User:Gherghetta/Creating an energy ball launcher and catcher
Introduction
The purpose of this tutorial is to show how to create an energy ball launcher and an energy ball catcher, and if wanted making a particular ball work for at particular catcher. Both the laucher and the catcher instrucions will detail how the basic animations as well as the visual and sound effects work.
The Aperture Science High Energy Pellet Launcher
The launcher is comprised of three entities:
The model used is:
models/props/combine_ball_launcher.mdl
To create the launcher:
- 1. Create a
prop_dynamic
entity (Shift+E
) with a World Model set to "models/props/combine_ball_launcher.mdl
" and the Name key of "ball_launcher". - 2. Place the new entity where you want it in your map.
- 3. Create a
point_energy_ball_launcher
entity and set its name to "ball". - 4. Place the new entity inside the dome of the "ball_launcher" model.
- 5. Create a new brush 20 units or so square and 1 unit thick with the nodraw texture.
- 6. Turn this brush into a
func_brush
entity (Ctrl+T
) and name it "ball_launcher_shield". - 7. Place the "ball_launcher_shield" so that it is touching the black circular shield of the "ball_launcher model".
- 8. Open up the
point_energy_ball_launcher
properties and set these outputs:
- 9. Adjust the keyvalues of
point_energy_ball_launcher
to set the desired direction, speed, type, and life of the ball.
The Aperture Science High Energy Pellet Launcher is now complete.
point_energy_ball_launcher
outside of the "ball_launcher
" model and remove the "ball_launcher_shield
" outputs.The Aperture Science High Energy Pellet Target
The target is comprised of eleven entities:
- ambient_generic
- env_sprite
- filter_combineball_type
- func_tracktrain
- logic_relay
- path_track (2)
- point_spotlight
- prop_dynamic (2)
- trigger_multiple
The models used are:
/models/props/combine_ball_catcher.mdl
/models/Effects/combineball.mdl
To create the catcher:
- 1. Create a
prop_dynamic
entity with a World Model key pointing to "models/props/combine_ball_catcher.mdl
" and the Name set to "ball_trap". - 2. Place the entity where you want it in your map.
- 3. Create a
filter_combineball_type
entity and name it filter_ball. - 4. Set the ball type for "filter_ball" to "Launched by
point_combine_ball_launcher
". - 5. Create a brush with the trigger texture to cover the opening of the "ball_trap" model.
- 6. Turn this brush into a
trigger_multiple
entity and name it "trigger_ball_trap", also set the filter_name to "filter_ball". - 7. Create a
prop_dynamic
entity with a World Model of "models/Effects/combineball.mdl
", set its parent to "ball_trap" and name it "ball_trap_ball". - 8. Create a
env_sprite
entity, set its Sprite Name to "sprites/physring1.vmt
", set its parent to "ball_trap" and name it "ball_trap_sprite". - 9. Place both "ball_trap_ball" and "ball_trap_sprite" somewhere near the front of the "ball_trap" model.
- 10. Create a
logic_relay
entity and name it "relay_ball_trap_spawn". - 11. Open up the
logic_relay
properties and set these outputs:
- 12. Create a
path_track
entity and name it "path_ball_trap_01", set Next Stop Target to "path_ball_trap_02". - 13. Place "path_ball_trap_01" in front of and slightly above the "ball_trap" model.
- 14. Create a
path_track
entity and name it "path_ball_trap_02, set Next Stop Target to "path_ball_trap_01". - 15. Place "path_ball_trap_02" behind and slightly above the "ball_trap" model.
- 16. Create a brush with the nodraw texture.
- 17. Turn this brush into a
func_tracktrain
entity and name it "ball_trap_door". - 18. Place brush slightly above the two
path_track
entities and behind the "path_ball_trap_01". - 19. Open up the property window for "ball_trap_door" and set these keyvalues:
Property Name Value First Stop Target path_ball_trap_01 Move Sound d3_citadel.podarm_move Start Sound d3_citadel.podarm_move_start Stop Sound d3_citadel.podarm_move_stop
- 20. Open up the property window for "path_ball_trap_02" and set this output:
- 21. Create a
point_spotlight
entity (Shift + E) and name it "ball_trap_spotlight" You may also want to disable the dynamic light flag. - 22. Set the color for "ball_trap_spotlight" to "255 0 0", the beam length is normally the length of the room, and the width somewhere between 20 and 40.
- 23. Create an
ambient_generic
entity and name it "ball_trap_sound" - 24. Set the Sound Name key for "ball_trap_sound" to "AlyxEMP.Charge"
- 25. Open the property window for "trigger_ball_trap" and set these outputs:
- Then under the Flags tab un-check "clients" and check everything else.
The Aperture Science High Energy Pellet Target is now complete.
PlaySound
The theory
These instructions illustrate the most basic use of the launcher and catchers. Theoretically you should be able to have one launcher and multiple catchers, or even catchers that reset themselves.