Active Object Collision Mask

I'm new to MMF2, having experimented with a few other engines first. I have an idea of what I want to do, but am not able to figure out how I can create a custom collision mask for the Active Object, the player object. My sprite is this:
Attachment 10673

Notice the gun hangs down below the sprites feet, but I don't want that included on the collision mask. The intent is the sprites feet be on the platform, and the gun portion hang down overlapping the platform they're standing on. All I need is a simple rectangular colision maks, but cannot see how to add one.

Can someone give me some suggestions?

Just make a user animation with the detector you need. When you're about to test for collisions:

1. store the animation value+animation direction value+current frame into 3 separate values (or store them into a single value by using the below explanation).
2. Then change the animation sequence to your detector animation.
3. Do the collision events.
4. Once done, we need to bring back the sprite as it was:
a. change animation to value1,
b. direction of animation to value 2
c. force animation frame to value 3.
d. restore animation frame (so the sprite keeps on playing as it was before the collision tests).

It's pretty simple. You can also use coordinates to test for a bounding box if your collisions are pretty simple, and just interpret anything inside those coordinates as a collision. I prefer the animation detector version for player sprites, or for more sophisticated enemy AI, as you can use multiple directions in each detector animation to do more specific terrain tests.

Lastly:

To compound 3 values into 1:
(value1*1000000)+(value2*1000)+value3 = result

To retrieve Value 1: result/1000000
To retrieve Value 2: (result mod 1000000)/1000
To retrieve Value 3: result mod 1000

Would this not flicker the detector? Meaning upon collision, my player sprite would flash to a red rectangle (assuming that's the "mask" I create), then back. And upon flashing back to the original sprite the default mask would push the player character upwards because of the overhanging gun?

No, it's all done in the same loop. Only once all events are processed (including collisions), the frame is rendered, meaning you'd never see the change happen.

Thanx for your help, but one last question... upon switching back to the regular sprite or animation, would not the gun still interfere with that positioning? And this will work with platform movements?

I was kind of thinking of using a rectangle as the actual player object, and just pinning the animated sprite to it, but not be responsible for any of the actual collisions, but I'm not too sure if that'd work. I was able to do it this way in a different engine, but it's not without it's problems as well...

Oh, this won't work if you use the built-in platform movement or the Platform Movement Object (collision checks+code for these are executed at the end of all MMF events). I assumed you were coding your own platform movement.

Yeah, then use a separate object as a detector and just position the player at that object.

Thanx... This is what I'll attemp doing. I really appreciate your help. I have a separate question, not sure if this would be an appropriate place to ask, but since I already have an ongoing thread...

Changing an animation to a jump animation. I see there's a Pltform check for if the player is stopped or bouncing. What is a good way to detect if they're walking on a platform (any platform) (Not Stopped v.s. Stopped?), or in the air due to a jump or fall?

You might want to use Platform Movement Object. You can set the colision box, and check if the player is falling, jumping, on ground, etc.
IF You don't have a demo version of MMF2 and the Bonus pack installed, it should be there.
(Also, the PMO can make a double jump very easily :P)

I do have it, but have no clue how to use it... I thought the Active Object was the only object controlled by the player, with Platform Movement type set. I guess I need to look in the Extensions forum for how to use this object since it should (based on your response) handle a large majority of this functionality automagically (animations, direction, jumping, etc...)

I can give you an example for PMO if you want to.

Example in the attachments of this post.
Hope you'll understand PMO now :P

Things that PMO can:
Make trampolines
Create water-gravity-thing
Double Jump
Wall Jump
All those fancy stuff
:P

Thanks for your example BartekB. I had gotten the basics, but I'll still study your example because I know I'll want/need some more advanced stuff.

I've got to admit, thus far everyone has been very helpful and friendly. Trught be told, it's not what I expected. I've heard some horror stories about the forums here, but so far, it's been tremendously helpfull.

Hey Bartek,

In your example, when the player is jumping and the arrow key is held, your player moves at at angle, which I would expect. I have the same event, but the stop all forward momentum and just jump striaght up and down. The only realy difference between our example sis I have additional animation states, but the PMO behaviours are the same (AFAICT). And I can't seem to get jumpthrough platforms working either... Could you take a look and see what I'm missing? This'll be the last time I bother anyone with this specific thing...

You've accidently placed "When object is on ground" in the wrong place.

http://prntscr.com/1rbmm9

Simply remove the highlighted "Object is standing on ground". That'll fix it.
If you need anymore help / fixing, just PM me and I should reply to you :)

Thank you again, your help (eveyone's help) has been greatly appreciated.

Here, have the PMO example, from the Multimedia Fusion 2, Examples folder: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...rmMovement.mfa .