Advanced Interlocking and Merging

Gravedigger5454 · 09-20-2008

Forging 101: Advanced Interlocking and Merging

*Project Z by The ABCrew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm-ONmTHzTY

You probably already know how to interlock objects, and how to merge them into the map geometry. If you don't, check out this forge 101 on interlocking, or this one on merging. Now, while interlocking or merging objects, there are a few important things to consider.

-Watch the frame rate. Don't overload one part of your map with too many interlocked and merged objects too close to each other. If you're interlocking stuff into five other things, and merging them all, you can cause lag. Don't merge or interlock unless doing so can improve the quality of your map. For example, if you merge everything on the map, you can cause lag in larger parties. As you do this, also be cautious to avoid overloading your map by glitching the budget or item limit too much.

Interlocking can be very useful in improving the gameplay of your map. Make sure every piece of your floor lines up perfectly, so that there are no bumps as you walk across them. Make sure your walls are interlocked together and smooth, so that stray bullets or grenades don't squeeze through. Merging objects can also be used very well in the same way. If a box is place against another box, or a Foundry wall, it should be merged or interlocked as needed to make it smooth and allow the maps gameplay to be as good as possible.

-A useful trick in lining up floors is the dumpster trick. If you place a stack of two dumpsters (straight up with the curved side facing up) on opposite sides of a wall, you will create a floor that is the same height as a box. You can achieve this same double box height if you place a bridge, open box, or a fence wall (or fence box) on top of dumpsters that have been stacked the same way, but with the bottom dumpsters turned to the side (the big surface with all the rectangles in it is facing up).

-As discovered by II AceMasta II, it can be very useful to use spawn points to line up interlocks. Simply place spawn points, such that the arrow tips of them line up with important pieces of the interlocked object your trying to create. When you start a new round to do the interlocking, the spawn points will still be there, and you can place objects inside of them, so simply line your object up with the arrows of the spawn points for a perfect interlock.

-When merging or interlocking objects, it can be useful to 'spot' where you want them to go. If you have two floating boxes that you want to be interlocked, then it would be useful to, after placing the first box, place a second next to it, exactly one box away from where you want the second box to be. Then make a third box and float it next to the second one, so that it then interlocks perfectly with the first box. When merging, you may want to setup some objects close by the object you wish to merge that represent the amount of the object you wish to leave not merged.

-There are two main ways to merge an object at an angle. The most widely known method is to float the object at the angle you want to merge it. Then float supports all around it, and then push it into the ground. The second, and arguably easier method, is to set the object down on the ground normally, then set supports on each side. Before pushing it into the ground, levitate one of the supports, so that it allows the object being pushed to tilt to the angle you want it to be.

Both interlocking and merging can be very useful to improve the gameplay of your map. Do not waste frame rate on it if it doesn't improve gameplay or look great. Be sure to use the techniques discussed here to make sure you have good interlocks and merges to keep your floors and walls smooth.

There are also two videos, created by Bl00D F1R3, which cover advanced interlocking and merging:
Merging
Interlocking

Re Amplify · 09-20-2008

Nice work, I was waiting for a new one of these. :O

TheDarkKnight05 · 09-20-2008

Sweet. This will be very helpful for interlocking and geomerging and to keep the smoothness for the map. I know I have some trouble with smoothness, so this will help me a lot. This will really helpful to newer members and new forgers. So anyways, thanks for posting this Gravedigger. This will really help a lot of members.

Draw the Line · 09-20-2008

Ah we finally discuss frame rate. Very nice work. Some people still need to learn the system has limits, and the budget glitch harms how that system works when overused.

TheMisterHat · 09-20-2008

Just for the information this didn't help me at all. This just wasn't that use full for me so next time only post it when you have more stuff to show.

Uc Gollum · 09-20-2008

I have not used dumpsters for creating fluid interlocked objects (i use my own ways), so you may want to add screenshots for the "dumpster method" to help explain it better to me and everyone else. It would be smart to add pics to just about everything (a picture speaks a thousand words).

mightymidget911 · 09-20-2008

nice i haven't been able to align things up at all!

AmercanPsycho · 09-20-2008

Can you post some pictures for a few things like the dumpster method and the angled merging, I'm more of a visual person. That would really help thanks.

Pennywiez · 09-20-2008

wow that spawn point idea is a really good idea i think i may actually just do that and also thanks for the geomerging things on an angle thing i can only do it in right angles!

Felipe dos · 09-20-2008

I thought this needed to be addressed. Maps like Debo37's Nooks 'n' Crannies that greatly surpass the item limit can handle gameplay without becoming lag-filled because nothing is interlocked.
Extreme interlocking and geo merging, however, must be why things began go even beyond lag when I tried breaking the object limit in The Ire of Fire.
It's rather strange seeing an immovable object just fall through the floor when it hasn't even been geo merged.