Radar System
Lua Add‑on – Holographic Radar
Radar System is a Garry’s Mod add‑on written in Lua that provides a holographic radar view of entities and players. The system includes subsystems such as sensors, jammers and ping points. Developed in parallel with another Garry’s Mod project, I navigated Lua’s unique language patterns and optimized tuning variables by isolating them into a single file for easy adjustment. I also built "RLib", an in‑game debug UI library using a pseudo‑class system to streamline development workflows.
Technical Challenges & Solutions
Lua Optimization
Optimized spatial queries to handle tracking of 50+ entities simultaneously without frame drops.
Custom UI Library (RLib)
Created a lightweight UI framework for debug overlays, improving iteration speed.
Highlights
- Developed in parallel with another Garry’s Mod project and navigated Lua patterns.
- Optimized tuning variables by isolating them into a single file.
- Built RLib, an in‑game debug UI library with a pseudo‑class system.
Team
Team: 1 person (Solo)
View Team Members
- Michael Abid
Project Timeline
Prevented Error Models from drawing (reduces FPS drops).
Added French language support for pings.
Left-clicking on the map opens an interaction wheel (Clear Pings, Clear Models, Global Ping).
Removed vehicle detection range (previously caused major FPS issues).
Major optimization of vehicle rendering.
Removed debug print messages.
Added a ping wheel (press K) to place pings visible on the radar.
New Features:
Player Follow: The map can lock onto a player, allowing zoom for a detailed view of a scene.
New properties to display all players, even outside sensors or within jammer zones.
Originally created for one of my servers, I later developed it into a standalone version.
The Radar System is a Garry’s Mod modification that gives players a holographic overview of all entities and players on the map. It also integrates sub-systems such as Sensors and Jammers to enhance gameplay.
Key Features (Initial Version):
3D Map: Adjustable detection range and map size.
Player Display: Shows player position on XY axis and current animation state (e.g., aiming, crouched).
Vehicle Tracking: Displays vehicle positions on XYZ axis, with passengers shown at the same height.
NPC Display: Highlights NPCs with XY position, animation state, and team color (green = friendly, red = enemy).
Sensor System: Provides intelligence to the radar (radar remains blank without sensors).
Markers: Customizable indicators with editable color, name, and size.
Jammer System: Blocks intelligence within a specific area to create tactical blind spots.
