well here is what i currently have, the bea mworks but will not follow the enemy or the target sprite, and it passes through the enemy but still causes damage, the problem with this is any enemy near enough to the shot one will also get hit, and shields will be useless. all the code is the same as i have posted bar this. this is all the beam weapon code

---

var phaser_decreasing = 0;
function init_player_startup()
{
while (player == null)
{
wait (1);
}
player.phaser = 74;
while (1)
{
if(phaser_decreasing == off)
{
player.phaser += 0.4 * time_step; // increase power slowly
player.phaser = min(74, player.phaser); // limit phaser power 74
}
wait (1);
}
}

function beam_weapons
{
while ((mouse_left == 1))
{
if(player.phaser <= 0) { break; }
phaser_decreasing = on;
player.phaser -= 3*time_step;
snd_play (beam_wav, 50, 0);
vec_for_vertex(temp,player,3894);
ent_create (fphaser_mdl, temp, c_phaser);
wait(1);
}
phaser_decreasing = off;
}

var phaser_speed;

function c_phaser
{
wait(1);
c_setminmax(me);
my.scale_x = enemy;
my.scale_y = 0.2;
my.scale_z = 0.2;
my.passable = off;
my.oriented = on;
my.flare = on;
my.bright = on;
my.ambient = 100;
my.pan = player.pan;//--->player.pan and tilt set to camera
my.tilt = player.tilt;
my.enable_entity = on;
my.enable_block = on;
my.enable_impact = on;
my.polygon = on;
phaser_speed.x = 50 * time;
phaser_speed.y = 0;
phaser_speed.z = 0;
while (my != null)
{if
(my.roll > 150){my.passable = off;}
my.roll += 25 * time;
c_move(my,vector(phaser_speed*time,0,0),nullvector,ignore_you);///
my._frameCt += 1;
if (my._frameCt >= 20) { break; }
wait(1);
}
if (me != null)
{ ent_remove(me);
}
}

---

first off, do you have aim? second, the beam just goes right through the enemy forever right? also, how far are the enemys from the beam when they take damage... it would also help if i could either get the files for the game so i could see it and work on it, or if you posted a video so i could get an idea of whats wrong...

there is a targeting sprite and function yes, i can`t figure on how to get it to tie in to the beam weapon though, i have some examples i have been trying. i have zipped up the test level and here is the link, good luck and thanks for helping me out.
http://www.4shared.com/file/22274751/fbf5ac3b/test_level.html
sorry, i forgot to say, it does not have to be a model, if it ca nbe achieved with particles that is just as good. thnks again

I found this topic very interesting, so I spent a few hours
on that.

You may try my phaserTarget demo, download it under my sig.
One important thing is the phaser model, you need to position
it well in MED in order to let it scale probably in game,
I think you've already know it.

If you want to use your own phaser, you may follow my setting
in MED :

MED->File->Preference->Video Out :

Check 2d Grid, Grid Lo = 1.00, Grid Hi = 4.

Load the phaser.mdl, on Topview, zoom in very very close
and see how I position and scale the vertices at the
worldposition centre and its size.

Hope this helps.

woo freaky i was just writeing to ask if anyone had gotten anywere when gmail let it be known you had replied to the thread lol, you must have read my mind. i am dl`ing you demo now, thanks and i`ll let you know how it goes

Ah, I've forgot to mention the following instruction in my level :

"LMB = Fire phaser"

Good luck!

it does seem to work the way i need, it stops when it hits an enemy, getting it to work with my existing code is proveing problamatic lol, but i shall persevere.

well i`m stumped again, i just can`t seem to integrate this stoping thingy into my code, nor to follow the targeting sprite, anyone got any ideas at all on how i can work this? please.

Without reading any of that stuff I can tell you in a few words, how it works.

1. Create your beam model with the length of 1 quant in MED (don't center it, it has to start at the cetner and has to go 1 quant into x direction).
2. use c_trace with my.polygon = on (or whatever this is called now) like this:
RESULT = c_trace(vec_from.x, vec_to.x, ignore_something)
vec_set(my.x, vec_from.x);
vec_diff(temp.x,vec_to.x, vec_from.x);
vec_to_angle(my.pan, temp.x);
my.scale_x=RESULT;


something like that, or take a look nito my Star Wars code:
function FNCT_LaserBeam(fptr, tptr, AppVTX)

i have just posted a laser contribution in user contributions if that helps