Tags:
°SS2 °tutorial
Please post only corrections for the tutorials here. Ask questions in
Shock Helpdesk.
DisclaimerAll these tutorials are for people who already have a rough idea of how to use ShockEd. If you are not one of these people, you should first read
Totality's Official ShockEd Tutorial.
Special ThanksUnless otherwise specified, the tutorials were written by me, JediK. I'd like to thank all of the other contributers, as well as fellow ShockEditors who helped me realize some of this myself:
Tom "Doc4" Green, Ben "Zygoptera" Forrer, Omer "G`Len" Joel, Raphael "Thanos" Relat, d0om, Totality, HKPrince, Aaron "Spanker" Pettett, Greg "frozenman" Langham, Disenchanted, Desentrance, Daxim, Icemann, Chris Perry, Ross "Von Braun" Burow, Lance, and Garboshnik
Misc Tips-If you're stuck trying to make something, look in the original Shock2 levels. They may provide some help.
-Use "show_stats" to show your framerate in game.
-Always save before optimization.
-Press Tab to cycle through all your objects and brushes.
-Use the FILTER to block out things you don't want to see.
-NEVER portalize with a grid size below 12. It may seem fine at first, but it will cause severe problems with your level later on.
FiletypesMany of you may ask, what's the difference between a "mis", "gam" and "cow". A mis is your basic mission file. It needs a gam (Game) file if you intend to edit anything. Every set object for Ss2 is on its gam (shock2.gam I believe, in the main SS2 Dir.) A cow (Creator Of Worlds) is the gam and .mis combined. If you are using a .mis, you need to make your .gam and in the command box type "set_gamesys A.gam" Without quotes and where "A" equals your gamesys name.
Usable Computers, Info Comps, keypads and keycard slots - G'len
Usable computers are easy to use - basically, all you'll need in order to have them
turn off or on something is simply a "HackingLink" link between the computer and
the targeted item (force door etc.). You should also replace the original "Hack Text"
parameter under the Gamesys part of the Usable Comp part of the hyrarchy under
"properties", and you could change the Hacking or Repair Dif. parameters if you wish.
InfoComps:
Add -> Engine Features -> Frobinfo -> World: Scriprt (I think this is needed... but
I am not sure)
Add -> Obj -> HUD Use String: Training_Wheel_6 (I don't know exactly what this
does, and it doesn't seem nescery. I've used the InfoComp sucessfully without this
bit; Official levels use it in the InfoComps, for an unknown porpuse.
Add -> Player -> Helptext (Select a number. The numbers refer to texts in the
infocomp.str in the strings.crf. Modify the CRF or create a "strings" directory under
your primary Shock2 install directory and extract the file to there in order to change
the texts).
Keycard:
Add -> Engine Features -> Locked: True (mark the box)
Add -> Engine Features -> KeyDst (choose the RegionID of the card you want it to
use; You don't have to use the rest of the dialoge box).
Make sure that you have Tweq -> ModelState in the keycard solt's properties. Edit
the ModelState property, and make sure that AnimS and MiscS are both "none".
Now, make a SwitchLink from the door's tripwire to the keycard slot. Make sure
that the tripwire isn't SwitchLinked directly to the door, otherwise the keycard
won't work. Also Switchlink from the keycard slot to the door itself. Place the
right card somewhere within your level... and here it goes
Keypads:
Add -> Script -> Keypad Code (Enter the code; Note that this is under the
"script" menu, not under s -> script).
Then create the switchlink to the door. I haven't found a way yet to let a tripwire
work with a keypad, but there might be one.
