WiseNPCrappel: NPC police rappel

This tutorial was originally created by wisemx. It was originally posted on SDKnuts.net.

Note:This is part of a series of tutorials on NPC’s.

Rapelling

The sample file for this project, at the page bottom, illustrates:

1. Player spawns in cement room with hole in ceiling.
2. Combine police rappels from hole.
3. Once on ground begins attacking player.

These are very simple to setup in your maps.

I’m doing more in this project than is necessary.

1. You don’t have to spawn the NPC with an npc_template_maker. Using one however is better on performance and keeps the NPC hidden until needed.
2. You don’t need the aiscripted_schedule. But it is a simple addition creating a much better effect.

The simple method is to:

1. Place an npc_metropolice entity in the map where you want it to rappel from.
2. Set the property Waiting to rappel to Yes.
3. From any other entity, like a trigger, send the input BeginRappel.

Using the simple method requires that you hide the npc_metropolice until its time to rappel.

Entities

In this project the trigger_once is used to spawn the npc_metropolice by way of an npc_template_maker.

trigger_once

Class: trigger_once
Keyvalues		Comments
Start disabled	No

	Flag
		Clients

		My output	Target entity	Target input	Parameter	Delay	Only once	Comments
		OnTrigger	rappel1maker	Spawn

npc_template_maker

Class: npc_template_maker
Keyvalues		Comments
Start disabled	Yes
Num of NPCs	1
Frequency	1
Max live NPCs	1
Name of template NPC	rappel1

		My output	Target entity	Target input	Parameter	Delay	Only once	Comments
		OnSpawnNPC	rappel1	BeginRappel		0.25

npc_metropolice

Class: npc_metropolice
Keyvalues		Comments
Waiting to Rappel	Yes
Weapons	SMG
Number of manhacks	None
Pistols start drawn	Yes

	Flag
		Clients
		Simple cops
		Fall to ground
		Template NPC

		My output	Target entity	Target input	Parameter	Delay	Only once	Comments
		OnRappelTouchdown	rappel1ss	StartSchedule		0.0

aiscripted_schedule

Class: aiscripted_schedule
Keyvalues		Comments
Name	rappel1ss
AI state to set	Set state to COMBAT
Schedule to run	Set enemy to Goal Entity AND Run to Goal Entity
Interruptability	Damage or Death
Goal entity	!player

Setup in Hammer

In the image below you can see the npc_metropolice waiting to rappel, and the trigger_once that will begin the rappel.

• 

  waiting to rappel

• 

  Trigger for the event

I’ve placed info_node entities on the ground in random spots to give the NPC Police walking hints.

That’s all there is to it. Give them enough room to rappel and they can drop off ledges, from planes or out of holes in the ceiling.

See also

• Example VMF
• Example VMF backup
• WiseNPCrapjump