Random buildings at random location for total randomness

Fearlezz

L10: Glamorous Member
May 4, 2008
787
476
Alright, so I had a idea a while back after playing some random L4D games. Wouldnt it be cool if you could put random buildings at random spawn points in hammer? I actually think this is possible. Perhaps not the best idea for 100% serious maps. But it would be cool, see something new each time. So how would this work?

You ofcourse have a set of premade buildings, lets say just simple ones. Then perhaps put out info_targets at spawn points for these. Maybe use logic_case to randomise, or I dunno. Perhaps something with point_template would make this work?

It's all very experimetal, but if someone can make this work then please tell me. Im very interested in this.
 
Jan 31, 2008
555
1,482
Optimization wouldn't really be possible, and every building will have the exact same shading on them. It won't look too good.
 

zornor

L4: Comfortable Member
Jan 14, 2009
195
23
What ace said. What I suggest you do is not put any lights on the map but think of some weird excuse to make it look good while fullbright is on. now that's up to you because i can't think of anything that would make it look good.
 

Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
I've done this for a not release arena map. But func_wall and prop_dynamic have to many disadvantages.

A lot more then already mentioned here...
 
Oct 6, 2008
1,947
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Hope this helps - it's mostly from memory and my old CS days - I know that it's somewhere on the web (that's where I found it originally) and it was desighed for CS1.6 but it may give you a head start.

How to make things random, with out them being random - sort of:

Make a Box - tie it to an entity - i.e. Function wall (with the new trigger sequences we have, it might be a lot easier) call it a name like round 1

Repeat call it round 2, etc etc - then sequence your rounds, 1,2,3 - and the boxes should appear in the rounds as played thus giving the impression that you are playing a random map. - you could do the same thing for doors too.

Now warp it into TF2 - keeping with the same type of idea , you could do the same with triggers, player passes point A - door a opens new door b closes behind him - next player coming along finds door closed - has to go another way. Player A passes point B - opens door for player B - Player B press a button in the teleporter lab bridge appears somewhere else in the map - but he can/can't see it.....

Well you get what I mean, it becomes a coding monster but you could do it with whatever you like and the fun part is because everyone is running around doing all kinds of stuff the gamepaly then becomes totally random - just make sure you don't teleport some dude into a rock or something - although it would knid of be funny to teleport some dude or group of dudes off the last cap point 1/2 a sec from them capping it - LOL
 

Spike

L10: Glamorous Member
Feb 13, 2008
716
82
Kill the bug is right, there were maps that changed the layout each round for CS 1.6.

You could do the building thing with models, it won't be too expensive for the engine, and the setting of random buildings is very easy using a logic_case entity
 

UKCS-Alias

Mann vs Machine... or... Mapper vs Meta?
aa
Sep 8, 2008
1,264
816
They dont just do that in 1.6, cs_havana (a valve map!) also has that it changes each round even though it are only doors (the server i play on however has that turned off as for 64 players all doors better be open).

However, its not realy impossible to make it all look good. of course, you arent forced to place the same building everywhere. You can even have 20 buildings outside the map while still giving them the correct lighting by simulating the lights that go on them. And then spawning those in the map. So fullbright realy isnt needed. The downside however is that this way brings you to the entity limit alot faster and optimizing is a pain.

The most easy way is however to do the havana way by simply closing some doors and opening other ones. It also makes it easier for newbies to understand the map as they only see limited changes. Fully random buildings could make the map confusing which isnt that good in TF2 maps (For CSS fun maps this is fine but for any serious maps people have to understand it fast enough). And ofcourse, instead of just doing doors you can do complete wall sections. But most important, dont forget to use area portals in that case as when a door/wall is locked you might want to close the area portal with it to optimize the map.