DoorsDoors are thankfully one of the easiest things to make. I say thankfully because we place them so often, its damn good that they're easy. To make a door you want to have 2 rooms, connected by a small hallway...Now, as you can see in any SS2 level, the hall needs to be longer than the rooms. This is so the door has somewhere to go when it opens. Place a door, Physical - Terrain - Doors...I suggest you begin using a MedSci one. Now then, place the door in your hallway at the spot the rooms connect. Now on the doors properties, you can play with the "Translation" property to get the door to go as far as you want and as fast as you want. Next step, decide whether you want to use a Switch or a Tripwire to get the door to open. A switch is easy, simply place it and in "Links", create a switchlink from the switch to the door. For a tripwire, place the tripwire on the ground in front of it and switchlink that to the door. That's it! You may also want a switch/wire on the other side so you can get back in. Now Comforce Doors are another story. If I remember correctly you must add the Translation property completly manually. They look cool but they are very...unstable. I suggest avioding their use. One way to get around such problems, is to take a different door and add SHAPE -> MODELNAME and change that to "comforce". So you now have a normal door that looks like a comforce.
a. Secret DoorsNow that you know about Doors, it's time you learned about Secret doors. You see, anything can be a door if it is designed right. I was testing this once, and I made it so you click a button and a bed moves and there is a secret pit under it. All you have to do is find an object you want to make into a door and add a "Translation" property to it, and then add a switch or a tripwire to make it move. Enjoy!
b. KeyCode Doors - G`Len
Keypads: Add -> Script -> Keypad Code (Enter the code. Note that this is under the "script" menu, not under s -> script). Then create the switchlink to the door. I haven't found a way yet to let a tripwire work with a keypad, but there might be one.
c. KeyCard Doors - G`Len
Keycard: Add -> Engine Features -> Locked: True (mark the box) Add -> Engine Features -> KeyDst (choose the RegionID of the card you want it to use; You don't have to use the rest of the dialoge box). Make sure that you have Tweq -> ModelState in the keycard solt's properties. Edit the ModelState property, and make sure that AnimS and MiscS are both "none". Now, make a SwitchLink from the door's tripwire to the keycard slot. Make sure that the tripwire isn't SwitchLinked directly to the door, otherwise the keycard won't work. Also Switchlink from the keycard slot to the door itself. Place the right card somewhere within your level... and here it goes
CorpsesWhen you make a corpse in Dromed, you see what is commonly refered to as a "Scarecrow". It looks like a corpse but has a "t" shape going for it. Take a gander in motions.crf, you need those names. For a corpse you add the property Creature->Current Pose and make sure it is set to motion name, then type in a name from the CRF (eg "Humdead3b" in the "motion" field). Portalize and it should be all set. Be careful rotating them though. Also watch out, because not all of the motions in that CRF are for Human Poses.
Security Camera - Von Braun
The objects need for this tutorial are as follows:
At least 1 security camera
A security computer
and an "Ecology" (Traps -> Ecology)
How to set up:
Place the security camera(s) and the computer in a usable/visible location.
Place the ecology anywhere. REMEMBER THE ID NUMBER!!!
Add a switchlink FROM the computer TO the Ecology
Then add switchlinks FROM the Ecology TO the cameras.
Then go to each camera and add a switchlink TO the ecology FROM the camera.
General Troubleshooting - Doc4
My chairs are sinking in to the floor. Some of the objects do not have the right dimensions built it to them for some bizarre reason. You have two solutions: 1) Change the chair's Dimension properties to have a radius of 2.5 2) Change the Control properties by selection the Rotation button and adding Location. This will lock the chair into place. It will be EXACTLY where you put it and never move.
Why can I walk through some of these objects? Two reasons: 1)The objects dimensions properties to not match the physical dimensions in the editor/game. Simply edit the object and change its Dimension properties to be correct. (i.e. you stretched a door to be twice as big but can still move through it. So change its Dimension properties and that will fix it) 2)The object never had a collision property added for some reason. Add the property - Physics - Collision Type - Bounce.
Why do my doors disappear as they are opening? If the middle of any object is outside of the game world the entire object will disappear. You doors are opening into a solid wall, when the middle crosses into that wall the entire door disappears. Simply create a space for the door to move into so that the center of the brush never moves into a solid. That should fix it.
How can I figure out what Hue and Saturation values to use to get a specific color? The most accurate way is to open up MsPaint. Create a custom color with the color wheel and look at the Hue and Saturation values. Take these numbers and divide them by MsPaints maximum values for them (240) and you have the decimal value that ShockEd wants.
