Forum posts

[color=red]testing[/color]

Catalin, did you get my email? My Outlook was messing up, but I think it went through....

Let me ask you this... do the maps have a few info_player_deathmatchs in them? Along with the info_player_start? It needs them if it's multiplayer. Several is good.

I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure you don't need a lights.rad. It just adds lighting to the textures. So moving it wouldn't affect whether people could connect or not... just how the lights look.

I found a mis-print:

THE MOST ANTICIPATED PC ACTION GAME OF 2004

I'm sure it was the most anticipated pc action game of 2003... if I'm not mistaken. They are just FINALLY releasing it in 2004.

I blame Japanese cartoons.

Maybe the next compo should be a "design the best mapping site for HL2" compo.... I bet that'd save some time.

What is different about the map that works that you didn't do in the other two? Or what was done in the two failing maps that you didn't do (or need to do) in the successful map?

Do they have all the files Hammer DOESN'T export? Like sounds, sprites, gfx, etc? Hammer only exports a .bsp.

Is it a dedicated server? Do your friends authenticate through STEAM? If it's your dedicated server, did you "allow downloads"? Does the server have the .wad?

Just start asking yourself questions and checking back here

vdc.rad_brad

Before anyone begins to think otherwise, AutoCad is just a tool. Just like you need to know how to add and divide before you use a calculator, you need to understand enginnering and architectural principles before AutoCad will be of any real use to you. On the other hand, the mapping in Hammer can really help you "divide the lines" in AutoCad. Many people who start AutoCad go through what we all went through when we started... too many damn lines! Mapping also helps train your mind to visualize three dimensional objects and how they interact. Mapping helps you to understand some basic rendering and compiling functions that will assist you in AutoCad... or Illustrator, for graphic arts... or XMI, for modeling (of many products and concepts)... or any one of many programs.

Let it be known that AutoCad will never install ductwork, hammer nails, or paint. Illustrator won't make you an artist. XMI doesn't make you a sculptor. Hands-on is the way to go to really learn why your programs work the way they do...

Mapping is a just hobby, but when it's all said and done, any hobby is better than working all week, every week.

(Somebody poisoned the waterhole! - Woody from Toy Story)

When HL2 was announced over a year ago, they said that Multiplayer would be a few months behind Singleplayer. I don't know why that would change. They said that the physics engine for the game would overwhelm today's internet connections and they needed to decide where and how to water it down. They need to support 32 (or more) players in one server with a map 64 times larger than today's maps and get that intensified information to all those computers.

Mine doesn't go to the loading screen, if there's no lights in it. He needs a light, needs an INFO_PLAYER_START, and then needs to try it again.

http://cariad.co.za/twhl/entityinfo.php?ent=game_team_set&game=1 This will set the teams in your map... the models they can use. They can still switch teams by changing models.

As far as the start and stop when a team appears, it sounds like you need to maneuver the map so that one team can only appear from certain entrances or teleports. From that, you could trigger your timer to start and stop, but it's beyond me, without the coding. Maybe if you switched the MOD and used AGHL to build it, the entities would be similar enough that it'd play in HL. But test that theory first... I'd hate to see it work in a compile but need to be loaded into an AGHL server.

The other (third) hand of this is that you can load "AG-mini" into a valve server, so it plays like AGHL, but nobody needs to have the MOD... like BubbleMod is.

Fish don't have legs because ice cream has no bones.

Just thinking out loud. I don't know if any of the above is true.

Multisource:
http://cariad.co.za/twhl/tutorial.php?id=13

Multimanager:
http://cariad.co.za/twhl/tutorial.php?id=37

How to Texture:
http://cariad.co.za/twhl/tutorial.php?id=26

Custom Textures (for the numbers):
http://cariad.co.za/twhl/tutorial.php?id=29

Trigger_Multiple:
http://cariad.co.za/twhl/entityinfo.php?ent=trigger_multiple&game=1

These should cover everything you need... others who know better will correct me if I'm wrong or left something out.

I put a floor down and start walling it in. After a while, it amalgamates into something. Sometimes it flows great! Sometimes I start again.

Sounds like a DoD-style rally point you're building...

There is a mod called Adrenelyne Game HalfLife that has Capture the Flag as one of the possible games. This mod is as close to high altitude training for Halflife as you can get!

http://www.planethalflife.com/agmod/

The page thing might not seem important, but an annoyance that is changed to make things easier and more convienient for the users can only be a positive. It seems that many people would find it more enjoyable, so spending time satisfying many people is better than time satisfying one.

(The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.)

I haven't had this problem, but I would bet $ to doughnuts that you shouldn't have a workspace open when you do the above. Like setting up Photoshop or Word or several other programs.

I make my ladders 4 deep by 32 wide... that seems to look pretty good. The ladder is func_wall and set rendermode to solid and render fx to 255. That will make the blue "clear" instead of black. Make the func_ladder 4 deep as well. Make sure to texture it with the AAATrigger texture.

