Contraption tips
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Latest revision as of 15:15, 16 November 2011
Contents |
General Tips
When building a contraption just do not rush, take a lot of time on your welds. When using PHX models you will see that the texture is a very good welding template.
Remember that holding SHIFT+E while physgunning your props makes them rotate to set angles. Use this in combination with easy-weld to result in a perfectly aligned (straight and stable) contraption!
Quality
- Don't rush when building a structure or contraption, you might not like the results and find yourself starting back at square one.
- Carefully align your props if you plan on demonstrating where quality and performance is key.
- If you aren't good at free-hand aligning, you might like option three of the "Easy Precision" tool. It allows you to move one prop to another precisely - no questions asked. Just make sure you have them lined up in the right axis (for the best results, you should have it parallel with the target.)
- Test your contraptions before a large unveiling. Make sure you get everything correct down to the last detail or you could be the new laughing stock of the server. Play it safe!
Measurements
- If you need to measure something, there are many useful measurements on the Valve developer Wiki here.
- A good way to get a quick measurement is by using a measuring STOOL or SWEP. You can find these at the Garrysmod.org site.
When using PHX props or any other props with patterns in their texture (use any mark you wish and measure up to the next area you see that same mark basically)
Hydraulics
- If you build a base and decide to put in an elevator to the 2nd floor, the elevator will most likely spazz way out and probably kill some people in the process. This is easily solved by making the elevator platform and prop it is connected to level, as it is easy to make them slanted by accident if you are mass duplicating. Use the Shift E function to make both pieces aligned perfectly, then connect them using hydraulics.
- If making an elevator with hydraulics, and it wobbles excessively, you can add some more hydraulics (or add some sliders); this makes the elevator more stable. Increasing the weight on the props also makes it a lot more stable.
Hoverballs
- The Air Resistance toggle is a very useful tool. When building flying contraptions with thrusters, hoverballs, and cameras; air resistance makes the contraption lose momentum. A good setting is 2.5, it is moderately versatile and yet still stops well.
- When dealing with heavy props and hoverballs, it is a good idea to toggle gravity on the prop using the physical properties tool. Now you don't have to use too many hoverballs.
Welds
Welding Tips
- Welding light object to the heavy object will create a stable weld if you use heavy as the base and a really wobbly weld if done otherwise.
- Welding multiple objects to a single base produces much more stable welds rather than welding them to each other.
- Welds are often wobbly by themselves but if you add ropes they will be more sturdy.
Snapping (Grid)
- gm_snaptogrid 1/0 enables/disables props snapping to a grid. gm_gridsize controls the size of this grid.
- gm_snapdegrees controls the snap size when rotating a prop. The default is 45.
- To increase accuracy, you can get the latest version of SmartSnap here http://www.facepunch.com/threads/322155-SmartSnap-%28snap-the-mouse-to-objects%29
- Press your use key on the grid to snap on to the nearest snap point.
Snapping (Breaking)
- You can set the weld to break if there is too much force acting on it. This can be useful to lightly weld missiles to an aircraft, then when it is thrusting, the weld breaks and the missile flies off. To set the force limit, select weld from the Q menu, then open up the context menu with C. On the right of your screen is the option to change the force limit (0 means it will never break).
Colors
- Changing the color of objects is good. One good method is to use the Transparent color, and pick a half-transparent white. Then click on an object. Now it's partially transparent (duh). This is useful when you are making a fort or vehicle, and you want to see outside of it. This is a lot easier than building windows. One example is making a blue dumpster vehicle, and making it partially transparent. Now you can hop inside, steer, and see where you're going.
Materials
- You can also use the Material tool to achieve the same effect. Throughout the long list (it becomes longer with more material packs your have loaded) there will be a couple transparent ones. "vol_light" and "health_charger_glass." Not to mention if it's style you're looking for, many of the other materials provided offer a nice touch to whatever you may be building at the given time.
Both color and material are useful and worthwhile cosmetically and strategically, and can be found underneath the "Render" Category near the bottom of your tool list.
Save!
- Always save your work! Many times I have physgunned all my props together - not welded them yet and then accidentally pressed reload on the physgun thinking it was welded. Save frequently. Then if something cocks up, you always have a back-up.
- If normal saving is unavailable, such as if you are in a server, using the duplicator or advanced duplicator simply to copy will remember that spot in your work in case something goes wrong later in the process. Taking out one of those duplicators and right clicking can mean a lot in case of an accident.
No colliding with the world
- It is often needed to allow a prop to pass through the world (especially when creating bases - with no gaps). This can not be done with the no collide tool so you must use this method:
- Get the prop in the exact position you want above the ground and freeze it because the next steps will make it unmovable on some axes.
- Now equip the advanced ballsocket tool and make sure both boxes at the bottom of the tool options are ticked. All of the sliders should be on 0 (you may be able to overcome the problem of not being able to move the prop on some axes by setting the minimums to -180 and the maximums to 180).
- Now unfreeze the prop. It will pass through the ground.
- Or you can download the "No-Collide World" stool from garrysmod.org here [1]
Construction with breakable props
Easiest way
Just use the magnetise-tool on that prop with all settings like magnet-strength turned to zero. It will become unbreakable and it won't act like a magnet.
- You can also download the "Unbreakable" stool from garrysmod.org here[2], although this tool does not work in many servers. Your best bet is to only use Unbreakable in single player, where it is guaranteed to work.
Console
- The console is your friend, when working with breakable props you don't want them to break apart. Look at the item and in the console, type:
ent_fire !picker sethealth 99999
And press enter, this will make your prop virtually invincible. (Note: this isn't invincible but it will last a long time, depending on what you are doing to it. If necessary, add more nines. Also, you will need to type sv_cheats 1 into the console before doing this, so you will not normally be able to use this on most servers.)
A better method:
ent_fire !picker addoutput "minhealthdmg 99999"
And press enter, this will make it ignore any damage smaller than 99999, add more nines if needed. Again, you need sv_cheats set to 1, generally meaning you'll have to have rcon access to a server or be in Singleplayer.
- Another way to make something indestructible is to magnetize it. However, this makes the engine reconstruct the prop, so everything you did to it before (constraints, material, etc.) will be removed. Be sure to do this to the object BEFORE you use it in your contraption.
- An alternative to this, is to use the downloadable health STOOL. http://forums.facepunchstudios.com/showthread.php?t=244291
- DON'T swing hard props around breakable objects, since you will probably have to spend another twenty or so minutes rebuilding.
