Hologram area trigger

[Valiant70]

A hologram area trigger works EXACTLY like a normal area trigger and links to the same area trigger controller. The difference is that a transparent, glowing icon appears in its center. That's the basics of it.

An additional feature could be the ability to change the icon. This could be done through the block's "rotation" or by adding an interface to the area trigger controller. Some icons might include: Sphere, Cube, Disc, Crosshair, Platform (symbolising an elevator), X, O, Schine Logo.

If combined with the upcoming rail system, this feature should allow replicas of elevators from Metroid Prime. "Step into the hologram to activate the elevator."

 

[psteiner]

This would be nice, but not at all required. Still a good Idea for later game development...

 

[Valiant70]

I was thinking about suggesting this again recently, but then I remembered that I had suggested it months ago. With the rail system out I really want these now.

An alternative might be a multipurpose hologram projector decoration that I could place an area trigger above.

I would really like to be able to toggle the visibility of this block with logic.

 

[kiraen]

Or just make it so that the area trigger can co-exist with another block. This will probably be harder to code, tho.

Placing it over the force field or doors would be awesome.

 

[Valiant70]

Or just make it so that the area trigger can co-exist with another block. This will probably be harder to code, tho.

Placing it over the force field or doors would be awesome.

That's an interesting idea but I don't think it will work for the same reason you can't put two tetras in a one block space. The game doesn't have a way to handle it.

I was thinking if there were a decorative hologram projector that projects a non-block hologram, I could put an area trigger in or above the non-physical hologram. I don't know what the performance impact would be exactly, but I'm guessing it would be much like those screens on display blocks which don't seem to cause any issues.

 

[jayman38]

Or just make it so that the area trigger can co-exist with another block. This will probably be harder to code, tho.

Placing it over the force field or doors would be awesome.

Maybe using the C-V linking mechanic to make another block work the same as a remotely-located area activation block? (I had the same C-V behavior-linking idea for filling in empty space on wedge blocks and for making regular hull blocks act like plex doors.) That way, you have two features in the same block space while keeping two related blocks in two different locations.

 

[ltmauve]

Well, if we had a hologram block, why not put it on the rail entity, and put the area trigger on the parent entity? The area triggers are nonphysical, so you can move docked entities through them and they won't set it off. And since the parent entity handles the logic, no need to have wireless logic.
Besides, you can always put the trigger blocks around the hologram.

 

[kiraen]

That's an interesting idea but I don't think it will work for the same reason you can't put two tetras in a one block space. The game doesn't have a way to handle it.

Like I said, harder to code.

Maybe using the C-V linking mechanic....

But then I read this and it occurred to me that it might not be to difficult after all. The highlighting for the C/V is there in build mode, co-existing with another block. This is really all a hologram/overlay would be. It might require a new interface to access this functionality, but you could tie a lot of other utilities into it to make it multi functional. This thread and this thread could be linked into the ui as well. Even this might even be added. In short, an interface ui in build mode for block mechanics and logic would open up a lot of possibilities.

Anyway, the point I've strayed from is that this should be possible with relatively little fuss.