Triggers

[gordonramp]

I am looking at the idea of 'triggers'( initiating an event) but have no idea where to start. I assume some sort of collision code would be necessary followed by a pointing at the event. Like, the recording of 'Health'. I can't seem to find anything much about this on the Lua Forum. Any ideas?

[Canardia]

A trigger can be any kind of measurable thing. You could make a "trigger" so that when an entity (for example the player) is close enough to some other entity, then the entity would slowly turn towards the first entity.

 

This would be really simple to code, somehow like (in pseudocode):

If(EntityDistance(this,namedentity)<5)
PointEntity(this,namedentity,3,0.01)
End

[cassius]

So far I have used EntityDistance for all triggers and all sort of objects, such as lights. Be nice to have some different and more precise way.

[Rick]

You are thinking of area triggers. Is it doable in lua but in my mind currently has limitations. The body must be defined in the model you bring in, in order to for you to be able to get a collision method called. There currently is no way to get a collision method called in lua for bodies that you make in lua code. Which sucks.

[gordonramp]

Ok, I thought I would have a go at using 'EntityDistance'. Using Lumooja's pseudocode as a base.. I placed a metal door on a terrain in the editor. Then using the basic fps Lua code, put this in the main loop..

 

If(EntityDistance(fw.main.camera,metal01_1)<5) then
PointEntity(fw.main.camera,metal01_1,3,0.01)
end

 

I gives me this error.. 'unexpected symbol near 'then''

I guess it's a simple Lua code error, any ideas why that might be?

[Niosop]

That's not how Lua does if statements

 

Try:

if EntityDistance(fw.main.camera, metal01_1) < 5 then
 PointEntity(fw.main.camera, metal01_1, 3, 0.01)
end

[cassius]

Perhaps it should be the player rather than the camera as a parameter?

[gordonramp]

Your right, it runs without an error now (C++ coder), however the object does not turn to face the camera as requested.

 

Maybe someone has a simple working example of 'trigger code' to share.

[gordonramp]

Cassius,

 

if EntityDistance(controller, metal01_1) < 5 then
 PointEntity(controller, metal01_1, 3, 0.01)
end

 

Same result.

[macklebee]

are you using this in a gamescript or an entity script? I am asking because 'metal01_1' looks like the name of the entity and not actually an entity...

 

i would put that code in an entity script for the metal01 gmf inside the object:Render() function... of course changing it from metal01_1 to object.model

 

Also it should be:

PointEntity(object.model,fw.main.camera,1, 0.01)

 

the other way is trying to point the camera at the other entity

[gordonramp]

Yes, 'metal01_1 is the name of the door that comes with the LE. I've tried it in both the Game Loop and now in the class file.

[Niosop]

If it's the name of the door then it's not the actual door object. You'll need to get the actual object. Maybe FindChild on the scene might work.

[cassius]

I normaly reference the object by its name in its properties,which I usualy change if its not easy to remember.

[gordonramp]

Ok, I'll explore this...

 

Update:

Success..

 

require("scripts/class")
local class=CreateClass(...)
function class:CreateObject(model) 
local object=self.super:CreateObject(model) 
function object:Update() 
if EntityDistance(fw.main.camera, self.model) < 10 then
PointEntity(self.model, fw.main.camera, 3, 0.01)
end
end
end

 

Thanks