Functional keypad

[MirceaKitsune]

The electronic keypad is something I've wanted for a long time, along with laser tripped alarms which are next on my TODO list. I'm happy to announce they're a feature I just finished as part of a futuristic campaign I began working on! The version included here is extracted into an individual pk4 for other mappers to use. I may improve mine over time like using a GUI for the screen, for now this is a simple but finished version which does exactly everything intended.

It consists of the custom script and def, models created and exported from DR reusing existing sounds and textures (only text labels had to be created), as well as prefabs for model sources and quickly placing a keypad on your map (broken or unpowered versions included). The device is operated using 12 buttons forming a numeric keypad inspired by old mobile phones, stand close look at each key and frob to input: Give your keypad a "text" spawnarg to set a password (multiple codes supported), entities targeted via "trigger_on_success" will execute when the correct code was typed, you may also set "trigger_on_fail" spawnargs to trigger targets when a bad code was written. Existing input can be cancelled with * and must be confirmed using the # key at the end, once unlocked pressing any key will re-trigger targets and lock the device back up.

One aspect I'm unhappy with: I couldn't find a way for the script to directly access the entity triggering it. Because of this I had to define an additional "atdm:target_callobjectfunction" targeted by buttons which itself targets the keypad. This is only an annoyance for sanity's sake as I hoped I'd only need the keypad entity and individual buttons, yet there's also a little yellow cube sticking around which every button has to go through. Let me know if you're aware of a way to work around this; I know the script can use sys.onSignal(SIG_TRIGGER, self, "foo::bar") to run a function when triggered, but there doesn't seem to be a way to access the entity doing the triggering which is required to know which button was pressed and get its symbol.

Here's the initial version with a few screenshots of how it looks and works. Feel free to use them in your FM's and share the result here! I'd love to see missions where you need to find codes in readables and remember them to access places, even having to piece them together from different sources... remember you can also use short passwords which are typed like an SMS hence the letters on the keys, for example "abe" would be "11122" (a = 1, b = 11, e = 22) 0 acts as space though I wouldn't write long sentences as they can be annoying to type in.

electronic_keypad_v1.0.pk4

[chakkman]

Nice, albeit a bit too modern for my taste in this setting.  I mean, if you spin the idea on, then, why are there no screens in the game, if keypads already have them? Seems a bit out of context IMO. Just my opinion.

[MirceaKitsune]

8 minutes ago, chakkman said:

Nice, albeit a bit too modern for my taste in this setting.  I mean, if you spin the idea on, then, why are there no screens in the game, if keypads already have them? Seems a bit out of context IMO. Just my opinion.

Keep in mind this is for a cyberpunk campaign I'm creating, which will have computers and other scifi elements mixed in with the existing assets. For the standard theme this should in fact use different models or skins to look more rustic, possibly removing the screen and replacing it with a bulb. The screen is a decision I went for later, it was meant to be a sort of neon lamp for the color to indicate its status... in the end I went ahead and added a screen as well which you can set to nodraw to disable.

[chakkman]

Ok, fair enough.

[JackFarmer]

21 hours ago, MirceaKitsune said:

Keep in mind this is for a cyberpunk campaign I'm creating, which will have computers and other scifi elements mixed in with the existing assets. For the standard theme this should in fact use different models or skins to look more rustic, possibly removing the screen and replacing it with a bulb. The screen is a decision I went for later, it was meant to be a sort of neon lamp for the color to indicate its status... in the end I went ahead and added a screen as well which you can set to nodraw to disable.

 

Very cool. Maybe you find the time even to replace the digital screen with the mechanical numberwheels from the ordinary locks? Then it would be quite fitting for the Dark Mod setting.

 

21 hours ago, chakkman said:

why are there no screens in the game, if keypads already have them?

...mabye because nobody has used screens till now...?

@nbohr1more: Maybe this should be moved to Assets...?

Edited March 16, 2023 by JackFarmer

[Heuli]

there is a mission where you have to press 3 books in a sequence then a picture frame opens and you can steal the picture if you have 3 books you use 3 keys or 4 keys in the mission must man in a tomb 4 stone slabs press sounds make then the coffin opens as. the mission is called I do not know

Edited March 17, 2023 by Heuli

[chakkman]

15 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

...mabye because nobody has used screens till now...?

Which makes me think that there are no screens in this universe.

