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Credits
Warnings!
by General Tips
When building a contraption just do not rush, take a lot of time on your welds. When using PHX models you will see that the texture is a very good welding template.
Remember that holding SHIFT+E while physgunning your props makes them rotate to set angles. Use this in combination with easy-weld to result in a perfectly aligned (straight and stable) contraption!
Quality
Don't rush when building something or it may end up not how you imagined.
Carefully align your props if you're building something small or complicated.
Measurements
A good way to get a quick measurement is by using a measuring STOOL or SWEP.
When using PHX props or any other props with patterns in their texture (use any mark you wish and measure up to the next area you see that same mark basically)
Hydraulics
If you build a base and decide to put in an elevator to the 2nd floor, the elevator will most likely spazz way the **** out and probably kill some people in the process. This is easily solved by making a level roof, as it is easy to make it slanted by accident if you are mass duplicating. So just remove the piece above the elevator, spawn that piece of roof new and drop it on the ground, or use the Shift E function. Now it's perfectly straight. No collide it with anything necessary then place it and weld it.
If making an elevator with hydraulics, and it wobbles excessively, you can add some more hydraulics (or add some sliders), this makes the elevator more stable. Increasing the weight on the props also makes it a lot more stable.
Hoverballs
The Air Resistance toggle is a very useful tool. When building flying contraptions with thrusters, hoverballs, and cameras; air resistance makes the contraption lose momentum. A good setting is 2.5, it is moderately versatile and yet still stops well.
When dealing with heavy props and hoverballs, it is a good idea to toggle gravity on the prop using the physical properties tool. Now you don't have to use too many hoverballs.
Welds
Welding Tips
Welding light object to the heavy object will create a stable weld if you use heavy as the base and a really wobbly weld if done otherwise.
Welding multiple objects to a single base produces much more stable welds rather than welding them to each other.
Welds are often wobbly by themselves but if you add ropes they will be more sturdy.
Snapping (Grid)
gm_snaptogrid 1/0 enables/disables props snapping to a grid. gm_gridsize controls the size of this grid.
gm_snapdegrees controls the snap size when rotating a prop. The default is 45.
Press e on the grid to snap on to the nearest snap point.
Snapping (Breaking)
You can set the weld to break if there is too much force acting on it. This can be useful to lightly weld missiles to an aircraft, then when it is thrusting, the weld breaks and the missile flies off. To set the force limit, select weld from the Q menu, then open up the context menu with C. On the right of your screen is the option to change the force limit (0 means it will never break).
Color is Your Friend
Changing the color of objects is good. One good method is to use the Transparent color, and pick a half-transparent white. Then click on an object. Now it's partially transparent (duh). This is useful when you are making a fort or vehicle, and you want to see outside of it. This is a lot easier than building windows. One example is making a blue dumpster vehicle, and making it partially transparent. Now you can hop inside, steer, and see where you're going.
Save!
Always save your work! Many times you may have physgunned all your props together - not welded them yet and then accidentally pressed reload on the physgun thinking it was welded. Save frequently. Then if something cocks up, you always have a back-up.
The duplicator or advanced duplicator will simply remember that spot in your work in case something goes wrong later in the process. Taking out one of those duplicators and right clicking can mean a lot in case of an accident.
No colliding with the world
It is often needed to allow a prop to pass through the world (especially when creating bases - with no gaps). This can not be done with the no collide tool so you must use this method:
Get the prop in the exact position you want above the ground and freeze it because the next steps will make it unmovable on some axes.
Now equip the advanced ballsocket tool and make sure both boxes at the bottom of the tool options are ticked. All of the sliders should be on 0 (you may be able to overcome the problem of not being able to move the prop on some axes by setting the minimums to -180 and the maximums to 180).
Now unfreeze the prop. It will pass through the ground.
Construction with breakable props
Easiest way
Just use the magnetise-tool on that prop with all settings like magnet-strength turned to zero. It will become unbreakable and it won't act like a magnet.