Also, make sure to use the texturing tool to adjust the ladder texture so that the top rung ends where it looks right. Sometimes that makes it look goofy if you don't do that.

Seventh, sometimes you make it look so easy.

I can barely fake mapping, let alone open areas.

You want to know about a good invisibility suit, read "The Emperor's New Clothes". I think Disney did it....

My allocbloc full errors are always a map that's too big and too detailed.

Yes, he said he checked everywhere....

D:SteamSteamAppsboardingdragonx@aol.co
mteam fortress classictfc

Shouldn't this read as "D:SteamSteamAppsboardingdragonx@aol.co
mhalflifetfc?" I don't play it, but that's how it was in the WON generation.

Are you sure your game is running in OpenGL or Direct3D?

The only reasons I don't like the func_tracktrain is that the speed and direction is controllable.

1. In a downward sloping tube, a skateboard climbing at high speeds looks peculiar.

2. Creating the "reset" structure would be quite a lot larger nightmare than it already is, the least of which is the skateboard being left at the peak of an arc, where it is defying gravity, just waiting to proceed instead of returning to "start".

I'm just not going to put it in. Not that I wouldn't eventually get it to work, but I need to learn the limitations of the game engine, my time, and my knowlege. This is a good thing, since on my last map, I spent three weeks creating something I needed to cut from the map completely.

The train is a skateboard so there is no "outside" the train. The player is intending to ride "on the outside" of the train, so no.

I was just intending the start trigger to reset after, say, 30 seconds... that way it couldn't be started again. The problem in that is I believe the start trigger needs to be toggled in order to reset the train.

It is quite an undertaking, you are correct. I will give that up. I add too much of that crap to a map as it is.

Thanks!

Here's what I'm thinking, idea-wise. I want to make a skate park, and I want, in the main tube, a board that will travel the tube - a train, so that it can't be slowed or reversed. I will "path" it so that it's a trick ride, but I don't want the board to continue on the trick path if the original rider is lying in a gutter, bleeding out. So if he falls off, I don't care if the board rolls to the next path_corner - it'll be close by and look natural. But once the train triggers the path_corner, I'd like some entity to know there is no rider. So I need to trigger something to "kill" the train. Keep in mind that I'm not sure if "Kill Target" will remove it or reset it. I'm looking for the resetting of the train. I'm thinking that the train turns something on with the path_corner that is just in front of the path_corner. That "thing" is only on for a second, and if the player is on the train, he'll go through it. If he goes through it, the train is allowed to continue. If he's not on the train, he doesn't trigger it, and the train is reset. I'm also thinking that there needs to be two "somethings" in front of the path_corner, so that if the player is on the train, and proceeds through the first something, it turns off the second "something". The second "something" being the thing that resets the train.

Reading what you've written, I can see the concept you're going with. The forseeable problem in your scenario, for my map, is that it's multiplayer. And the trigger_onces would all be on at the same time. Someone else could conceivably reset the train by stepping or jumping through a trigger_once that is further down the line. I did not think of killing it before the path_corner, though, and will give that alot of thought. What I'm proposing is that at each path_corner, the rider/non-rider train resetting mechanism is turned on for a second (two at most) and turned off as the train and rider move to the next path_corner. That way, the "action" is very close to the player, happens fast, and 99% of the time, a different player can't affect it. If a different player does affect it, people understand if it happens once in a blue moon. It's not an exact science. But if different peeps can stop the train all the time, people will know it's a crappy job.

I will read up on trigger_relays, onces, and multiples.

As a side question, I was thinking of starting the train with a tiny "AAAtexture" trigger that would reset after the train's journey was complete. Do I need to toggle this to make it "reset-able"? Is there a method for reseting the train without an "on/off" switch?

I appreciate the response. I like these problems as well, but it seems each time I create a map, I have one "problem" that is just bonkers and just a touch out of my league.

I think I need a timer that triggers a "shut off" if it is NOT triggered. It's hard to trip a trigger if you're not there, and that's what I need. Just thinking out loud.

I am trying to create a func_train that will roll with a rider onboard. If the rider falls off, the next path_corner is going to activate a multimanager that, in turn, activates two funcs (of some nature) that are just after each path_corner to reset the train. I don't want it controllable, by the way. I want the first func to kill the second func and the second func to kill the train, if it's not killed by the first. Like a deadman's switch. If the rider is on the train, when he passes through the first func (or trigger), he's still onboard, and it kills the "train killer". If he's not onboard, the "train killer" isn't deactivated, and it resets the train. That's the concept.

I've been racking my brain for the correct entities to use and it seems like I can't do this. I don't think I can kill a train in motion and have it return to it's starting position. BUT I know these guys at this one website that are extremely talented and intuitive, so I thought I'd ask them before giving it up. Any hints towards funcs or triggers to accomplish this would be (as always) appreciated! Thanks!

Here's my two cents.

