Elevators

[IrocJeff]

Once again, I'm a bit confused with the Rich Diesal Tutorials for this topic. I think its because there are no pictures and just text. Is there anyone that can explain elevators a bit clearer for me?

 

I want my elevator to start lowered at the bottom of the shaft, the player then activates the controls to raise it up. Then, he gets on the elevator and it goes down again. Finally, the map will end.

 

 

 

 

[Szico VII]

The best way of managing this (in my opinion) is to make a func_door instead of a func_plat.

 

You can then have this door be triggered by a trigger at the top and bottom of the shaft. You can use direction Up and a lip value (of positive or negative, depending on whether it starts in up or down position) to determine the amount it moves. You can also specify a soundset for making noises if you like.

[IrocJeff]

I've been having issues with the func_door method, also. I can make the darn thing and get it to go up and then wait and then come back down. The problem comes when its about 3/4 the way back down it shoots back up again. I have no idea why. I've been re-designing my level around the problem. 

[Boothand]

Is this when you are on the elevator, or while waiting for it on the down or upside? Almost sounds as if the trigger field gets activated again while you're waiting for the elevator. Do the triggers have the use_button enabled? Or else it could be activated by you just standing in the field and waiting for the elevator, thus shooting up again as you described.

[Asgarath83]

mmm, i suppose that an elevactor can function correctly makine it as func door with Toggle option and and Use function. so the elever moving ONLY when yu use it, on a sense, or on another. Use -> go up until end. Use -> go down until end. in that's way, a toggle func door is an elevator controllable. i need to watch my map Tomb.map for see how work the elever of main crypt room.

 

Ok. okay, pretty simple: yu need to entities. these are the parameters.

 

we begin with the button.

this is my button for activate elevator

angle 90

class name func_button

delay 5

lip 5

soundset stone_door

spawnflag: player use

target stoneplatform

wait 3

 

the button activate that:

classname: func_plat

targetname stoneplatform

height: 341

lip: 5

soundset: stone_door

speed: 20

 

That's all.

you need to make the brush not athe lower edge of his goal but at the upper edege. 

when yu setting the height value, you specify the distance in map unit that separe the brush by the ground. when yu play the game, yu will find the brush at ground level.

the other way is a func_door with a toogle function, so player can control elevator, but this need a button incorporated on the brush itself, like a true lift. for a more realistic impact. the button also in that case is a func_Door part.

[IrocJeff]

Is this when you are on the elevator, or while waiting for it on the down or upside? Almost sounds as if the trigger field gets activated again while you're waiting for the elevator. Do the triggers have the use_button enabled? Or else it could be activated by you just standing in the field and waiting for the elevator, thus shooting up again as you described.

 

Well, I don't have any triggers on the tutorial I found. In my test map my elevator would  be at the bottom. I'd get on it and go up to my set height. Then, it'd sit there for a bit, whatever I set it at, and then i'd come back down. The issue happens on that part.

 

Someone posted below this so I want to take a look at what he said and see if that way is easier... 

[Szico VII]

Just set a "wait" key for the number of seconds you want it to stay in the open position if you dont want it toggled at each end manually.

[IrocJeff]

mmm, i suppose that an elevactor can function correctly makine it as func door with Toggle option and and Use function. so the elever moving ONLY when yu use it, on a sense, or on another. Use -> go up until end. Use -> go down until end. in that's way, a toggle func door is an elevator controllable. i need to watch my map Tomb.map for see how work the elever of main crypt room.

 

Ok. okay, pretty simple: yu need to entities. these are the parameters.

 

we begin with the button.

this is my button for activate elevator

angle 90

class name func_button

delay 5

lip 5

soundset stone_door

spawnflag: player use

target stoneplatform

wait 3

 

the button activate that:

classname: func_plat

targetname stoneplatform

height: 341

lip: 5

soundset: stone_door

speed: 20

 

That's all.

you need to make the brush not athe lower edge of his goal but at the upper edege. 

when yu setting the height value, you specify the distance in map unit that separe the brush by the ground. when yu play the game, yu will find the brush at ground level.

the other way is a func_door with a toogle function, so player can control elevator, but this need a button incorporated on the brush itself, like a true lift. for a more realistic impact. the button also in that case is a func_Door part.

 

Thanks for the help. I didn't follow what you did exactly but I did make a func-plat that worked. I then remade it to a func door and got that to work as well. No issues. 

I used a trigger instead of a button and it worked. Then, I copied and pasted the trigger and it works on both floors of my test map.

 

 

Just set a "wait" key for the number of seconds you want it to stay in the open position if you dont want it toggled at each end manually.

 

I'd actually like it toggled manually at each end. I'm using GTK Radiant 1.4. In my entity window I have a TOGGLE command or whatever it is but I'm not sure how to implement it. I have a checkbox for StartOpen, then and X, then a crusher. If you or anyone can help me on this I won't have to redesign my map and can get back on schedule.

[Szico VII]

In which case all you need is a trigger multiple at each end which targets the func_door. Easy peasy! Give the triggers a wait time of approximately how long it takes the lift to move from top to bottom (as determined by the speed you give it) so people arent able to make it spaz out.

[Asgarath83]

Thanks for the help. I didn't follow what you did exactly but I did make a func-plat that worked. I then remade it to a func door and got that to work as well. No issues. 