When building a contraption just do not rush, take a lot of time on your welds. When using PHX models you will see that the texture is a very good welding template.
Remember that holding SHIFT+E while physgunning your props makes them rotate to set angles. Use this in combination with easy-weld to result in a perfectly aligned (straight and stable) contraption!
Quality
Don't rush when building something or it may end up not how you imagined.
Carefully align your props if you're building something small or complicated.
Measurements
A good way to get a quick measurement is by using a measuring STOOL or SWEP.
When using PHX props or any other props with patterns in their texture (use any mark you wish and measure up to the next area you see that same mark basically)
Hydraulics
If you build a base and decide to put in an elevator to the 2nd floor, the elevator will most likely spazz way the **** out and probably kill some people in the process. This is easily solved by making a level roof, as it is easy to make it slanted by accident if you are mass duplicating. So just remove the piece above the elevator, spawn that piece of roof new and drop it on the ground, or use the Shift E function. Now it's perfectly straight. No collide it with anything necessary then place it and weld it.
If making an elevator with hydraulics, and it wobbles excessively, you can add some more hydraulics (or add some sliders), this makes the elevator more stable. Increasing the weight on the props also makes it a lot more stable.
Hoverballs
The Air Resistance toggle is a very useful tool. When building flying contraptions with thrusters, hoverballs, and cameras; air resistance makes the contraption lose momentum. A good setting is 2.5, it is moderately versatile and yet still stops well.
When dealing with heavy props and hoverballs, it is a good idea to toggle gravity on the prop using the physical properties tool. Now you don't have to use too many hoverballs.
Welds
Welding Tips
Welding light object to the heavy object will create a stable weld if you use heavy as the base and a really wobbly weld if done otherwise.
Welding multiple objects to a single base produces much more stable welds rather than welding them to each other.
Welds are often wobbly by themselves but if you add ropes they will be more sturdy.
Snapping (Grid)
gm_snaptogrid 1/0 enables/disables props snapping to a grid. gm_gridsize controls the size of this grid.
gm_snapdegrees controls the snap size when rotating a prop. The default is 45.
Press e on the grid to snap on to the nearest snap point.
Snapping (Breaking)
You can set the weld to break if there is too much force acting on it. This can be useful to lightly weld missiles to an aircraft, then when it is thrusting, the weld breaks and the missile flies off. To set the force limit, select weld from the Q menu, then open up the context menu with C. On the right of your screen is the option to change the force limit (0 means it will never break).
Color is Your Friend
Changing the color of objects is good. One good method is to use the Transparent color, and pick a half-transparent white. Then click on an object. Now it's partially transparent (duh). This is useful when you are making a fort or vehicle, and you want to see outside of it. This is a lot easier than building windows. One example is making a blue dumpster vehicle, and making it partially transparent. Now you can hop inside, steer, and see where you're going.
Save!
Always save your work! Many times you may have physgunned all your props together - not welded them yet and then accidentally pressed reload on the physgun thinking it was welded. Save frequently. Then if something cocks up, you always have a back-up.
The duplicator or advanced duplicator will simply remember that spot in your work in case something goes wrong later in the process. Taking out one of those duplicators and right clicking can mean a lot in case of an accident.
No colliding with the world
It is often needed to allow a prop to pass through the world (especially when creating bases - with no gaps). This can not be done with the no collide tool so you must use this method:
Get the prop in the exact position you want above the ground and freeze it because the next steps will make it unmovable on some axes.
Now equip the advanced ballsocket tool and make sure both boxes at the bottom of the tool options are ticked. All of the sliders should be on 0 (you may be able to overcome the problem of not being able to move the prop on some axes by setting the minimums to -180 and the maximums to 180).
Now unfreeze the prop. It will pass through the ground.
Construction with breakable props
Easiest way
Just use the magnetise-tool on that prop with all settings like magnet-strength turned to zero. It will become unbreakable and it won't act like a magnet.
