About Info_nodes. Created 21 years ago2003-11-03 21:04:56 UTC by Marlborometal

And then, came the time to put info nodes in my map...
Imagine you spend two weeks working on architecture that takes 15 minutes to be compiled... Well, it?s something that happens usually but when comes the time to add monsters and info nodes and to test if they work (specially if you script things) it?s boring to wait for the map to compile...
And ater this introduction here come my question:
-My scientist doesn?t follow me, refuses to follow or even stops following me. It happens when crossing doors, mostly. Guess is some info_node stuff, anything about info_nodes out there???.
-To skip compiling time I don?t run RAD and VIS. Looks ugly but it?s fine to test these things... Does this affect the way monsters and info_nodes work???.
-Scientists and Barneys, will follow me if I get far or out of their "vision range"???. Could it be the cause for they cease following?.

You can test the connection of your info nodes by typing "impulse 197" in the console (without the quotes). It will show you the connection of the nodes that are closest to you. Find the nodes where the scientists and barneys are stopping and make sure there is a connection. For doorways I usually put a node one either side of the door, and sometimes even in the doorway. The impulse 197 connection in the doorway never seems to show up, but the monsters come through anyway. I also test my maps without rad or vis and it does not seem to affect the info_node connection.

Nice!, that Impulse 197 is GREAT, finally I understood a bit of how info_nodes work!!!!. Sure it?s gonna help me a lot with my future maps...
I solved the door problem with correct node placement and by eliminating a func_breakable from the way (it?s supposed to be broken when one has to pass but...) by my scientist doesn?t want to go downstairs... I?ve got an info_node above each step and their distances are good and so on but... Doesn?t work. When I try impulse 197 on the stairs I get no response, as if the nodes weren?t connected.
What do I do SlayerA?. Is there a way of connecting those nodes manually?. If there isn?t (probably there isn?t), what?s happening?. Should I put them all in the same height (I doubt it, the engine puts them at a determinate height when drawing the node map)??.

OMG... Scientists and stairs. Sorry but this one is really difficult and takes a lot of testing. The node can't be manually connected.
The stairs have to be about 25-32 wide where the scientist will step and a maximum of 14 high. It's almost a ramp.
Info nodes naturally drop to the floor, and I have wondered sometimes if they "fall through" func_brushes?

Hehe... I managed to do a Scientist runs down and upstairs :)... I think I?ll just duplicate those stairs with their nodes and then change their textures if necessary ;).
If I knew this before I could have saved a lot of time but learning is the fact of "Error?s experience"... By the way, my scientist is MAD, doesn?t want to go through a door even when the door is FULL of info_nodes... As for func_brushes things... Well, my nodes didn?t work if placed inside of func_breakables, maybe it?s a problem of node placing and maybe the don?t fall through func entities.

There is a text file in the download for In the Beginning 6 that has some really good information on placing info nodes. I think the problem with the door is that it is too narrow.

Strange, seems that if I open the door before the node stuff starts working (the player spawns right in front of the door :D) it works... Could it be my door is blocking the nodes as if it was a solid brush or something?.

Started to solve it!!!!... Well, I learnt that if the Impulse 197 doesn?t give a close node connection it doesn?t mean that a monster won?t follow the nodes... That was my problem with the door and now it works... I also was able to do a superb stair with your help, I?m willing to show it once the map is finished!!.
Feels good to get my scientist up and down the stairs :D. I?ll have to redo the whole node structure of my maps but, well, it?s worth the effort as now monsters behave better than they did before.

Check this similar thread:
http://cariad.co.za/twhl/forums.php?action=viewthread&page=last&id=2830&pg=1