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Advanced Path

Appears for objects that can move along an advanced path, especially kinematic non-scene objects. It opens path speed, loop, reverse, wait, rotation, activation, and path-completion trigger options.

When it appears

Where this control fits

Appears for kinematic, non-scene objects that can use path-based movement.

What It Opens

Opens the advanced path editor for object movement, timing, activation, looping, reversing, rotation, and completion behavior.

Why It Matters

Appears for objects that can move along an advanced path, especially kinematic non-scene objects. It opens path speed, loop, reverse, wait, rotation, activation, and path-completion trigger options.

Detailed behavior

How this control works

This section expands the short walkthrough row into the practical behavior a player or level creator needs to understand.

Path Motion

Advanced Path turns a selected object into a controlled moving platform, moving obstacle, elevator, carrier, timed mechanism, or triggered machine part.

Kinematic Setup

The object usually needs kinematic behavior so the path can move it predictably through the level.

Activation Logic

Path movement can be combined with trigger zones, touch behavior, chips, timers, and object contacts.

Completion Events

Path-completion rules can activate other systems, reverse direction, wait, loop, or mark a machine step as done.

What each control does

Control reference

Advanced Path is a complete movement system for kinematic objects. These controls define when the object starts, which route it follows, how every segment behaves, and what happens when the path is finished.

Enable Advanced Platform

Turns the selected object into a platform controlled by the path system. The object must be kinematic for the path to move it predictably through physics space.

Advanced Platform Type

Chooses between Circle/Ellipse movement and Advanced Path. Circle/Ellipse is good for simple orbital movement; Advanced Path unlocks authored segment-by-segment routes.

Auto Start

Starts the platform automatically when the level begins. Turn it off when the path should wait for touch, contact, trigger-zone, or chip logic.

Loop Platform

Makes the object continue after it reaches the end. Without reverse-on-complete it returns to the first segment; with reverse-on-complete it can travel back through the path.

Maximum Loop Count

Limits how many times the loop can run. A value above zero makes a repeating mechanism stop after a set number of cycles.

Start Reversed

Starts movement from the reverse direction. This is useful when the same path should be reused but the level needs the platform to begin from the far side.

Pause On Complete

Stops the path when the final segment is reached. Use this for one-shot machines, puzzle locks, lifts that should park, or objects that hand off to another system.

Reverse On Complete

Changes the direction when the path is complete. Instead of restarting from the beginning, the platform travels back through the same authored route.

Reverse Delay

Adds a pause before the reverse movement begins. This creates elevator wait time, patrol pauses, timed traps, or readable platform stops.

Reverse Speed Factor

Multiplies the speed while moving backward. Use it when a platform should return slowly, snap back quickly, or make the return trip feel different.

Reverse Angular Velocity

Reverses the object's angular velocity when the path reverses. Use this for rotating platforms or machine parts whose spin direction should match travel direction.

Destroy On Complete

Destroys the object after it finishes the path. This supports temporary carriers, disappearing hazards, falling parts, and one-use puzzle elements.

Complete Destroy Delay

Waits before destroying the object on completion. It gives the player time to see the machine result before the object disappears.

Activate Trigger Zone On Complete

Fires trigger-zone logic when the path finishes. This lets a moving platform open doors, start another path, enable hazards, or signal that a machine step is solved.

Detach On Complete

Detaches carried or attached objects when the platform reaches the end. Use this when an object should be delivered, dropped, launched, or released from a moving machine.

Custom Detach Velocity

Applies a chosen velocity after detach. Amount controls launch strength, while angle controls the direction of the released object.

Rotation

Offsets the whole path rotation. This is the global angle for the route, while each segment can still have its own rotation value.

Speed

Sets the default platform speed. Individual line speed can override this per segment, and chip outputs can modify path speed during gameplay.

Number Of Lines

Defines how many path segments are active. More lines allow complex routes made from straight and curved pieces.

Current Line

Selects the segment being edited. The current segment can have its own type, width, rotation, speed, delay, flip, and visual style.

Start From Line

Chooses the segment where the platform begins. This is useful when the path is already drawn but the object should enter the route from a later point.

Line Type

Chooses the current segment shape: Line, Half Circle, or Quarter Circle. Straight lines create direct movement; curved lines create arcs and turns.

Flip Line

Inverts the current curved segment. For half-circle and quarter-circle pieces, this changes which side the arc bends toward.

