Inactive [MECH] RetractableBridge - Easy and realistic retractable bridges

Discussion in 'Inactive/Unsupported Plugins' started by Captain Chaos, Mar 31, 2011.

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  1. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    ****************************************************************************************
    RetractableBridge moved to BukkitDev!

    RetractableBridge has moved to BukkitDev! I will no longer be updating this thread, please use the BukkitDev page to keep track of developments, download the plugin and source code, read how to configure it and other details, etc.
    ****************************************************************************************

    RetractableBridge - The easy and realistic retractable bridges plugin:

    Build redstone powered rectractable bridges, without using commands! Much requested by the users of my PorteCoulissante plugin. If you know that plugin, this is basically the same thing, but horizontally instead of vertically... :)

    Download the latest release from the BukkitDev page.

    Features:
    • It doesn't use commands. Just build the bridge and it will work.
    • Stateless, i.e. it does not have to save anything on the server.
    • It's redstone powered, giving you flexibility in controlling it.
    • It is realistic. The bridge does not disappear, but slides in and out just like a real one would.
    • Holds back water or lava... ;)
    • Configurable speed by applying more or less redstone power
    Usage:
    • Build the bridge itself, out of slabs/half-blocks or double slabs.
    • Make sure there is at least one block adjacent to the bridge on three sides, so that it can't move in that direction.
    • For the direction in which you want it to move, make sure there is a block to stop at the distance you want it to move to.
    • Power one of the blocks underneath the bridge with redstone. Please note: you are powering a block underneath the bridge, not the bridge itself! Note that for the purposes of this plugin, just running redstone wire underneath a block will power it.
    • If you power more than one block, the bridge will move faster! Two blocks doubles the speed, and three blocks doubles it once more (so four times as fast as one block).
    • Make sure that when the bridge is fully extended it is still in contact with redstone power underneath. It can be the same blocks, or different ones.
    • When the blocks receive redstone power, the bridge will move to the south or west (depending on which direction it is able to move in), when they lose redstone power, it will move to the north or east.
    • Here is an example. If you build this, it will work. The bridge in this picture is three blocks wide and four blocks long. Note that it only has one powered block, so the bridge will move at its slowest speed:
    [​IMG]

    Hints and tips:
    • The bridge has to be at least two blocks long on each side, and it must be rectangular. It can't have holes or bits sticking out. It also can't abut any other blocks of the same height and material (when open or closed), since the plugin will think they are meant to be part of the bridge.
    • I highly recommend to make the distance the bridge can move less than its length. That way, the blocks at the forward edge of the bridge (when it is open) are always in contact with the bridge, so you only have to power one of those blocks.
    • The bridge will go through (and hold back) water and lava, so you can make water gates and water or lava traps with them.
    • The blocks that stop the bridge when it retracts can be steps or stairs. This way you get a smooth walking experience when the bridge is closed, without having to jump, if you are using slabs/half-blocks for the bridge. Here is an example to show what I mean (the bridge is closed in this example, and there are wooden stair blocks on each end):
    [​IMG]

    More information:

    For download links, source code, configuration information and change logs, please go to the BukkitDev page for RetractableBridge:

    http://dev.bukkit.org/server-mods/retractablebridge/
     
    kawa1107, Undrtakr, Xordaii and 8 others like this.
  2. Offline

    xianggang

    make it so that rails can be put on it without them being destroyed
     
  3. Offline

    staticchmbr

    this plugin is AWESOME! now i just have to figure out how to make it open or close from either side of a moat
     
  4. Offline

    Zalastri

    I'm very interested in using this plugin, is anyone able to use it without it throwing errors? I have enough console clutter already. :]
     
  5. Offline

    staticchmbr

    ok, so i figured out the redstone in order to enable it to open on either side no matter what position the switch is in!! here are a few snaps of my progress.
    open: see the doorway at the end on the right?
    [​IMG]

    closed:
    [​IMG]

    from inside open:
    [​IMG]

    from inside closed:
    [​IMG]

    redstone inside side.. switch runs off to the right:
    [​IMG]

    redstone outside side.. switch runs off to the left:
    [​IMG]

    almost final product.. everything hidden, and wood replaced with cobblestone:
    [​IMG]
     
    Captain Chaos likes this.
  6. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    I just released version 1.3.6. of this plugin. It's just a small change: the bridge will no longer be stopped by unsubstantial blocks such as snow, flowers, mushrooms, sugar cane, fire, etc. Download it here, or from the top post. It's been tested with Bukkit build 720, and seems to work fine.

