Display 3D text like in GmodTower

[Helix Alioth]

I am wondering how Gmod tower displayed 3D text. Or how to display 3D text at all.
Help is appreciated.

[IStanI]

include('shared.lua')

ENT.RenderGroup = RENDERGROUP_TRANSLUCENT

local FONT = "GTowerSkyMsg"
local SMALLFONT = "GTowerSkyMsgSmall"
surface.CreateFont( "Arial", 144, 100, true, false, FONT )
surface.CreateFont( "Arial", 64, 100, true, false, SMALLFONT )



function ENT:Initialize()
	self:SetModel( self.Model )
	
	self.NegativeX = 0
	self.PositiveY = 0
	self.TextWidth = 0
	self.TextHeight = 0
	self.StrText = ""
	self.IsTheater = false
	self.TColor = Color(255,255,255,255)
	
	self:DrawShadow( false )
	
end

function ENT:Think()
	
	local Skin = tonumber( self:GetSkin() )
	
	if Skin != 0 then
		self:TextChanged( Skin )
		
		self.Think = EmptyFunction
	end
	
end

function ENT:TextChanged( id )

	surface.SetFont( FONT )
	
	if !self.Messages[ id ] then
		return
	end
	
	self.StrText = self.Messages[ id ]
	
	if type( self.StrText ) == "table" then
		self.TColor = self.StrText.Color or Color(255,255,255,255)
		
		self.StrText = self.StrText.Name
	end
	
	if self.StrText == "Theatre" then
		self.StrText = T("Theater")
		self.IsTheater = true
	end
	
	local w,h = surface.GetTextSize( self.StrText )
	
	self.NegativeX = -w / 2
	self.PositiveY = -h
	
	self.TextWidth, self.TextHeight = w, h
	

	local min = Vector(0, self.NegativeX, 0)
	local max = Vector(0, -self.NegativeX, h )

	self:SetRenderBounds(min, max)
	
	if self.IsTheater then
		self.DrawExtra = self.DrawTheaterVideo
	end
	
end

function ENT:DrawTranslucent()

	// Aim the screen forward
	local ang = self.Entity:GetAngles()
	local pos = self.Entity:GetPos() + ang:Up() * math.sin( CurTime() ) * 2
	
	ang:RotateAroundAxis( ang:Forward(), 90 )
	ang:RotateAroundAxis( ang:Right(), 90 )
	
	if (LocalPlayer():EyePos() - pos ):DotProduct( ang:Up() ) < 0 then
		ang:RotateAroundAxis( ang:Right(), 180 )
	end
	
	// Start the fun
	cam.Start3D2D( pos, ang, 0.5 )
		
		surface.SetFont( FONT )
		surface.SetTextColor( self.TColor.r, self.TColor.g, self.TColor.b, self.TColor.a )
		surface.SetTextPos( self.NegativeX, self.PositiveY )
		surface.DrawText( self.StrText )
		
		self:DrawExtra()
		
	cam.End3D2D()
	
end

function ENT:DrawExtra()
	
end

function ENT:DrawTheaterVideo()
	
	if GTowerTheater.CurentlyPlaying == 0 then
		return
	end
	
	local Video = GTowerTheater.VoteData[ GTowerTheater.CurentlyPlaying ]
	
	if !Video || !Video.name then
		return
	end
	
	local Text = Video.name
	
	surface.SetFont( SMALLFONT )
	local w,h = surface.GetTextSize( Text )
	
	surface.SetTextColor( 255, 255, 255, 255 )
	surface.SetTextPos( self.NegativeX + self.TextWidth / 2 - w / 2, self.PositiveY + self.TextHeight + 10 )
	surface.DrawText( Text )
	
end

ENT.Type 				= "anim"
ENT.Base 				= "base_anim"

ENT.Model			= ""

