2 ?'s - On Screen Messages, Emitter Textures

Need some Noob info on a couple things. I'm really not understanding how the messaging actually works.

Here's the deal: I have code set up so that player's increase in level after so many kills. Just like you advance levels in a RPG type game. At each level they get increased health, etc....that part is working. But when they attain a new level, I want it to display a message on their screen, i.e. "You are Level 2!" I am able to get it to work in single player perfectly, but not in multiplayer. How many times have you heard that sentence, hehe. If anyone can point me to a good tutorial, or point out some common pitfalls for noobs, that would be great.

My second problem: When the player's increase in level, I spawn an emitter attached to them. Just like the combo emitters already in the game, i.e. Booster, Speed.) This is just so other player's can see who is what level based on the emitter effects surrounding the player. And adding flame effects around a high level player is just fun, LOL! Of course this works fine in single player, but not in multiplayer. Sigh.... One thing I did notice is that if I change the texture in my emitter to one of the textures used in the combos, like REGENCROSSES, it works fine....change it back to my texture and nothing. So I think my emitter code is fine. I'm guessing my texture may need preloaded somewhere or something like that, but again I'm still a clueless noob. So any suggestions would be great!

Thanks,

Time

P.S.

I also found that if i change my code to call one the default message classes, i.e. CTFHudMessage, it works fine. But with my custom message nothing displays. I copied the CTFHudMessage class line for line EXACTLY, only changing the class name to MyCustomMessage, and it does not work. This has got to be something simple but it continues to elude me. Why do the built in emitter classes and message classes work fine within my code, but my custom ones do not? I know it's probably something really simple and I will kick myself later....

Here is the line of code I am using to display the message:

BroadcastLocalizedMessage(class'MyCustomMessage', 0);

I made a MyCustomMessage class that extends LocalMessage. I cut and pasted all the code from the CTFHUDMessage class, changing only the first line to "class MyCustomMessage extends LocalMessage"

If I play a Single Player, Instant Action game, it works perfectly.

If I run the game from my dedicated server on my other PC, then connect in from my main PC, it quits working. But if I change the line to:

BroadcastLocalizedMessage(class'CTFHUDMessage', 0);

then it works fine in.

I can't figure out what is different that allows the CTFHUDMessage class (which comes with UT) to work, but prevents my MyCustomMessage class from working. Especially since I made the code identical in my class.


My Emitter problem is basically the same deal. A default UT emitter works in my code, but my custom emitter does not. Again I copied the code exactly other than changing the name.

This works fine --> MyRI.Effect1 = Spawn(class'RegenCrosses', P,, P.Location, P.Rotation);

This does not --> MyRI.Effect1 = Spawn(class'MyCustomEmitter', P,, P.Location, P.Rotation);


I hope this makes since.

~Time

That's IT!!! I knew it had to be something little I just didn't know about. Thanks a million man!