Anyway, of course up to the imagination of the mapper.  It just seems a bit off to me, that's all. All the other technology is not THAT advanced.

Edited March 17, 2023 by chakkman

[thebigh]

37 minutes ago, Heuli said:

there is a mission where you have to press 3 books in a sequence then a picture frame opens and you can steal the picture if you have 3 books you use 3 keys or 4 keys in the mission must man in a tomb 4 stone slabs press sounds make then the coffin opens as. the mission is called I do not know

That's "The Heart of St Mattis".

[datiswous]

1 hour ago, thebigh said:

That's "The Heart of St Mattis".

Without knowing this info I actually started playing this mission yesterday.. (currently playing all of his missions)

Edited March 17, 2023 by datiswous

[JackFarmer]

@MirceaKitsune

You sure that's packed correctly?

[MirceaKitsune]

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

@MirceaKitsune

You sure that's packed correctly?

Strange, it shouldn't be doing that. That question mark box typically appears when a model definition can't be found. Can you see and add the keypad or buttons as a func_static from the model browser?

EDIT: I see the problem. The def defines the path as "models/darkmod/electronic/keypad.lwo" but I included it in "models/electronic/keypad.lwo" when packing. Sorry about that! Just change the directory structure for now. I should re-pack the pk4 but wanted to wait in case I'll update anything else.

Edited March 23, 2023 by MirceaKitsune

[JackFarmer]

 

https://streamable.com/1tlmte

 

1. The console reports, that the script seems to miss an "'#endif" line.

2. After pressing a random button for the first time, a confusing sound effect is audible.

3. The display should show the player's input

All in all, cool work, but even for my steampunk mission design (this is from the last mission from my campaign which contains a lot of  Inventors tech items) it looks way too modern.

If you could make this look more fitting for the general DM setting  (rusty pads, leave out the letters and search for alternatives replacing the "#" and "*", find a more suitable display maybe with the numberwheels as I have already suggested), then I would definitely integrate it in my next work.

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by JackFarmer

[MirceaKitsune]

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

https://streamable.com/1tlmte

1. The console reports, that the script seems to miss an "'#endif" line.

2. After pressing a random button for the first time, a confusing sound effect is audible.

3. The display should show the player's input

All in all, cool work, but even for my steampunk mission design (this is from the last mission from my campaign which contains a lot of  Inventors tech items) it looks way too modern.

If you could make this look more fitting for the general DM setting  (rusty pads, leave out the letters and search for alternatives replacing the "#" and "*", find a more suitable display maybe with the numberwheels as I have already suggested), then I would definitely integrate it in my next work.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm in the process of fixing remaining issues and missing features. Since you expressed wanting to use it I'll be making and including rustic skins as well for the next version.

The sound is the keypad going into input mode, it can be disabled via spawnarg if you want. As for a screen showing the player's input, that would require a GUI setup, doable but would require massive changes I didn't have planned so I hope it's alright if I skip that... in my campaign I'll be justifying it as a security feature, someone standing behind you can't see the code you typed in nor the number of digits, you have to know the full sequence then confirm manually.

Here's what I have so far skin wise, let me know how you think it looks. Remember you can use unlit skins if you don't want glowing numbers but rather have them painted, this is just the default configuration: Once I post the update I'll also provide a better description of how to set the spawnargs for the result you want, maybe default some of it in the prefab.

[JackFarmer]

This is way better IMO, you think you can replace the numbers with some more old looking like this?

 

I think you should search for alternatives replacing the "X" and the "O"...they look like you travelled to a parallel universe and stole it from the there available Playstation 2 controller.

 

Thank you for working on this item!

[freyk]

It is a nice design, but i can be even nicer. Just do a google image search for "steampunk calculator".
(or "steampunk keyboard")
 

[MirceaKitsune]

3 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

This is way better IMO, you think you can replace the numbers with some more old looking like this?

I think you should search for alternatives replacing the "X" and the "O"...they look like you travelled to a parallel universe and stole it from the there available Playstation 2 controller.

Thank you for working on this item!

At least the numbers in the rustic version look roughly the same... albeit those are a bit more "Times New Roman" by comparison, I used the Monospace font provided in Manjaro as it struck a good balance. Not sure what else to use for the cancel and confirm buttons... I grabbed the symbols from the existing decals for those, will see if I can use better textures as a quick solution.

