How do you 'run' an animated .mdl?

[OneManClan]

Dear Gurus,

I have a .mdl which has 6 frames, and am trying to install it in the code. It's a pool of goo on the ground which spreads - once. Currently it appears, but doesn't animate. I've been rtfming like mad about .mdls, frame macros, syntax etc, but there's some essential piece missing from my understanding:

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// so we first do this:
$cd /quake/fortress/progs/foo.mdl

// when the .mdl spawns it already gets told where to 'materialize' (via setorigin), so I'm not sure why we need this:
$origin 0 0 8

$base base     
$skin skin
     
// I assume the bit below names the frames of the foo.mdl
// (Btw: what 'connects' it to 'foo.mdl' (above)?
// shouldn't all the animation code for one 'mdl' be all in one {} ?
// many qc files have multiple 'mdl definitons', yet they don't conflict )
$frame foo1 foo2 foo3 foo4 foo5 foo6

void()   foo_1 =   [$foo1, foo_2   ] {};
void()   foo_2 =   [$foo2, foo_3   ] {};
void()   foo_3 =   [$foo3, foo_4   ] {};
void()   foo_4 =   [$foo4, foo_5   ] {};
void()   foo_5 =   [$foo5, foo_6   ] {};
void()   foo_6 =   [$foo6, foo_6   ] {}; // since it runs once I made foo_6 play itself over and over


The syntax above is well documented, BUT how do we then run these animations in quakec? When the entity is spawned I tried:

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foo = spawn();
foo.mdl = "progs/foo.mdl"
foo_1();


It didn't animate. Then I tried:

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foo = spawn();
foo.think = foo_1; //??


Nothing. I tried to make the animation loop over and over by making foo_6 'point' to foo_1 as the next function (just to see it
working) via:

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void()   foo_6 =   [$foo6, foo_1  ] {};

But it didn't animate. I checked that the right mdl exists in fortress/progs. I tried slowing down the animation via:

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void()   foo_1 =   [$foo1, foo_2   ] {self.nextthink = time + 1.0;};

but there was no difference..

I'm sure there's a link somewhere but all I've found is either basic syntax, or advanced stuff w new animation systems.

[EDIT] I tried a good ol' dprint:

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void()   foo_1 =   [$foo1, foo_2   ] {dprint("we are animating\n"};

and it DIDN'T print! So it's possible the frame stuff is set up correctly, but the prob is the way they are (not) being called. Something's missing...

Any ideas?

Thanks,

OneManClan

[Spike]

qc only cares about the $frame line. the other $base $skin $origin stuff are not used by qc.

try to insert the line '$flush' bfore the '$frame' line, so any preceeding $frame macros in your code do not affect your blob (not sure if it exists in frikqcc, but does in fteqcc).

set developer 1. with that set, it should start warning when invalid frames are requested.

[OneManClan]

qc only cares about the $frame line. the other $base $skin $origin stuff are not used by qc.

I see.

try to insert the line '$flush' bfore the '$frame' line, so any preceeding $frame macros in your code do not affect your blob (not sure if it exists in frikqcc, but does in fteqcc).

I was gonna say that "there aren't any preceding $frame macros in this QuakeC file" but then realised that that might not be the case post compilation, so ok.

set developer 1. with that set, it should start warning when invalid frames are requested.

Thanks Spike, will do.

I'm still not sure I'm 'calling' the animation the right way.. I tried yet another approach (wild newbie stab in the dark):

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void (entity blob) blobFrame =
{

local entity e;

if (blob.frame > 6)
   return;

   e = spawn();
   e.classname = "timer";
   e.netname = "blobframeincrementer";
   e.owner = blob;
   e.think = blobFrame; // not sure this line is needed
   e.nextthink = time + 1.0;

   blob.frame = blob.frame + 1; // I'm sure this is wrong


};

No difference.

What system/code/technique should I be using to make this animate?

[frag.machine]

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void () blob_anim =
{
  if (self.frame > $foo6 )
  {
    remove (self); // skip this line if you want the puddle to stay
    return;
  }

  self.frame = self.frame + 1;
  self.think = blob_anim ();
  self.nextthink = time + 0.1;
};

void (vector org) spawn_goo_puddle =
{
  local entity puddle;
 
  puddle = spawn ();
  setmodel (puddle, "progs/foo.mdl");
  setorigin (puddle, org);
  puddle.frame = $foo1;
  puddle.angles = '0 0 0';
  puddle.solid = SOLID_NOT;
  puddle.movetype = MOVETYPE_NONE;
  puddle.think = blob_anim ();
  puddle.nextthink = time + 0.1;
};


[OneManClan]

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void () blob_anim =
{
  if (self.frame > $foo6 )
  {
    remove (self); // skip this line if you want the puddle to stay
    return;
  }

  self.frame = self.frame + 1;
  self.think = blob_anim ();
  self.nextthink = time + 0.1;
};

void (vector org) spawn_goo_puddle =
{
  local entity puddle;
 
  puddle = spawn ();
  setmodel (puddle, "progs/foo.mdl");
  setorigin (puddle, org);
  puddle.frame = $foo1;
  puddle.angles = '0 0 0';
  puddle.solid = SOLID_NOT;
  puddle.movetype = MOVETYPE_NONE;
  puddle.think = blob_anim ();
  puddle.nextthink = time + 0.1;
};


Thanks frag.machine, this worked beautifully