Questions Regarding Area Triggers

[Bladeriker]

Have been working on different Logic designs as of late and came across what I see as issue with area triggers. This may be due to lack of understanding of how or what triggers an Area Trigger.

Now I can make Automatic doors, and some triggered weapons that fire down halls.

What I am trying to do is use one part of my ship that is in motion to trigger an effect every time it moves through an area of another part of my ship. Also the part that is triggering is not near the rail that is causing the motion.

So any tutorials that might help with this issues, or advice in general would be great.

 

[6ngb]

I'm afraid area triggers cannot detect an empty, unoccupied by some player, entity. So a player is required and in this case they need: trigger (Area) blocks as slaves -- well that's obvious, AND they need an activator NEXT to them to get the signal. The activator will toggle state whenever a player enters one of the trigger (Area) blocks. This block has to be an activator (not a button), it doesn't need to be slaved to the area trigger. But it has to be placed next to it.

If you want some part of your ship (that should be a docked entity, right?) to trigger something, then you'd need an activator or a button right next to the rail block which should emit a signal when the entity's docker travels along this rail block.

EDIT: Area triggers could react on AI too, I'm not sure, somebody has to confirm this. They don't react on empty entities for sure.

 

[Bladeriker]

I'm afraid area triggers cannot detect an empty, unoccupied by some player, entity. So a player is required and in this case they need: trigger (Area) blocks as slaves -- well that's obvious, AND they need an activator NEXT to them to get the signal. The activator will toggle state whenever a player enters one of the trigger (Area) blocks. This block has to be an activator (not a button), it doesn't need to be slaved to the area trigger. But it has to be placed next to it.

If you want some part of your ship (that should be a docked entity, right?) to trigger something, then you'd need an activator or a button right next to the rail block which should emit a signal when the entity's docker travels along this rail block.

Well that much I knew, but was uncertain if there was something I was missing.

 

[Trekkerjoe]

I am aware that this is two months old, but when I saw 6ngb's post about triggers not registering empty ships, I went and tested it for myself. I have GIF evidence that it does work:

Spoiler: GIF

I think the reason this misconception exists is because triggers only trigger when a group first collides with a ship. This gives the initial impression that they don't work on empty objects. However, players move, causing them to pass through again, and this sets off the triggers. A stationary set of triggers would probably not be able to detect a stationary object. So having the triggers on rails adds movement to the equation, allowing them to detect the edges of an object as shown here. It is my best explanation to why this solution worked, while others failed.

 

[Bladeriker]

Will have to play around with this. thanks for the info.