Basket-style Pulley system

[8ightBall]

No problem with the phys_puleyconstraint, got that set for simple pulleys (IE two crates suspended &c). What I've tried to do is create a 'basket' (5 grouped physbox brushes), then link it to a ballsocket (to keep the platform stable and facing upwards) above the platform. Then I wanted to link the ballsocket to the pulley constraint so that the whole thing moves.

Alas, the ballsocket is fixed in space (you can't even parent it to a brush) and the platform doesn't move. The same stability can be created from 4 length constrains (one to each corner) but it has the same problem.

Obviously I have the same on the other end of the pulley, but getting one side working is more than half the work

Any ideas from the good people of HL2.net?

 

[UltraProAnti]

um, i've made one of these myself using pulleyconstraint and four lengthconstraints and it worked fine. i don't really understand your problem from reading that

only thing i'd say is that your basket should be *one* physbox not 5 grouped, and that once you're done you should add a phys_constraintsystem and add all the phys constraints to it to make sure your phys ents aren't fighting each other. also, it might be simpler to use a phys_hinge instead of a ballsocket, unless you really really want the basket to turn freely

 

[8ightBall]

Thanks for the quick reply:

So the problem I had before when using the length constraint was that I couldn't work out how to use the pulley constraint as one of the entities (to constrain between the basket and pulley).

As I don't think I can post pictures, this is how I have it set up now: (and it works!)

Physbox 'basket' (5 grouped brushes), small no-draw physbox brush (solid to world=no) above the basket. 4 length constraints, entity1=no-draw physbox, entity2=basket (with the corner of the basket specified in the 'attached to point'). Rig the no-draw to one end of the pulley system. Repeat as necessary for the other basket.

If you can think of an easier way (to link length constraints directly to the pulley system) I'd be interested to hear it but I'm happy with this for now.

 

[8ightBall]

Image

Ahh, just worked out how to do it. This probably makes more sense.

 

[UltraProAnti]

oh, yeah, that's the right way to do it. i wasn't clear about your problem from your first post