prop_dynamic

Class hierarchy
CDynamicProp ↳CBreakableProp ↳CBaseProp ↳CBaseAnimating ↳CBaseEntity
props.cpp

prop_dynamic is a point entity available in all Source games. It is used to add a model to the world that can animate itself.

Tip:If your model is never going to move and/or requires more detailed lighting, consider using prop_static (which is cheaper).

Note:To enforce consistency, models with embedded physics data cannot by default be used by prop_dynamic. Use the Hammer model browser's Info tab to check for support. If you intend to use a physics model in non-physics role, use prop_dynamic_override.

AltNames: This entity is also tied to dynamic_prop. The classname is always changed to prop_dynamic on spawn.

Uses

• Buttons can be created by parenting a prop_dynamic to a func_button brush. This will cause +use inputs on the prop to be forwarded to the func_button, which can be placed anywhere in the map (or even outside the map, as long as the origin is inside). The SetAnimation input can then be used to make the prop animate when interacted with.

• In Mapbase, prop_interactable combines these entities, making setup easier. Likewise, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has prop_button.

• Similarly, levers can be created by parenting a prop_dynamic to a func_rot_button (or momentary_rot_button) brush. No animation is needed for this - the brush will rotate the prop by itself. As before, the entity can be placed anywhere, as long as the origin is positioned at the point you want it to rotate around.
• A prop_dynamic can be configured to break apart after receiving damage or on cue by using the Break input.
  Bug:Health set inside the model will override health set in Hammer!  [todo tested in?]

Keyvalues

Name (targetname) <string>

The name that other entities refer to this entity by, via Inputs/Outputs or other keyvalues (e.g. parentname or target).
Also displayed in Hammer's 2D views and Entity Report.

See also:  Generic Keyvalues, Inputs and Outputs available to all entities

Default Animation (DefaultAnim) <string>

The animation this prop will play when not doing a random or forced animation.

Randomly Animate (RandomAnimation) <boolean>

Makes the prop randomly select and play animations at intervals defined by the Min/Max Random Anim Time KVs. In between the random animations, it will revert to playing Default Animation.

Note:Will only select from animation $sequences linked with ACT_IDLE if they exist.

Min Random Anim Time (MinAnimTime) <float>

Minimum time between random animations.

Max Random Anim Time (MaxAnimTime) <float>

Maximum time between random animations.

Collisions (solid) <integer choices>

How the prop should interact with other objects.

• 0 - Not solid
• 2 - Use bounding box
• 6 - Use VPhysics (default)

Update children (updatechildren) <boolean> (in all games since )

Update touches for any children that are attached to attachment points as this prop animates. This allows SetParentAttached triggers or func_brushes to touch properly.

Disable Bone Followers (DisableBoneFollowers) <boolean> (in all games since )

Disables generation of phys_bone_followers for each convex piece the model has in its collision model. phys_bone_followers can quickly eat up the edict count, so this keyvalue can be very helpful in freeing resources. This will however make the collision model no longer function (^[confirm] As in become non-solid?), and the model will not be able to ragdoll anymore.

Hold Animation (HoldAnimation) <boolean> (in all games since )

If set, the prop will not loop its animation, but hold the last frame.

Animate Every Frame (AnimateEveryFrame) <boolean> (in all games since )

Force this prop to animate every frame. Usually this doesn't need to be touched.

Ignore NPC Collisions (IgnoreNPCCollisions) <choices> (only in )

Disable collisions for NPCs if yes.

• 0: No
• 1: Yes

Glow:

Glow State (glowstate) <choices> (only in )

• OFF
• +use
• look-at
• ON

Glow Range (glowrange) <integer> (only in )

Range at which the glow becomes visible. 0 means always visible.

Glow Range Min (glowrangemin) <integer> (only in )

Range at which the glow stops being visible. 0 means always visible.

Glow Color Override (R G B) (glowcolor) <color255> (only in )

Change the render color of the glow.

