SC2Mapster

Hi, I am having trouble with one of my abilities for my map where it launches a 'boomerang'. The boomerang is supposed to return back to my unit after a certain amount of time. It works just fine when my unit is perfectly still. However, when I move my unit, the boomerang either doesn't return to my unit, or it goes too far.  The boomerang is supposed to simply launch to the target point, then return to my unit. I have created a simple mover to demonstrate the problem.

It is a basic mover with a single guidance phase:

(Basic) Movement: Motion Phases + (Guidance):(15):(0):(6):(-1):(-1):(9):(-1):(-1):(-1):(-1024):(Disabled):(Disabled):(Default):(Actual):(Adaptive):(None):((0)):(None):(None):(30):(None):((0,0,0)):((-360,-360,-360,-360)):((-360,-360,-360,-360)):((0,0,0)):(Disabled):((-1,-1)):((-1|-1|-1|-1)):((-1|-1|-1|-1|-1)):((5400,0,0)):((0)):((0)):((0)):(0):(-1024):((-1,-1)):((0)):(((-1,-1)|(-1,-1)))<br /><br />In my launch missile effect I have:<br />Impact Location: Target Point<br />Launch Loacation: Caster Unit

Also, one thing I forgot to mention is that I am able to control the boomerang by clicking before it starts coming back.

I am unsure if this is where the problem resides; If more information is needed I'm happy to provide it.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Upon further investigation I have found a forum post with a similar problem: www.sc2mapster.com/forums/development/data/184283-missile-returns-to-units-new-position-solved

Under the launch missile effect:
(Basic) Target: Impact Location^ + (None):Target Point:Unknown
(Basic) Target: Launch Location^ + (None):Caster Unit:Unknown

I have Movement: Movers and Movement: Return Movers set to the same mover as above.

I assume something might be wrong with the missile or action actor?

Yes, I have the return flag set under the launch missile effect.

Sorry, I'm not sure how clear my first post was, but it does come back, just not to my unit. It appears to move targeting where I click before it begins to return.

Sounds like you have the wrong target location for the returning launch missile effect. Try setting it to unit instead of point. If you want the boomerang to hit a point and return to the caster, you should make separate launch missile effects for launch and return.

I would think the return method would work, but perhaps not.

That is something was thinking about as a work around. However, I am not sure how I would deal with the problem of it creating two separate boomerangs. I have other effects that rely on the original boomerang and it doesn't work if old is destroyed and a new one is created.

Ah, it's like a tentacle setup? I missed that part of it.

It should be possible, have you tried looking at the Uberlisk tutorial?

I am using the following mover for Movement: Movers and Movement: Return Movers.

All other properties (of the mover) are set to default..

   <MotionPhases>
            <Driver value="Guidance"/>
            <Acceleration value="15"/>
            <Speed value="6"/>
            <MaxSpeed value="9"/>
            <ActorTracking value="Actual"/>
            <ThrowBandYaw value="-360,-360,-360,-360"/>
            <ThrowBandPitch value="-360,-360,-360,-360"/>
            <YawPitchRoll value="5400,0,0"/>
            <Overlays/>
            <Overlays/>
   </MotionPhases>

I'm somewhat new to the data editor, so I am not too familar with tentacle stuff, but it could very well be what im looking for.
I haven't looked at the uberlisk tutorial; I'll take a look.

Arrival Test Type: Adaptive

Im not sure if this helps, but here is the cast switch effect that calls the Launch missile effect.

Cast Switch Effect
(Basic) Effect: Launch missile effect 
(Basic) Target: Target Location Type Point

Ok I took a look at the uberlisk tutorial. I'm not sure if I need all that stuff in the actors for something like I am doing (I'm just not sure). I did try it however. Nothing appears to have changed, I am getting no warnings so I only I assume I did it correctly. It just appears that the return location is set to some other location and not my unit

I know this might be a dumb question, but is there any way to debug things in the data editor? I feel like I am jumping through hoops trying to solve this. Are there any techniques I can use to pinpoint the problem?

I really appreciate the replies DrSuperEvil and aZergBaneling.

Thank you for the advice DrSuperEvil; I was able to solve half of the problem. My missile actor ended up being the cause.

In my missile actor:

My entries for Host Return+ and Host Supporter+ were incorrect.

Also, it was missing the refset for supporter event.

However, some issues still remain with my effects that work on it. (This is a related problem, so I'm not sure if it belongs in the same thread)

Here is the effect chain:

Cast Switch->Launch Missile->Effects Persistent->Search

Here is the relevant effects persistent info:

(Basic) Effect: Flags +	Persist Until Destroyed
(Basic) Effect: Period Durations^ +	(0.0625)
(Basic) Effect: Period Effects^ +	(Search)
(Basic) Target: Location +	(None):Source Unit:Unknown
(Basic) Target: Location Offset - Start + (None):Source Unit:Unknown
(Basic) Target: Location Offset - End +	(None):Source Unit:Unknown
Effect: Validators +	(Not Dead)

Search Effect:
(Basic) Target: Impact Location +:Source Unit:Unknown
(Basic) Target: Launch Location +:Source Unit:Unknown

These effects are still working on the previous path taken by the boomerang(not following my unit on the return trip). I have a return impact actor with an onstop event for the Effects Persistent Effect. When the boomerang missile returns to my unit, I see that the end location of the effect is not my unit. 

On a side note: Since I specify the Mover and Return Mover in the missile launch effect, does the mover field under the missile unit get used?

The idea for the boomerang (missile ammo unit) is to search for something where the ammo unit currently is. It appears to do this until the return trip, where it did the same thing the missile previously did.

The launch effect field on the launch missile effect is set to create the effects persistent effect.

The impact effect field on the launch missile effect is set to a separate effect that destroys the effect persistent effect.

Will I need some kind of actor to go with this effect? I have the one for an on impact event to show an animation, but nothing for the effect itself.

Ok that fixed the search problem. I did not know that field was there; thanks again.

However, there is one final problem.

I have a trigger that watches for a "dummy" effect that is called when the search is successful. That trigger is supposed to make the target unit follow the missile ammo unit.

The position of the missile ammo unit appears to be incorrect on the return trip. 

Here is some example code(I apologize that it is script code, but it should be straightforward):

source = EventPlayerEffectUsedUnit(c_effectUnitSource);
target = EventPlayerEffectUsedUnit(c_effectUnitTarget);

srcPoint = UnitGetPosition(source);
UnitSetPosition(target, srcPoint, true);

 
I am executing the later two statements(setposition) every frame until death. I watched with the trigger debugger and the missile ammo unit's position isn't accurate. Right after the missile begins to return, the position of the missile doesn't match up with the visual.

I don't know if those properties in the missile actor are just for visual(Host Return, Site Operations, and Supporter) or the missile actually follows my unit. But, for some reason, the visual and the actual position of the missile are not the same only during the return trip.

TL DR: I guess what I am trying to ask is, with tentacle missiles when they begin to return,  is the position accurate? If not, are there alternatives? Perhaps a similar thing could be done to attach the target object to the boomerang(missile ammo unit), then detach when it dies?

I made an apply and remove kinetic for the object picked up by the search effect of the boomerang to follow the bearings of the missile ammo unit. I'm not sure if that is what you meant, but it worked pretty much the same as before. However, I am thinking you meant that I need to apply this kinetic effect to the missile ammo unit. If so how would I apply it when it begins the return trip?

Where I see the missile ammo unit is where the object being picked up needs to go. Is there a way I can get the missile to return with its position correctly reflecting what is visible? Where I see the missile seems to reflect something entirely different than where it actually is. 

I have uploaded an example image that illustrates what is happening.