Datastreams in MP

[Cybernaught]

Is it possible in a MP map to import or recreate the 1- and 2-way datastream teleporters used in SP, complete with rotating animations that shut off temporarily when used? If so, how? (Help me get a !)

[deeahchur]

You may have to rebuild the datastreams, but that's not very difficult. I have some teleporters that are ready to go and just require indicating sources. Other than that, there are sprites for the animated textures, and the geometry is fairly simple. Below are some instructions, which may sound complicated, but it really is not.

Step 1: Create a pedestal and texture with appropriate sprite.
Step 2: Create a circular plane (add cyllinder and delete all but top face) and place 8 units above pedestal.
Step 3: Create 2 circular planes (same as above but use top and bottom, flipping one of the faces to the same direction to face the player) and rotate/reposition to vertical, set at the end of the pedestal.
Step 4: texture with appropriate sprite.
Step 5: Add Trigger OBJECT to send player to receiving platform.
Step 6: Duplicate teleporter geometry or create receiving node.
Step 7: Add OBJECT to indicate receiving node.
Step 8: target receiving node OBJECT in the properties for the Trigger OBJECT.

There are some other details that elude me at the moment, but I'll make the teleporter I have available. The key thing really is the Trigger OBJECT and receiving OBJECT. Everything else is decoration.

[Cybernaught]

Thanks, D.

I've already managed to make working teleporters, but without any additional animation (just the teleport sound). How do I tell the game engine to spin the textured planes the way they do in SP? Does it require a specific animation Msg or something to set speed/direction of rotation? If so, what's the Msg syntax, and where is it placed? Once working, do I need to do anything further to get the animation to disappear for a few seconds while it resets itself?
Also, the animation in SP is translucent (i.e. semi-transparent). Do I have to do anything in particular to create that effect, or is it already built into the appropriate textures?
Looking through your instructions, the one thing that I think I need a better understanding about is how to use/manipulate Sprites. I haven't worked with that aspect of DEdit yet, so if there are any specific rules that I need to know about how to use them, please let me know.
Lastly, I'd love to look at your own teleporter (I assume it is a Prefab?) When will it be available, and how do I download it?

Thanks Program.

[deeahchur]

How do I tell the game engine to spin the textured planes the way they do in SP? Does it require a specific animation Msg or something to set speed/direction of rotation? If so, what's the Msg syntax, and where is it placed?

There are three methods to accomplish this effect.

1) Use an animated sprite that rotates on its own. The teleporter sprites may actually already do that, so select the texture and then apply to the brush, reposition and resize as necessary.

2) If using a circular plane for the brush, then select the brush and click on the properties tab. open the TEXTUREEFFECTS dropdown menu and select one indicated for spin. There may be more than one, and the list is long.

3) Rotate World OBJECT, adjusting X, Y, or Z appropriately

Regardless of the method chosen, you may want to test each one by processing the map and running the .dat from the custom folder.

Once working, do I need to do anything further to get the animation to disappear for a few seconds while it resets itself?

This one I don't know yet, but there is a way to start hidden, and the trigger activates it, then a delay to hide again. That is all I know at the moment, as I have not fully worked with this aspect of triggers.

Also, the animation in SP is translucent (i.e. semi-transparent). Do I have to do anything in particular to create that effect, or is it already built into the appropriate textures?

First check the sprite or texture, as some are already transparent. otherwise, add a Breakable or similar OBJECT that includes a surface override selection and set to Translucent and change Alpha from 1.000 to anything less (I usually use 0.750). Nest the brush under the OBJECT. Additionally, you may want to change the lighting on the brush in properties by changing the color from black (dull, flat color) to a color that compliments the texture used.

Looking through your instructions, the one thing that I think I need a better understanding about is how to use/manipulate Sprites. I haven't worked with that aspect of DEdit yet, so if there are any specific rules that I need to know about how to use them, please let me know.

Don't worry too much about manipulating sprites, just using them. They are animated textures, using at least 2 but usually more regular textures found in the textures folders. Using them can save some hassle for animated surfaces!

Lastly, I'd love to look at your own teleporter (I assume it is a Prefab?) When will it be available, and how do I download it?

If you have DropBox, then you can join the Free System HangmanEXE and I are enjoying for building in DEdit. I have the rotating datablocks in there. Also refer to the following thread for "prefabs" that are available to the public:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1165" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cybernaught]

There are three methods to accomplish this effect.

1) Use an animated sprite that rotates on its own. The teleporter sprites may actually already do that, so select the texture and then apply to the brush, reposition and resize as necessary.

OK, I tried this with the Datastream Sprite Textures, and nothing happened, so unless there is more to it than what you've said about it, this approach isn't working.

2) If using a circular plane for the brush, then select the brush and click on the properties tab. open the TEXTUREEFFECTS dropdown menu and select one indicated for spin. There may be more than one, and the list is long.