    For those not wanting their bridges to move their passengers along I also released a new version of the 1.2 branch, with the same changes: version 1.2.2.

    I think I have identified another Bukkit bug that is causing this. Specifically, timer tasks can sometimes get executed after they have been cancelled. I have reported it as bug 717. Vote for it if you want it fixed quickly! ;-)

    In the mean time it should be harmless, both for your bridges and for the functioning of the rest of the server. Hopefully the bug will be fixed soon, and then we'll see if these exceptions go away.

    EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 13, 2016
  7. Offline

    staticchmbr

    i LOVE this plugin! heres some more things i have been messing around with..

    pit trap open:
    [​IMG]

    pit trap closed:
    [​IMG]

    this still needs some work. both sides open and close at the same time only using 1 switch. the redstone just needs an inverter on one side. im not sure where im going to put something like this yet, but im having fun making new inventions. thanks for the plugin!
     
    Captain Chaos likes this.
  8. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    Are you seeing the same exceptions as Nitnelave? If so, then I think those are caused by a Bukkit bug. We'll have to wait until that bug is fixed for the exceptions to disappear, but in the mean time they are harmless and can be safely ignored.

    If you're seeing different exceptions then please let me know!
     
  9. Offline

    Spathizilla

    I've noticed, although cannot reproduce it reliably, that sometimes the bridge will stop responding and not move at all. I've checked the redstone states and broken the wire/reattached it to check. The same thing happens with PorteCoulissante too. No exceptions appear in the logs for either plugin. The only way to get the bridge or gate moving again (that I've found) is a server restart.

    I'm using v1.3.6 (and 1.2.1 of Porte) with CB733. However, I've had this pre MC1.5 so I dont think its specific to any CB build.
     
  10. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    There have been a few bugs in the beginning that could cause that, but they should be all fixed. I'm not aware of anyone else having this problem, especially not without any exceptions in the log file. I'm afraid that without exception reports and without a reliable way to reproduce the problem there's not much I can do.

    When it stops working, do all bridges stop working or just the one? If so, do the portcullises also stop working (or vice versa)? Which other plugins do you have installed? Have you tried it with just PorteCoulissante and RetractableBridge active and no other plugins?

    Is anyone else seeing this, using the latest version of the plugin and CraftBukkit?
     
  11. Offline

    Greylocke

    CB714. I have a some gates & bridges that are the main entry/exit for towns or castles. If they got jammed, I'd likely know about it, but I haven't heard anything. Every time I push the button, they just work!
     
  12. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    I tested the plugin with the new recommended build, 733, and it seems to work fine! Let me know if you experience any trouble.
     
  13. Offline

    valdark

    no issues on 733

    I have not tested the latest plugin update (insubstantial block fix)
     
  14. Offline

    valdark

    Tried the latest build... works great. I also noticed that this will work with more than two half-blocks in height which subsequently makes this a great sliding door plugin as well.

    And since cobblestone halfblocks stacked up look exactly like regular cobblestone blocks you have inadvertently created the secret door plugin that everyone has been begging for.

    Great work on making two outstanding plugins that work in more than the originally intended way.

    scratch that... on the first move with above application it works fine... however when the two separate stacks (bridges) reach their destination they no longer register as bridges and will not return.

    Any way to fine tune this so I can add some secret doors?

    EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 13, 2016
  15. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    I love it when that happens... :)
    I think this should work, but it might take some fiddling. You're basically making two bridges, one on top of the other. They both need redstone power through a block below them, which for the top bridge would be through the bottom bridge. They also both need redstone power at their destination.

