View source for Creating Portal Vacuum Tubes

{{DISPLAYTITLE: Portal BTS - Tutorial - Vacuum Tubes}}{{back | Portal Level Creation|Portal Level Creation}}{{stub}}{{Morescreenshots}}{{Tutorial Skill Level | skill=2}}
__NOTOC__
=Introduction=
This guide will teach you how to create Vacuum Tubes. You can [[Creating_Portal_Vacuum_Tubes#Enterable Tubes|enter some vacuum tubes]] however, other [[Creating_Portal_Vacuum_Tubes#Detail Vacuum Tubes|vacuum tubes are just for detail]].

==Enterable Tubes==

Enterable vacuum tubes are seen in <code>testchmb_a_15</code>.

==Setting Up==

Put <code>[[prop_static]]</code> entities. Set their model to these:

* Straight Tube - '''clear_tube_straight.mdl'''
* Mutli-Directional Tube - '''clear_tube_tjoint.mdl'''
* Broken Tube - '''clear_tube_broken.mdl'''
* 90 Degree Tubes - '''clear_tube_90deg.mdl'''

Enter the following properties:
{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Collisions || Not Solid
|}


Create your path with the models.
[[File:Portal vacuum tubes path.png|thumb|left|300px|Vacuum Tube Path]]
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==Walls==
Create walls with the <code>[[nodraw]]</code> texture, and texture the inside faces or visible faces with <code>metal/metalwall_bts_006a</code>. Create orange pits as well. 
[[File:Portal vacuum tubes walls.png|thumb|left|300px|Vacuum Tube Walls]]
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==Simple Collisions==
Put brushes around the tubes with the <code>[[Tool_textures#invisible|invisible]]</code> texture. The ceiling and floor brushes should be 32 units in width and the side brushes should be 24 units in Width. Turn all of these brushes to a <code>[[func_detail]]</code>.
[[File:Portal vacuum tubes collision.png|thumb|left|300px|Vacuum Tube Collision]]
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==Movement==

===Horizontal Movement===

Create brushes with the <code>[[Tool_textures#trigger|Trigger]]</code> texture 32 units high and 80 in width, the length will depend on how long your tube is.
[[File:Portal vacuum tubes trigger push.png|thumb|left|300px|Vacuum Tube Collision]]
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Tie each individual brush to a <code>[[trigger_push]]</code> entity and enter the following properties:

{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Speed of Push || 350
|}

Tick the <code>Clients</code> flag and set its <code>Push Direction</code> to the direction your tube will go.

===Vertical Movement===

If your pipes require you to move up, you need to create a 80w*80l*16h brush with the <code>[[Tool_textures#Invisible|Invisible]]</code> texture, tie it to a <code>[[func_door]]</code> entity and enter the following properties:

{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Name || door_push_up_pipe
|- 
| Speed|| 200
|- 
| Forced Closed|| Yes
|- 
| Move Direction|| -90 0 0
|}

Set the '''Lip''' value to the distance you need the door to move as a negative number.

Create a 29w*128l*64h brush with the <code>trigger</code> texture, tie this brush to a <code>[[trigger_multiple]]</code> and enter the following properties.

{| class=standard-table
!   || My Output || Target Entity || Target Input || Parameter || Delay || Only Once
|-
| [[File:Io11.png]] || OnStartTouch || door_push_up_pipe || Open || <none> || 0.00 || No
|}

Under flags, untick <code>Touch Opens</code> and tick <code>Door Silent</code>. Set the lip value to a negative value to move the door upwards.

Make sure there are no <code>trigger_push</code> brushes that interfere with the <code>door_push_up_pipe</code>. You will also have to [[Creating Portal Vacuum Tubes#Entrance#Broken Tube#Force Crouch|force the player to crouch]].