I used a trigger instead of a button and it worked. Then, I copied and pasted the trigger and it works on both floors of my test map.

 

 

 

I'd actually like it toggled manually at each end. I'm using GTK Radiant 1.4. In my entity window I have a TOGGLE command or whatever it is but I'm not sure how to implement it. I have a checkbox for StartOpen, then and X, then a crusher. If you or anyone can help me on this I won't have to redesign my map and can get back on schedule.

gtk radiant 1.5.0

spawnflags of funcplat are alls with "x" really is not of much help that. 

Spawnflag of func_door:

1 start open

2 force activate

4 crusher

8 TOGGLE

16 locked

32 goodie

64 player_use

128 inactive.

[IrocJeff]

gtk radiant 1.5.0

spawnflags of funcplat are alls with "x" really is not of much help that. 

Spawnflag of func_door:

1 start open

2 force activate

4 crusher

8 TOGGLE

16 locked

32 goodie

64 player_use

128 inactive.

 

Thanks again. So, If I were to add in Spanwflags with a value of 8 then I should be able to use the Toggle feature, correct? 

[IrocJeff]

Thanks again. So, If I were to add in Spanwflags with a value of 8 then I should be able to use the Toggle feature, correct? 

 

Yes it does, Jeff.. 

 

Thanks for all the help everybody. I'm assuming I'll have more mundane problems to post about in the near future.

[Szico VII]

Arent there just tickboxes for the various spawnflags on 1.5.0? Much easier than manually figuring out the spawnflag value...

[Asgarath83]

@@IrocJeff My pleasure, friend.

@@Szico VII: yes, gtk radiant 1.5.0 have named tickbones. it's very easy set the spawnflags. i prefear the 1.5.0 at 1.4.0 also for the more easy use of the camera into the project. is possible to click on a point of the projectin X \ Y \ Z view and the camera appear in that point, showing all nearest. more quickly and fast that a long and erratic mouse navigation into the camera view.

I go fast and quickly directly to the room\area i want edit or building.

[IrocJeff]

Arent there just tickboxes for the various spawnflags on 1.5.0? Much easier than manually figuring out the spawnflag value...

I had issues with 1.5 and i did not like the texture scroll thing in the window. It was buggy on my system. 1.4 works the best for me and i'm comfortable with it. 

[IrocJeff]

One more elevator related question. 

 

If I have multiple brushes making up my elevator, how do I go about linking them all together so they move together?

[Boothand]

You have to make the multiple brushes first, then when selecting all the brushes, make it an entity.

 

If you already have an elevator and want to add brushes to it: I don't think there is a way to set an entity back to worldspawn. But if you select the new brushes together with the old entity, and make that a new entity, the old one will probably still stay in the Entity List (L). This can cause problems during compile/testing. So I would first identity the current entity in the Entity List, and then select the old and the new brushes, make it a new entity, and then make sure you delete the right one (the old one) in the Entity List (select it and press backspace).

[IrocJeff]

So, I would make what I want and then select everything and make it a Func_door. Then, all I would need to do is edit one of the brushes in the entity window since it would all be grouped together, right? Then, I would set my trigger to any of the brushes I would assume since its all grouped together?

[Pande]

^ Almost, except the trigger needs to be a separate entity called trigger_multiple.

 

Give it a wait time equal to the doors wait time as well.

[Szico VII]

Yes, You can also do right click>ungroup entity to return something to worldspawn or right click>add to entity to add new brushes to a pre-existing entity. You just select the entity first, then the new brushes if you're doing that...I think. (might be the other way around)

[NumberWan]

Speaking of the elevators, it was always curious for me, that the moving platforms never have doors with them. Yes, there are ones at each level sometimes, but in real life you can easily damage your arms and legs, while the elevator is moving. The first actual elevator with doors was first seen (well, I saw them) in Half-Life Blue Shift.

 

I eventually managed to create the real elevator in Jedi Academy. I'll post a tutorial a bit later.

[Boothand]

Yes, You can also do right click>ungroup entity to return something to worldspawn or right click>add to entity to add new brushes to a pre-existing entity. You just select the entity first, then the new brushes if you're doing that...I think. (might be the other way around)

 

Wasn't aware of this. That's great though. The "add to entity" feature isn't on my GtkRadiant 1.5 unfortunately. For 1.5. users, Entity > Ungroup will reset it to worldspawn.

[IrocJeff]

^ Almost, except the trigger needs to be a separate entity called trigger_multiple.

 

Give it a wait time equal to the doors wait time as well.

 

Well, I meant that I would need to tie the entity to only 1 brush of the elevator and not all of them. 

[Boothand]

Well, I meant that I would need to tie the entity to only 1 brush of the elevator and not all of them. 

 

That's correct. Another way to do it, which gives you more overview in the big picture is to set the targetname of the elevator yourself (one of the brushes).

Then set the target of the trigger to the elevator's targetname, and it will connect by itself.

[IrocJeff]

Wasn't aware of this. That's great though. The "add to entity" feature isn't on my GtkRadiant 1.5 unfortunately. For 1.5. users, Entity > Ungroup will reset it to worldspawn.

 

I'm glad there are message boards for all this stuff... You learn more here from other people than official manuals.