The Particle Challenge

[Satiagraha]

Can you make a map with the following elements? (inspired by the environmental features of ns_hera)

A dripping ventillation fan:


Flickery holographic signs and symbols:


Some freaky edifice with fire beneath it that looks important:


A rotating shadow of a giant fan as if there was a light behind the fan
No pic of the shadow (doesn't turn out well through screenshots) but here's one of the fan that casts the shadow:






Just wondering if someone wanted to feel like they accomplished something...

[BobTheJanitor]

The fan would be pretty easy, just put a 1 unit thick nulled func_illusionary and give it some name, then use that as the generation entity for your drip particles. If my co map ever gets done, you should see a lot of this, as I'm attempting to go all out with weather effects. Let it rain, baby!

The holographic sign isn't particle related at all! (oooh trick questions) It's probably another func_illusionary with its renderfx set to flicker or hologram or something... haven't played with those options yet. But this is the same effect you see way back in the old black mesa training course map. Remember the holographic woman that gave you instructions?

The neat blue firey effect is, I think, effectively the same as the drip effect. Nulled func_illusionary for generation entity and then instead of having the particles effected by gravity, you just set the velocity shape to move them straight up, slowly, and have them fade out before they get too far.

Where's mah cookie??

[Satiagraha]

Well, I must admit, I do have an ulterior motive for this challenge.  I'd like to get an example map out on the web that people new to some of the more advanced mapping abilities can look at and learn from (including myself).  Personally, I know how to do most of it, the only one that confuses me still is the big fan shadow in the Ventillation hive of ns_hera.

For the blue fire under the weird generator thing, i think the sprites that are spawned by the PS is stationary. It just goes through its animation of the flame growing and dieing (obviously unaffected by gravity).

Where's mah cookie??

As for your cookie, enjoy! ^_^
*tosses Bob a cookie*

[BobTheJanitor]

Ahhh the magic fan shadow on hera. I happily admit that I have NO FREAKING CLUE how that was done. I'm pretty sure that dynamically generated shadows are impossible.  Hmm.... time to go research.

[Plaguebearer]

it was done via a texture of the shadow, rotating the same speed as the fan...

[Uranium - 235]

Yeah, not that hard

And the flickery signs were, as far as I know, animated sprites.

[confused!]

in fact they are right one of the flags on func_rotatings in in fact "not solid"

also if oyu are going to do this you should speak at hanz grub3r. He was going to make a prticle zoo map a while back. if i recall correctly. and had som really cool ideas as to what he woas gonna do about it.

[Mr.Bill]

I always just thought theres were a bunch of sprites... meh