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manhole
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manhole.arc

  manhole_closed_1

    A HOLE modeled after arch/trunk/connect/Hole/pit.arc pit_closed, except
    that it is a multi-tile archetype, and that the non-head pieces are
    deliberately set to the wrong face so that the animation works.  The
    cover is over the hole by default when a map loads or is reset.

  manhole_open_1

    A HOLE modeled after arch/trunk/connect/Hole/pit.arc pit_open that has
    its lid off the hole by default when a map loads or is reset.

manhole.base.xcf

    This is a GIMP 64 x 64 bit image with layers and transparency.

    The elements used to construct the manhole .png files.  This file does
    also contain some variations of the archetype that could be used to
    produce different manholes (rust- colored vs. bronze, for example).
    Ideally, graphic design changes are made in this file, and then .pngs
    are exported.

manhole.base.111.png
manhole.base.112.png
manhole.base.113.png
manhole.base.114.png

    A bronze manhole animation set.  111 is an open manhole. 112 and 113 are
    transitional shots of a manhole opening or closing, and 114 is the closed
    manhole.  A ladder is shown going down the hole underneath the lid when
    it is open.

Using the manhole:

  1) This is a pit.  It can only transfer a player to a location on the same
     map.

  2) The manhole can be used to drop players in another map by pointing it to
     a hidden coordinate that has a teleporter in it.  The teleporter can then
     transfer the player on to another map.  Though the transfer is very fast,
     it may be wise to place the same flooring, and a ladder going down arch
     at the transfer coordinates and on top of the teleporter so that it does
     not look too wierd if the player notices.

     To get back up the manhole, in the lower map, just place a ladder going
     up directly to the manhole map location.

  3) The manhole is unlikely to be useful on a world map since there are no
     hidden places where a teleport can be placed to transfer to another map.

  4) The manhole needs a trigger (connection) to activate.  This can be a
     lever, button, script, etc., but a very effective connection for a closed
     manhole is an activate_on_push and activate_on_release player pedestal.
     Place the pedestal under the manhole.  When the player steps on the
     manhole, the open animation begins and if the player continues to stand
     on the manhole, they will "fall in".  The reason for using push and
     release is that after the player has fallen in, the manhole "resets" to
     the shut position, much like a door.  The animation is slow enough that
     the player can step off the manhole to avoid going down.

     When a pedestal is used to open the manhole when it is stepped on, make
     sure that the exit back to the manhole location returns the player to a
     coordinate beside the manhole cover, and not right on the lid so they do
     not automatically fall back in when they come out.

  5) If an item (i.e. rock) is placed on top of the manhole to obscure it,
     sometimes the manhole is rendered on top of the item.  If this is the
     case, one workaround is to set "map_layer no_pick" in the manhole on the
     map, and "map_layer item" on the obscuring item.

The concept of the manhole was developed by Kevin Bulgrien, but would not have
been possible if Nicolas Weeger had not figured out how to modify the server
code to operate and animate the pit when it was placed in a multi-tile arch.

