Dedit, Map Making Q's

[HangmanEXE]

Can someone please help with a map testin Q.

I am packaging my Sark Carrier bridge up into a .dat file. I then test it in the game. But EVERY custom texture either appears as solid white or simply dont appear at all...

But I can see them perfectly in the D-Edit launch test of the same map.
I checked the TRON tools Doc., but all its talks about is a completed map and making a .rez file.
...I know that much. But how do you test a partially done map inside the TRON 2.0 Game to check your custom textures, colors, etc?

[scratches head].... I am stumped, I am sure this will be something very simple, as I keep thinking that I am forgetting something.
But I honestly just dont remember what it is.

[TronFAQ]

Make sure your settings in the World Processor match what you see in the picture. Especially the ProjectPath. This is just in case some settings aren't optimal. (The tools installer sets this automatically, but if you install manually then you have to do this yourself.)

Also, any custom-made assets (textures, sounds, anything new) have to be copied over to the Custom folder.

So for example:

Game > TEX > HangmanEXE > MyTexture1.DTX

becomes

Custom > TEX > HangmanEXE > MyTexture1.DTX

[HangmanEXE]

...[face palm]..... knew it was something simple I was forgetting.
...would be that I need to copy my custom textures to the custom folder.
Thanks FAQ.

[HangmanEXE]

Got a new Q for ya guys.

I am messin around adding detailing to my Sark Carrier Bridge. An I want to make the Grips on Sarks Command Interface change from black texture "with black goraud clip light" to a Light blue texture "with light blue goraud cliplight" as long as a player is standing in that position.... so my Question is...


How would I go about creating a zone that acts as a trigger to cause a object nearby to change textures & lighting options - such as clip light color?
But it only stays changed as long as they are inside that defined area?

[EDIT]-
Question 2. "might as well ask this since its also for the bridge area"

Is there a way to make CAI units sit?
Like they were in the cinema showing them in the kernal control room cut-scene?




...I know these area very minor things. But I felt the extra detail would help feel like you were there in case I do decide to use this bridge also as part of a Derez map build.

[xistence]

For your first question:

There is a 'weight' option for TRIGGER, but this somehow does not work as expected (or i was just too dumb so far, but i didn't spent really much on this option so far). A workaround would be to build a trigger to activate your feature, and surround it with several triggers which would deactivate it. It is more work, but would do the trick.

For the second question:

I'm not sure, but wasn't there an area in the sample map with the recognizer, where a simliar cinamatic setup was placed? I can remember that those ICP were sitting. In the end, i expect it will be some sort of AI-Node or -action, but could also be done differently. Maybe someone else has a better experience there.

[TronFAQ]

Q1:

There are many different ways you could do that. But probably the easiest is to just make two sets of grips. One set black, one set blue. Both sets in exactly the same spot, but the blue set is hidden. Each set will need to be bound to its own WorldModel, with one of them set to Hidden to start while the other is not.

You'll also need two Triggers. One in front of the command area, that's locked. And one in the command area directly in front of the grips. When the player touches the outer Trigger - because it's locked - it does nothing. Then when the player touches the inner Trigger, it hides the black grips and makes the blue ones visible. It also unlocks the second Trigger.

When the player leaves, he touches the unlocked Trigger and it swaps the grips again. Then you'll need to immediately lock the second Trigger.

These are the type of commands you'll use:

Code: Select all

msg BlueGrips (hidden 0); msg BlackGrips (hidden 1); msg OuterTrigger unlock
msg BlueGrips (hidden 1); msg BlackGrips (hidden 0); msg OuterTrigger lock

Q2:

Add an AIVolume where the character is supposed to sit. Also add an AINodeUseObject. Set SmartObject to Sit. Set ReactivationTime to 0.1. Now put the CAIHuman in the same spot as the Node. In the properties of the AI character, click Commands.

In the Initial box, type:

Code: Select all

addgoal goto node=NameYouGaveTheNode

[HangmanEXE]

[EDITED] Link to current file & build progress at bottom

ok, I tried that for the grips... its a no go FAQ. It seems to start them as the blue grips an they stay as the blue grips. They dont change when going near them.

Here is my current node setup...
I bound both set of grips to individual world models as stated, One named BlueGrips other Named BlackGrips.
Blue grips + its children nodes are all currently set to hidden in the nodes tree.
Black nor its children nodes - none of these are set to hidden.

Commands placed
Trigger object 1 named = InnerTrigger =[object placed on command interface]- msg BlueGrips (hidden 0); msg BlackGrips (hidden 1); msg OuterTrigger unlock

[object set to 0 activation's for unlimited + trigger touch = true - rest all set to false]

Trigger object 2 named =OuterTrigger [object placed slightly off center toward rear of interface]- msg BlueGrips (hidden 1); msg BlackGrips (hidden 0); msg OuterTrigger lock

[object set to 0 activation's for unlimited + trigger touch = true + locked = TRUE - rest all set to false]

...so what am I doing wrong? At first I thought that the fact that that node tree being hidden is causing it, but I made none hidden... but it didnt make anything different when testing it
Also no errors popup regarding the commands, so the commands are finding what they need..."scratches head".. but apparently I am overlooking something.


