Clipping and rotating a bit of a issue

ToxicFire

L1: Registered
Jan 22, 2009
5
0
Im currently working on a payload map that has a rotating turntable as part of the track set-up, currently using a momentary_rot_button brush entity as the actual turn table to give me the level of control. This is also parent of the track model (not really relevant just giving full picture) and the func_tracktrain brush once it reaches the path_track in the center of the turntable and triggers the rotation, clearing the parent from the tracktrain when rotation is complete.

This all currently works pretty well how ever I have a bit of an issue with the clipping of the tracktrain brush during the rotation while its parent is the turntable, players close to the tracktrain tend to get stuck on the brush (I've looked at other rotating brush posts and know this isn't exactly a unique issue but none of the solutions really apply also).

I've gone through a number of iterations attempting to solve this

1st: Created a cylindrical invisible clip brush to cover the entire area that any point of the brush could rotate through which was triggered on when the tracktrain passed a point on the edge of the turntable, turned off when the rotation was complete. This worked ok but snag was if someone was at the front of the tracktrain brush when the two brushes collided they'd get forced inside the one and stuck.

2nd: Replaced the cylindrical clip brush with a trigger_push brush, again sorta worked but would occasionally push ppl onto the tracktrain brush where they'd get stuck, and ppl at the front of the tracktrain when the rotation started would get stuck on the tracktrain again.

3rd: (Current) I cleaved the trigger_push brush down into about 8 equal segments gave each piece a direction all facing away from the centre point of the turntable, these are turned on when the tracktrain crosses the pathtrack at the outer boundary of the turntable, secondly once the tracktrain reached the centre of the turntable it triggers a brush as in the first solution (a little smaller than the radius covered by the push brushes) then turns off the push brushes, finally turning off the cylindrical clip brush when the rotation is complete.

The 3rd solution is workable atm it solves the initial problem of getting stuck on the tracktrain brush, however it feels a little level breaking with a huge invisible wall there at points and the trigger push force level required to clear players from the area in a decent amount of time has the side effect of throwing players an unreasonable distance away from the turntable, making pushing the cart to the centre point a bit of a challenge like suicide tapping the cart in at the end of a hard fought payload round.

Other things I've considered, turning off or in anyway disabling then re-enabling the tracktrain brush, but I ruled that out early on because its quite likely that going to run into the issue of someone been inside the brush when its enable and then getting stuck.

Think that's all of it, sorry if its a bit wall of text, I tried to break it down decently, thanks for taking the time to read and thanks for any suggestions and advice in advance.

P.S.

If anyone's also got a suggestion on how set the next path in a path track on the fly (yes im aware of alternate path, but this only limits you to two choice's of next path) It would be much appreciated.
 
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Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
AddOutput (only use if you have some experience) Check the dev wiki, because you really must know what you're doing when using AddOutput!
 

ToxicFire

L1: Registered
Jan 22, 2009
5
0
AddOutput (only use if you have some experience) Check the dev wiki, because you really must know what you're doing when using AddOutput!

Assuming u meant that in reference to the changing the nextpath value on path_tracks. I'll look into that thanks

Edit:

On quick search through the valve dev wiki can't seem to find anything specific on using AddOutput if you could point me in the direction of some reading material would be much appreciated.
 
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A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
aa
Nov 2, 2007
4,775
7,669
AddOutput is an input on pretty much any entity. Look one up and check the inputs sections. Aside from performing it's namesake, it can rewrite keyvalues. However this may or may not work in the path_track's case, as I've toyed with AddOutput pretty extensively and what keyvalues can and cannot be altered at run time is inconsistent.

For the rotation problem, I had done something almost exactly like your situation and there were no issues of that sort, albeit in the end I had to forgo using parenting because of the unique situation I had.
I think there is some other issue causing the players to get stuck in the same way they can get stuck in the payload while it's traveling normally if not properly set up. What material is the f_tt textured with? What are it's and the cart prop's collision settings?
 

ToxicFire

L1: Registered
Jan 22, 2009
5
0
For the rotation problem, I had done something almost exactly like your situation and there were no issues of that sort, albeit in the end I had to forgo using parenting because of the unique situation I had.
I think there is some other issue causing the players to get stuck in the same way they can get stuck in the payload while it's traveling normally if not properly set up. What material is the f_tt textured with? What are it's and the cart prop's collision settings?
the payload was built based off the standard valve dev wiki tutorial for reference, textured with tools/toolsclip,
all the settings for the model and f_tt are the same as specified in the tutorial.
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/TF2/Creating_a_Payload_Map

Don't think i've encountered this payload getting players stuck on turns anywhere else on the track (and there's some almost 90 degree turns at points just basic test track atm) just on the turn table
 

Vigilante212

L420: High Member
Dec 21, 2008
481
33
Yea TF2 and rotating objects dont mix well. You could have it set to give a warning sound for 10 seconds for people to clear the turntable until its finished rotating.
 

ToxicFire

L1: Registered
Jan 22, 2009
5
0
Yea TF2 and rotating objects dont mix well. You could have it set to give a warning sound for 10 seconds for people to clear the turntable until its finished rotating.

Aye in an ideal world that would work, but alas most of the time you have to follow the number 1 universal design rule, assume everyone's an utter idiot until proven otherwise. :D
 

ToxicFire

L1: Registered
Jan 22, 2009
5
0
Just use func_door_rotating instead.
I think it's easier to set up

mrb is used rather than that or any other rotating brush solution because it needs the ability to accept the destination angle as an input... unfortunately door_rot lacks that even attempting to set it via addoutput. The turntable itself works fine, the only issue is with the clipping of the tracktrain while its parented to it and rotating.