so I'm working on a map, I've been working with instances to make it easier on myself. so I've got a character_select.vmf, corridor_in.vmf, recycled_space.vmf, corridor_out.vmf and exit_room.vmf.

All of these instances are then placed in main_instance.vmf(this instance has nothing but instances in it)

So the problem, in recycled_space.vmf there is a wall panel that flips on a trigger and an angled panel which rises on another trigger. Both of these work fine in the instance standalone, but when I compile the entire main_instance.vmf they don't. The map was originally made in PeTI, so they are the stock PeTI instances.

Any ideas?

EDIT: i've just considered using recycled stuff as the main instance and calling everything else into that, but still would like to know if anyone knows why this might be happening

Could it be that they don't get called correctly in the final map? Iirc placing things in an instance gives them a prefix with the instance's name. For example the panel placed in the recycled-space-instance that then is placed in the main_instance might be called something like main_instance_recycled_space_panel in the end.

I think you could either deal with this renaming and just make sure to use the correct final name as the target, or you could place an @ in front of the name of the objects you want to target. Iirc things labeled this way don't get renamed.

Disclaimer: I'm new to all this, excuse me if I'm talking crap. Also, you could try to ask stuff like this in the IRC

I'd have to see the map to understand

We discussed this on IRC. The steps below will reproduce the essence of the problem.

1. In the PTI editor, put an angled panel on the floor and connect it to a floor button.
2. Export the map, say to paneltest.vmf
3. Open this in hammer and compile.
4. Create a new map in Hammer, say paneltest_top_level.vmf. Add in paneltest.vmf as an instance. Compile.
5. In the game, load up paneltest. Standing on the button should open the panel.
6. Load up paneltest_top_level.vmf. Standing on the button fails to open the panel!

I have no idea why this is the case.

For now, Tank, if you want to be pragmatic, you could treat your puzzle file (recycled_space.vmf?) as the 'top-level' instance, and include the other instances into that file. (I'm suggesting this because the panel works when you compiled recycled_space separately.)

I think the best option would be to open all that stuff in hammer and check out all the names and i/o. If any if those panels is not working properly is because there's a logic_relay for example that, while is firing outputs to other entity/panel, it's also firing outputs to this panel: maybe several panels have similarities in their names and there's too many relays referring to them when firing their outputs...

BEARD! wrote:
For now, Tank, if you want to be pragmatic, you could treat your puzzle file (recycled_space.vmf?) as the 'top-level' instance, and include the other instances into that file. (I'm suggesting this because the panel works when you compiled recycled_space separately.)

i've just rebuilt the panels myself, they work fine in both cases, it must be something to do with the logic in the peti instances, i will try to get to the bottom of it at some point. but for now it works.

I just had a similar problem with an env_fade, which was nested inside two instances and just refused to work. (It would not dim the screen when told to do so.)

The solution was to move it up one level so it was only one instance 'deep'. Its name starts with an @, so it can't be a naming problem. Apparently some entities just don't like being placed inside an instance, inside an instance.