44 minutes ago, freyk said:

It is a nice design, but i can be even nicer. Just do a google image search for "steampunk calculator".
(or "steampunk keyboard")

There are some interesting designs for sure. I initially wanted to base mine off a steampunk calculator I did in fact have when I was around 7, likely one of the first digital calculators in the world... I can barely remember it as this box you plugged into a power outlet with a bright green LCD display, must have been something amazing for its day

[MirceaKitsune]

Here we go! Fixed a lot of little issues and included prefabs for the rustic versions: If you need to change anything particular, check the spawnargs the new prefabs override on the keypad and button entities... skins colors and sounds are all customizable, I even wrote editor vars explaining what they do when you select each field in DarkRadiant.

electronic_keypad_v1.1.pk4

[RedNoodles]

I've always wanted something like this in TDM! thank you so much.

[Melchior]

If its meant for TDM-stock inclusion; perhaps a more 'antique' digital display technology. you need to down-grade it a little.

What about EDGE-LIT Digital displays? Just etched glass, small incandescent lamps and excessive craftmanship...

See:

https://industrialalchemy.org/articleview.php?item=1080
https://industrialalchemy.org/tubepage.php?item=10
https://hackaday.com/2017/03/23/before-there-were-nixie-tubes-there-were-edge-lit-displays/

 

[grodenglaive]

Old post, but I just came across it. A nixie tube display would look pretty cool in TDM. I got one for Christmas actually - a clock made in the Ukraine from surplus Russian vacuum tubes. I love it.

[taffernicus]

Sorry for the necrobump. Unfortunately, the original poster of this thread is no longer active.

 

I want to ask whether keypad assets like this are made purely using DR or if other 3D modeling applications are also needed?

 

I'm just asking out of curiosity. Maybe in the future, I want to learn how to create and model objects with screens like this but without the functionality of the keypad above in DarkRadiant. I'm just messing around, I don't intend to create fan missions.

 

And if such a screen is too modern (even a CRT), is an overhead projector (https://www.avplanners.com/blog/history-with-a-local-av-company-the-overhead-projector) also too modern, even if it's given a steampunk touch?Because I remember OHPs were widely used in schools or universities 3-4 decades ago

Or even if the CDC 6600 below is polished with a steampunk design (and it seems like it doesn't use vacuum tubes like the Ferranti Mercury) , would it still not fit in?

 

Edited January 18 by taffernicus

[taffernicus]

Considering that there is already a gramophone technology in TDM, I am also curious if a DECTape made in steampunk style would deviate from the original TDM theme...

[datiswous]

21 minutes ago, taffernicus said:

I want to ask whether keypad assets like this are made purely using DR or if other 3D modeling applications are also needed?

You can build something in DR and then turn it into a model. I think pretier things can be done in a 3d editor.

[datiswous]

25 minutes ago, taffernicus said:

Considering that there is already a gramophone technology in TDM, I am also curious if a DECTape made in steampunk style would deviate from the original TDM theme...

There are audio cardridges and players in tdm (there's a simpler version in a William Steele mission). I think the audio cardridge system can be modified into a video one, or for showing text on a screen for example.

I think an overhead projector can be done since there are camera's.

[taffernicus]

12 hours ago, datiswous said:

You can build something in DR and then turn it into a model. I think pretier things can be done in a 3d editor.

Ok great , I didn't expect DR to be this versatile.

12 hours ago, datiswous said:

There are audio cardridges and players in tdm (there's a simpler version in a William Steele mission). I think the audio cardridge system can be modified into a video one, or for showing text on a screen for example.

I think an overhead projector can be done since there are camera's.

Okay, it turns out there are already assets with similar functionality. I'll try it in DR too. I've never touched DR before.

 

So, as far as I can see, TDM already has CCTV camera technology and a screen to display it (available in some FMs). It can even classify whether the object in front of it is a friend or foe. You can connect it with turret as well.. Here, I think it means there is already a subset of computer components inside it and it utilizes the way a computer mechanism works, but perhaps the era of the computer revolution or computer boom has not really kicked off yet (just like in Thief, it is impossible for the madman Karras not to describe and introduce the computational formulas that he may have come up with or something theoretical underpinning of his combat robot creation) 

The discovery of the display tech may be a different story.

Edited January 19 by taffernicus