Concentrate on updating for HL2 and have some industrious member (like someone who has posted positively in this very thread) create a decent list of links for models, prefabs, sounds, textures and anything else related to HL that the admin can use to update the "Links" page. That way, you come here for mapping, but all the related aspects of mapping are accessible.

Not even a penny's worth there, really...

Why don't you build a "central" office area. A place where the shipping and receiving occurs. Pallets of "incoming" goods, a hut for the dispatcher, a forklift, conveyors to bring finished "product"... use things common to what the building would be used for in real life.

I don't know about the door/health/shooting trick. I would think you could do that with a "fire on trigger", too. But the trigger_multiple/func_button/multisource seems to work o.k.

i didnt mention it before, but the beam, 2 doors, and shootable button setup should be out of the players sight.

What you describe will work. I didn't understand that it was out of sight. I am more concerned with understanding the entities right now than creating workarounds, though I appreciate your help!

The mod is straight-up Valve Halflife.

Actually, the "doors" part is misleading. They are func_doors that act as a platform and four walls of glass. When two people stand in the "special" spots, the platform rises,as does the glass walls, locking them inside for 30 seconds. Since func_doors start closed, I'm using them instead of func_plat.

Since I added the func_buttons, the func_door that is my "lift" has become invisible. At first I thought it was STEAM and their shutting off the custom content (its covered with custom textures), but I realize that something isn't set right. Nothing I do seems to make it visible. It is there... I bump it... but doesn't show.

If your version works, why overwrite it, and if your version doesn't work, why not overwrite it?

You have to add a speed to the func_conveyor to make it move.

STEAM gives you a standard Valve folder for Halflife. If you extract the valve folder from the halflife.gcf file, and place it in your "STEAM/steamapps/email/halflife" folder, it should add all the files that aren't normally accessible to your existing valve folder.

If you haven't ever unpacked it, you don't have access to all the files available.

Open GCFscape and, in the "File" menu bar, select open. Navigate to STEAM/steamapps. Inside, you'll find your "email" folder and your mod gcf files. Select one of those gcf files to open. Once it's open, you'll see a traditional two-sided browser. From here, you can select a file and right-click it. Select "extract" from the menu and it will ask you to choose a location to extract it to.

It's just that easy.

Whoa... that's really deep...

But I like it! If I ever get un-busy, I will definitely do that. That sounds like a decent shot at working. Hopefully, Saturday, this will be a functioning map.

Thanks!

you need to create 6 files, .tga format, and name them with corrosponding xxxxxlt, xxxxrt, xxxxxdn, xxxxxxup, xxxxxxft, xxxxxxbk. xxxxx is the sky name and the lt, rt, dn, up, ft, and bk represent left, right, down, up, front, and back to the game engine.

Place all 6 files in your gfx/env folder. In "Map Properties" (under the header "Map" in Hammer) is a key called environment map (cl_skyname). Select it and enter the name of your texture, minus the lt - bk stuff... i.e. MySkylt, MySkyrt, MySkydn, MySkyup, MySkyft, MySkybk would be the textures you place in the mod/gfx/env folder and MySky is the name you place in the "environment map" block in Hammer.

There are certain requirements for the .tga file format, like 24 bit only and an absolute size (256x256 I think). Also, the pics should line up like you unfolded a cube. You'll have to see the tuts for that stuff.

You unpack the files to your game mod installation folders... then in Wally, when you need the file (sprite, sound, model, etc.), navigate to the files you need.

Good idea... i'll try that, but other suggestions are still welcome!

I have 5 doors that are linked with a multimanager and I would like them to "activate" when two trigger_multiples are triggered. The doors work fine. The multiscource triggers the multimanager just fine, as well. The trigger_multiples fire the multisource, as intended. Now the problem....

Once these doors reset, and I try to activate it again, I need only touch one of the trigger_multiples. I have the triggers set to .2 delay before reset. They are very close together in the game, so I have the reset set that low. I have also set the master key of each trigger to the name of the multisouce, but that didn't help my situation. Maybe I need a different trigger? I'm not sure. The triggers cover a small space and are invisible, or I'd use func_buttons.

As always, any help here is appreciated!

I think you are onto a good thing Mephs.
I expect to see your revisions of the tutorials before the end of the month.

The true sign of leadership.... those who wish to suggest something should be prepared to put their own efforts into their suggestions. If they're not willing, it's not that great of a suggestion.

Is uploading the same as downloading, meaning is there a chance of getting a virus from uploading or is it only possible to get a virus when downloading?

Uploading = moving files from your computer to another host.
Downloading = moving files from a seperate host to your comp.

Very hard to get virus moving files FROM your computer.

http://cariad.co.za/twhl/tutorial.php?id=47

You do realize that Hammer comes with instructions?

I have the html version of that originally. I didn't realize it would be 40-some pages long after cutting and pasting. I never could get the top paragraph that explains some of the flags in the comments. If you would like it, I can get that to you. It only seems to work with IE.

http://vdcprivate.recongamer.com/Downloads/Console_commands.doc

Here's as comprehensive a list of console commands as I've ever found.