Unpaintable Cube

[vrad-exe]

An item which is identical to the normal Cube item, but the cubes cannot be painted. If this isn't possible, paint simply wouldn't affect the cubes (kind of like frankenturrets). There could also be an alternate unpaintable version of any future custom cubes which are added.

[TeamSpen210]

I could parent a paint fizzler to the cube, which should instantly un-paint it when painted. I might use the Contraption Cube model ir something for this. It'll just be the standard cube, not all the varieties.

[vrad-exe]

Why can't you use the normal cube dropper properties menu (with cube type, auto drop etc.) to allow switching between cubes?

[TeamSpen210]

I could actually, but I'd prefer to make it look like a new cube entirely. Otherwise it might be confusing when mixed with regular cubes, since you can't tell it apart otherwise.

[vrad-exe]

I got this idea when playing an Aperture Tag map I made (which is no longer available to play). It involves covering a cube in repulsion gel at one point, and I thought, "How are people supposed to know that you're supposed to cover the cube in repulsion gel?" I thought that if there was an unpaintable cube, people would know that they needed to cover the cube in paint because the unpaintable cube wasn't being used. It could also prevent cheating or getting stuck in some of my other (unpublished) chambers.

[TeamSpen210]

Maybe I should add the 'cube shower' signage type to the Signage item.

[vrad-exe]

@TeamSpen210 Wait, what does signage have to do with unpaintable cubes?

[TeamSpen210]

That sign might help with indicating that the cube should be painted.

[vrad-exe]

It could also prevent cheating or getting stuck in some of my other (unpublished) chambers.

Wait, are you saying you're going to implement this signage instead of the unpaintable cube?

[vrad-exe]

A "no-paint" icon could be put in the following places on the cubes:

• Standard/Companion - The aperture logo/heart would be replaced on some sides.
• Reflection - It would be a translucent tint on the glass parts.
• Sphere - It would be in the center of the blue circle where the three lines meet.
• Frankenturrets - On the back or top, there will be the sign. Not sure how useful this would be though, because frankenturrets aren't affected by paint anyway (Valve bug, I'm assuming?)

[TheDarkBomber]

@Luke18033

Actually, Frankenturrets aren't cubes, so they can't be painted anyway. A frakenturret is actually a form of turret. (Frankenturret not prop_weighted_cube) This is because they move.

[TeamSpen210]

Turrets can be painted too... Frankenturrets are their own entity, prop_monster_box. It's indeed a Valve bug.

[TheDarkBomber]

No, it is because Frankenturrets move. Turrets do not move. This makes it possible to prevent potential bugs.

[FrozenDragon0]

You can make it so when the cube is painted it gets fizzled and another one respawns.

[vrad-exe]

@ZombiePwner1 No, that's a bad idea. As TeamSpen210 said, there should be a paint fizzler parented to the cube which would make it instantly un-paint.

[FrozenDragon0]

I don,t know how that's gonna work but give it a shot

[vrad-exe]

@TeamSpen210 How about just have paint fizzler effects surrounding the cube?

[vrad-exe]

@TheDarkBomber Frankenturrets being unaffected by paint is a bug. See here.

[TheDarkBomber]

@Luke18033 How do you know it's not a fake source?

[vrad-exe]

It's the Valve Developer Community. When have they been wrong?

Edit: Since writing this I've found a place where they were indeed wrong. In the SDF section of the Custom Fizzlers page, it stated that worldportals must be sealed on all sides, otherwise a leak will occur. However, this is not actually the case - whoever wrote it was probably confusing worldportals with areaportals, which do need to be sealed around the edges. I have since corrected this mistake

Edit 2: The VDC actually is wrong a lot. And I mean a lot. It's usually just minor things (like confusing "not in FGD" with "not in game"), but still. Regardless, there's no real way to know whether Frankenturrets not being affected by paint was a bug or intentional without source code access. It definitely seems like a bug though, since they do get painted visually.

[TheDarkBomber]

When vandalism goo + momentum = tragic comedy.

That statement was vandalised.....

[vrad-exe]

Looking back at this now, I think it would be a good idea to make this a separate cube type entirely, like TeamSpen originally suggested. I'm not sure what it should look like, probably some sort of grating/frame cube, maybe similar to the Contraption Cube.