Newbie question

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Destskelen

L1: Registered
Jul 30, 2018
19
0
Hi guys!

I want to ask a question - what is the difference between prop_dynamic and prop_static?

And when you add items to the map, what is better to use?
 

Wyvern

Certified TF2 Cartographer
Feb 16, 2018
105
152
Prop static’s are used for objects that will not move(I.e static), while prop dynamics are props that are animated(I.e dynamic)
Both are good for certain situations, but the main question you have to ask yourself when choosing one or the other is “do I want this prop to move?”
 

Aapelikaeki

L3: Member
Feb 24, 2018
148
135
Think of prop_static as the basic one you're gonna use 99% of the time.
prop_dynamic is for moving doors, color changing lights etc...
 
P

Prosciutto

Prop dynamic can also be used for props to animate like one of the chimney props that rotate
 

Dead Plant

L1: Registered
Sep 27, 2018
16
5
Most props should be static, but if you have a prop that isn't showing up when you test the map in-game, set it to prop_dynamic_override.
 

henke37

aa
Sep 23, 2011
2,075
515
Static props don't consume any entdicts, since they can't change. You only get a thousand or so entdicts for the entire map to share, and the players themselves eat into that budget.

Dynamic props can move, animate, use realtime lightning, change skin, play audio and participate in entity parenting. Static props support lightmap lightning and vertex lightning while dynamic props only do a single point worth of lightning.
 

Wyvern

Certified TF2 Cartographer
Feb 16, 2018
105
152
The main point:

Prop_static: does NOT move (examples: trees, crates, rocks)

Prop_dynamic: DOES move (examples: trains, saws, etc.)
 

Da Spud Lord

Occasionally I make maps
aa
Mar 23, 2017
1,339
994
Most props should be static, but if you have a prop that isn't showing up when you test the map in-game, set it to prop_dynamic_override.
This is a dangerously simplistic explanation. Prop_dynamic_override is meant to be used to turn physics props that don't natively support prop_dynamic into a dynamic, non-physics prop. Let me explain.

Some models do not work as certain prop types. As others have adequately explained, there are three main possible prop types: static, dynamic, and physics, all represented by the entity classes prop_static, prop_dynamic, and prop_physics, respectively. Static props never move and are the cheapest for the engine to handle (and as such are the most frequently used). Dynamic props can be named, moved in simple ways (primarily by being parented to another entity), and animated, and are more expensive than static props. Physics props act as physics objects (ie they can be knocked around, broken, and/or are otherwise subject to the laws of physics as they could best be recreated in the Source engine), and resultantly are the most expensive.

In the model browser, under the "Info" tab, you should be able to see what prop types are supported by the specified model (you may have to resize the model browser window to see the tab, though):
upload_2019-1-7_19-44-34.png
As you can see, this shipping container model supports being used as either a static or dynamic prop, but not as a physics prop.

Luckily, there are also two additional options you have when deciding your prop's class that help us solve this problem somewhat. They don't really qualify as their own prop types as they're based on existing prop types. These are prop_dynamic_override and prop_physics_override (there is no such thing as prop_static_override). These allow you to take a prop that is not designed for the corresponding prop type and use it as that prop type. Prop_physics_override will turn a dynamic prop into a physics prop. So, for example, if you wanted to use the above shipping crate model as a physics prop, you would need to make it prop_physics_override. As you can guess, prop_dynamic_override will turn a physics prop into a dynamic prop. This isn't something that you'll use often, as most of the time you should be using prop_static, and almost every model in TF2 supports being used as a dynamic prop, but there are a few, like props_farm\wooden_barrel.mdl, that can't be used as an ordinary dynamic prop.
 
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henke37

aa
Sep 23, 2011
2,075
515
To add on to the dynamic vs physics debate: it's all about valve not trusting map authors. They want a consistent gameplay experience with players being able to predict if props are physics objects or not. As the override classes show, there is little technical reason to block props from being used "the wrong way". At worst there are a few physics keyvalues missing.