==Lighting==

Create a <code>[[light]]</code> entity and enter the following properties:
{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Brightness|| 242 91 0 100
|- 
| BrightnessScaleHDR|| .5
|- 
| Constant|| 500000
|}

Place these lights 592 units away from each other. Sometimes you can put these lights closer if necessary.

==Entrance==

Create an <code>[[env_soundscape]]</code> and enter the following properties:

{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Radius || 64
|- 
| Soundscape || portal_escape.tube
|}

Place the soundscape inside of the entrance.


You will have to get creative if you don't want the entrance to your tube to be a broken tube.

===Broken Tube===

Create a tube with the <code>clear_tube_broken</code> model.

Put <code>invisible</code> brushes around the broken tube model for collision.

====Force Crouch====

Create a <code>[[point_clientcommand]]</code> entity and set its name to clientcommand.

Create a <code>trigger_multiple</code> entity and enter the following outputs:

{| class=standard-table
!   || My Output || Target Entity || Target Input || Parameter || Delay || Only Once
|-
| [[File:Io11.png]] || OnTrigger || clientcommand || Command || +duck || 0.00 || No
|-
| [[File:Io11.png]] || OnEndTouch || clientcommand || Command || -duck || 0.00 || No
|}

{{bug|When a player loads a save, loads a new map, or selects a new chapter, they will remain ducked if they didn't exit the trigger.}}

====Sound====

Create an <code>[[ambient_generic]]</code> entity and enter the following properties:

{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Name || sound_suction
|- 
| Sound Name || Portal.tube_suck
|}

Under Flags, tick <code>Is NOT Looped</code>.

Place the <code>ambient_generic</code> inside the tube, but move it a bit closer to the direction the tube is going.

====Particles====

Create an <code>[[ambient_generic]]</code> entity and enter the following properties:

{| class=standard-table
!  Property Name || Value
|- 
| Name || particles_broken_tube_suck
|- 
| Particle System Name || broken_tube_suck
|}

Under Flags, tick <code>Is NOT Looped</code>.

In Portal, the first 2 Control Point values were used, however, they don't change the particle in any way so they can be left ignored.

Place the particle above the broken tube model.

====Starting the Effects====

Create a <code>[[logic_relay]]</code> entity and set its name to relay_broken_tube_effects.

{| class=standard-table
!   || My Output || Target Entity || Target Input || Parameter || Delay || Only Once
|-
| [[File:Io11.png]] || OnTrigger || sound_suction || PlaySound || <none> || 0.00 || No
|-
| [[File:Io11.png]] || OnTrigger || particles_broken_tube_suck || Start || <none> || 0.00 || No
|}

==Exit==

Place a new soundscape to what you need.

You will have to get creative if you don't want the exit to your tube to be a Box Dropper Lid breaking. Some level designers create another broken tube for the exit.

===Box Dropper===

First, complete the [[Box dropper]] guide.

The top of the box dropper shaft uses the <code>portal_testchmb.tight_space</code> soundscape.

Make sure the tube exit drops you into the box dropper.

====Arch====

Create a 128*128*8 arch with the <code>nodraw</code> texture and enter the following properties:

*Wall Width: 29

*Number of Sides: 32

Use the vertex tool to create this exact shape:

[[File:vacuum_tubes_exit_box_dropper_hole.PNG|thumb|left|300px|Box Dropper Arch]]
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Tie the brushes to a <code>func_detail</code>.

Texture the top faces and the center faces with <code>metal/metalwall_bts_006a</code>.

{{note| This is being done a bit differently from how <code>testchmb_a_15</code> creates the arch because the map uses a slightly outdated version of Test Chamber 09, optionally you can texture the center faces with <code>metal/metalwall061f</code> because the area came from an earlier art pass.}}

{{todo|Finish the rest of the guide}}

=Detail Vacuum Tubes=

These vacuum tubes can simply be seen shooting boxes across the tube. However, not all vacuum tubes require boxes.

= See also =

* [[Portal Level Creation]]

[[Category:Portal]]
[[Category:Level Design]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]