Object spawning issue on Ravine

Hi all,

I've built a little sandbox testing/target shooting map on Ravine, and I'm trying to add in some skeet targets made of man cannons shooting fusion coils that spawn just above them and drop into their beams. Simple, right?

Except the fusion coils won't spawn correctly. I create one, set it to Fixed physics, set the spawn timer to 1, place it above the man cannon's beam, release it, and then set it to Normal physics. Did this in Reach's Forge plenty of times.

When I load it up in a custom game, the fusion coils either don't spawn at all, spawn at random times (I kid you not), or spawn on a 1 minute timer instead of every few seconds.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

PRS - Yeah, I looked at those settings. Each time I spawned a fusion coil, they would reset to Min 3 / Max 17 (there's only 3 coils on the map atm). I'll try setting them all to 3/3, thanks.

Dave Cobb/Mr. Green - Technically, they are at rest. When you place something with Fixed physics and then change it to Normal without actually grabbing the object, the physics don't seem to kick in until you save the map and exit the Forge session - they remain hanging there in space above the cannon. At least, that's how it was in Reach. I'll give it a shot tho, thanks.

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Edited by merge:

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Okay, did some messing around and here's what I've got:

Min/max count settings apparently apply to the CLASS of objects, rather than the specific piece. So when dealing with fusion coils, I have to count all the Explosives objects (fusion coils, landmines, and fuel canisters).

Prior to trying to add the fusion coils, I had 13 landmines set up as targets for a grenade range. They are fixed, with a spawn time of 1, and immediately respawn when destroyed.

I also had a fuel canister that drop spawned into a pair of opposing man cannons, bouncing back and forth between them. Normal physics, with a spawn time of 1. It would bounce back and forth for approximately 15 seconds before despawning, and then would take a second or two to respawn. If destroyed, it would take 2-3 seconds to respawn.

All of the previous items are working as intended.

If I try to add a single fusion coil drop spawning into another man cannon (normal physics, spawn time 1), it will randomly spawn every few minutes - maybe. The max count is appropriate for the number of Explosives items on the map - I can't lower it below the number of existing items, and increasing it to the max of 24 doesn't do anything. I can increase the min count, but all that does is cause multiples of the fuel canister to spawn simultaneously. It does increase the spawn rate of the fusion coil, but it's still random and nowhere near the set spawn time of 1.

I even tried using the spawn sequence setting to force the coil to spawn after the canister, but that gave the same result as previously. I have no idea what's keeping the coil from spawning properly - the spawn time is defined, and the min/max settings shouldn't keep it from spawning.

Could the fact that I'm nearing max budget for this map have anything to do with it? I've still got about $1000 to play with...

 

You guys aren't gonna believe this, but it appears I was putting the coils too close to the cannon and the proximity was inhibiting the coil's spawn. I've gotten one working already and am working on the others.

Thanks for all the assistance though.

 

Spoke too soon. I got one to work, but can't get any more going.

The issue now appears to be uneven terrain. I can create a cannon on the flat surface of the Forerunner structure on Ravine, and a fusion coil will spawn over it repeatedly like it's supposed to. Every time.

I try to create one anywhere else on the map (grass, hills, floating in space, etc.) and the coil spawns once, during the loading screen (I can see it launch and fly through the blur), but never respawns.

The way I got the first one to work was to put a large block on the ground, then put the cannon on that. Once I got the spawning going, I was even able to delete the block and lower the cannon to the ground. However, I haven't been able to replicate those results anywhere else on the map. I tried Aussie's suggestion of mounting the coil on a block over the cannon and deleting the block, but that didn't have any effect.

That definitely has something to do with it. I can create the cannon, place the coil over it, start a new round, and the coil spawns once. I delete the cannon, start a new round, and the coil respawns like it's supposed to.

 

Tried, no joy. I created the pallet with fixed physics, then the coil with normal physics, removed the pallet (leaving the coil hanging in space), and when I started a new round, the coil spawned once during the blurry loading screen and then never respawned.

Tried, no joy. I created a 1x1 block with fixed physics, then the coil with normal physics, destroyed the coil with a sniper and watched it respawn immediately (several times), removed the block (leaving the coil hanging in space), and when I started a new round, the coil spawned once during the blurry loading screen and then never respawned.

To all of you telling me to place blocks or platforms under the coil, I appreciate the suggestions, but that's not the problem. It's not even necessary - I created tons of these coil/mancannon skeet launchers in Reach's Forge without using any kind of platforms. All you have to do is set the coil to phased or fixed physics, place it above the cannon, let go of it, and then set it to normal physics without picking it up again.

I can get these launchers to work with or without using platforms, as long as they're on the flat surface of the Forerunner structure. If I try to place them anywhere else, the coil doesn't respawn until the mancannon is removed or deleted. Then, the coil drop spawns perfectly. Occasionally, the coil will even start respawning once I move or delete the mancannon, without me having to start a new round. It has something to do with the mancannon on the uneven terrain, but I have no idea how to get around it.

 

Yeah, I thought this was the solution originally, but then it didn't work after gettting the first one set up. The first one also didn't require a great height. I just tried it again with a much higher coil:

1. Placed mancannon on ground.
2. Placed fixed physics coil 20 units above cannon (same X and Y values as cannon, cannon's Z value + 20).
3. Changed coil physics to normal. Coil remains suspended in place.
4. Started new round.

Result: coil respawns correctly, but impacts body of cannon before it can be launched and explodes.

5. Moved cannon 0.4 X and 0.4 Y units to get coil to drop into beam, rather than over body of cannon.

Result: As soon as the coil first drops into the beam and is successfully launched, it stops respawning.

6. Started new round.

Result: coil spawns and launches from cannon once during blurry load screen and doesn't respawn.

7. Deleted cannon and coil.
8. Repeated steps 1-4, only placing coil 19 units above cannon instead of 20.

Result: coil spawns and launches from cannon once during blurry load screen and doesn't respawn.

I'm thinking it's a bug at this point.

 

Figured it out.

When I was setting up the cannons on the Forerunner side, I always pointed them across the ravine. The coils would hit on the grassy side, explode, despawn, and respawn.

I set up cannons on the grassy side in several places, but always pointed them where the cannon I wanted to set up was supposed to go - with the coil ending up going into the ravine. The angle such that the coil didn't hit any of the rock walls on the way down. I thought it would explode/despawn when it hit the water, but apparently not. It spawned during the blurry load screen, got launched, and landed in the water but didn't despawn - and therefore didn't respawn. A simple floating wall for the coil to land against down in the ravine solved the problem.

Much thanks for the assistance everyone.