How do I add objects to the players inventory when they start? 1) Create the objects you want and put them in your level (it doesn't matter where, but it's a good idea to put them next to the "level start marker" so you can find them again easily). 2) Create a "Contains" link from the Level Start Marker to the object. 3) On the links screen, double click on that ID # on the far left. An ordinal field will come up. This is the space number on the characters inventory screen. So if you add 3 objects to player but leave them all with an ordinal of "0", they will all try to cram into the same place and the player will only have one in the end. Instead number them like 0, 1, 2. And then all three will appear.
How do I make sky? Its nothing but black with a few dots. 1) Hit Alt+T to bring up the texture screen 2) Click on the empty box labelled "Sky" 3) Click on the ceiling of the room that you want to be the sky. You should now have a black parallax texture and if you look close enough, a few TINY little red dots 4) In the console type "load_sky sky" NOT load_family 5) Go to Editors - Mission Parameters - Sky Rendering - change it to textures. Now you have a sky. 6) There is one more sky you can try and that is "load_sky acid"
Simple Lift - Spanker & JediK
For a simple 2 destination lift, it requires 5 parts: 2 Elevator Paths linked by a TPath flavor. 2 switches connected to the lift itself using a Switchlink flavor and 1 lift connected to the first path using TPathInit.
1: Create two elevator paths (Markers>Elevator Path). These will be the two endpoints of the lift. Link these two markers using TPath. Do it for opposite ends also. (Example: Link path 1 to path 2 and then link path 2 to path 1).
2: Create a lift and place it directly on top of one of the elevator paths. (Physical>Terrain>Moving Terrain). Link the elevator to the path that it is directly above using TPathInit.
3: Create two switches (Physical>Functional>Controllers>SimpleButton) at each end. 1 button right next to path one and the other button next to path 2. The button should be close enough so that you can press it while ontop of the elevator. Link both of the buttons to the lift itself.
Now, it works now. But theres a problem. Its speed is set to 0.
4: Select 1 elevator path and look at its links. Double click the TPath flavor and enter a number in the speed dialog. 5 is normal. I prefer fast, 10. Do this for the other elevator path also.
Elevators - HKPrincea. Multilevel elevatorNormally elevator goes to two places only, bottom and top or left and right. Therefore two Elevator Paths are enough and they should have TPath and ~TPath links between them (with positive value of speed on data part of the link). The Elevator should have TPathInit link to one of the Elevator Paths (depending on which one the Elevator start with). Then add two buttons with switchlink to the Elevator. Sometimes we want it to go to more places, then we have to make more Elevator Paths. The problem is how we add TPath links to them. Suppose we have three places to go and three Elevator Paths (EP). We should have TPath link from EP1 to EP2, EP2 to EP3, and EP3 to EP1. Don't add TPath links from one EP to two EPs, this will cause error. The Elevator will go from 1 to 2, 2 to 3 and 3 to 1, very obvious. Someone has posed a question to me: Can I have a button to call a multilevel elevator to a certain place? From the above information, obviously no. Then I study more and find out that: Yes, at least for 3 places (Don't ask me to do 4 places). It is not simple. The TPath links for the EPs are the same. The scripts of the three buttons have to change to RerouteElevatorButton using add scripts. A ScriptParams link have to be added from a button to the destinating EP (button 1 to EP1, button 2 to EP2, button 3 to EP3). Of course the switchlinks from buttons to the Elevator are needed. Besides a TPathInit link, a ScriptParams link is needed from the Elevator to the starting EP. Then the Elevator will travel to the place you want.
b. Changing objects to elevatorsActually many moving objects in SS2 are elevators, the radar striking the window in the beginning of medsci deck, the tram in command deck, torpedos in the Rickenbacker, etc. Changing objects to elevators is very simple, just add scripts BaseElevator to the objects. Then we can have a moving plant or flying chair. I have suggested a shockedder to change a door to an elevator so that pressing button can shut the door. However changing scripts of a Door from StdDoor to BaseElevator can't do the job, we have to check the Don't inherit box in scripts menu and change Door->Translating->Base Speed to zero. Don't delete Door->Translating properties, otherwise pressing button to operate the door may cause crash.
