screenshot of an Path Duplicator
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Decker's Path Duplicator - Introduction


Some time ago, I stumpled upon the Map Generation System (MGS) by Timothee Besset. It is both a plugin to QERadiant, and a standalone product, which can generate different objects and effects to .MAP-files.

As I examined MGS, I found a feature that I would try to implement as a true Python-plugin for QuArK, and this is the result...


Decker's Path Duplicator - Documentation


The path duplicator consists of two things; a templategroup and a list of path-handles.

Templategroup

The templategroup is a collection of polys and entities. (Though not entities which require polys under them, like func_door.) The templategroup must be designed, so it is open in the ends that points towards angle 180 and 360 (X-axis).

You can scale the templategroup in Y and Z direction, but the X direction will automatically be scaled by the distance between the path-handles.

Path-Handles

When you highlight the path duplicator, you will be able to move, insert and remove path-handles. These handles determine how your templategroup should twist and turn.

If you right-click with your mouse, on one of the path-handles, you can insert a new path-handle, before the one that you clicked on, and you can remove it as well.

To insert more path-handles after the last one, you must enter the specific/arg-view and increase the path duplicator's count specific. (Be aware that if you decrease it, you will not be able to undo. Use the 'Remove this path-handle' in the right-click context-menu.)

Special specifics...

There are at least two specifics that you must know about; scaletexture and speeddraw. The others are just for your information.

ScaleTexture0 or 1. If set to 0, the textures in your templategroup will not be scaled, or stretched, so they almost match the distance between the two path-handles.
SpeedDraw0 or 1. If set to 1, a temporary cube the size of your templategroup, will be used to draw the path duplicator instead. This might help speed it up a bit, if your templategroup is very complex, and you've got lots of path-handles.
CountKeeps the number of path-handles. Increase this value to add more path-handles. Do not decrease it, because you won't be able to undo that action, and all your path-handle-coordinates will be lost.
horigin##This keeps the x,y,z coordinates for a path-handle. Instead of moving a path-handle with your mouse, you can enter its coordinates here. You should not add a new specific like this one, instead use the 'Insert path-handle before this' or increase the count.
lastchoosenhandleThis is automatically calculated and used, when you use the right-click context-menu on a path-handle. You do not need to edit this field.

Decker's Path Duplicator - Bugs?


Yes there are still some bugs in it, that is why its BETA!

There is a problem where a segment between two path-handles, will be brush-subtracted differently. You will notice when it does it! This will hopefully be fixed.

Another problem is, that there are a limit on how long a segment can be stretched. Anyway I don't think you will create such loooong segments :-)

If you should experience any other bugs, which isn't mentioned here, please contact Decker, and explain your problem - preferably with an example map to illustrate it.