Blog 18 – Checkpoints

Here’s a post about another important part of my level that I’ve always wanted to put in my levels, Checkpoints! The beginning of the level starts off on the third floor. The player will have to be really good and complete the level without getting killed or if the player would die he or she would have to start all the way over from the very beginning. All the keys would still be in their possession, but it’s a large level, so the player will have to go through the level all over again which might be annoying. But with the checkpoints the player would have to make it to a certain point in the level and if they died, they would keep all their keys, and respawn at a location near the last checkpoint marker they hit before they perished.

First, I put a PlayerStart at a spot in the level. Then went into its properties disable it or uncheck “Enabled” and “PrimaryStart”, so the player doesn’t accident spawn at any place they have not been before. Use a TriggerVolume that needs to be touched only one time. When it’s touched, I have 2 toggles connected. One toggle to disable the past PlayerStart and enable the newly reached PlayerStart.

Here is a shot of player going through the door that requires the first key of the level. Checkpoint # pops up to tell the player that they’ve reached a checkpoint. The respawn PlayerStart for the checkpoint is to the right.




Here’s a shot second checkpoint in the level. After the player opens the door that requires the second key that leads to the third key. The player will trigger the next checkpoint. The respawn PlayerStart for this checkpoint is doing a 180 degrees turn and to the right outside the door at the end of the hall.



Here is a screenshot of the third checkpoint in the level. After the player acquires the fifth key and opens the sewer gate on the third floor that leads to the second floor. The player falls and triggers the checkpoint. The respawn PlayerStart for this checkpoint is at the end of the fall next to the portal.



Here is a screenshot of the fourth and final checkpoint in the level. This checkpoint can be triggered only after the player goes through the sewer gate towards the end of the level after acquiring the seventh and final key. The respawn PlayerStart for this checkpoint is a small distance backwards away from the sewer gate.




I want to thank MrMikertron for his video tutorial on checkpoints.

Next Post, I’ll do some work on new textures and the final room for this level.