Creating Portal Breaking Ladders

← Portal Behind The Scenes Level Creation

Introduction

This guide will teach you how to create breaking ladders from Portal.

Warning:This guide is incomplete, it's recommended you don't follow this guide until it's finished.

Stair Pieces

Create multiple prop_dynamic entites and enter the following properties:

Property Name	Value
Name	ladder1_rung1
Collisions	Not Solid
World Model	models/props_bts/ladder_01.mdl

Note:For the second ladder piece, you will name it ladder1_rung2, the third piece will be named ladder1_rung3, and so on.

The Holes

Put info_overlay entities where the stairs connect to the walls.

The texture names for each overlay can be:

decals/concrete/shot1 decals/concrete/shot2 decals/concrete/shot3 decals/concrete/shot4 decals/concrete/shot5

Try to make each hole randomized for the detailing.

Making the Ladders Fall

Physics Converter

Create a phys_convert and enter the following properties:

Property Name	Value
Name	phys_convert_ladder1_rung1
Entity to convert	ladder1_rung1

Go to Flags and check "Convert As Debris"

Copy and paste these entities.

Note:For the second phys_convert, you will name it phys_convert_ladder1_rung2, the third piece will be named phys_convert_ladder1_rung3, and so on. Same applies to the Entity to convert

Triggers

Create a 2w*27l*2h brush with the trigger texture and tie it to a trigger_once

Enter the following outputs:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnStartTouch	phys_convert_ladder1_rung1	ConvertTarget	<none>	0.00	No

Copy and paste these triggers and make sure the are put in a reasonable spot the the ladder props. Don't forget to change the outputs though.