As for the AI sitting down, I did as you said.
They will now walk to the spot [on top of the chair I want them to set on]... but they will stay standing when they reach it.

I even tried changing the sit to sit powere down... still stands in place at AI node location I have even tried binding the model itself to the node as a child... no change. walks up an onto it. an stands.

-Edited section-
Here is a link to my current bridge file FAQ so you cna check the AI out yourself directly. This also contains my repaired .dat file an custom textures folder for test viewing in Dedit an launching in the game engine itself.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1154&p=10708#p10708

[TronFAQ]

@Hangman: I saw your message before you edited it, but didn't have time to reply earlier. MPStart is only used for Light Cycle maps. But while I'm at it, let me elaborate on how Triggers can be used.

You can use Triggers two ways. One, as a container or "dump" for a bunch of commands you want to execute. You send a message to the trigger like msg Trigger01 trigger and all the commands in it execute. This is what MPStart does. When a player spawns, a command gets sent to the trigger and all the commands in MPStart get executed. (But MPStart doesn't have to be used, and it doesn't even have to be named MPStart.) This type of Trigger sits somewhere off to the side, where a player will never touch it.

The other way, is to actually place the Trigger in your map where it can be touched by a player. The commands will only get executed when it's been touched.


I took a look at your map, and you've almost got everything right. Here's what you need to change (or I needed to clarify in my advice).

When I said to make a WorldModel hidden, I didn't mean in the Nodes pane. Sorry, I should have clarified. In the properties of a WorldModel, there's a button named StartHidden. Setting it to True makes whatever brush(es) bound to it hidden.

I wouldn't bother setting TriggerTouch to True, the trigger will still activate even if this is set to False. It's important to use just regular triggers and NOT PlayerTriggers, though. So you're fine there. But some people have used PlayerTriggers by mistake which then don't work like they expect them to.

However, PlayerTriggerable must be set to True on both triggers (which is the default setting).

You've got your Commands in the window that appears after clicking Commands, which is good. Don't use CommandTouch.

With those changes, the Grips should now swap. But, I realized something else. If this is going to be a part of a Derez map, other players could set off the OuterTrigger while someone is standing in Sark's command area. It's important that only the first player who stepped into that area is the one who walks back out.

So what you should probably do, is put an invisible wall (put the Invisible texture on it) shaped like a circle all around the player who walked in, the control panel, and the triggers. And make it high, so no one can jump over the wall. This wall (basically a tall empty cylinder) will need to be bound to a WorldModel so it too can be made hidden. And each trigger either makes the wall hidden or unhidden. This also prevents the player who walked in from jumping over Sark's control panel and not going back the way he came.


For the AI sitting down. Well, your AI character and Node aren't fully inside the AIVolume. You need to move the AIVolume higher, to enclose the other two objects. You also might want to shrink the volume a bit. It's a little too big. By having it that big, there's a remote chance the AI will walk off that raised platform and fall down. Because the AIVolume is telling him he can go past the edge. The volume is like a cage, defining where the AI can go.

Also, you want to be careful with AI Alignments on the various objects. If you set any AI to bad/evil, it will always try to attack the players. Set AI and AI objects you don't want to attack to Bystander or Neutral.


As far as I can tell, everything else is good.

[HangmanEXE]

[Edited]- at bottom regarding Sitting AI + new Q

Actually what I wanted to do was to cause the MCP uplink wall to come up around the person inside it for a short duration an it protect them as it played a short clip of where the MCP was telling Sark what to do with Flynn. Prob somethin along the lines of a audio clip about keeping him in the games till he dies playing with a End of Line edited in with this Goldwave audio program I have.
But honestly, I still dont know how to even go about how to cause that ring wall to appear and then disappear once hte clip is over...I wanted to use that to stop ppl doing the very thing your talking about with setting it off again with one still inside the interface area.

...but I honestly dont have a real clue how to even start going about that.
I had a [VERY] "vague" idea of using multiple 2 sided planes " would look like the Outside of the uplink as it appears... any more an it would dig into serious polys. As for it in implementation... maybe have them start hidden an sectionally "reaappear/unhide" when the event is triggered at the control interface... but I am frankly shooing in the dark on this beyond how that part would work ... as for staying up a set time, then going back down.... not a clue.
All these commands are totally new stuff to me atm, but I am tryin my best to understand it so that I dont pester the hell out of you guys as I know this is where I hit the hard stuff.

