Map-Based Radar

[swiss_cheese9797]

Hi, I've been trying to devise a way to create map based radar for a while now. My ultimate goal is to have the player sit inside a vehicle and see a monitor screen infront of him rather than in the HUD, and have it show blips corresponding to entities it is set to detect (npcs/other vehicles).

I had one idea based on a logic_measuremovement and its movement scale parameter, but this entity actually makes the moved entity attach itself to the center of the entity defining the movement, so that wont work.

Another way I figured is possible, but is complicated. I figure I can make a grid of trigger multiples parented to a func_rotate that is in turn parented to the vehicle. I could then make each of those rotating triggers make a sprite on the monitor blink when triggered. Each sprite is also spinning around the axis of a func_rotate and is spining insynch with the func_rotate on the vehicle. My concern is that after all of my hard work, the rotating entities will fall out of sync due to conflicts with the vehicle parenting. Either that or I could have used a much simpler system that I wouldnt have known at the time.

Would anyone on these forums have any ideas on how to make a map based radar attached to a vehicle as I have explained? Thanks.

 

[DjBourgeoisie]

i dont know anything about coding, but that might be a good thing cause you might be thinking about this too hard. Just do an overhead map like in dod or ns or any other mod, but position it on the screen and at whatever angle you want so when the person takes contol of a vehicle, the overhead map appears where you want it to. The only challenge might be getting it positioned exactly right, but it seems simple enough. Hope that didnt confuse you

 

[swiss_cheese9797]

unless the default the hl2 entity list includes one that allow me to do that ingame, I wont be able to make a radar that way. I don't know coding, I only map and model, that's why I put the thread in the mapping forum rather than coding. An overhead map wouldnt do what I wanted anyway since it would show in a screenoverlay rather than inside the vehicle's cockpit. I'm just making a map rather than a full mod. A map that can be used in any MP mod and have only vehicles appear on the radar. I'm sure theres a way to do this map based, and I'm curious to see other people's thoughts on the matter. I've been helped by this community a lot in the past and gotten some pretty creative solutions for problems I've had. It'd be interesting to see solutions from other folks. Thanks for your help though dude, wish I could code.

 

[Raeven0]

You can make a flat, uninteresting map appear on the screen or on some arbitrary brush or model in several ways. Blips on the screen would be more difficult; surely a system of triggers in the main map corresponding to enabled/disabled or teleported objects on the minimap would work, but would that be feasible?

 

[swiss_cheese9797]

Actually that would work, but not towards my specific goal because I'm trying to figure out a way to have the radar detect objects relative to your position. Say I place a radar screen in the jeep for the driver to see and I set the radar to detect an airboat on the other side of the map, I'd like to have the airboat show up on the screen only when it comes within the range of my radar, and have the radar triggers move with the vehicle.

I think I can do it one certain way but I would need to test and see if there is any way that 2 func_rotating entities set at the same speed, same start time, never triggered to stop, and set to non-solid would ever go out of sync (one facing south at one point while the other is facing north). If not then good, I think my system can work. but if lag or the fact that one of them is parented to a vehicle can throw them out of sync then my plan wont work. keep in mind tho, they can still be in sync even if the vehicle moves or turns because my theoretical system would depend upon the rotation of the parented func_rotate RELATIVE to that vehicle. Thanx raeven0.