Wheelvalve

HOW TO MAKE A VALVEWHEEL PROP TURN (OPEN AND CLOSE)

Description:

Player can +USE the valve object and the valve will turn (to open). Player can repeat the +USE action and the valve will toggle back (to close). The steps below describe how to build the prop and its dynamics.

REQUIRED OBJECTS

1) Create a new texture brush and set it as a momentary_rot_button entity.

2) Ensure these flags are set:

     Not Solid       Checked      
     Toggle          Checked
     Use Activates   Checked

3) Create a new prop_dynamic entity and browse/set its world model/skin as model:

   Recommend:  valvewheel002.mdl

SET OBJECTS' PARENT/CHILD RELATIONSHIP

Bind the two new objects together, making the momentary_rot_button entity as the parent of the prop_dynamic entity.

1) Set the Name property for each of the entities (Give each entity a unique, meaningful name). For example:

   (momentary_rot_button)   Name =  MyValveRotator
   (prop_dynamic)           Name =  MyValve

2) Set the Parent property of the prop_dynamic entity to the name of the momentary_rot_button entity:

   (prop_dynamic)           Parent = MyValveRotator

SET OUTPUTS

Set an output statemet in the momentary_rot_button entity's OTIP settings (i.e. Output, Target, Input, Parameter Override settings in the entity's Properties | Outputs tab-page).

1) Use the following values:

  Output...    OnPressed
  Target...    MyValve
  Input...     SetAnimation

GROUP THE OBJECTS

Drag the momentary_rot_button brush over the prop_dynamic entity, making sure that the prop is completely enclosed by the brush.

Notes

The momentary_rot_button brush placement/position will effect the precision of prop's dynamics. For example, if the brush is moved away from its associated prop, the rotation performance of the prop will behave like a right/left/up/down lever, offset from intended axis. A good practice is to make sure that the Origin centers for the brush and the prop are reasonably aligned to each other. (You can experiment with the brush placement to illustrate this.)

Updates pending. HL2, EP1, EP2, valve, valvewheel, pipe-valve, pipe-valvewheel, pipe

-- The PaperDog 21:22, 16 February 2009 (UTC)