Rotating Button

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January 2024

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January 2024

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Introduction

In HL2, EP1, EP2; players occasionally encounter a scenario, where they must toggle a (rotating) button 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.

Place, Align, and Group the objects

Follow these steps:

• Center the origin of the prop_static entity ( the button pad).
• Place the prop_dynamic entity "Bttn" into the desired position on the button pad.
• Place "Bttn" and button pad into the desired position on the map (i.e equipment console or a wall)
• Set the desired Pitch Yaw Roll (Y Z X ) values for entity "Bttn".
• Center the origin for "Bttn".
• Align "Bttn"'s origin with the prop_static's origin as close as possible.
• Place the momentary_rot_button brush entity "Func_for_Bttn" over "Bttn", making sure that "Func_for_Bttn" completely encloses "Bttn". Allow enough extension of "Func_for_Bttn" for the player to touch it.
• Center the origin for "Func_for_Bttn".
• Align "Func_for_Bttn"'s origin with "Bttn"'s origin as close as possible.
• Set the (X) and (Y) values for "Func_for_Bttn" equal to the (X) and (Y) values of "Bttn". (Note; If you move and/or re-orient these objects to a different position in the map, repeat this step.)
• Group all the objects. (You can also save the finished group as a pre-fab)