    Another thing to keep in mind is that both at the start and the destination both bridges need to be blocked on three sides, so it knows in which direction to move.

    Let me know if you still can't make it work taking these things into account!
     
  16. Offline

    valdark

    ah... that could be my problem will re-test and get back to you on that.

    OK it does work. you can place a single block under the lower gate and power it. The redstone that leads to this block will power the second level.

    My problem was that I did not realize that a block connecting to the lower bridge was necessary because when working with a single level bridge I always power the block that I use to conceal my redstone logic board.

    Great work and thanks for reminding me that it isn't the redstone powering the bridge but the block beneath it that makes the magic happen.

    I now have restone operated secret doors (which you should add to the title of your tread sir)

    Here's that video I promised you. No audio but we can add some Cat if you'd like :p

    EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 13, 2016
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    geek85

    I love this plugin and his sister "Porte coulissante". it's just perfect for any castle!
    I just begun to make lava trap with this and I encounter just one problem: the speed of the bridge is too slow to make the trap effective. can we adjust the speed?
     
  18. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    Yes, you can, by applying more redstone power. Powering two blocks beneath the bridge will make it go twice as fast, and powering three blocks twice as fast again (so four times as fast as with one powered block). Three blocks is the limit, powering more makes no difference.
     
  19. Offline

    geek85

    Ok, it's great! it's just what i wanted! good job!
     
  20. Offline

    regabond


    I had the same issue with earlier versions of both craftbukkit and this mod, but I'm not sure what versions they both were. It would also cause our server to crash on occasion when it stopped working. I think the bridge would stop working occasionally if it made contact with other blocks of its type which extends the overall length of the bridge.

    I'm downloading it again to try it all out with new versions.
     
  21. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    Yeah, that should no longer happen. Even if the plugin experiences a problem, it should just be logged and the server should continue to run fine.

    That's possible. You should make sure that there are no blocks of the same type anywhere besides the bridge where the bridge could come into contact with them. If that happens the plugin will consider those blocks part of the bridge, and most likely it will not work any more because the bridge is no longer rectangular (which is a prerequisite).

    Blocks of the same type above or below the bridge are fine and will be ignored. In fact you can stack bridges and do various interesting things that way. Just remember that they each need to be independently powered.
     
  22. Offline

    belfedia

    Minor bug, snow can block the bridge !
     
  23. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    Actually that should be fixed in the latest version. Are you sure you're running the latest release (1.3.6)?
     
  24. Offline

    rellish

    I really love your plugin but recently after installing your plugin the server has been having weird lag spikes. There were no error reports, just saying "Did the server time change or overload .. blah blah". I don't really believe it was your plugin's fault since everyone who comments seem to have it working flawlessly, it might just be a conflict with another plugin.
     
  25. Offline

    belfedia

    my bad, don't see last version, thanks :)
     
  26. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    Are you sure it was my plugin which triggered the problem? Like you say, nobody has reported server lag due to my plugin to me before, although of course that doesn't mean it's not possible. Could you try temporarily removing my plugin to see if the problem goes away again?

    The plugin should be very light weight. I don't know how it could cause lag, except if you have massive amounts of redstone activity going on. Is that the case on your server?
     
  27. Offline

    Kinsakas

    Thanks for this plug mate. Its helping me setup traps for players in my cave system. Valdark and I should be adding sound to the video we made so its easier for others to understand
     
  28. Offline

    Bradley Hilton

    I just installed this plugin yesterday and at first was confused how to make it. But after messing with it I finally got it. Pretty sweet to use as a dock for a ship :)
     
  29. Offline

    xorvious

    I am still using 1.3.5 and its working fine on 740! Guess I should update :rolleyes:
     
  30. Offline

    Captain Chaos

    I would, especially if I had bridges in snowy areas... ;-)

    If you do, let me know if 1.3.6 runs without problems on 740 as well.
     
  31. Offline

    rellish

    I just did a fresh restart and it seem to work fine, that was very odd =/. Man mc servers are so unpredictable.
     
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