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Adding Helicopters to CoD4 Custom Maps

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Call of Duty 4: How to add Helicopter Support to your Custom Map
by *MoG*Elijah / mog_elijah@hotmail.com / www.menofgod.us

When a player gets to call a helicopter the script is looking for start locations on our map. If these origins are not on your map no helicopter shows. This tutorial wil show you how to add the script origins to your custom map to enable helicopter support. This should be done near completion of your map and requires the minimap to be working.

We'll be adding three helicopter related functions to our map via script origin nodes:

- heli_start
- heli_loop_start
- heli_crash_start

To add a script origin, right-click your map in CoD4 Radiant and select Script > Origin. Press N. This is where we'll be adding the parameters for our nodes we place all around the map.

Open Radiant to your custom map and let's begin adding our helicopter nodes. We'll sart with heli_start.

On an area outside the playable (action) area right click and and add a script origin node. Place the node near the gound. Press N. Click your mouse in the "key" field, type the associated key name, press ENTER and type in the associated value then ENTER again. Type the following entries remembering to press ENTER after each entry.

Key: Value:
targetname heli_start
target auto470
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 105 0

Click Escape. Now, create another script origin literally right next to it. Press N. Add the following entries.

Node 1:
Key: Value:
targetname auto470
target auto471
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 95 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 60

Notice we added a few new elements to the script origin. Also, notice the name we gave it - auto470. You should see a baby-blue line connecting the two nodes together. Look at the heli_start and notice how we told it to "target" auto470. With our new auto470 node we're going to target the next node which will be auto471. See how we're creating a path now? Press escape.

Create another script origin node but this time place it above your playable area where you would envision a helicopter shooting at enemy players. Press N and enter the following:

Node 2:
Key: Value:
targetname auto471
target auto472
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 170 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 60

Create another script origin placing it in the playable area away from the one you just created like you are creating a path. Enter the following.

Node 3:
Key: Value:
targetname auto472
target auto473
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 170 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 60

Create Node 4 using the exact same technique. Notice the change in angles & airspeed settings.

Node 4:
Key: Value:
targetname auto473
target heli_dest
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 30 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 50

Node 5 will created outside the playable area of your map and placed next to the heli_dest node (created after this step).

Node 5:
Key: Value:
targetname auto474
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 30 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 50

Notice there is no "target" associated with this node. Very important to leave out the target associated with this node otherwise when a player calls the helicopter it will not leave the map!

Now let's create the final node on our start path - the destination node. Place this outside the playable area of your map right next to the last node (Node5) we just created.

Destination Node:
Key: Value:
targetname heli_dest
target auto474
_color 0 1 .5
angles 0 30 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 60

Notice how the dest node points right back to auto474? You can add as many nodes as you wish. I only added a few for this tutorial. There can be only one destination node for the entire map.

Okay, you should see funky lines all across your map connecting the newly created nodes together. Pretty cool, now we're getting somewhere.

At this point you can create additional heli_start paths just like described above. Just make sure it ends at the heli_dest node you just created. You can have multiple flight paths but only one destination node.

Now let's create our helicopter loop path.

Create a script origin near the edge of your map and well above the heli_start path(s) just created. This is going to be a circle of nodes around the top of your map.

heli_loop_start Node:
Key: Value:
targetname heli_loop_start
target auto480
_color .5 1 1
angles 0 360 0

Notcie we changed colors? This will help identify which path is which and help keep things organized. Now let's create the next node in our loop. Hit escape and create another script origin close to the heli_loop_start node.

Loop Node 1:
Key: Value:
targetname auto480
target auto481
_color .5 1 1
angles 0 340 0
script_accel 15
script_airspeed 40

Let's add another trying to make a ring around the map.

Loop Node 2:
Key: Value:
targetname auto481
target auto482
_color .5 1 1
angles 0 340 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 60

Notice how we're adjusting the speeds around the map? Add another but this time let's add something cool to this node.

Loop Node 3:
Key: Value:
targetname auto482
target auto483
_color .5 1 1
angles 0 185 0
script_delay 3
script_accel 15
script_airspeed 40

See the script_delay? Cool stuff. Let's add another node.

Loop Node 4:
Key: Value:
targetname auto483
target auto484
_color .5 1 1
angles 0 230 0
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 60

Now add the final node in our circle. This node should point (target) to Node 1 in our newly created circle.

Loop Node 5:
Key: Value:
targetname auto484
target auto480
_color .5 1 1
angles 0 185 0
script_delay 3
script_accel 15
script_airspeed 40

Now you should have a circle of connected nodes around the top of your map. Zig zag'ing the nodes is cool, too. Again, add as many nodes as you wish just make sure the final node points to the Node1 to complete the loop. Make sure none of your lines cross through or real close to buildings otherwise the helicopter will fly through the building and it looks dumb.

Time for the final task - creating the heli_crash_start. If any of you have played the game online and shot down a helicopter with an M-60 you noticed it crashes off the map. You're going to create the path on your map to enable this crash effect to happen.

Create a script origin near the center of your map and elevated slightly buildings or trees (well above the playable area anyway). Give it the following paramaters.

heli_crash_start Node:
Key: Value:
targetname heli_crash_start
target auto490

Notice we didn't use the _colors or angles parameter? Now, right next to the heli_crash_start node create a new script origin node and give it the following parameters.

heli_crash_start Node 1:
Key: Value:
targetname auto490
target auto491
script_accel 20
script_airspeed 40

Create another script origin node near the edge of the playale area of your map and closer toward the ground. Use these parameters.

heli_crash_start Node 2:
Key: Value:
targetname auto491
target auto492
script_accel 30
script_airspeed 50

Let's create another script origin node just outside the playable area of our map and slightly lower, or closer to the ground, than the last one.

heli_crash_start Node 3:
Key: Value:
targetname auto492
target auto493
script_accel 30
script_airspeed 50

Now, to create the final node in our heli_crash_start string. Create a script origin below the map but near the last node created. Give it the following parameters noticing we drop the "target" or next node on this one.

heli_crash_start Node 4:
Key: Value:
targetname auto493
script_accel 30
script_airspeed 50

Save & compile. Test your map on eXtreme using bots. This way you can get 6 kills and call a helicopter and test if your paths are where you want them. Enlist the help of a friend to try to shoot the helo out of the sky to see if your crash path works.

Troubleshooting:

The only thing I can offer is if you get errors try checking the names of each one of your nodes and ensure you entered the data just as described above. If your nodes are not connected then you messed up the name.

God Bless,

*MoG*Elijah

You left out the heli_leave node, DOODE

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