User:ThePaperDog/Rotating Button

HOW TO MAKE A ROTATING BUTTON TURN (SWITCH ON/OFF)

Introduction:

In HL2, EP1, EP2; players occasionally encounter a scenario, where they must toggle a (rotating) button in order to achieve an effect or progress in the game. This page will describe steps on how to build a functional Rotating Button prop for use in your custom map, where:

• The player can +USE the button object and it will turn to the ON position.
• With the Toggle flag option checked, the player can repeat the +USE action and the button object will turn back to the OFF Position.
• With the Toggle flag option unchecked, the button object will automatically return to the OFF position.

REQUIRED ENTITIES AND OBJECTS

1) FUNC_ROT_BUTTON (This is a brush-model entity.)

a) Create a new texture brush on your map.

b) Use your editor's 'MOVE SELECTED TO:' feature to convert the brush from World to Entity.

c) Set the entity's class as a func_rot_button.

d) Name the entity as "Func_for_Bttn"

e) Select and apply the brush-texture: "Invisible" to the entity.

f) Set the following flags

• Not Solid Checked
• Toggle Unchecked (optional)
• X Axis Checked
• Y Axis Checked
• Use Activates Checked

2) PROP_DYNAMIC (This is a point entity (Button prop).)

a) Place a new prop_dynamic entity on your map.

b) Select its world model skin as: [Props_Citizen_Tech/firetrap_button01a.mdl]

c) Name the entity as "Bttn"

d) Select its Parent as [Func_for_Bttn]

3) PROP_STATIC (This is a point entity (Buttonpad prop))

a) Place a new prop_static entity on your map.

b) Select its world model skin as: [Props_Citizen_Tech/firetrap_buttonpad.mdl]

c) Naming this entity is not required

SET INPUTS/OUTPUTS (I/O)

1) Set the following output trigger(s) in the (Func_for_Button) brush's I/O.

ALIGN AND GROUP THE OBJECTS

• Place the (Func_for_Button) brush over the (Bttn) entity, making sure that (Bttn) is completely enclosed by (Func_for_Button).

• Expand the size of the (Func_for_Button) to allow enough accessible interaction between the brush and the player.

• Center the origins for (Func_for_Button) and (Bttn). Ensure that (Func_for_Button)'s origin is as closely aligned with (Bttn)'s origin as possible. This may require some adjustment to the size and area of the brush over the prop.

• Set the Pitch Yaw Roll (Y Z X ) values for the (Func_for_Button)and (Bttn). Make sure the values for both match each other. NOTE: If you move these objects to a different position in the map, repeat this step.

• Group the objects. (You can also save the finished group as a pre-fab)

NOTES

See also: WORKING WITH AXIS, ORIENTATION AND ORIGIN

--The PaperDog 20:16, 8 March 2009 (UTC)