On Repeating Outputs and the Like (Solved, prefab DL!)

[Ian_Suffix]

Even after nearly a thousand hours using Hammer, sometimes the most simple of things can stump me. Gentlemen (and whatever ladies are involved in mapping), I require a way to loop an output so that I can essentially alternate between three phases of sprites every .5 seconds. I thought it would be easy: I got myself a logic_timer, set its Refire Interval to 0.5, and hoped for the best. I was pleased when my debug gametext came up and said "Added 1," but after five seconds of waiting for it to return, I became very unpleased. It should go without saying that none of my outputs are marked "fire only once."

So! Do any of you, particularly |3eeron, have a working prototype or knowledge to shed on this subject in general? I'm open to solutions that do not require a logic_timer; I merely need to use a math_counter ever 0.5 or so seconds.

This topic is of vital importance to me, as I intend to use it to make both Camping Trip and Cayenne Mountain easier to navigate.

[Greebo]

I can't check hammer right now (about to head to work), but it may be that the logic timer needs to be triggered by something.

I'll have a look when I get home this evening and see what I find out. (I have a prototype dod:source map that had a tank moving forwards and firing randomly, with an explosion happening a half second or so after that in the distance

[Boss Llama]

Well, one way I can think of would be as follows...

Assume the sprites are called env_sprite_1, 2, and 3
Start with all of their "Start on" flags disabled

Set up a logic_auto with:
"OnMultiNewRound env_sprite_1 ToggleSprite"
"OnMultiNewRound env_sprite_1 FireUser1"

Have env_sprite_1 have:
"OnUser1 env_sprite_2 ToggleSprite 0.5"
"OnUser1 env_sprite_2 FireUser1 0.5"
"OnUser1 env_sprite_1 ToggleSprite 0.5"

Have env_sprite_2 have:
"OnTrigger env_sprite_3 ToggleSprite 0.5"
"OnUser1 env_sprite_3 FireUser1 0.5"
"OnTrigger env_sprite_2 ToggleSprite 0.5"

Have env_sprite_3 have:
"OnTrigger env_sprite_1 ToggleSprite 0.5"
"OnUser1 env_sprite_1 FireUser1 0.5"
"OnTrigger env_sprite_3 ToggleSprite 0.5"


I don't have any great experience with sprites, but as far as outputs go, that should create a relay where starting a new round triggers an endless loop of each sprite toggling on, waiting half a second, then toggling off and telling the next one to turn on.

[Ian_Suffix]

Ah, that would probably work, Alizée Fan, if I didn't want to pause the sequence of sprites on a certain event. With a non-sleepy mind today, I'll try some various solutions. If I come up with it, I'll prefab it as thanks.

UPDATE: At Beeron's recommendation (or interpretation of his recommendation?) I split the timer into three 1.5 second timers and enabled them one by one with an offset of 0.5 seconds. And PRESTO! It works! I'm not sure why it wouldn't loop before, but I'm not going to question it at this point. I'll make a prefab out of what I have now and then finish up everything else I required.

The landing lights prefab
I'll upload this to FPSBanana once I'm done with my own maps that will use it. A sort of patent protection, if you will.

[Boss Llama]

Cool looking piece, glad to hear you got it working

So you're aware, the entity "blue_landing_light_timer" that both the logic_relays need isn't included in the prefab, so the lights don't change with the presently uploaded version

[Ian_Suffix]

Hmm?! That's odd, I know I tested this and had it working... Now loading Hammer.

...I must have fixed it before wrapping up the color-changers. Well, I guess I'll go change and reupload that prefab after I'm done with my publishing work.

[Dog]

Code: Select all

CreateTimer(0.5, InvokeSpriteCode, _, TIMER_REPEAT);

[Ian_Suffix]

Oh, sure, Dog, like anything could be that easy.

I discovered what was probably missing was the logic_auto it uses. I generally only use one logic_auto per map, but it might not be a problem to have two. In any case, I've tested this version. (DL)