Scripted_sequences, lighting, and disapp Created 14 years ago2009-06-04 18:11:22 UTC by greywolf330

Hey there, I'm brand new at mapping and I've created 3 half-baked maps so far. Right now I'm in the middle of my fourth map which I'm trying to create more professional, but I've encountered some problems.

First of all, I want to have combine run pas some glass that the player can see through. I would love to have more than 1 combine running past, but I haven't been able to do that. What I do is that I create an npc_maker attached to a trigger_once to activate the spawn point. Then I make the sequence begin with an output whenever the combine spawn. I have the scripted sequence targeting combine with the same name as those created by the npc_maker. This works for one combine, but I have problems when I have more than 1. The combine are supposed to go through 4 scripted sequences, which all have the repeatable flag. However, the first combine stops at the third sequence and runs in place. Consequently, the other combine all gather around trying to reach the scripted sequence but are blocked by this one combine. The place gets jammed, and I end up with 10+ NPC's taking up resources as they never reach the last sequence which kills them. Don't know what is going on, but I needs some help.

Secondly, I've got some nice lighting going on in my map, but I have some issues. First, I have a light which creates a straight edged shadow despite the fact that the show is created by an irregularly edged surface. Secondly, it seems like there's a permanent hard-edged shadow on a certain spot on my map, and I don't see why this is despite the fact that similar geometry around it does not cast this shadow. Lastly, I have a light_spot pointed somewhere, yet it illuminates a different area. Strangely enough, it illuminates an area behind a hole in the wall, yet leaving the place at which it is pointing at dark. I have no idea what is going on there.

Lastly, I have disappearing props. I've checked what types the models support and it would see that they wouldn't disappear. However, they still do. I have a table (models/props_wasteland/controlroom_desk001a.mdl) that disappears whether I set it as static or physical. I've tried overriding it with prop_physics_override or whatever it's called. I just disappears. I lifted it away from anything that it could intersect with it in order to see if that was the problem. It still disappears.

I don't know if you guys want that I upload the VMF so that you can see the problems first hand; It's my first post here.

Hopefully someone can help me with these problems, because my map would be so much better if I could just eradicate these details.

Edit: Whoa, I wrote a lot.

I'm not sure about the scripted sequences, but your lighting issues seem like A) you have a leak in the level. or B) you need to change your lightmaps on your textures.

As for the dis-appearing desk.... are you trying to place the desk on a displacement? I know there was a glitch a while ago about objects not coliding with displacements.

If that's not the case i can't help ya.It might be leak-related.

And for the scripted, try just running 4 different names for the combine.
Maybe since they all have the same name everything is b0rked

I know for sure that I do not have a leak. I am 100% sure of this.

The desk is not on a displacement of any kind.

Lastly, how would I put separate names on each of the combine if they come from the same npc_maker? I want to somehow make an infinite loop of combine running past and making an npc_maker for potentially infinite amount of combine isn't feasible. I have the limit for the max amount of combine at 100, to give you an idea as to how many combine will be running past.

However, I could get creative and create 5 npc_makers in order to give the script_sequence enough time to finish. It just doesn't seem as elegant

oh i see what you're saying now. I must've misread that the first time through. Well have you tried making the other 5 faces of your displacement the 'nodraw' texture? that might help..
and i cant get any scripted_sequences to work for me either.

Scripted sequences, don't use the same for all of the combine, that won't work. You'll need one for each combine.
If there is a problem with one of the scripted sequences, check if it's got the same setup as the others (which do work) and also make sure that there are plenty of info_nodes provided so that the npc can navigate to it.
Also, check the console for errors.

One way of making it less messy would be to spawn not all of the combine at once, but only half of them, this should allow you to to use the same name twice.
Say you want 10 combines run past. Spawn five (one by one so that they have a little space inbetween) and when the first combine reaches the last scripted sequence, then make the scripted sequence trigger the npc_maker to spawn another combine and also trigger the scripts again.
That however would make it go on forever, but obviously you can stop it using timers or counters or whatever, the possebilities are endless.
I've not seen the layout of your map so I can't tell if a solution like that is appropriate, you judge.
If you still don't manage to create the scene then allow me to do an example for you.
Good luck