Confiscation Field

This tutorial will show how to create a fully functional confiscation field. A field that will supercharge the Gravity Gun into a much more powerful version of it. If the player also happens to be carrying any other weapons, the field will fizzle them before supercharging the Gravity Gun.

Entity Creation

Step 1

Step 1

Start off by creating a 512x256x256 room. Keep in mind however, that the room does not have to be this exact size, but the confiscation fields seen in Valve's maps are a similar size to the size of the room that will be created in this tutorial.

Step 2

Step 2

Create four 128x128 walls on opposite ends of the room. It is recommended that you have them at least 16 units off the ground. Create 4 prop_static entities, and set their World Model to models/props_combine/weaponstripper.mdl. Place them so that each hole has one of these prop_static's flush inside them. Make sure that the hole's are sealed in the back as to prevent leaks.

Step 3

Step 3

Create 4 env_citadel_energy_core entities and place them at the base of each confiscation field emitter. Give them the following keyvalues.

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_emitterfx

Then go to the flag's tab and make sure the Start on flag is off and the No small particles flag is on.

Step 4

Step 4

Create 4 info_target entities and place them in the same place you placed the 4 env_citadel_energy_core's, at the base of each emitter. Give them the following keyvalues.

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_emitter

Step 5

Step 5

Create 4 env_spark entities in exactly the same place as the last two steps. Give them the following keyvalues.

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_emitterspark
Max Delay	2
Magnitude	Medium

Make sure all flags are unticked.

Step 6

Step 6

Create 7 ambient_generic entities.

Name them as follows.

1. ambient_weaponstrip_loop
2. weaponstrip_sound_announce
3. weaponstrip_sound_charge_start
4. weaponstrip_sound_dissolve_start
5. weaponstrip_sound_error
6. weaponstrip_sound_security
7. weaponstrip_sound_charge_loop

Step 7

Add the following key values.

ambient_weaponstrip_loop

Property Name	Value
Name	ambient_weaponstrip_loop
Sound Name	d3_citadel.zapper
Start Volume	10
Start Pitch	50

On flags, tick Play Everywhere and Start Silent and untick Is NOT Looped.

weaponstrip_sound_announce

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_sound_announce
Sound Name	citadel.overwatch_weaponstrip

On flags, tick all.

weaponstrip_sound_charge_start

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_sound_charge_start
Sound Name	d3_citadel.weapon_zapper_start

On flags, tick Play Everywhere and Start Silent and untick Is NOT Looped.

weaponstrip_sound_dissolve_start

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_sound_dissolve_start
Sound Name	d3_citadel.weapon_zapper_charge_node

On flags, tick Play Everywhere and Start Silent and untick Is NOT Looped.

weaponstrip_sound_error

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_sound_error
Sound Name	citadel.overwatch_weaponstrip_fail

On flags, tick all.

weaponstrip_sound_security

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_sound_security
Sound Name	citadel.overwatch_weaponstrip_fail_security

On flags, tick all.

weaponstrip_sound_charge_loop

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_sound_charge_loop
Sound Name	d3_citadel.weapon_zapper_ambient_loop

On flags, tick Play Everywhere and Start Silent and untick Is NOT Looped.

Step 8

Step 8

Create 4 light entities. Place them at the emitters 8 units away from the info_target entities. Give them the following key values.

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_emitterlight
Brightness	225 241 255 250
Appearance	33
Custom Appearance	mmnmmommommnonmmonqnmmo

Make sure the flag Initially Dark is ticked.

Step 9

Step 9

Create 4 trigger brush entities. Make them the size of the room. Make the first 2 brush entities a trigger_vphysics_motion, make the third one a trigger_weapon_dissolve and make the fourth one a trigger_weapon_strip.

