Creator Pack Tutorial- The P.T.D

Creator Pack Tutorial- The P.T.D by ladylyn1
This level shows you how the player tracking device (P.T.D) can be used. I tried to make it quite a unique tutorial with a bit of a twist. The level is split into 3 sections: introducing the PTD, examples of how the PTD can be used and finally a full tutorial of the PTD (although the last part can be skipped). Additionally, I've given an example of how I may use the PTD in the future. Sorry, this isn't exactly a new level (with 7500 plays and 850 hearts) but i'm new to this site so I wanted to let anyone who missed it know about it!

Nice, just played the level, it was awesome. Ive seen a lot of player tracking devices, but I have to say, yours was the best :) Great, tutorial too, very well explained. F4F? please see my abrams tank thread. The link is in my signature. The thread is still fresh, so comment on what you think :)

Yeah mine was one of the original levels!

You got some amazing stages. (Personally I hate people who use 3d's but I'll let that go)

I just tried out the PTD level

Really good stuff. I never even knew they existed (Lol I had my community objects collect off :|). Anyways, I was thinking of making one before, but using a creature brain instead. But this seems better. Gonna try it out sometime.

:star::star::star::star::star: (I'm bad at paintinaitors, and dodging those plasma would be impossible xD)
+Hearted (Might need this in the future)


F4F deal - Try the new level Game Corporate. It sure needs some replies right now.

Hey ladylyn. Can't check this out right now, but 1 question: are you using the three way switch object to control the movement of the tracker? I ask because this is the standard method but I have a much lower thermo version, with better response times. Let me know if you're interested. BTW started playing your levels last night - awesome work . Will be giving them a proper run through over the weekend and give you feedback on them

@ Count: yeah creatures with brains are too slow and cant keep up with the player!

@rtm223: yeah there are lots of ways of making different trackers im using a three way switch but i would be interested to see one that takes up less space!

hi there ladylyn1 welcome to the forums, i just wanted to knowif you could explain something to me : how did you make it so that you can turn it on and off with the switch. i was looking at that part of the level for ages ( great level by the way 5 staries and some luvins) trying to figure out how it worked, but it eluded me like a fish covered in grease wearing lycra. :p:p:p

Its quite hard to explain on here but basically instead of the two sensor switches being directly connected to a 3 way switch, they r connected to pistons with mag switches on... the mag switches r then connected to the 3 way switch.

Ok, there is also a big stopper that comes in and jams the mag switches shut so they r constantly off and thus turns the PTD off. Disengaged! You can consequently turn it on or off.

To win the Complex PTD just use the sticker after the first boss battle!

There's a description here:

http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/sho...12191&p=216618

If that's not making sense then I can send you one. You could quite happily build AND gates for disengage into that design as well.

Nice to see you here and this level finally on the spotlight!

I woud LIKE to give this 5 stars and a heart..... but I already did a few months ago (and, in fact, I'm pretty sure I put you on my hearted creators for this one).

I think you had left a nice comment on my Splat Invaders Saga level when this was first released, and I went over and checked it out and had a blast.

Interestingly, my first thought was "oh great... a tutorial..." and then it ended up being this great game with a nice sense of humor.

Great job! I'm going to check out your other showcase levels today.

I really enjoyed this level on a few different levels. It works as a very effective tutorial on how to use the PTD, a bit of history on the concept and implementation as well as a fun game with a quirky story.

I'm mostly sure that this level is primarily a tutorial level but with the story elements and multiple boss fights it is difficult to say that this isn't a story level with tutorial elements.

In terms of teaching the player about the concept and implementation this level excels in two ways that most tutorial levels fail. You show clear, detailed instructions on how to set up the object when in create mode as well as showing many different ways that the player can use this tech in levels of their own.

The level set design is also top notch and I enjoy the clean lines and clutter free presentation.

I think that you've executed the level with skill and have gone further than most on the subject. Great work.

I also love the photo-stitchery you've done showing the whole level. I've done that myself on a level of mine but never to the extent that you've done for the entire level. Very well done.

