corkscrew track

i need help modeling a train track that goes in a corkscrew pattern, im making a map in which u can ride a rollercoaster and though its not needed, it would be a cool feature. i have made plenty of maps and trains but never a corkscrew design befor. thank you for your time, any help or input is appreciated.

Uh...how would you keep the player in the vehicle? :razz:

Use the arch tool (if it still exists) and "add height" field to get helical geometry.

I think by corkscrew he means it's going straight, and then it spirals while still pointing forward, inverting the vehicle. For example...

It's still a helix. All that matters is how big you make it, and where you put the 'path_track's I do see your point about keeping players in though...

I think the real question here is can you get a func_train or func_tracktrain or whatever to rotate on something besides the z-axis.

Hmm...it looks like it's possible, if you set the Pitch Yaw Roll of the path_corner, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll work in game...

as far as i can tell, vehicles can be inverted and keep the player in.
i managed to flip the boat and i didnt get flung from it... so it seems
to me this would work.

hey thanks for all the input. The vehicle going down the track is a pod, so the player shouldnt fall out. Also i got the arch tool to get the corkscrew shape but it is made up of blocks. Do i need a rail shape for it to work, or will the arch tools blocked out version work?

Another question, can i make hl1 maps in hl2's hammer? because there is a lot more that u can do with the hl2 hammer.

Again thanks for your time and snarkpit is amazing, my mapping ability has risen so much in the last few days with it.

hey thanks for all the input. The vehicle going down the
track is a pod, so the player shouldnt fall out. Also i got the arch
tool to get the corkscrew shape but it is made up of blocks. Do i need
a rail shape for it to work, or will the arch tools blocked out version
work?

Another question, can i make hl1 maps in hl2's hammer? because there is a lot more that u can do with the hl2 hammer.

Again thanks for your time and snarkpit is amazing, my mapping ability has risen so much in the last few days with it.

It's highly unlikely that you can make HL1 maps in the new hammer, as
the file type is different. Even if you could, you wouldn't be able to
use most of the new features, as they aren't supported with the HL1
engine.

Regarding your corkscrew question, I don't think it's possible to move
the player in the way that a corkscrew requires. By all means give it a
shot, but don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out.

You gave me the silliest picture in my head of people riding down a massive ramp in a trolley :razz:

I guess you could try it using physics entities, and using a push-type entity to force it where you want it to go. maybe some kind of cage-ball would be fun to try :biggrin: Man, you're giving me all sorts of crazy ideas! Good topic! :smile:

Was just looking around the options and apparently it is possible to
make HL1 maps. Go to Tools > Options and there's a box that says
'map type'. You can select 'Halilife/TFC' form the drop down menu.

Surely with the HL2 uberPhysics (TM), you can make a real constraints based rollercoaster. You should be able to make something that is attatched to a track with a low friction linkage, then winch it up to a height, and let it slide down a track of whatever path you like?

I wasn't clear with I meant, sorry. I believe actually making the
player rotate would be the problem rather than the roller coaster or
pod.

As somebody said though, you can flip the vehicles and you go upside down inside them. So if you make a vehicle that is attatched to the track that the player gets into, it should all work out ok :smile:

o yea and i realised there is no more func_friction, but in half life sp, there was, "the part with the barnacles in the sewer".