Quark Path Duplicator Woes
by Arland (Barry) Woodham · in General Discussion · 10/23/2004 (3:20 pm) · 2 replies
Sorry for moving the post to this forum I know it should be in the mapping forum but there just isn't near as much activity there as here in fact I dont like the system of clicking to read unread posts and it goes straight to this forum instead of listing all unread posts, but that is for another thread.
Let me see if I can describe my problem with minimal comfusion. The level I am creating in QuArK at the moment involves some rounded side coridors. These tunnels would basically be a 3/4 circle along which the tunnel would be "extruded". The first method that I was able to use with moderate success is using the Extruder I created a 2d cross-section of the tunnel. Then using a prism as a guide I rotated each piece into the shape I wanted and sliced the overlap in between to create a rounded tunnel. The problem with the method is that it leaves quite a few tiny gaps and different heights between some brushes. This leaves alot of small detail work to fix the part of the level.
After realizing that the path duplicator can duplicate more than just the standard box it starts with I tried it with the shape of my tunnel(now why did I ever think that was all it could do?) The product is great when used in only two dimensions, however when creating an upward slope the end piece becomes rotated around the axis of the path. These images should illustrate the problem better done with a very simple cube path.
This shows that the duplicator works correctly in two dimensions.
When moving path points upward extending the path into the third dimension the path rotates around the axis of the path itself.
This is what I want the path to do which is simple in terms such as these simple blocks, but when applied to complex corridors becomes very difficult to accomplish.
Basically I want to be able to control the rotation that the path duplicator is applying and remove it so when extending the path into the Z dimension the connections between pieces are created the same as they are in the other two dimensions. In a sense path nodes on the same level that are parallel to another level should not be rotated and be level to one another. This should be possible I dont see a reason why it wouldn't be.
So the is my plea to the expierenced QuArK users out there. I hope it is clear enough to understand. I am starting to see the true power of QuArK and think that it may have some very powerfully capabilities under its very unfriendly user interface.
Let me see if I can describe my problem with minimal comfusion. The level I am creating in QuArK at the moment involves some rounded side coridors. These tunnels would basically be a 3/4 circle along which the tunnel would be "extruded". The first method that I was able to use with moderate success is using the Extruder I created a 2d cross-section of the tunnel. Then using a prism as a guide I rotated each piece into the shape I wanted and sliced the overlap in between to create a rounded tunnel. The problem with the method is that it leaves quite a few tiny gaps and different heights between some brushes. This leaves alot of small detail work to fix the part of the level.
After realizing that the path duplicator can duplicate more than just the standard box it starts with I tried it with the shape of my tunnel(now why did I ever think that was all it could do?) The product is great when used in only two dimensions, however when creating an upward slope the end piece becomes rotated around the axis of the path. These images should illustrate the problem better done with a very simple cube path.
This shows that the duplicator works correctly in two dimensions.When moving path points upward extending the path into the third dimension the path rotates around the axis of the path itself.This is what I want the path to do which is simple in terms such as these simple blocks, but when applied to complex corridors becomes very difficult to accomplish.Basically I want to be able to control the rotation that the path duplicator is applying and remove it so when extending the path into the Z dimension the connections between pieces are created the same as they are in the other two dimensions. In a sense path nodes on the same level that are parallel to another level should not be rotated and be level to one another. This should be possible I dont see a reason why it wouldn't be.
So the is my plea to the expierenced QuArK users out there. I hope it is clear enough to understand. I am starting to see the true power of QuArK and think that it may have some very powerfully capabilities under its very unfriendly user interface.
About the author
#2
10/24/2004 (1:36 pm)
That checkbox doesn't appear to actually do anything. I believe it actually affects the texturing. However there is a level checkbox that stops the twisting and makes all the pieces level, but they do not line up properly. Which basically leaves me with something similar to my first working method that needs alot of tweaking. Whenever you get a chance to check later any other help would be welcomed. 
Torque Owner Jorgen Ewelonn
I remember reading about this problem somewhere but a google didn't find it and since I'm at work I can't test it right now, I'll play it by ear :)
In the property page for the path duplicator you should have a checkbox labeled nolinear, it is supposed to make the duplicator assume that everything you are creating should be treated as a linear construction.
As I said, I can most likely give you a better answer later on but I think this is what you are looking for.