[SP] Quantum Entanglement 1

Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 20, 2011
Replied 16 hours later
Well, more bad news. The logic_measure_movement (LMM) entity is a buggy mess. It moves the MODEL, but not the ENTITY.

???

So the partner cube moved by LMM passes through everything, and actually LEAVES BEHIND a collision box I can stumble into. Terrific. The partner cube activates no switches because while using LMM, the engine thinks that the cube has never moved. If I call the Disable method on the LMM entity, the cube teleports right back to its starting position. Pointless.

How is this entity at all useful?

I managed to get the partner cube moving with VSCRIPT, but the frame update is too slow, and the physics is jittery at best.

I'm running out of energy trying to solve these glitches...no map update tonight...

Advertisement
Registered users don't see ads! Register now!
Avatar
xdiesp
1,078 Posts
Posted Jul 20, 2011
Replied 20 hours later
Have you considered yet what would happen if you ported this concept to COOP?
Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 21, 2011
Replied 3 hours later
I have not yet considered coop. It would present some challenges, especially if each player could grab either cube. The link would have to be bi-directional.

I had big success today, after reading another LMM thread regarding someone building a mirror map. If the LMM is active all the time, the cubes are always the same distance apart. I can put a trigger in the master cube's area to activate the partner cube's button.

I can also set up invisible phys walls filtered on the master cube, so that the cube can absolutely never leave it's ComfortZone. This means that explosions are no longer necessary at all, and I don't have to respawn the cubes.

The cubes also no longer pass through the floor, because the partner cube doesn't rotate down when you look at the floor. So many of my original problems have been eliminated. I just have to rebuild the 3rd room puzzle a bit, since the link between cubes will likely be permanent and that puzzle no longer works.

The linked cubes can also pass through a portal, retaining their XYZ offset, so my 2nd room puzzle still works, though I had to move some things around a bit.

Science!

Avatar
Adair
213 Posts
Posted Jul 21, 2011
Replied 6 hours later
I love the concept, but I didn't finish the third chamber. I just saw how djinndrache solved it and I guess I would have eventually figured it out, but I had no idea the other cube would defy gravity like that.

With the cubes exploding so often I felt like I couldn't properly experiment to find out how they worked. I was observant enough to notice how the linked cube reacted when I simply turned in place, but I still got several explosions while trying not to turn.

Chambers 1 & 2 were easy to figure out. It was only odd physics that made me have to try them a couple of times to get them just right.

I look forward to your update using that new linking method.

Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 22, 2011
Replied 1 day later
I am almost finished rebuilding room 3, and I hope to have an update posted in the next couple of days.
Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 24, 2011
Replied 2 days later

UPDATED 7/24/2011

There is now a new build of this map. I took all of your advice and opinions into account when making modifications and improvements. Thanks to everyone who played the first release!

The physics/collisions issues from the previous version should now be resolved or eliminated. The Quantum Entanglement cubes are now linked in a much more stable, predictable way.

  • cubes no longer explode, they simply refuse to leave their "ComfortZone."
  • cube should no longer have strange physics/collisions
  • rooms 2 and 3 have been rearranged a bit
  • laser traps and grates added to prevent stuck players/cubes
  • visual cues added to glass openings
  • some visual adjustments to lighting
  • some ambient music added

Please let me know what you think of this update.

Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 28, 2011
Replied 3 days later

Djinndrache wrote:
I'm playing custom maps and record my first time of playing them...

There is a BIG update to this map. The puzzle mechanic has been improved, and is much more stable to play.

Would you mind giving it another go?

Avatar
smwlover
68 Posts
Posted Jul 29, 2011
Replied 16 hours later
Wow! What a creative and brand-new test element! It has so much potential to be used in a series of more complex puzzles! I'm expecting you to improve the logic and mechanic of this new element and make more awesome chambers! 5/5!
Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 29, 2011
Replied 5 hours later
Thanks for playing!

I know this first map has no real "puzzles", but it helped me figure out how the mechanic should work, and get people's feedback. I will DEFINITELY be making more maps based on this, because people seem to really like the idea.

Now it's time for me to really think about how the QE Cubes can add unique twists to a puzzle.

Avatar
Lostprophetpunk
409 Posts
Posted Jul 29, 2011
Replied 43 minutes later
This is a very well made map, nice graphics with some attractive colour combinations. I was fascinated by the new gameplay technique, I like it alot and hope to see more maps like this from you.
Avatar
Djinndrache
1,442 Posts
Posted Jul 31, 2011
Replied 1 day later
I got asked to play a newer version of this map. It's pretty short as the concept is not new anymore, but here we go:

ez4KnCfNOcg
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez4KnCfNOcg)

Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Jul 31, 2011
Replied 16 hours later
Thanks for playing! Looks like you had no trouble at all with this version -- which is good to know.
Avatar
Adair
213 Posts
Posted Aug 02, 2011
Replied 1 day later
Bravo! It's really great that you found that much better way of linking the cubes and were able get rid of the explosions.

The new Chamber_2 was the most interesting to me. I solved it very quickly, but then spent a minute looking at it to see just how my actions led to the cube getting to the button. I would not have guessed that portals would have that effect on the blue cube. Now that I understand it I think that alone has a lot of potential in more complex puzzles.

I'm not a mapper, but this type of puzzle you made is giving me some interesting ideas. I'm sure you have ideas already, but if you want some more send me a PM.

Avatar
xdiesp
1,078 Posts
Posted Aug 02, 2011
Replied 4 hours later
Fantastic job! The new gameplay mechanic is now rock solid and feels perfectly natural, it shows you've taken in consideration all the feedback. I tried it just now, and it worked exactly as I had expected when I first fired it last month: no flaws or leaks whatsoever. Think big now! These things are worthy of some triple A campaign.
Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Aug 02, 2011
Replied 4 hours later
Adair & xdiesp,

Thanks for trying it again, and for the kind words! I do have some big thinking to do. The QE cubes open up all sorts of possibilities for both single player and co-op, and I hope to build maps that really REQUIRE the entanglement behavior, instead of it being just a gimmick.

Time for more science!

Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2011
Replied 16 days later
I just wanted to let everyone know that after taking a short break, I have started working on the next Quantum Entanglement map. Thanks for playing QE1! Watch this thread for more details on QE2.
Avatar
KennKong
942 Posts
Posted Feb 20, 2012
Replied 6 months later
It's a real shame this mapper has disappeared. He did beautiful work to bring a new mechanic to life, then just left us hanging. Come back, rendermouse! 5/5 from me, I want more!

Note to self: back to top of p. 10 on 2/20/12.

Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted May 12, 2012
Replied 2 months later
I updated this map to make it run inside the Steam Workshop. I added the Workshop URL to the TWP download page.
Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted May 13, 2012
Replied 21 hours later
The response to this map's release in the Workshop has been totally amazing!

I want to thank everyone on this site who helped me playtest this map.

I guess I need to finish QE map#2!

Advertisement
Registered users don't see ads! Register now!
Avatar
rendermouse
34 Posts
Posted Oct 25, 2012
Replied 5 months later
The next Quantum Entanglement map is almost done...