how the moving parts are done

[ensch]

remember the mine mill.. those rotating cyllinders. or big propellers. how that was done?

[knightmare]

Each of those are a func_rotating brush entity. Rotating brush entities need to contain one brush (removed at compile) with the origin content flag set to mark the center of rotation.

[grieve[Q2C]]

here are some tutorials, look under func_rotating.

quake2tutorials

[ensch]

what about rolling parts, like hanging ropes ?

[knightmare]

Ropes can't roll/unfurl or move over pulleys (that's a Source engine feature), but you can just make vertical bits that move up and down. You'll have to make them disappear into the ceiling to be convincing.

If you're using the Lazarus mod, you can create func_pendulum entities that swing. However, the pendulum is rigid, no part of it can roll or sway around.