Objects, General Info for Mission Designers

written by Baddcog

To add an object right-click on any 2d window (preferably where you want the object to appear). Objects can be static or entity. Select Create Model to create static objects or Create Entity for entity objects. Both types can be viewed in the model viewer (need link).

Sometimes a combination of static and entity objects can be an easy way to make an animated object.

Static Objects

Static objects are models that won't move in game. Furniture, pillars, plants, ect... Just about anything that is a model can be a static object, and anything that the player is not going to interact with probably should be. Be careful about placing static objects on top of moveable objects, however. If a static book is sitting on a moveable crate, and the crate gets moved away, the book will continue to float in the air.

Entity Objects

Entity objects are more complex. They use the same models as the statics but properties can be applied through a def file. These properties can range from frobbing to animation and particle attachments. Loot has properties that make it unique so it will be found in the entity inspector (L) under atdm/loot/ atdm:loot_amulet (for example).

Entity types are:

Moveable Objects

Moveables which are items the player can interact with. They can usually (but not always) be frobbed, picked up, rotated, and/or thrown.

They could also be a door knob (frobbable) or a rotating gear (non-frob). atdm:item_book_red1 It is important when placing these that their collision model does not clip into the surface they stand on (see image) else they will sink down if nudged in game (switch off collision model filtering in the editor to check.)

Animated Objects

Animated objects have been animated in a 3d program such as Blender, Lightwave or 3dsMax. They could be a non-moving machine that is animated so it's pistons and gears move or they could be an AI.

AI Objects

AI of course refers to characters in the game. Guards, maidens, servants, rats,... the list goes on. Most human AI will not have a visible head in the editor, one is attached via def files and will be spawned when the game starts. This allows use of many heads on each body. darkmod/AI/Builder, ect...

Entities can have physics models (ragdolls) such as a bucket with a handle. These are under atdm:env_bucket... Ropes are here. AI's corpses have ragdolls so you can drag them by an arm or leg, ect...