c. Attaching objects to elevatorAdd PhysAttach link from objects to the elevator, this will attach the objects to the elevator. But this is not the end of the story. We have to set where the objects attach to the elevator. This is done by editing the Offset x, y, z values of Link Data of PhysAttach links. Default value 0, 0, 0 means attaching the objects to the centre of the elevator. To find the correct values, we have to do some expts. Remember to add Physics->Misc->Moving Terrain: False to the objects, otherwise the objects and elevators stick to the original place or even crash ShockEd. Warning: attaching objects to an elevator may lead to error in computing pathfinding database. Attaching objects to elevator may be just decorative, attaching buttons to elevator should be useful. Before adding PhysAttach link from buttons to the elevator, we have to add all five Physics->Model properties (Attributes, Controls, Dimensions, State, Type) to buttons, otherwise ShockEd may crash. One last thng, if we change an object to an elevator and try to attach a button to the object, then one more property have to be added to the object, Physics->Terrain->Can Attach: True.
TexturesWe are going to go over how you place textures and how you create your own. To add a texture family in the command box type "add_family A" without the quotes and where A equals the family name. If you have the custom menus, you can click which you want up at the top, but you will still need to type it for customs. To make a custom texture, you draw whatever you want, but it must be 64x64 pixels, 128x128, 256x256, etc and it must be saved as a pcx. You need to save the palette you used as a pcx. To do so, save the palette. Then create a 4x4 pixel square and load the palette. Save this as full.pcx. In your shock directory, make a folder called Fam, if there isn't one there. In Fam create a folder with your "family's" name on it. Inside put the 2 images, the texture and full.pcx. Then start dromed and in the command box type "add_family A" without the quotes and where A is your family's name. Open the texture menu and your texture should be there. You can also change the size of a texture when placing it. Put any texture on a wall, and press the ALIGN button at the bottom of Dromed. It should change to TXT. Now then, down bottom the buttons have changed for texture manipulation. Click the wall you just put a texture on. Using the "U" and the "V" arrows at the bottom, you can change the horizontal and vertical area of your texture. It will not resize it only move it. The SCALE command changes the size of the texture on the wall. The ROT one rotates the texture.
Sounds and Music - Tom Moore
1. Select your roombrush
2. Press Alt+Insert(the brush should turn purple)
3. Go to Tools>Build Room Database
4. Go into gamemode to hear footsteps
This also allows you to add ambient sounds.
*Note, you must do this to every room
Teleport Traps - G`Len
To use teleport traps, first place the teleport trap itself where you want the object to be teleported to (the size of the trap itself doesn't matter, only the co-ordinates). Then, create a switchlink between the trap to the item you wish to be teleported into it (for example, some item inside a so-called "Blue Room" which you want to appear inside your level "out of nowhere", which is actually "out-of-where-you-are-hiding-that-object") The final step is to create a switchlink (a hacklink might work; I haven't checked this yet), from a controller, another trap etc to the Teleport Trap. Once you activate that, the item is immidiately teleported to the teleport trap's location.
Sky - Tom Moore
1. Open Dromed
2. Go to the Editors Menu>Mission Parameters
3. Change the menu from stars to textures
4. In the command box type "load_sky sky" or "load_sky acid"
5. Then just go to the texture pallette and assign sky to brush.
ClimabilityYou can climb any object you like as though it were a ladder simply by altering the objects properties. In Physics -> Model -> Attricbutes, check off all of the climbable sides. And make the base friction 0. You should then be able to use it.
Replicators - G`Len
Building a functional replicator inside a ShockED level isn't that hard - except for the fact that only the upper parts of the Rep and the screen will appear. Use Rep Base (or Base Rep, I don't remember the actual name) and Rep Screen. The screen is actually only decorative. Also, place a generic marker where you want the replicated items to appear. Now, open the "properties" of the Rep Base. Add Gamesys -> Rep. Contents (look at any original Shock2 mission for item names) to create the menu and prices. Then add Gamesys -> Rep. Hack Contents (for menu and prices when hacked). Make sure that the replicator has the Gamesys -> HackDiff (hacking difficulty) parameter. Close the Properties window and open the "Links" window. Create a link, using the "Replicator" value from the Rep Base to the marker that you've created earlier. Once this is done, portalize and the replicator should work (if you have put the right names). Note that for the rest of the replicator's body you'll need to create some terrain brushes (or multibrush-copy them from an unstripped mission)
Infomation Computers - G`Len
InfoComps: Add -> Engine Features -> Frobinfo -> World: Scriprt (I think this is needed... but I am not sure) Add -> Obj -> HUD Use String: Training_Wheel_6 (I don't know exactly what this does, and it doesn't seem nescery. I've used the InfoComp sucessfully without this bit. Add -> Player -> Helptext (Select a number. The numbers refer to texts in the infocomp.str in the strings.crf.) Modify the CRF or create a "strings" directory under your primary Shock2 install directory and extract the file to there in order to change the texts).