ENT.Messages = {
	[1] = "TODO",
	[2] = {Name = "Gamemode Ports", IginoreTrace = true },
	[3] = "Entertainment Plaza",
	[4] = "Suite Floor",
	[5] = "Suites 1-5",
	[6] = "Suites 6-10",
	[7] = "Arcade",
	[8] = "Teleporters",
	[9] = "Dev. HQ",
	[10] = "Resturant",
	[11] = "Ball Race",
	[12] = "Action Genre",
	[13] = "PVP Battle",
	[14] = "Stealth - Coming Soon",
	[15] = "Coming Soon",
	[16] = "GMT: Adventure",
	[17] = "Stealth",
	[18] = "Puzzle: Impossible",
	[19] = "Tetris",
	[20] = "Bar",
	[21] = "Theatre",
	[22] = "Party Suite",
	[23] = "The Gallery",
	[24] = "Twist of the Mind",
	[25] = "Mini-Golf",
	[26] = "Monotone",
	[27] = "Harvest",
	[28] = "Furniture Store",
	[29] = "Hat Store",
	[30] = "Souvenir Store",
	[31] = "Electronic Store",
	[32] = "Conquest",
	[33] = {Name = "Chainsaw Battle!", IginoreTrace = true, Color = Color(255,0,0,255) }
}

function ENT:PhysicsUpdate()
end

function ENT:PhysicsCollide(data,phys)
end

AddCSLuaFile( "cl_init.lua" )
AddCSLuaFile( "shared.lua" )

include( "shared.lua" )

function ENT:Initialize()
	self:SetModel( self.Model )
	self:DrawShadow( false )
	
	self.Text = 1

	if self.KVText then
		if string.len( self.KVText ) < 3 then
			self.Text = tonumber( self.KVText )
		else
	
			for k, v in pairs( self.Messages ) do
				if type( v ) == "table" then
					if v.Name == self.KVText then
						self.Text = k
					end
				elseif v == self.KVText then
					self.Text = k
				end
			end
			
		end
	end
	
	if self.Text == 1 then
		Msg( "gmt_skymsg: Could not find text id for: '", self.KVText, "'\n")
	end
	
	self:SetSkin( self.Text )
	
	self.KVText = nil
	
	timer.Simple( 1.0, self.UpdateDirection, self )
end






function ENT:UpdateDirection()
	if !IsValid( self ) then return end
	
	local Tbl = self.Messages[ self.Text ] 
	
	if type( Tbl ) == "table" then
		if Tbl.IginoreTrace == false then
			return
		end
	end
	

	local EntPos = self:GetPos()
	local Trace = {}
	
	local function SolicQuickTrace( dir )
		return util.TraceLine( {
			start = EntPos,
			endpos = EntPos + dir,
			mask = MASK_PLAYERSOLID,
			filter = self		
		} ) 
	end
	
	table.insert( Trace, SolicQuickTrace( Vector(0,-5000,0) ) )
	table.insert( Trace, SolicQuickTrace( Vector(0,5000,0)  ) )
	table.insert( Trace, SolicQuickTrace( Vector(-5000,0,0) ) )
	table.insert( Trace, SolicQuickTrace( Vector(5000,0,0)  ) )
	
	
	for _, v in pairs( Trace ) do
		if v.StartPos:Distance( v.HitPos ) < 64 then			
			self:SetAngles( ( v.HitNormal * -1 ):Angle() )
			return
		end
	end
	
	if Trace[1].Fraction + Trace[2].Fraction > Trace[3].Fraction + Trace[4].Fraction then
		self:SetAngles( Angle(0,90,0) )
	end

end

function ENT:KeyValue( key, value )
   
	if key == "text" then
		self.KVText = string.Trim( value )
	end
   
end

[Helix Alioth]

Thank you!

[decyg]

I would like to use this as a floating scoreboard type thingy, can you please guide me on how to?

Thanks for the dumb rating i guess....

[aualin]

I believe it should be easier doing 3d2d and just drawing a quick surface
All the weirdo code shall be skipped, this sucks as an example, it needs more commenting.
Also as usual put it in lua tags!

[Bletotum]

It's funny because 3d2d is easy.