Ladylyn...any opinion on whether it's a good idea to force people out of teams? The PTD works great, until someone dies or runs the opposite way as everyone else. Any ideas on how to a) incorporate some form of Require All function, or b) /kick extra players?

Please understand, I WANT to use this tool, and I'm just trying to determine what the best way of moving forward is.

@coyote_blue You can't really make a tracker follow all... that's just not possible.

The best you can do, as I posted elsewhere, is to tweak the strength of the winches so that one is stronger. This will give the effect that if you split up, it will follow the leftmost or rightmost player.

In terms of death, the solution is to connect the PTD to the spawn location with a strong winch that reels it back in to the point of spawn if there is someone there. Weaken the main piston to make this work.


@ladylyn, I don't really play any of the logic tutorials, as there is very raely anything in them that I could suss out for myself, but I had a look at this and it's great, not just a tutorial but a proper well constructed and well rounded level. :star::star::star::star::star:

Ok, I have used a technique that you may be intersted in... basically change one of the motion sensor switches to REQUIRE ALL. This means that the PTD will tend to move more to one side (i prefer this to it moving back and forth between the players)...

Also if u made a level similar to the 2nd boss battle in the PTD where ur aim is to move right, then set the left motion sensor to REQUIRE ALL. This way the PTD will tend to move right and will not be lost by any players running ahead. NOTE: if u want to move left then set the right motion sensor to REQUIRE ALL.

Thanks!

Hey RTM let me know if u read the comment above I think it works better than ur technique.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ladylyn1

Hey RTM let me know if u read the comment above I think it works better than ur technique.

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Oh yeah I did see that, forgot to reply though :p As for working better, hmmm, they are about the same, there are slight differences in terms of behaviour (i.e. when multiple players try to run off the back of the PDT one at a time).

However, your method works nicely with my lower-thermo PDT, and for this reason I like it very much :)

hi
i will have to check this out.
i got a really simple track that i made to let music follow you in the level.
it is basically two directional pistons and two 180 degree censors.

i will check yours out but curious to see how it preforms under high speed movement. Like falling off a big cliff or a jump pad that luanches you pretty fast.

For my purposes of music i have the piston speed pretty fast so it cant really be out run
you can check it out in my music follows player demo.

Hm, mine won't track a player when they are falling. Their terminal velocity will be greater than the speed of the tracker and then they will be lost from the range of the sensor. However if i was to speed it up in order to track a player under free-fall i could give it a pretty good shot but it might be dodgy. I think rtm might be able to think up something if u ask him!

Dave, does your design stop when sackboy does - if you are doing what I think you are, then you are going to end up with a jittering effect when he is still, which is useless for certain applications. I added a break, in the form of an extra piston set to be permanently off to accomodate for this.

As for moving very fast: I have created a multispeed PTD. The device I made had 4 speeds in either direction along with a stopped state. It basically has no jerking movements whatsoever and could have some additional high speed settings added.

You do have to sacrifice accuracy slightly to get perfectly smooth tracking though.


You'll have to wait a while for me to get that into any kind of tech demo though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rtm223

As for moving very fast: I have created a multispeed PTD. The device I made had 4 speeds in either direction along with a stopped state. It basically has no jerking movements whatsoever and could have some additional high speed settings added.

You do have to sacrifice accuracy slightly to get perfectly smooth tracking though.


You'll have to wait a while for me to get that into any kind of tech demo though.

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Wow sounds really cool. I wish i had a playstation to try some stuff out! I'll need to check out your demo if its up and running when i get back. And yeah i think the accuracy vs smoothness is an issue for all PTD related things (except MM spotlight in the intro!).

I made a PTD for a new level, but once it gets above you, it shakes back and forth violently. Do you know how to fix this? (Feedback: The level was amazing, and the boss fight at the end as epic, though I had trouble seeing what the PTD did during it. Could you clarify?) If you have time, would you mind checking out my level The Dragon King 2? Feedback would be appreciated.

Also, I built a 3D tracker, so if you have on a jetpack it will follow you throughout the room. It has a target in the center, and stiff, invisible springs to attach it to the pistons.

Love the boss. It was a really fun level, i thought it would be a boring. Your gravity machine level was great too