User:ThePaperDog/FireTrap

HOW TO BUILD A FIRE TRAP

DESCRIPTION

In the HL2 Ravenholm scene, you most likely encountered the fire trap obstacle. To advance into the main building without taking damage from the fire; you discovered that you could extinguish the fire by turning the propane tank's valve off. Then, you may have cleverly deduced that you could draw out the zombies and re-ignite the fire, as they ambled through the trap zone. (Loads of fun!)

This page will describe how to build a fire trap for use in your custom map.

FIRE TRAP SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

The fire-trap system is comprised of a set of smaller functioning components which, when triggered in a logical order of sequence, will invoke a controlled fire. If we were to build this in the real world, we would probably want to examine what the system is comprised of:

A Combustable Fuel Source:

• In this case, propane gas is a viable option.

A Fuel-Source Delivery System:

• A Propane-Gas tank for storage of the gas
• A plunger (wheel-valve) to release the gas
• Some pipes to strategically channel the released gas. (Preferably with gas-jet nozzles).

A Fuel Igniter System:

• A pizzo-electric triggered spark via a push-button.

An Extinguisher System:

• The wheel-valve, as describe above.

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The plausibility of a functioning fire-trap, depends on the sequence of events, which invoke the fire. For example, we would not invoke the fire before we invoked the gas, etc.

STARTING THE FIRE

1) Release the Gas:

• Player +USE (Turns/Opens the wheel-valve)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Groaning Plunger)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Hissing Steam (escaping gas))
• Trigger env_steam visual (Heatwave particle (escaping gas))

2) Ignite the Gas:

• Player +USE (Push rotating button)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Electrical Zap)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Spontaneous Combustion)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Burning Fire)
• Trigger env_Fire visual (Fire)

STOPPING THE FIRE

1) Shut Off the Gas:

• Player +USE (Turns/Closes the wheel-valve)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Groaning Plunger)
• Stop env_steam visual (Heatwave particle (escaping gas))
• Stop ambient_generic sound (Hissing Steam (escaping gas))
• Stop ambient_generic sound (Burning Fire)
• Stop env_Fire visual (Fire)
• Trigger ambient_generic sound (Combustion Out)