propelling players in a water pipe

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
i've searched the whole forum and googled. cant find anything on this except for the guess im going to post below.

basically want to be able to create a water tubes liek the one in WELL where oyu trigger the hatch to open and jump in, but i want to be able to propel the player forward through the pipe.

the closest thing i could think of is perhaps using somethign ive never tried before: trigger_wind.

does anyone know how i could simulate the above scenario AND whether you do or not do you know if my guess would work as a solution?
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
func_push - all the values you need to give it are pretty straight forwards, like a direction and a force.
 

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
thanks guys. the link to that item slipped under my nose while looking thru the func_push page on the VDC.

but yeah, now that i read it, i noticed that it pushes on on impact which leaves me with two potential problems:

placing the trigger just inside the valve door might potentially push the person back out before he has a chance to enter the pipe and have the trigger push him inside.

if my pipe changes directions [probably not, but could be 90degrees] will the force take me around. i.e. is it a constant force or a one time "hit"?
 

Sgt Frag

L14: Epic Member
May 20, 2008
1,443
710
Couple things to watch for.

First just put the brushes exactly where you want them. They only push one way, so if you have one inside the door it will only push the player out if the push is in that direction.

To change directions just put another push brush at that spot, change the direction on it.

You can propel the player through an intricate maze if you want.

The player MUST jump or fall into it. If you just walk in nothing will happen, feet must leave the ground.
Might be possible to fake an elevator floor that moves 1-4 units FAST and leaves the player in the air???

The trig will also push rockets. You if the push brushes go around corners your rockets will too. In fact they get pushed so they can go really fast. I don't know a way around it, there might be a filter.
 

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
Couple things to watch for.

First just put the brushes exactly where you want them. They only push one way, so if you have one inside the door it will only push the player out if the push is in that direction.

To change directions just put another push brush at that spot, change the direction on it.

You can propel the player through an intricate maze if you want.

The player MUST jump or fall into it. If you just walk in nothing will happen, feet must leave the ground.
Might be possible to fake an elevator floor that moves 1-4 units FAST and leaves the player in the air???

The trig will also push rockets. You if the push brushes go around corners your rockets will too. In fact they get pushed so they can go really fast. I don't know a way around it, there might be a filter.

wow! lots of thanks for that sgt!
 

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
I've connected a series of pipes [sewer_pipe 1 & 2 from WELL] and thrown in a bunch of trigger_push every other pipe to keep the player moving along.


pipe-diagram.jpg



PROBLEMS:

1- I get jammed at the angle despite me placing a trigger changing the direction. I've even tried moving the trigger brush back a bit so that it doesn't start too early and I crash into the inside turn.

2- I sometimes get stopped on the inside of the STRAIGHT pipes somewhere despite me lining them up perfectly. This may have something to do with feet touching the ground

Do I have to resort to extensive clip brushes? or is there something basic I'm overlooking?

Will clip brushes prevent the player from touching the "ground" and therefore let the trigger activate? [a condition of trigger_push is that the player is jumping or falling through it. i.e. not touching the ground]
 
Last edited:

Vincent

&#128296 Grandmaster Lizard Wizard Jedi &#128296
aa
Sep 5, 2009
912
684
If the player is making a walk animation, that counts as being on the ground. Whether its a clip or otherwise, so the trigger_push won't work if you're "walking" on an invisible clip. You have to be making the fall animation, jump animation, what have you. Clipping and smoothing out the area you get stuck on with some player clips should work if used correctly.

Keep in mind a lot of trigger pushes being used in this way works (obviously), but just get ready for a lot of work clipping everything out. A few screenshots would help us figure out what exactly you're trying to do. I might be able to help.
 

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
If the player is making a walk animation, that counts as being on the ground. Whether its a clip or otherwise, so the trigger_push won't work if you're "walking" on an invisible clip. You have to be making the fall animation, jump animation, what have you. Clipping and smoothing out the area you get stuck on with some player clips should work if used correctly.

Keep in mind a lot of trigger pushes being used in this way works (obviously), but just get ready for a lot of work clipping everything out. A few screenshots would help us figure out what exactly you're trying to do. I might be able to help.

Thanks Vincent.

You're saying trigger push is being used often to do exactly what I'm doing [proppeling players through pipes and around bends], so it SHOULD work right?

I just need to do it properly, is that it?

I'll post clips this evening when I'm home.

It might be that I'm having trouble keeping the player up. Maybe a few trigger_push brushes here and there with an upward direction???
 

Vincent

&#128296 Grandmaster Lizard Wizard Jedi &#128296
aa
Sep 5, 2009
912
684
[O];251218 said:
You're saying trigger push is being used often to do exactly what I'm doing [proppeling players through pipes and around bends], so it SHOULD work right?

Well, not exactly. I meant that the way you're using the trigger pushes should work. It's just a matter of clipping properly and placing the trigger pushes correctly.
 

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
Well, not exactly. I meant that the way you're using the trigger pushes should work. It's just a matter of clipping properly and placing the trigger pushes correctly.


Here is a shot in hammer so you see the latest with what I've done with the trigger brushes. I've pulle dthe whole system out of where its supposed ot be on the map jsut so i can test.

Untitled-1.jpg


I've layed down a layer of brushes end to end inside the pip that takes me in the direction of the pipes.

I made a second layer below that of trigger brushes also end to end but this time with the direction UP. I've made sure that it sticks into the the pipe so that the player doesnt have a chance to touch the pipe with his feet.

I guess he is skipping through the pipe like a stone does on water.
 

lukeme99

L1: Registered
Jun 3, 2011
19
0
[O];251260 said:
Here is a shot in hammer so you see the latest with what I've done with the trigger brushes. I've pulle dthe whole system out of where its supposed ot be on the map jsut so i can test.

Untitled-1.jpg


I've layed down a layer of brushes end to end inside the pip that takes me in the direction of the pipes.

I made a second layer below that of trigger brushes also end to end but this time with the direction UP. I've made sure that it sticks into the the pipe so that the player doesnt have a chance to touch the pipe with his feet.

I guess he is skipping through the pipe like a stone does on water.

I envy you right now, because you can actually use your hammer, but mine crashes almost all the time! Feel lucky.
 

[O]

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
121
27
[O];251260 said:
Here is a shot in hammer so you see the latest with what I've done with the trigger brushes. I've pulle dthe whole system out of where its supposed ot be on the map jsut so i can test.

Untitled-1.jpg


I've layed down a layer of brushes end to end inside the pip that takes me in the direction of the pipes.

I made a second layer below that of trigger brushes also end to end but this time with the direction UP. I've made sure that it sticks into the the pipe so that the player doesnt have a chance to touch the pipe with his feet.

I guess he is skipping through the pipe like a stone does on water.

Ok so I've solved the problems.

I now have a pipe system that changes directions and drops and climbs where a player is propelled through without getting killed.

In the previous post I had a system of trigger_push. A line of them below tthe player pushing him up [in order for trigger_push to work you need to be constantly freefalling/jumping] and a line of them within the tube pushing the player constantly forward.

That was fine except that I kept getting stuck in places because of the vphysics of the pipe props.

Someone in the steam group chat told me to just make rectangular pipes out of brushes and texture them, leaving just the ends as actual props.

Great idea except that I like the visual of the prop so what I did was make clip brushes all around while making the props non-solid :)

Now, not only do players not get snagged but there is no damage.