Electrical beams and effects

[acewombat]

I have been having problems with this tutorial I followed on adding things like electical beams and effects. It said I needed to added an info not null to direct the beam or something. However everytime I add one of those not null's I get an illegal error. Is there something with this I might be screwing up?

[Eldritch]

Originally posted by acewombat

I have been having problems with this tutorial I followed on adding things like electical beams and effects. It said I needed to added an info not null to direct the beam or something. However everytime I add one of those not null's I get an illegal error. Is there something with this I might be screwing up?

 

If you're trying to target an effect (fxrunner), you need to use a info_null instead of an info_notnull, then press CTRL+K to target it. What are you trying to create?

[Evader]

I am workin' on somethin' similar in MP and I had to determine direction of fx by addin' key angles and 3 number value. Do you work on MP or SP map?

[acewombat]

I am doing an sp level. There are actually a couple of things I was trying to do. I wanted to add an electrical energy field that the player must deacticvate before going any further- like if you touch it it damages u. Maybe by a switch or a trigger of some kind the player would use to deactivate it. I also wanted to use some smaller ones that are triggered after smashing some electrical panels or something-a know just some basic effects. I followed this tutorial on adding basic effects and maybe it said use info_null I thought it said info_notnull. I 'll try it like that.

 

-Thanks

[Altus_Thrawn]

For the electrical field...maybe this is wrong, but couldn't you just make a custom electric texture...and make the door a func_door and a trigger_hurt...and have a switch to open the door....

[Eldritch]

If you want an electrical field that hurts the player, don't use an fx_runner. Use a brush that you've used an electrical field shader on... they have at least one of those in the game. Then make that brush a trigger_hurt, and assign it a damage value. Voila!

[acewombat]

Thanks again for the help. One more thing how do you make a door that never returns -that remains open? Do I just omit return or is there a default value that makes it return that must be changed?

[Eldritch]

If you want a door that never closes after it's been opened, I don't think you can use a func_door. I think you'd have to use a func_train... but I don't really recommend doors that don't close. They hurt the FPS for your map. You can have a door that doesn't lock again, but still closes though.

[Shadriss]

For a door that never shuts again, I THINK (i'd have to check) that you use the key "Delay" and value "-1" Check the properties window for a func_door... I seem to remember reading that.

[Eldritch]

Originally posted by Shadriss

For a door that never shuts again, I THINK (i'd have to check) that you use the key "Delay" and value "-1" Check the properties window for a func_door... I seem to remember reading that.

 

I think that may be true, but i still wouldn't suggest a door that never closes.

[Leslie Judge]

Actually the key is "wait".

 

And why not? In some cases it's not a problem, to have an open door. Of course it depends on the evironment.

[Eldritch]

You're right, Leslie. "Delay -1" would make the door never open, LOL.

 

As for the open/closed door thing, like you said, it really depends on the environment... I was just stating the general rule.

[Shadriss]

I DID say I wasnt sure...

[Eldritch]

It sounded right until Leslie made the correction.

[Wudan]

Open/Closed - doesn't matter, the game will draw the area behind, unless you give it a reason not to.

 

To check it, use r_showtris 1, when your door is closed, you'll see the area behind is drawn, unless you put like a hint (or portal? something?) or something to make it not draw the area ... but that's a whole section that I can't expound upon, because I haven't extensively used / tested this feature out.

[Leslie Judge]

wudan, yes, you are right. You have to use an area_portal brush where the door is. But an open door with area_portal... I have never tried what's the result. Probably nothing special.

[Shadriss]

Results in nothing happening. Essentially, the area portal becomes a wasted brush at that point. During a compile, for purposes of VIS, ,a func_door is ignored, as if it werent there. The area portal basically forces a vis block. Of course, it can only do that if the door is closed and you cant see whats on the other side... once it's open permananetly... Well, ,you see the issue. Of course, depending on what's on the other side, this may not be a problem.