BreakableProp:

Explosion Damage (ExplodeDamage) <float>

If non-zero, when this entity breaks it will create an explosion that causes the specified amount of damage. See also Explosion Radius.

Explosion Radius (ExplodeRadius) <float>

If non-zero, when this entity breaks it will create an explosion with a radius of the specified amount. See also Explosion Damage.

Sound to make when punted (puntsound) <sound> (in all games since )

Sound to make when punted by gravity gun.

Break Model Message (BreakModelMessage) <string>

"If set, will use this break model message instead of the normal break behavior."

Confirm:Is this new with Source SDK 2013...? It isn't in Alien Swarm or 2007 code but is in 2013. New with L4D?

Breakable (common):

Performance Mode (PerformanceMode) <choices>

Used to limit the amount of gibs produced when this entity breaks, for performance reasons.

Choices

0: Normal 1: No Gibs 2: Full Gibs on All Platforms (Xbox 360, PS3, etc) 3: Reduced gibs

Min Damage to Hurt (minhealthdmg) <integer>

If a single hit to the object doesn't do at least this much damage, the prop won't take any of the damage it attempted to give.

Pressure Delay (PressureDelay) <float>

Seconds to delay breaking from pressure. Allows creaking/groaning sounds to play.

Health (health) <integer>

How close to breaking the object is.

Maximum Health (max_health) <integer>

Health cannot exceed this amount.

Physics Impact Damage Scale (physdamagescale) <float>

Multiplier for damage amount when this entity is hit by a physics object. With a value of 0 the entity will take no damage from physics.

Breakable By (BreakableType) <choices> (only in )

Who can break this?

0: Everyone 1: All Infected 2: Only Tanks

Studiomodel:

World Model (model) <string>

The model this entity should appear as. 128-character limit.

Skin (skin) <integer>

Some models have multiple skins. This value selects from the index, starting with 0.

Tip:Hammer's model browser automatically updates this value if you use it to view different skins.

Model Scale (modelscale) <float> (in all games since ) (also in )

A multiplier for the size of the model.

Tip:In Hammer++ with a prop selected in 3D view, hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel to change the modelscale in increments of 0.5. Holding ⇧ Shift will scale it in smaller increments of 0.05.

Bodygroup (body / SetBodyGroup) <integer>

Some models have multiple submodels. This value selects from the index, starting with 0. May be overridden by animations and/or game code.

Note:If both body and SetBodyGroup are present (even if set to 0), body will be prioritized.

Lighting Origin (lightingorigin) <targetname>

Select an entity (not info_lighting!) from which to sample lighting instead of the entity's origin or $illumposition.

Shadow:

Disable Shadows (disableshadows) <boolean>

Prevents the entity from creating cheap render-to-texture shadows, or lightmap shadows if the entity is a prop_static. Does not affect shadow mapping.

Disable Receiving Shadows (disablereceiveshadows) <boolean>

Prevent the entity from receiving dynamic shadows on itself.

Shadow Cast Distance (shadowcastdist) <integer> !FGD

Sets how far the entity casts dynamic shadows. 0 means default distance from the shadow_control entity.

Disable Shadow Depth (disableshadowdepth) <boolean> (in all games since )

Used to disable rendering into shadow depth (for projected textures) for this entity.

Disable flashlight (disableflashlight) <boolean> (in all games since )

Used to disable projected texture lighting and shadows on this entity.

Projected Texture Cache (shadowdepthnocache) <integer choices> (in all games since )

Used to hint projected texture system whether it is sufficient to cache shadow volume of this entity or to force render it every frame instead.

Choices

0 : Default 1 : No cache - render every frame 2 : Cache it - render only once

Render in Fast Reflections (drawinfastreflection) <boolean> (in all games since )

If enabled, this entity will render in fast water reflections (i.e. when a water material specifies $reflectonlymarkedentities) and in the world impostor pass.

