The NGLE Manual
NG Triggers
Important:
Since version 1.1 of the NGLE
was released in January 2008, a number of new kinds of
triggers have been introduced. For this reason you
MUST use
the new Objects.h file released with the TRNG engine.
This is because this objects.h file updates these new
trigger names. All other settings for slot and floor type
remains the same as in the past.
ACTION trigger
Action trigger works in a similar way to the OBJECT trigger
in that both triggers require a moveable like argument.
However, the ACTION trigger allows you to perform differing
actions on the moveable other than what the simple OBJECT
trigger would permit. For example, with ACTION you can
rotate an item or move it in different ways. You can also
remove an item or kill a baddie in different ways.
CONDITION trigger
The CONDITION trigger is a trigger of trigger-type group,
i.e. those triggers which set when you enable a trigger.
Other old triggers of this group are for example; HEAVY,
SWITCH, COMBAT, PAD, etc.
All triggers in this group are like a condition: for example
COMBAT activates a trigger only when Lara Extracts
Weapons. A HEAVY trigger is the condition that something
other than Lara activates it, for example, a pushable block.
The CONDITION trigger, like its name implies, is another
condition but in this case you can choose between a lot of
conditions. This list will grow with future
versions.
One example of the new CONDITION triggers is that Lara
can trigger an event only if she owns a particular object in
her inventory. Another is that Lara has to be performing a
specific move in order to activate a trigger.
There are some conditions that even permit triggers to be
set smaller than a 1x1 tile. These condition triggers are
called fragmented triggers and allow you to set a
fragment of the current sector as a trigger zone.
Another condition is that you can set vertical triggers,
where you can set a trigger at a specific height, for
example, that will only trigger when Lara reaches a certain
height when climbing a ladder.
PARAMETER trigger
This trigger works together with CONDITION triggers to set
what action a condition will perform. The PARAMETER trigger
is in the what-to-trigger group, along with OBJECT, FLIPMAP,
FLYBY, SINK etc.
If the CONDITION is set on a moveable, for example, when the
condition is if that enemy is living, the condition
will work together with an OBJECT trigger, but when the
condition is on an item other than a moveable, for example,
on an inventory item, then you'll have to use PARAMETER
together with CONDITION to set whatever number you choose
for the condition.
TIMER_FIELD trigger
This trigger is in the group of what-to-trigger group (like
OBJECT, FLIPMAP ect) and it's not always necessary to use
it. However, it's important to understand when you have to
use this trigger and when you don't have to use it.
When you have to set a timer value for your trigger to delay
the activation of some object, for example a
rollingball 3 seconds after the trigger has been triggered,
or when you set the duration of some activity, like a
timed door, in some circumstances you have to use the
TIMER_FIELD to set the value in seconds, positive or
negative, instead of typing that value in the Timer field of
the trigger window.
The reason for this is because new triggers, in
particular the CONDITION trigger, use many parameters and
some of these are saved in the old timer field. So when you
place a Condition trigger and you then attach another
trigger to open, say, a door for a limited time, you have to
place another trigger of the TIMER_FIELD type and set the
number of seconds in the field named Object to trigger
<#>. In this setup, do not set a value in the timer
field.
This complication is a bit tedious in that it adds to
your work, but in the vast scheme of things, the powerful
new features of the TRNG more than make up for it.
Additionally, with this new setup you can set timers for
far longer periods than you could in the old engine. Timer
field values have been increased from 255 to 1024 and a
timed door with this value will remain open for about 17
minutes!
FLIPEFFECT triggers
In reality, the FLIPEFFECT trigger is an old trigger, but
merged with next generation flipeffect this permits you to
set more parameters than a simple timer value. Thanks to
these enhancements you can now get a lot of targets using new
ng flipeffects.
If you're concerned about when you should look for some
feature in the ACTION group or in the FLIPEFFECT group, the
general rule is: if your target is to change something
regarding a moveable object other than Lara, then you should
use ACTION, while in all other cases you will find what you
need in the FLIPEFFECT group.
FMV trigger
The FMV trigger is also not new; it existed in The Last
Revelation Level Editor but was removed before the Level
Editor was released. With the NG, it's back!
