func_tracktrain Last edited 4 months ago2024-07-07 15:38:04 UTC

func_tracktrain - Brush Entity

Attributes

• Name (targetname) - Property used to identify entities.
• Render FX (renderfx) - Gives objects special render effects. Think of it as modifying whatever the Render Mode puts out. The options are as follows:
  • 0 = Normal
  • 1 = Slow Pulse
  • 2 = Fast Pulse
  • 3 = Slow Wide Pulse
  • 4 = Fast Wide Pulse
  • 5 = Slow Fade Away
  • 6 = Fast Fade Away
  • 7 = Slow Become Solid
  • 8 = Fast Become Solid
  • 9 = Slow Strobe
  • 10 = Fast Strobe
  • 11 = Faster Strobe
  • 12 = Slow Flicker
  • 13 = Fast Flicker
  • 14 = Constant Glow
  • 15 = Distort
  • 16 = Hologram (Distort and Fade)
• Render Mode (rendermode) - Controls the type of rendering that is used for an object. Options are:
  • 0 = Normal
  • 1 = Color
  • 2 = Texture
  • 3 = Glow
  • 4 = Solid
  • 5 = Additive
• Global Entity Name (globalname) - If your train is going to cross level transitions, it'll need a global name.
• FX Amount (renderamt)
• FX Color (rendercolor)
• ZHLT Lightflags (zhlt_lightflags)
• Light Origin Target (light_origin) - Overrides the position from which the train will receive its lighting when the map compiles. Useful if the train doesn't have the correct lighting in-game. This can be used with an info_target.
• First stop Target (target) - The name of the path_track to start at.
• Sound (sounds) - Values:
  • 0 = none
  • 1 = rail 1 (plats/ttrain1.wav)
  • 2 = rail 2 (plats/ttrain2.wav)
  • 3 = rail 3 (plats/ttrain3.wav)
  • 4 = rail 4 (plats/ttrain4.wav)
  • 5 = rail 6 (plats/ttrain6.wav)
  • 6 = rail 7 (plats/ttrain7.wav)

• Distance between the wheels (wheels) - The distance to the train's "front wheels", calculated forwards from the train's origin. This determines the heading, or the angle the trains face when turning corners. Generally the length of the object works here. Defaults to 100 if blank or set to 0. See the notes section for details.
• Height above track (height) - This is the height above the path_track that the train will ride, based on the location of the train's origin brush.
• Initial Speed (startspeed) - The speed the train starts at, until overridden by player control or path_track settings.
• Speed (speed) - The maximum speed the player can make a controllable train go in units/second. Defaults to 100 if blank or 0. The global entity speed limit is 2000.
• Damage on crush (dmg) - If train movement is blocked by the player, deal out this much damage.
• Volume (volume) - Range: 0 - 10.
• Bank angle on turns (bank) - This is the angle the train will tilt when cornering.
• Minimum Light Level (_minlight) - The minimum light level the train will have, even if its initial position in the editor is in a purely dark room. This is a very aggressive value, so even a value of 0.02 will make the train relatively bright.

Flags

• No pitch(X-rot) (1) - Enabling this will make the train rotate on the Z axis only (yaw - left and right)
• No User Control (2) - Removes the player's ability to drive the train
• Forwards only (4) - [undocumented] Makes the train unable to be driven backwards, only forwards.
• Passable (8) - Makes train non-solid.

Notes

• A func_tracktrain requires an origin brush to align itself with the path_tracks.
• The brush model of the track train must face "West" (towards -X axis, or (⭠ ) 180 on the Yaw compass).
  • Sometimes the entity might require an 180 degree turn to appear correctly in-game, instead of 90. The cause of this is unknown (possibly an engine bug?) [needs confirmation]
• The entity will pick up its lighting – static, animated, or toggled – from where its placed or from the point set in Light Origin Target. This lighting stays with the train as it moves throughout the level. Therefore it is customary to place the train's brushwork in a separate room away from playable areas with enough lighting around it. _minlight can be used in addition.
• When it spawns in the game it will automatically move to the first path_track and orientate itself to face the second path_track.
  • Changing the degrees in the yaw circle won't affect the direction that the func_tracktrain faces in-game. The degrees in the yaw circle in the path_track don't change anything either.

• A func_traincontrols entity allows the player to set the area on the train where they are able to control or drive the train. They are not part of the func_tracktrain and their placement only determines the area of use. They will automatically stay in that area relative to the train as it moves.
  • Without this entity the train's area of control defaults to the bounding box of the train, and up to 72 units above the origin. To prevent user control of any kind check the No User Control (2) flag.
• You can tie CLIP brushes to the entity, which prevents player movement (i.e. to stop the player falling off the sides or the "windows" on the Black Mesa Inbound tram ride). Also useful to simplify collisions for detailed brushwork when combined with zhlt_noclip.
• Triggering a named train starts/stops it.
• While controlling a train manually, the HUD shows three forward positions, neutral, and 1 backward position. However, you can throttle to 4 different positions on both directions, in 1/4 steps of the full speed.
• All trains in a campaign with the same global name acts as the same train. This is used on level changes to replace the train from the previous level with the one from the next level making the train ride appear seamless, like those in Black Mesa Inbound or On A Rail.
  • This does mean you need to place the same train models with the same global name on all the levels that the train ride goes through.
• The front wheel position is calculated forwards from the origin, and follows the path on curves. Therefore for the train to closely follow its path, the origin should be where the middle of the back axle is. See the subsection below.
• The default wheel distance is 100 if left blank or 0.
• A path_track with Disable train (8) flag checked can be used to disable user control of the train, producing a runaway train effect such as the one at the start of Blast Pit.

Origin, wheel distance, and heading