Water - Thanos & JediK
Water isn't very tricky either. You can do water in any brush you want. Usually it's a square/rectangle. It works for sinks, bathtubs, pools, flooded areas. Remember in MedSci2 where the floor was flooded? That was one big brush. Anyway, you need your air brush for the room. Then make another one and position it however you want it to be flooded. Note: you may want the Length and Width to be slightly longer than the room itself. Set that brush to "fill flood". Portalize and go for a swim. FYI-Setting the brush to "fill water" will dissolve any other brush you have in the flooded zone.
Water Flow - Unknown
To use flow brushes, firstly click 'FLOW' (the bottom name next to create: object, room, light, etc)
Then drag a flow brush over the area which contains water, it doesnt matter how much it overlaps. Next click on 'edit group' which will have just shown up, change the texture now to 'BL' (without the quotes') for blue water, 'GR' for green water, 'L2' for laver type one, 'L3' for laver type two, or 'L4' for laver type three. Then press ok when you have done. U can have different types/colour of water in your level by having different groups. Changing the group to 2 for example will create a different group, which could be a different type of water to group 1. This means that when u have more than one flow brush in your level, selecting a different group means that each flow brush doesnt have to be set up indivdually.
But each group will be setup indivudally, and will save with your level. You can also make the water push you along by changing some of the other values, to different numbers.
Spawning AI - Lance
I have learned something about Spawning Monsters (in relation to Security Computer Consoles & Security Cameras) and thought I would share it with you. Hope it helps...
After playing around with the Spawn "Supply" figure in DirectMonsterGen>Spawn (at the bottom), I found out that this figure must relate to the strength of an encounter. (NOT THE DIRECT NUMBER OF CREATURES.) This may sound obvious, but I will explain further. I noticed that if I put in a figure of a multiple of four (or part of), I would spawn one OG-Pipe per four points per Spawn Marker that the DirectMonsterGen was linked to.
I only used the OG-Pipe monster in my "experiments", but guess that other monsters may have a higher figure (than 4) to equate to less encounters of that type (when randomly determined with more than one creature) for the same "Supply" figure.
But, I have also noticed (with help from G'len's info), that "Alert Min" and "Alert Max" within Ecology>Ecology may take priority over the maximum supply figure calculated in the spawn "Supply" figure above. (DOWNWARDS ONLY! You could not get more monsters than that calculated from the "Supply" figure in DirectMonsterGen - unless the "Supply" figure is 0 (zero), which I think means unlimited.) Because, when these figures are lower than the highest numbers of OG-Pipe that are potentially available (remember it may be different for different creatures and may alter this example altogether!), then these lower figures take priority.
An example may clarify this: I have worked out that OG-Pipe monster equates to 4 points. Therefore, if I put a figure of 16 in the "Supply" figure in DirectMonsterGen>Spawn, I will get (potentially) 16/4= 4 OG-Pipes PER MARKER that the DirectMonsterGen is linked to. So, if I had this linked to two SpawnMarkers, then a potential 4x2 = 8 OG-Pipes could be spawned. (Four from each Marker.) (NB: It may be that tougher monsters - with higher "points" would spawn less??? - If someone does experiment with this and works out the figures for other creatures, then please let us all know. 8>) )
However, continuing with the above example, if I had the "Alert Min" as 1 and the "Alert Max" as 2 (within Ecology>Ecology), then I would get a random figure of 2 - 4 monsters ... 1 or 2 monsters from each Marker. (NB: I tried making the Min & Max numbers the same to force a certain number, but it did not seem to work ... but then again, I may have forgotten to Portalise between each change ... which does appear to make a difference ... so do not foget to Portalise between each change!) So there you have it. Hours of fiddling around to hopefully give us some sort of clue to help with the type of Monster Spawning available. I have just a couple of questions of my own, related to the same thing...
