Stupid Ladders!

I am sort of a n00b mapper, and have read a few tutorials on ladders. I am trying to make a vent system, and they instructions for the ladders are contradicting and impossible. (That's my story, anyway ) So, can anyone explain to me how to make a ladder? Btw, I dont have the {LADDER2 or whatever texture.. where can I get this? Thanks...

[>BKA< T Wrecks]

Ok, let's see... I'm not exactly a mapper, but I once fooled around with Hammer a bit, and among the few things I eventually got to work were some ladders...

1. On the wall where you want the ladder to be, draw a block that has the shape of a ladder (i.e. as high as the wall, approx. as wide as a player and quite thin. [height of the wall] / 32 units in width / 4 units thick ought to do the trick. Right-click and select "create block".

2. Now you have a block, but it's covered with this ugly default texture. If you want to get ladder textures, make sure that you told Hammer which wad files to open by default. It should at least open hl.wad and cstrike.wad. The standard ladder textures are all in hl.wad. Go to that texture browsing window (forgot the exact name), and in the "filter" text box, enter "ladder". Now all textures that have the name "ladder" in them will show up. Select the texture you like and apply it to the block.

3. Fine - now you ought to have a block in the correct size and with the correct texture on it, but (a) the spaces between the rungs are blue and not transparent as they should, and (b) you can't climb up so far. So first align the texture to the block so that it looks nice & clean. Then right-click the block and select "tie to entity". In the following window, select "func_wall" in that dropdown list under "Class:". Under "attributes", click "Render Mode" and select "solid". Under "FX Amount", select / enter "1". Under "FX Color", enter "0 0 255". This will make the ugly blue disappear - now your ladder should really look like a ladder.

4. Ok, so it looks like a ladder, but it still doesn't work like one. Create a further block with the same dimensions as the ladder, i.e. as high as the ladder, as wide as the ladder and very thin. You don't have to worry about textures here since the block will be invisible in game. Once again, select "tie to entity", but this time make it a func_ladder (duh!) by selecting "func_ladder" under "Class:".

Theoretically, you should have a nice working ladder now.

NOTE: I would guess that the first block (the one that looks like a ladder) is not absolutely necessary. If you have a wall covered with a texture that looks like anything you can climb (e.g. ivy), you can just place the func_ladder in front of it, and in game you'll be able to climb up there.

Hope this bit helped some... good luck!

EDIT
OMG, "4 units thick ought to do the trick"... looks like I'm having my poetic 5 minutes right now... someone had better stop me

Oh, and since you are our newest member and just posted here for the first time (hopefully not the last), let me welcome you here in the name of all the nice folks who like to hang around at this place... you'll like it, I hope! Cheers!

[the Carpenter]

Make a ladder with the ladder texture.
Align the texture properly.
Tie it to a func_illusionary.
Settings at Solid & 255.
Make a AAA textured block of the same size.
Tie it to func_ladder.
Put it on top of your ladder brush.
Done.

[SoUlFaThEr]

Welcome to BU

basic ladder textures are found in the Halflife.wad. dont use the cstrke was cuz theres only one ladder there and the entire wad looks like shit anyway.

i would not suggest making the "visible" ladder 4 units thick. make it 2 units thick. (func_illusionary or func_wall with carpenters settings works fine)

make the "actual" ladder 3 units thick (with the "aaatrigger" texture from the halflife.wad) and overlap it into your visual ladder by 1 unit so that 2 units of its width are still out front to hold the player on the "visual" ladder.

then it will act real and will avoid any problems getting off the top of it. thick func_ladders are a problem because you tend to stick to the top of it if its too thick.(a real bot problem)

[the Carpenter]

Originally Posted by SoUlFaThEr

Thick func_ladders are a problem because you tend to stick to the top of it if its too thick.(a real bot problem)

I've neer tried this ... but:
If you want the ladders to work better for bots, I suggest raising the func_ladder by 4 units, over the func_illusionary & the top platform.
That way they should (theoretically) just keep climbing up (forward) ... forward (forward)(the func_ladder thickness) ... down (forward).
All would then be forward facing waypoints, & the bot should just climb over the hump & run along on his merry way.
Just thought of this today, actually.
Maybe someone will see if it works or not ... hmmm ?

Sorry for not being descriptive, but my problem now is where do I put the func_ladder and how do I tie to eninity? Srry, but Im such a noob Anyway... thanks again!

[>BKA< T Wrecks]

A) You put the func_ladder at the position where you want players to be able to climb up or down. This can be at any wall; the func_ladder will be totally invisible in game.
If you have made a visible ladder (i.e. a block that looks like a ladder), it's of course logical to place the func_ladder exactly in front of the block, so that there is no space between the block and the func_ladder.

B) I don't have Hammer installed right now... but if I remember correctly, you can select the desired block (its outlines should turn red) and right-click. Then there should be a menu, and in this menu there is an option "tie to entity". Once you have selected this, you will see a window where you can select which type of entity you want and what properties you want the entity to have.

Once again: If you want a ladder that looks like a ladder and acts like a ladder, you need two blocks: One that provides the look of the ladder and another (invisible) one that provides the function. Both should fit together like the two halves of a sandwich. The visible ladder directly at the wall, and the invisible func_ladder directly at the ladder, from bottom to top.

Thanks! Finaly got that ladder... (Notice I changed my sig... I now have put it back into a beta to get those ladders in)