The TEXTUREEFFECTS ability appears to rotate the texture only, rather than the brush it is applied to, which in my case created the problem of animating the sprite rotation around a centerpoint that wasn't the centerpoint of the brush plane I was applying it to (and yes, I did center/resize it for the brush first). This created more of a rotating pan effect across the brush than a spinning sprite effect. The .TFS file used by DEdit to creae this effect is UVROTATE.TFS, but it only allows you to edit the Rotations per Second (RotPerS), and not its centerpoint. So this didn't work for me either.

3) Rotate World OBJECT, adjusting X, Y, or Z appropriately

I did manage to get a version of #3 to work, but not with the Rotate World Model object, but rather with the Spinning World Model object. This may have been due to the way I tinkered with the object's parameters, but I'm not sure at this point. At any rate, I got the sprite to spin, and to look transparent, but when I tried to duplicate it at the receiving end of the teleport (using DEdit's Stamp feature), the sprite had a slight wobble to it as it spun above its platform, as though the centerpoint of rotation were slightly off from the centerpoint of the brush. As it turned out, the texture needed to be re-centered/re-sized (Shift+C), which is puzzling: Why did this happen when Stamped?

Anyway, thanks for your assistance with this, D I really appreciate it.

My next quandry has to do with the Sound setting for the Spinning World Object. I set the OnSound sub-field to the TeleportHum.wav file, and it does play it in-game, but only once, even after setting the LoopSounds option to TRUE. Am I missing something, or is this feature not really usable? Is there another way to accomplish this? Should I be using a SoundFX Object instead?

[deeahchur]

After checking in DEdit, I realized SpinningWorldModel is what you wanted, and it is great that you found that! I apologize for not having the correct answer for you right off.

As for sounds, I'll need to play around with this a little more. I'm still trying to get a handle on them.

[Cybernaught]

Hey D,

I played around with the SoundFX Object, and got it do what I wanted with the DataStream Hum sound. Now I'm trying to figure out how to make working forcefields that can be raised and dropped via user activated switches. Any help with that would be grand.

Thanx Program.

[deeahchur]

You will want to use player-activated triggers that attach to hidden and visible geometry for the forcefields and a delay. There should be a tutorial in the wiki coming up soon, so stay tuned!

[TronFAQ]

There should be a tutorial in the wiki coming up soon, so stay tuned!

There are no tutorials in the Wiki . . . yet. When it goes live, at first it will only have articles with factual information. Like a listing of all the tools and what they do, a list of all the extracted game files important to modders and what they do, stuff like that.

But don't worry, tutorials will appear over time. Whether it be from LDSO members, or from others in the community. Like you, for instance! The purpose of the Wiki is definitely to get the community involved.

[Cybernaught]

Excellent FAQ...,

But until that happens, could someone give me a personal tutorial on how exactly to make player triggered forcefields? I created a very thin Box Brush and textured it with an appropriate looking texture, and made it a Child of an EnergyZone Object (which I'm guessing now isn't the right one?), but now my map file won't compile, telling me that I need to add something beneath it (probably that "hidden" geometry you were referring to, D) before it would work. Anyway, if anyone is feeling in a particularly generous mood with their DEdit know-how, please feel free to drop some of it on me here.

Thanks Programs!

[xistence]

-Press CTRL-G to switch into geometry edit mode
-Use space bar to place single verticies on the grid, that way you draw a ploy. drop the last vertex on the first (to close the poly) and Dedit will create it. Watch out not to create concave polies that way!
-Press CTRL-B to switch into brush edit mode
-Select the new polygon
-CTRL-X to place marker at the center of the brush
-CTRL-C to copy, CTRL-V to paste
-CTRL-Z to place the copy at the marker
-Press F to flip the 'normal' of the polygon (in other word, to flip the surface of it)
-Select both polygons and use SHIFT-J to meld them into one
-Now use your texture to decorate

Advantage of this? You have a brush with just two polies, instead of six (using a brush), and it is as thin as possible

-Select the new brush
-CTRL-X to center the marker on it
-Above in the menu : 'Selection'->'Bind to object', select 'WorldModel'
-In your 'Nodes'-Tab select this newly created WorldModel
-Configure your worldmodel, like you want it to be
-Place a trigger in your map (or whatever you want to use, acting as 'trigger' to turn on/off your field)
-As command you can simply use
-'msg <name_of you_new_worldmodel> (hidden 1)' <- turns off
-'msg <name_of you_new_worldmodel> (hidden 0)' <- turns on

There are advantage methods to work on that stuff:
-texture panning and effects
-different switch types based on worldmodel-types
-etc.

But for now, this might help you to have a starting point

[Cybernaught]

Thanks X, your directions got me pointed in the right direction. I also managed to import my first TRON Prefab to use for the Switch Activator. It took some effort to figure out how to set it up, but it works good now.

The only thing left that I'd like to do with it is make a SoundFX Object that plays a looping sound effect while active, and then a Power Down sound when de-activated, followed by a Power Up sound when turned back on, and the resumption of the looping sound thereafter until de-activated again. I know how to place the object, but I don't see how to tell it to turn on and off at the right times. Any help on this would be great.