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copy interconnected entities
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 Re: copy interconnected entities
Posted by mazemaster on Sun Jan 2nd at 6:32am 2005

Some of you guys here are resident HL2 entity experts so hopefully someone know about this. (I think its possible with something in hl2 but im not sure)

Is it possible to copy a group of interconnected entities, but have hammre automatically update their properties so that the copy works independantly from the origional?

For example, suppose i am making a house with windows. Each window has some surrounding brush geometry, a window model, a windowpane brush, two env_cubemaps, and a func_areaportalwindow. These entities are interconnected in the following ways:
(1) The window model is set to break the windopane when it breaks.
(2) The func_areaportal is set to render the windowpane when you are far away.
(3) The env_cubemaps are set to point to the faces of the windowpane.

Now, that is a semi-complicated setup. The basic question is, suppose i want to put 15 of those windows on a house. If I just straight copied them the names/targets/etc for the second window would be the same as the first and so it wouldnt work. How could correctly copy them witout renaming all of the entities each time? [addsig]



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 Re: copy interconnected entities
Posted by Rof on Sun Jan 2nd at 7:24am 2005

You could use a point_template to make a copy of a functioning set of those entities (you'll need to enter each entity under one of its "Template XX" fields), and then spawn them in the right places with a set of env_entity_makers (set to spawn only once).

If you don't set the point_template's "Preserve entity name" spawnflag, each spawned set will have unique names created.

However, you'll have to be very careful with the position of the env_entity_maker to make sure the brush-based entities spawn in the right locations. I'm also not sure about the cubemaps - I think they won't work. Perhaps put the cubemaps manually in position near each window.




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 Re: copy interconnected entities
Posted by mazemaster on Sun Jan 2nd at 8:44am 2005

Thanks! I'll give that a try. [addsig]




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