.
.

OH! I thought I just needed the standard flat plane just to get the info to the CAI object bots. I didnt even think I needed to enclose all of it inside the AI volume.

After I carve my last pumpkin for my kids I will try to get a few mins to set down an alter it an try it out FAQ.

-[EDITED]-
I went back an placed the CAI human object on the top of hte rounded spots for them to set like the null units were setting on in the film.
I placed the AINode at the base of the CAI human object also on level with the round stools top again, an then enclosed it all "on level with the top of the seat" inside the AI volume... I tested it an its still just standing....
[face palm]....[frustrated]... any chance you could just package me one up that you have tested an know is workin FAQ?
If ya could I would appreciate it, an I will just copy an paste it over an over as needed in the future.

-[Edit #2]-
Can someone tell me the exact way to have a CAI human object set inside a brush/box and it move WITH a brush that has been bound to a sliding world object? Or is this even possible by us non Source code imbued ppl?
I ask as I noticed you guys had a moving ceiling chair like this in your User Error mod at the end on the last stage an it didnt have a person inside it either.

[HangmanEXE]

Bump for previous question #2 help an I have a new issue that I need help with ASAP as this one has me completely stumped.

-[Edited]- Problem solved with below super glow issue.....[face palm]...

Ok, I am basically done with my carrier model now save for 1 little area I am building seperatly.
I am now going thru the process of adding my textures an setting the appropriate Goraud glows working from darkest to lightest [light facing sides], but I seem to keep butting heads with an unknown SUPER GLOWING lighting error/issue effect that I cant figure out how to resolve without COMPLETLY ripping out the plane it is happenning on an making a new one and completly retextureing all over again.

Here is my issue, I have a custom texture that I am using, its alpha is set correctly... verified this many times., it is set to full brights in alpha, but NOT to recive any light... verified as i removed all lighting from the test viewing map.

-Edit-
Also, I have just tried changing the full bright setting from on AND off in alpha settings in the texture properties an then changing the texture back out an replacing it all over again... still no alteration in appearance.

But here is what it looks like [at least for me]..."regardless if I set it goraud or flat ..an regardless if the goraud lighting is set to 0 or 16... AND regardless if it is set to cliplight or not. an all the other options always set to False...

I have noticed that this only seems to occur with custom textures. I have never encountered this issue with one of the standard game textures.

untitled.JPG

what can be causing this? Is this some kind of a Dedit error? Or a personal system problem on my end? Or jsut a texture/lighting oddity??

"scratches head"...

[PLEASE HELP ANYONE]

[HangmanEXE]

..........[face palm]... nevermind on the help on the Super glow issue problem.... I just figured it out...........

[BIG FAT DOUBLE FACE PALM]... rotflol...omg...

... I had the alphas backwards on these, I just checked the others that were doing this with my textures an they had the same issue.....

I had forgot till just now that these were the earliest textures that I had custom made....[face palm]... I had the alpna layers backwards.... thus the nice glow on everything "BUT" the red edging if you look......

.
.
....thats so embarrassing.

[extra face palm for good measure]....

[TronFAQ]

Regarding your earlier question. I'm not certain, because it's been a long time since I regularly worked with DEdit. But I'm pretty sure that if you bind all the brushes to a SlidingWorldModel, the AI character standing on the sidecar will move along with it.

[HangmanEXE]

See, that was what I thought also FAQ, I have bound the chair the sliding object but do I bind the CAI object directly to the sliding world object? OR do I bind it to the chair that is a child of the sliding world object?
OR OR... do I make it its own individual/separate child node under the sliding world object?

So far I have had time to try directly dragging the CAI object to be a child node of the sliding world object along with the chair also bound as another individual child... but the chair will move an the CAI wants to drop to the floor "no sliding", or if I set it to not auto drop to floor it hangs in the air an the chair moves along without the AI bot an he just hangs in air.

In case anyone is wondering what we are talking about, this is for info on how to recreate that moving chair that hangs from the ceiling on the bridge of Sarks cruiser that has the 1 Bot setting in it.

[TronFAQ]

As far as I know, the AI char does not have to be bound to the SlidingWorldModel at all. It should just respond to the movement of the sidecar. But, I'm not absolutely certain on that. Maybe it needs to be moved with a Keyframer instead.

I would have to try this myself and figure it out. Maybe one of the other LDSO members can shed some light on it in the meantime, if I don't get back to you first.

[xistence]

For that what you try to achieve, i would recommen to use a KeyFramer that pushes a worldmodel. You can then attach the CAIHuman object to this worldmodel in order to move it. Attaching other objects to a sliding worldmodel should also be possible, as it derives from 'WorldModel', in that case you can leave out the keyframe.
Note that the friction alone wouldn't help to move a CAIHuman, it could look weird, or even move it wrong.