If you want have a real movie in your level, simply place an
FMV trigger and set in the Object to trigger # field
the number of the fmv you wish to play. You can play movies
in wmv, mpg and other well-known formats. For more
information about the setting of fmvs, please see the
section dealing with fmvs in the Scripts section of this
manual.
Overview
about some new NG Triggers
In the new Set Type Trigger window you can
find not only the short name of new triggers but also a
brief-description of each trigger. For this reason there is
no need for full explanations of each trigger. The following
tips and tricks about some of these triggers should suffice.
CONDITION
with Fragmented triggers
In the old TRLE you were able to set interactive zones when
placing a trigger on squares in your map. When Lara or some
enemy or object touched any part of this zone, the set
triggers were engaged. Now there are some new features.
If you use CONDITION with a fragmented zone you can set a
trigger so that it will only be activated when Lara walks
over that fragmented trigger, for example, on a quarter of a
tile.
Once you set this small trigger zone using a CONDITION
trigger with fragmented settings, you'll have to add to that
zone the trigger for whatever you wish to activate in game.
The first CONDITION trigger you place will be used only to
set the active part of the tile while any other trigger will
activate whatever event you wish to place.
At first glance, the trigger window for condition with
fragments appears rather complicated, so we'll illustrate an
example so you understand how it works.
As a first step, you have to choose a grid to divide the
zone. You can choose between three different grid types from
the Timer parameter field:
Fragmented trigger. Check in (E) way if lara is in
<#>fragment of 2x2 sector grid
Fragmented trigger. Check in (E) way if lara is in
<#>fragment of 3x3 sector grid
Fragmented trigger. Check in (E) way if lara is in
<#>fragment of 4x4 sector grid
The three grids, 2x2, 3x3 and 4x4 correspond to the
following illustration:
If you choose a 2x2 grid, the standard block of the level
editor will be seen divided into four little sections. When
you choose the grid type you also have to choose which mini-sector
of this grid you want to use as the sensor zone for triggers.
You find a lot of choices in the Object to trigger
field of Trigger windows.
Square Fragment: (x,y)
Square fragment is the easiest as there
is a single fragment for the sensor zone for triggers.
In the above illustration we have used a 4x4 grid and we
chose a fragment in position (2,3) of the grid. Any grid or
cell you choose can always be set in an Inverse mode by
selecting the Inverse voice in (E)xtra field of the
Trigger window. When you set Inverse, the sensor zone
(coloured by green in the above image) will become the
opposite of the chosen state.
With some fragmented triggers you can create very irregular
trigger sensor zones over a single tile in the game.
Strip
Fragment: Nth horizontal or Vertical strip
If you choose a strip of fragments you get
a sensor line of micro trigger zones.
Strip
Fragment: Diagonal strips, top-down or bottom-up
You can create a sensor line diagonally,
but in this case you also have to choose whether the
diagonal runs top left to bottom right or vice versa. In the
list you have to choose the single micro sector where the
diagonal runs.
Fragments:
two crossed strips at point (x,y)
Crossed strips are two strips, one
vertical and the other horizontal, which pass through the
named cell in the grid.
Fragments:
two crossed diagonals passing at point (x,y)
This mode works like above, but in this
case the lines are diagonals.
Tips &
Tricks about Fragmented Triggers
You can use some fragmented triggers to
simulate laser sensory alarms. Just fill the floor of the
room with fragmented triggers using a grid shape to create a
regular grid of sensory lines. To achieve this effect, you
need to also set in the (E)xtra field of the Trigger
window the setting PAD or PAD and inverse. In
this way, Lara will be able to avoid any sensors by jumping.
However, please note that this operation will be difficult
if you use a grid like 3x3 or, even worse, 4x4.
To complete your sensory alarms, make
static objects with no collision applied with waterfall
textures to simulate blinking laser rays. Take care to
place these statics very close to the floor.
You can create very small objects, like statics or
animatings, and then place them in a position where it's
exacltly within a single micro-cell of fragment. Now by
placing a fragment trigger for that micro-sector you can add
some dynamic property to that object. For example, if you
add a trigger that damages Lara, the object
could be a little blade that shoots up from the floor.
If you use a waterfall to simulate a
shower, you can place a trigger to remove fire from Lara but
only where the waterfall object falls.
If you place a very thin laser to simulate a mysterious
light beam, you can place a fragmented trigger where the
light beam falls to teleport Lara to another room.