Give them the following keyvalues

trigger_vphysics_motion 1

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_motion_disable_player
Start Disabled	Yes
Filter Name	filter_weapon_strip_player
Scale gravity of objects in the field.	2
Max velocity in field	8
Max amount to reduce velocity	0
Velocity scale/drag	0
Angular Velocity scale/drag	0
Linear force	0

On flags, make sure only Clients is ticked.

trigger_vphysics_motion 2

Property Name	Value
Name	weaponstrip_motion_disable
Start Disabled	Yes
Filter Name	filter_weapon_strip_weapons
Scale gravity of objects in the field.	0.0
Additional air density for drag	0.5
Max velocity in field	2
Max amount to reduce velocity	32

On flags, make sure only Physics Objects and Everything is ticked.

trigger_weapon_strip

Property Name	Value
Name	weapon_strip
Start Disabled	Yes

On flags, make sure only Clients is ticked.

Step 10

Step 10

Create a game_ragdoll_manager and a game_weapon_manager. Give them these keyvalues.

game_ragdoll_manager

Property Name	Value
Max Ragdoll Count	5

game_weapon_manager

Property Name	Value
Weapon Classname	weapon*
Max Allowed in Level	4

Step 11

Step 11

Create a filter_activator_name and a filter_activator_class. Give them these keyvalues.

filter_activator_name

Property Name	Value
Name	filter_weapon_strip_player
Filter Name	!player

filter_activator_class

Property Name	Value
Name	filter_weapon_strip_weapons
Filter Classname	weapon_*

Step 12

Step 12

Create 8 logic_relay entities. Give them the following keyvalues.

logic_relay 1

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_room0_start_scan

logic_relay 2

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_room0_end_scan

logic_relay 3

Property Name	Value
Name	strip_stop

logic_relay 4

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_weapon_strip_announce

logic_relay 5

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_weapon_strip_strip

logic_relay 6

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_weapon_strip_dissolve

logic_relay 7

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_weapon_strip_physcannon_start

logic_relay 8

Property Name	Value
Name	logic_weapon_strip_physcannon_end

I/O Creation

Add the following outputs to the following entities.

weapon_dissolve

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnChargingPhyscannon	logic_weapon_strip_physcannon_start	Trigger	<none>	0.00	No

logic_room0_start_scan

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_motion_disable_player	Enable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	logic_weapon_strip_announce	Trigger	<none>	2.00	No

strip_stop

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_emitterfx	Stop	4	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_emitterlight	TurnOff	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weapon_strip	Disable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	strip_stop	Trigger	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_emitterspark	StartSpark	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	ambient_weaponstrip_loop	StopSound	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	logic_room0_end_scan	Trigger	<none>	2.00	No

logic_weapon_strip_announce

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_announce	PlaySound	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	logic_weapon_strip_strip	Trigger	<none>	5.00	No

logic_weapon_strip_strip

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_emitterfx	StartCharge	4.0	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_motion_disable	Enable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_charge_start	PlaySound	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_charge_loop	PlaySound	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weapon_strip	Enable	<none>	4.00	No
	OnTrigger	logic_weapon_strip_dissolve	Trigger	<none>	6.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_emitterlight	TurnOn	<none>	6.00	No

logic_weapon_strip_dissolve

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weapon_dissolve	Enable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_dissolve_start	PlaySound	<none>	0.00	No

logic_weapon_strip_physcannon_start

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_emitterspark	StartSpark	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_error	PlaySound	<none>	1.00	No
	OnTrigger	logic_weapon_strip_physcannon_end	Trigger	<none>	4.00	No

logic_weapon_strip_physcannon_end

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	weapon_dissolve	Disable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weapon_strip	Disable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_motion_disable	Disable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_charge_loop	StopSound	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	weapon_dissolve	StopSound	<none>	0.00	No
	OnTrigger	strip_stop	Trigger	<none>	1.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_motion_disable_player	Disable	<none>	1.00	No
	OnTrigger	weaponstrip_sound_security	PlaySound	<none>	4.00	No

Once that is set up, to simply start the confiscation field, set up a trigger_once to trigger the logic_room0_start_scan relay. As a bonus, you can also add Outputs to logic_room0_start_scan and logic_room0_end_scan to enable and disable Combine Shield Walls respectively.

See Also

• Half-Life 2 Level Creation

External Links

• [1] Example VMF that was made in this tutorial.