Line Start Delay

Adds a wait before the selected segment starts. Use it to create step-by-step machine timing or small pauses at specific waypoints.

Line Width

Controls the length of a straight segment or the radius/size of curved movement. Larger values make longer travel or wider arcs.

Line Height

Reserved for segment shapes that need a second dimension. It is part of the line data and can support path shapes that are not purely one-dimensional.

Line Rotation

Rotates the selected segment. Combine this with global path rotation to point each segment exactly where the machine should move next.

Line Speed

Overrides the default path speed for one segment. Set it to zero to use the global speed, or set a value to make one segment faster or slower.

Line Skin Type

Controls the drawn helper line style: full line, interrupted line, or dotted line. It affects how the path is visualized while editing.

Is Line Hidden

Hides the path guide line. Keep it visible while authoring and hide it when the visible path would spoil the puzzle or clutter the scene.

Line Thickness

Controls the thickness of the path guide line. It helps readability while editing dense or zoomed-out levels.

Line Alpha

Controls path guide transparency. Lower alpha keeps the route visible without overpowering gameplay objects.

Path Color

Sets the color of the guide path. The currently active segment can be highlighted while the path is being inspected.

Enable Line Texture

Uses a texture on the path guide instead of a simple solid stroke. This is visual feedback for authoring and debugging the path route.

Line Texture Options

Texture type, compression, bevel texture, vertical flip, and horizontal flip control how the path guide texture is drawn along the segment.

Glow Filter

Enables a glow on the path guide. Color, alpha, blur, and quality make important or selected paths easier to see.

Activation On Contact

Lets object contact change the path state. The contact action can Activate, Deactivate, or Toggle the platform.

Activation On Touch

Lets player touch change the path state. It uses the same Activate, Deactivate, and Toggle actions as contact activation.

How the options combine

Option groups

Most Advanced Path behavior comes from combining a movement group, a segment group, a completion group, and an activation group.

Motion And Timing

Auto Start, Speed, Start Reversed, Loop, Maximum Loop Count, Reverse On Complete, Reverse Delay, and Reverse Speed Factor define the rhythm of the platform.

Segment Geometry

Number Of Lines, Current Line, Line Type, Line Width, Line Rotation, Flip Line, and Line Start Delay define the actual route the object follows.

Per-Segment Overrides

Line Speed and Line Start Delay let one route have slow sections, fast sections, and timed pauses without creating separate moving objects.

Completion Behavior

Pause, reverse, destroy, detach, custom launch velocity, and trigger-zone activation define what the machine does when the path reaches its end.

External Control

Contact, touch, trigger zones, and chips can start or stop the path. Chip outputs can also change Advanced Path Speed, including absolute and relative speed changes.

Visual Editing Helpers

Path color, thickness, alpha, dotted/interrupted skin, line texture, and glow make the authored route easier to understand while building complex levels.

Practical setups

Examples

Use these as starting patterns when building Ancient Machines levels.

Elevator Platform

Use two straight lines, Auto Start on, Reverse On Complete on, Reverse Delay at both ends, and Loop on. Tune Reverse Speed Factor if the return should feel heavier or faster.

Triggered Carrier

Turn Auto Start off, enable Activation On Contact or Touch, and use Detach On Complete with custom velocity so the carried object is released into the next machine part.

One-Shot Trap

Turn Loop off, use high speed on one segment, then Pause On Complete or Destroy On Complete. Add Activate Trigger Zone On Complete to chain the next hazard.

Curved Conveyor

Mix Line, Half Circle, and Quarter Circle segments. Use Flip Line to bend arcs the other way and Line Rotation to aim each curve into the next segment.

Timed Machine Sequence

Use Line Start Delay on individual segments. The object can pause at a gear, move to a trigger, pause again, then activate another system on completion.

Hidden Puzzle Motion

Use Is Line Hidden after tuning the route. The player sees only the machine behavior, while the authored path remains invisible during normal play.

How to use it

Practical workflow

Use this flow while building or debugging a level that depends on this control.

Make the object kinematic and place it at the intended start position.

Open Advanced Path and define the path points.

Tune speed, wait time, loop, reverse, and rotation behavior.

Then connect activation rules if the path should not start immediately.

Test with the real objects that ride on or collide with the platform.

Small speed changes can completely change a physics puzzle.