point_energy_ball_launcher
point_energy_ball_launcher is a point entity available in the 
Portal games.
Entity description
It spawns and launches a prop_energy_ball periodically.
Note:In Portal 2, the models, materials, and sounds for the actual balls are missing and must be copied from HL2.Keyvalues
- Ball Lifetime
(balllifetime)<float> - The time in seconds the ball will live before self-destructing. A negative value will give infinite life.
- Min life after portal transition
(minlifeafterportal)<float> - When energy balls created by this launcher pass through a portal and their life is refreshed to be this number at minimum.
- Ball count
(ballcount)<integer> - This is how many balls will be bouncing around inside the spawner
- Min ball speed
(minspeed)<float> - The minimum speed of balls that fly in the spawner
- Max ball speed
(maxspeed)<float> - The maximum speed of balls that fly in the spawner
- Ball radius
(ballradius)<float> - The radius of the energy balls
- Ball Type
(balltype)<choices> - Has no effect.
- Ball Respawn Time
(ballrespawntime)<float> - The energy balls respawn time
- Ball Bounces
(maxballbounces)<integer> (only in
) - Sets on which bounce the ball should explode. (Ported from HL2 combine balls)
- Ball Damage
(balldamage)<float> (only in) - The amount of damage the ball should deal to players
- Ball explode player
(ballexplodeplayer)<boolean> (only in) - Sets if the ball should explode on player contact or ignore the player
- Ball body material override
(ballmaterial1)<material> (only in) - Override the main ball material.
- Ball flicker material override
(ballmaterial2)<material> (only in) - Overrides the other ball material.
- Ball knockback multiplier
(ballknockback)<float> (only in)
Base:
- Parent
(parentname)<targetname> - Maintain the same initial offset to this entity. An attachment point can also be used if separated by a comma at the end. (
parentname [targetname],[attachment])
Tip:Entities transition to the next map with their parentsTip:phys_constraintcan be used as a workaround if parenting fails.
- Origin (X Y Z)
(origin)<coordinates> - The position of this entity's center in the world. Rotating entities typically rotate around their origin.Note:Hammer does not move the entities accordingly only in the editor.
- Pitch Yaw Roll (X Y Z)
(angles)<angle> - This entity's orientation in the world. Pitch is rotation around the Y axis, yaw is the rotation around the Z axis, roll is the rotation around the X axis.Note:This works on brush entities, although Hammer doesn't show the new angles.
- Classname
(classname)<string> !FGD - Determines the characteristics of the entity before it spawns. Tip:Changing this on runtime still has use, like making matching an entry in S_PreserveEnts will persist the entity on new rounds!
- Flags
(spawnflags)<flags> !FGD - Toggles exclusive features of an entity, its specific number is determined by the combination of flags added.
- Effects
(effects)<flags> !FGD - Combination of effect flags to use.
- Entity Scripts
(vscripts)<scriptlist> (in all games since
) (also in 
) - Space delimited list of VScript files (without file extension) that are executed after all entities have spawned. The scripts are all executed in the same script scope, later ones overwriting any identical variables and functions. Scripts executed on the worldspawn entity will be placed in root scope.
- Think function
(thinkfunction)<string> (in all games since) (also in ) - Name of the function within this entity's script that'll be called automatically every 100 milliseconds, or a user-defined interval if the function returns a number. Avoid expensive operations in this function, as it may cause performance problems.
- Lag Compensation
(LagCompensate)<boolean> (in all games since) !FGD - Set to Yes to lag compensate this entity. Should be used very sparingly!
Flags
- 1 : Override ball material
- 4096 : Start inactive
- 8192 : Combine power supply
Inputs
BallCaught(in all games since
)- Ball this launcher created was 'caught'.
LaunchBall
Enable- Enable spawning of combine balls
Disable- Disable spawning of combine balls
Base:
AddContext<string>- Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. See Context.
AddOutput<string>- Assigns a new keyvalue/output on this entity. For keyvalues, some rely on extra necessary code to be ran and won't work if its simply just changed through this input. There is a strict format that must be followed:
// Format of changing KeyValues: "AddOutput [key] [value]"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,targetname new_name"
// Format of adding an Output: "AddOutput {targetname}:{inputname}:{parameter}:{delay}:{max times to fire, -1 means infinite}"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:SetParent:!activator:0.0:-1"
// Arguments can be left blank, but the empty blank should still be contained.
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:ClearParent::0.0:-1"
|
ClearContext- Removes all contexts from this entity's list.
ClearParent- Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.
FireUser1toFireUser4- Fires the respective
OnUseroutputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.
Kill- Removes this entity and any entities parented to it from the world.
KillHierarchy- Functions the same as
Kill, although this entity and any entities parented to it are killed on the same frame, being marginally faster thanKillinput.
RemoveContext<string>- Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.
SetParent<string>- Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).
SetParentAttachment<string>- Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.
SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset<string>- As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.
RunScriptFile<script> (in all games since)- Execute a VScript file from disk, without file extension. The script contents are merged with the script scope of the receiving entity.
RunScriptCode<string> (in all games since)- Execute a string of VScript source code in the scope of the entity receiving the input. String quotation may be needed when fired via console.
Bug:In Hammer, using string arguments will corrupt the VMF file's structure, making the file unviewable for the next Hammer session. - Fix: Remove the string argument manually with a text editor.
Outputs
OnBallCaught(in all games since)- Fired when a ball this entity has launched has been 'caught'.
OnPostSpawnBall- Fired after the ball has spawned.
OnBallGrabbed- Fired when a combine ball is grabbed from the field by a mega physcannon
OnBallReinserted- Fired when a combine ball is reinserted into the field (only gets triggered when Combine Power supply is checked)
OnBallHitTopSide- Fired when a combine ball in hits the top side of the field (only gets triggered when Combine Power supply is checked)
OnBallHitBottomSide- Fired when a combine ball in hits the bottom side of the field (only gets triggered when Combine Power supply is checked)
OnLastBallGrabbed- Fired when the last combine ball is grabbed from the field by a mega physcannon
OnFirstBallReinserted- Fired when the first combine ball is reinserted into the field (only gets triggered when Combine Power supply is checked)
Base:
OnUser1toOnUser4- These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered
FireUser1toFireUser4Input; see User Inputs and Outputs.