1) The flags in Spawn (just above the "Supply" figure) - Any ideas? (When I removed the PopLimit tick - I think it was that one - all the monsters appeared to Generate in one go at one Marker!!!! In other words, when I had the test supply figure at 20, I got 5 OG-Pipe monsters appear at the Marker instantly the alarm went off. I have not experimented further with this yet. Let me know if any of you do...
2) "Period" in Ecology>Ecology - Any ideas? In my example above, I kept this to 1.00. I have yet to test it any other way.
3) Does anyone really know if EcoType or EcoState relate to anything in particular? I have stuck an EcoType:1 in Ecology>Script, but I reckon it would probably not change much if I took it out ... something to try later perhaps. One last thing, which may help to work out what is going on with all these variables (and work out what is going on) and that is to hit Alt-E and return to the editor after playing your level a bit and then examine the objects properties before reloading the level to work on again! I found out quite a few interesting things by doing this. One thing, which may need looking into by someone who has better knowledge, is EcoState added itself to either DirectMonsterGen or Ecology (I cannot remember which) as Ecostate:2. It may be related to the alarm going off, as I hit Alt-E and returned to the editor when the alarm was still sounding. As you can see there is plenty of areas to look into if anyone has got more time. I have made a start and now offer this onformation for what its worth, to those who may wish to add to what I have just gone through.
Leading AI's- HKPrince
Bad AIs in SS2 chase and hunt the player until one of them kill the other. Good and neutral AIs ignore the player, so it is quite difficult to interact with them. Some of us want to have team members in single player game FM, or have some NPC to work for us. To make an AI follow the player, AIFollowObj link is one of the solutions, AIWatchObj link is another.
You can simply add AIFollowObj link from the AI to the player, adjust the distances and angles in data menu of the link. Use distances of more than 4 to avoid the AI stepping on player's feet. Remember to compute pathfinding database so that the AI knows where to find the player. Then the AI fight for you and return to you after the battle. However, this is only an experiment of the link. You have no player object before game mode or real game, the link should be invalid. If you link the AI to The Player (-384), it will go to the starting location or level start marker. Is the link useless?
No, you can use a signal response to add the link from the AI to the player. Add AI->Response->Signal response to the AI, name the signal SwitchOn (don't try other name, otherwire you have to use AI signal trap to activate the signal response). On Response Step 1, select add link, enter AIFollowObj on Argument 1, player on Argument 2, AI's object number on Argument 3. Then add an once tripwire, add switchlink from the tripwire to the AI. When the player cross the tripwire, the AI will follow you everywhere. But you can't adjust the distances (I can't, may be someone can).
To make the AI stay away from you as a bodyguard, you can still use AIFollowObj link, this time link the AI to compass HUD (-3634). This object exists before the game and the AI chases compass HUD attached to the player in game. One problem of this is the AI looks for you once you enter game, they probably walk through doors to find you. Frozen or docile metaproperties can't stop them. So you may need to teleport the AI in the map if you want the player meets it later in game.
Another method is to use AIWatchObj link, add it from the AI to itself. Then in data menu, select Player intrusion on Watch kind, enter Trigger radius 40 and height 30, select Don't kill on Exit: Link kill option, then on Response Step 1, select Goto object, enter player on Argument 1. The AI will go to the player once it sees him. However, I can't adjust the distance of the AI from the player. (This method is actually suggested by ndru.)
Here is a demo FM:
AIfollow.zipLeading an AI to open a door We may want an AI to open a door for us, and the door can only be opened by the AI, so we use AIWatchObj link. Add the link from the AI to the door or an invisible button to the door or any object close to the door. In data menu, select Self entry on Watch kind, enter Trigger radius 8 and height 8 (depending how close you want to), select After completion on Exit: Link kill option, then on Response Step 1, select frob object, enter button's object number on Argument 1. Remember not to shut the door or let the AI die, otherwise I can't help you.