GMODSandbox:

Allow Physics Gun (gmod_allowphysgun) <boolean> (only in )

If set, players cannot use Physics Gun on this entity.

Sandbox Tool Whitelist (gmod_allowtools) <string> (only in )

If set, only given tools can be used on this entity. You need to supply the tool class names, the names of the .lua files of those tools. This also includes the context menu properties!

Flags

BreakableProp:

•  Break on Touch : [16]
•  Break on Pressure : [32]
        Will break after being stood on for PressureDelay seconds.
  Note:Some models will break instantly if this is or isn't set. (e.g. militiawindow02_breakable.mdl, window_industrial.mdl)

DynamicProp:

•  Use Hitboxes for Renderbox^[Elaborate?] : [64]
•  Start with collision disabled : [256]

Inputs

SetAnimation <string>

Forces the prop to play the named animation.

SetDefaultAnimation <string>

Changes the animation played when not in a random/forced sequence.

SetPlaybackRate <float>

Sets the framerate at which animations are played.

TurnOff

Hides the prop through EF_NODRAW. The Disable input does the exact same thing.

TurnOn

Shows the prop (by removing EF_NODRAW). The Enable input does the exact same thing.

DisableCollision

Tells the prop to no longer be solid.

EnableCollision

Tells the prop to become solid again.

SetAnimationNoReset <string> (in all games since )

Force the prop to play an animation unless the prop is already playing the animation. The parameter should be the name of the animation.

FadeAndKill  (in all games since )

Fade out then remove this prop.

Glow:

StartGlowing  (only in )

Turn on glow effect for this prop.

StopGlowing  (only in )

Turn off this prop's glow effect.

BreakableProp:

Break

Breaks the breakable.

SetHealth <integer>

Sets a new value for the breakable's health. If the breakable's health reaches zero it will break.

AddHealth <integer>

Adds health to the breakable.

RemoveHealth <integer>

Removes health from the breakable.

physdamagescale <float>

Sets Physics Impact Damage Scale. 0 means this feature is disabled for backwards compatibility.

EnablePhyscannonPickup

Makes the breakable able to picked up by the gravity gun.

DisablePhyscannonPickup

Makes the breakable not able to picked up by the gravity gun.

EnablePuntSound  (in all games since )

Allow this prop from playing its Punt Sound sound when punted by the gravity gun.

DisablePuntSound  (in all games since )

Prevent this prop from playing its Punt Sound sound when punted by the gravity gun.

Outputs

OnAnimationBegun

Fired when an animation begins.

OnAnimationDone

Fired when an animation finishes.

BreakableProp:

OnBreak

Fired when this object breaks. !activator is whatever breaks the object.

OnHealthChanged <float>

Fired whenever the health of the breakable has increased or decreased. This output automatically puts the new health amount as a decimal percent (e.g. 45% = 0.45) into the parameter box for inputs, if the mapper does not override the parameter with something else.

OnTakeDamage

Fired when damage is taken.

OnPhysCannonAnimatePreStarted

Fired when prop starts its ACT_PHYSCANNON_ANIMATE_PRE activity. Caused by the object being picked up by the gravity gun.

OnPhysCannonAnimatePullStarted

Fired when prop has started its ACT_PHYSCANNON_ANIMATE activity. ACT_PHYSCANNON_ANIMATE_PRE plays once, then ACT_PHYSCANNON_ANIMATE starts looping.

OnPhysCannonDetach

Fired when prop has started its ACT_PHYSCANNON_DETACH activity (caused by the gravity gun ripping it from a wall).

OnPhysCannonAnimatePostStarted

Fired when prop has started its ACT_PHYSCANNON_ANIMATE_POST activity (caused by the player letting the prop go from the gravity gun).

OnPhysCannonPullAnimFinished

Fired when prop has finished all gravity gun-related animations.

See also

• Prop Types Overview
• prop_dynamic_ornament
• prop_dynamic_override
• prop_physics