changing targets

ok, ive got a setup of 4 env_beams all of them start from the same info_target, and end at 4 specified other info_target ents, what im trying to do is get these env_beam ents to follow some rotating objects, somewhat like in the testing lab of HL SP. what im confused about is how to change only the "end_target" setting of the env_beams, will the change_target work for this? i fear it may change its "start_target" too, if it owrks at all.

Hmm, I'm not sure about changeing the target, but if you were to make these rotating objects into tracktrains or just trains, you could then make them the stop targets and the beams will fallow them around. I believe this is how the effect was acheived in HL SP, and I've employed it a few times myself.

Hope this helps.

ok, here is my problem with that method...while it would work for some, i however have 4 moving objects(complete with arms, 1 a piece) rotating around a center object as a func_rotating, so if i were to turn these rotating objects into trains or such how would i change there orientation so the arms would appear to stay attached to the center object

hope this doesnt confuse...ive never been good at explainning my mapping ideas...lol

btw, thnx for the idea, i will attempt to utilize it.

if you use a tracktrain the orientation changes as you want, but you'd have to use allot of path_track ents in order to make it a smooth motion.

alternatly, you can use small invisable tracktrains as the targets and use the func_rotating as the visable part. that way, there might be a bit of wiggle in the beam positions, but everything would rotate properly. this is probably the best sulution, but it might be hard to match velocities. look up the relationship between angular and linear velocity in a  physics book.

great, well ive set it up so that the rotating objects are now tracktrains, and the arms are just func_rotating, hopefully the speeds are on the same level :wink:

ok, now that im using tracktrains, what do all the keys do? distance from wheels??? there are no wheels, and another things, will the trains stop at there path_track points? or will they keep going on threw to the next path_track? uhg...so much my head is gonna explode...this is what i get for fookin with ents...lol

the # of ents are climbing...sure hope this will be playable :rolleyes:

again, thnx for the help...

UPDATE: i just checked my compile, ok everything worked except the speeds between the tracktrains, and there arms (func_rotating) ill have to fook around with that to get it right...thank you so much TB

Glad I could be of some help.

I'm not sure about all of the keys. I think distance between wheels has to do with altering how it yaws when going around corners if you have that enabled. it won't stop at path_corners unless you specify that it should (a path_corner property).

You might ask gollum about ent limits. I've never come close.

Sinner_D said:
the # of ents are climbing...sure hope this will be playable :rolleyes:

How many do you have?  My map has about 770 entities (after initial killtarget culls), and appears to be stable.  When I was using around 880 entities it was not quite stable and would not load in singleplayer.

BTW tracktrains are not a good item to try syncing anything with - they never quite follow their paths :sad:   Trains do, but they won't auto-orient.