However, the results of my expts aren't very satisfactory and promsing. AI following the player with AIFollowobj link freezes after opening the door. To defrost the AI, remove the AIFollowobj link before or after frobing the button. Select Remove link on Step 1 or 2, enter AIFollowObj on Argument 1, enter player or compass HUD as you have chosen before on Argument 2, enter object number of the AI on Argument 3. Also AI following the player with AIWatchObj link seems to have some difficulties to find the button or door.
Here is a demo FM:
AIopendoor.zipGravshafts - Disenchanted
Here's my short tutorial/walkthrough on gravshafts which I have been wrestling with for the last few days. i compiled this with the help of those gone before me with special thanks to NoCoolAlias for giving me the last piece of the puzzle.
1.The SFX>Terrain FX>Gravshaft>your choice has no real bering on the gravshaft. this is the little white dots that float up, so depending on your arcitecture, you may not even want them. Try and use gravshaft 4 and gravshaft 8 as much as possible because the straight gravshaft must be hosted as far as I can see. It can not be resized by normal means.
2.A down gravshaft is a room brush with room>gravity%:20 added.
2.1 You will need to make a separate roombrush category for your gravshafts or all your rooms will have the same attributes as your gravshafts. Your first step should be to make a basic room, select it, hit create, add, enter a name you see fit ie. UGravshaft, ok, edit, now add the gravity. you will need a separate roombrush for the three gravshaft parts.
3.An up gravshaft is two room brushes. A room brush with room>gravity%:-10 added and a room brush placed at the stopping point with room>gravity%:0 added and s>script "ZeroGravRoom" added.
4.The ZeroGravRoom script will not work until you have run "script_load allobjs" through the command box. Untill you do this, you will fly into the zero grav sector (which does work), bounce off the roof down into the up gravity, and be shot back into the zero grav, repeat ad nausium.
5.Be careful with the placement of gravshafts. As the center of a room cannot be loated inside another room, you may have to do some fancy room brushing to get some configurations to work.
6.The gravshaft noise is an ambient noise tag. Create an ambient noise tag (marker>ambient snd) and add property A>AmbientHacked and type in the name of the gravshaft noise which you can find under schemas in the object heirarchy (schema>amb_sch>gravshaft_ip).
MFD's - Daxim
To make your own little custom pictures which appear in the MFD when you read logs, you need a decent graphic tool like Paint Shop Pro, MS Paintbrush won't be enough. Open your picture and promote it to true colour depth (24
bit=16,7 million colours). Replace the background homogenously with the colour RGB (52)(68)(84). This is the same background colour used as in polito.pcx and other original resource files in book.crf. I found that the erasor rubber tool suits this task best, as it does not smear at the edges like the brush tool does. Now calculate the proportion ratio of your picture. If it has a ratio of 0.690476, then you were lucky, because this is exactly the proportion we need (58 divided by 84). Scale your picture down to 58 by 84 pixels. If it has a ratio less than 0.690476, then your picture is too wide. Scale it down to x by 84 pixels. The x value is filled in automatically. Now cut away at the left and/or right side with the crop tool until your picture has a size of 58 by 84 pixels. If it has a ratio greater than 0.690476, then your picture is too tall. Scale it down to 58 by y pixels. The y value is filled in automatically. Now cut away at the upper and/or lower side with the crop tool until your picture has a size of 58 by 84 pixels. Your picture now has the right shape and size. To add those interference lines, you need to select the proper pixels first. Have a look at polito.pcx how it was done. How you have many different opportunities to change the colours of the selected pixels. The easiest way is to use the retouch tool, square-shaped, sized 100 pixels. Choose brighten RGB and apply it around 4 times to your selection, this depends on how bright your picture already is. Now you are finished. If you want to have the picture share the same palette as polito.pcx, retain the colour depth and save as .tga. Download
Bright and unzip.
Then type the command bright yourpic.tga yourpic.pcx -pal polito.pcx to make a .pcx file using the same palette as polito.pcx. This looks definitively ugly when your picture consists of many different pixels (e.g. photographs). If you want to use the picture as it is, reduce its colour depth (8 bit=256 colours) and save as .pcx.
