ENTITIES
see also Scripting - Effects - Monster Behavior -
Updated May 19, 2002 - 6:07 PM

Entity refers to a wide variety of game features -- monsters, weapons, ammo, items, triggers, etc. -- all of the special effects that happen within the game.

There are two types of entities: Brush and Point.

Brush entities are things that are "drawn", like world-type brushes: func_wall, trigger_once, env_bubbles. (They also have textures.)

Point entities are things that are placed: env_sprite, info_player_start, multi_manager, monster_scientist.

Simulating Combined Entities

You cannot combine entities directly -- no brush, or group of brushes, can belong to more than one entity class. When you try to combine different entities, WorldCraft obliges you to pick one and only one entity type.

There are, however, ways to simulate various effects that look like of multiple entities. For example:

Decoy Brush, Invisible Entity

Include a picture of a button in your func_train. Place an invisible func_button entity immediately behind the button brush -- this is what actually gets activated.

This technique is often used with moving parts such as elevators and lifts -- the moving structure appears to have a button on a post, whereas the actual button entity is behind the picture of the button (located so that the player cannot activate the func_button from any position other than inside the elevator).

Now Arriving -- the Half-Life Opening Sequence
- Level change simulates moving vehicle with door that opens

A related technique appears in the Half-Life opening sequence. You're riding in a func_train -- the train comes to a halt at your stop -- the train door opens.

The trick is this: after the train stops, there's a level change, and on the new map, the train door is a func_door entity.