends, just keeping the screen black, until I got out of the pod. I removed it, and the screen was all white and I could see the wrong side of the wall.

Also, an unrelated problem-on this particular map weapons don't render in my hand, unless I open the menue. Otherwise they're invisible.

[Animyr]

Bump.

Anyone?

[Animyr]

Shameless bump. It's been a week.

[LordDz]

1. Use this http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Light_spot

2. Copy the template and see if they spawn on the land, so it's not your template that doesn't work, if you can't spawn them in the water, use a http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... d_sequence with the "teleport to" set.

3. Check http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... constraint and the hl2 map where you drop a laundry machine to make the gate go up where you move around in your little airboat.

4. Use a custom particle, perhaps something along this (just tone the size, etc)
http://www.moddb.com/games/half-life-2/ ... -waterfall

[crazycarl]

Use a phys_hinge or phys_ballsocket to suspend the pod from somewhere.

Did you set a holdtime for your env_fade? If you want to fade in and out, use two env_fades.

[Animyr]

I got the hinge working, but I still can't see anything. I got the fade working just the way I wanted on another map, but I can't seem to get it to work this itme.

Also, anything on the invisible weapons?

While I'm at it, two more issues-the chopper I put in the map doesn't die no matter how many rockets I hit it with, and I have several spotlights that don't appear.

[Zecrah]

Oldish topic, but I know it's frustrating not getting help.

I could look at the VMF if you like?

[Animyr]

Bringing this back up rather then starting a new topic. I got back around to that combine pod after a few months. I mostly got it working (damn eli and breen pods) but I want the player to spawn inside the pod. When the map begins, I spawn at a different player start and fly through the walls and across the map to the pod. I deleted the other player starts except for the one by the pod, but I still fly from the location of the old player start, even though it's been deleted.

Don't know what's up with that.

Also, I can't get the damn tracktrain tied to the pod to stop making the combine pod moving noise (clink clunk clink clunk) even after the tracktrain stops moving.

Thanks.