Janice Polito, Althea Grossmann, Pook Garboshnik, Digital Nightfall, jim the hairy, h-son, Daxim
Making an Item stick to the wall - Unknown
Simply add Physics->Controls: location and rotation. And your item will stick to any wall.
Making Text Appear Onscreen - d0om
On screen with a nice black border: (Limited by the number LGS had as its script based.)
Strings.crf/chargen.str
YearText0:"Year 0"
YearText1:"Year 1" YearText0:"Year 2"
YearText0:"Year 3"
EarthText0:" 4 Years Earlier\nRamsey Recruitment Ctr."
To call them, use a switchlink ON to a marker with
script:earthtext for the earthtext, don't know how the other ones are called.
Just at Top:script:TrapMessage
script-->UseMessage:
strings.crf/usemsg.str
:"Text"
Trigger with a switchlink ON.
The script for the "year 1" type text is
"SetupInitialDebrief". It can be found on obj 111 in station.mis. So
use script:SetupInitialDebrief
Cloaking Turrets - raph
The turrets in this example would be hidden until the player walks in a trap that would trigger the whole mechanism.
To do the same for each turret, you have to create a hole in the ground first, a little bigger than the turret itself. It should be 7 units high. Also create a turret, a security door and a gravlift. Of course, you can make the cache anywhere you want. If you want the turret to be
hidden in a wall.
First resize the lift to make it fit with the hole.
Then press "floor me" and do the same with the turret. Be careful,
when you test the level the turret should appear as if it was on the lift, so
you may want it to be 0.5 higher than the lift (that's the size of my lift,
adapt to yours). Go in the turret properties and change the AI settings to "asleep"
"none" and "none". Open the script window and add
"StdDoor". Of course, don't remove "Turret". You'll also
have to change the object's mass (in the properties) and cut it down to 30 or
50 instead of 100,000. Once you have everything done, the turret should appear
as an offline turret. Now go in the lift properties and change the script from
"BaseElevator" to "StdDoor". Then add Door>translating
coordinates according to the size of the cache to both objects. I usually enter
a translating speed of 3.
Now we're gonna place the security door... Resize
it like you did with the lift. Place it horizontally at the top of the cache.
As always, create a little empty room so that the door doesn't disappear when
it opens, and adapt all the door properties to fit with its new dimensions. The
door speed in my levels is 6, twice as much as the turret's. For the test, you
will trigger the mechanism with a button, so create one and add a switchlink
and ~switchlink flavor from it to each of the three objects, the turret, the
lift, and the door.
Without even testing, you'll realize now that the
turret will have to "wait" until the door opens completely before
going up. That's why I wanted the cache to be bigger than the turret. In fact,
as the door opens, the turret will start to go up, but if you manage to make it
go slow enough, you'll have your special effect anyway. When the turret goes
down, the door usually waits automatically before closing. If it doesn't, add a
timer duration factor to the door.
Portalize, save and test your turrets until you
find the solution best adapted to your level. Of course, for the trial, you
have disabled the turrets, so they don't shoot you down (even if you can't be
shot). If you try with an active turret it will open, and be taller than
before, so all the settings will have to be changed. There should be enough
room in the cache for an open turret though. Test and change the settings until
you have what you wanted.
Now you want the player to trigger the hidden
mechanism but as a trap. The button you used to test the turrets will actually
be out of reach in a "real" level. I tried a door tripwire but the
turret would automatically go down after a couple of seconds. I had a look in
the trap section and found exactly what I wanted. A Floor Egg tripwire. Create
one (I think it's Tripwire>Once tripwire>Floor Egg tripwire) and place it
where you want the player to trigger the whole thing. Link the tripwire to the
three objects (or six, if you have two turrets) but with a "switchlink"
only. (the Security Station nearby will have the switchlink/ ~switchlink
button.)
Now portalize, save and go in game mode. The turret
should "detect" you as soon as you step in to the tripwire. If you
change the AI back to "Alert" or something, it should open as soon as
it sees you. The tripwire disappears as soon as it is used, so the turret will
actually act as it would in real life: if you're too close, it will open, but
as soon as you switch them off, you have control.
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