Configuring animated arch -- possible or not?

[(Designer)Vondell]

I'm working on some extended features for modular buildings/aviaries/etc, and I'm wondering if it's possible to configure a walkable object to play an animation only when a guest is walking under/through it?

 

I would think it was impossible if not for the fact that there must be something in the way exhibit fence gates are configured that lets them sense when a staff member or guest approaches that triggers the gate opening and closing animation. Has anyone ever tested that with a walkable arch/observation area/door? Could property be carried over?

 

If not an object, could it be carried over to decorative fences?

 

What I'm working on right now is the kind of aviary entrance with a curtain of hanging chains that birds can't fly out of but people can walk through, but if I got it to work it could be used for all kinds of working doors for modular buildings and things like that.

[(Admin)Savannahjan]

That's an exciting proposition! Some buildings light up and make special sounds when guests use them, and things are animated on the gift shops when used, so it seems it would be a matter of figuring out the programming to make that happen. Just because the guests don't disappear, it seems like it would be the same mechanism.

[Fern]

Pretty sure you could by making it a building. I will have to check with Jay. Problem is with that approach the staff will not use it and guests would only use it to satisfy a "need". This also means there would need to be another way in or out.

The other animated scenery are geysers and they are random not triggered.

I think the way gates work is in the program not the files as nothing in the ai indicates control of the gate.

You might want to check this out

Decorative Portal Gate and Decorative Reinforced Concrete And Glass Gate

[jbl89]

Good question.

I think it might be possible, but it would be quite complicated.

Furthermore, it would not work every time.

 

- make the object walkable as you would do for an arch

- find the right spot(s). If you configure it as one spot, it will be very weird. If you configure it as multiple spots, you might avoid the guest walking up to a particular spot (for this, I would hope that the guests' path finding just uses the shortest distance)

- make it fill some "needs" ( [satisfies] ). Problem is, they might use it again if you do feel them. (similar to how the bridge/tunnel signs work).

 

So, to summarize: I think it's possible if you take a lot into account, and it might cause unwanted effects.

 

 

As for who can use exhibit doors: I think it's simply hardcoded in the "fence" object. It's not included in any configurable file, I'm afraid.

[pukkie]

how about that curtain in front of the photobooth?

[ARIZNANA]

DONT WE HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT PLAY MUSIC WHEN PEOPLE WALK BY ? IS THAT THE SAME IDEA ?

[Fern]

No, he is talking about something that opens and closes like the exhibit gates which only open when a keeper approaches or a guest is escaping an exhibit. But that is controlled by the game program not the gate file.

Jay also added to what i said earlier: Another disadvantage of the building approach is that the guest would disappear on one side and reappear on the other. It is possible to add arches on both sides of that to hide the disappearing, like what I did with the grass tunnels. The decorative gates approach is probably what he wants.

- Jay

[jbl89]

I think Jay's not entirely correct. Think trashcan. You don't see users disappear either for that item. But it comes with the issues I mentioned, and I'm not sure buildings support walkable = 1.

[Fern]

The trash can is configured like a stand. A door is not a trash can or stand. For a door, you do not want the guest to just stand there staring at the door like is done with a trash can or stand. For a door, you want the guest to get to the other side. For a trash can or stand, you do not want the guest to suddenly appear on the other side. So the configuration for a door would not be the same as a trash can or stand.

- Jay