(If you see typos, please point them out so that I can fix them)
This tutorial is fairly self explanatory. Something goes boom, units go flying. We'll be making a radial blast that pushes units back and a shockwave that tosses units into the air. I thought about adding more variations, but I realized that they'd all just be lesser versions of the Ground Pound Ability. Thus everything you need to start using Apply Force can be found in this tutorial.
ONE VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If the unit isn't in the air when you push/pull it, the unit will drag along the ground and almost "hop" in the direction it's being moved. This means that if you want to throw units any distance you need to lift them off the ground, even if it's just a barley noticeable height.
Also, while I don't use this in my examples, zzPop pointed out that you can increase how quickly a unit is knocked back by force effects by changing its minimum speed. If you want to add this to my abilities you'd go to Behavior - Modification + and do so through the Movement Tab
Shockwave
Effects Tab
Create a new Effect named Shockwave (Damage) with Effect Type: Damage
set AI Notify Flags: Hurt Enemy
set Amount: 10
set Flags: Notification
Create a new Effect named Shockwave (Drop) with Effect Type: Modify Unit
set Height: -2
set Height Time: 0.24
Create a new Effect named Shockwave (Lift) with Effect Type: Modify Unit
set Height: 2
set Height Time: 0.24
Create a new Effect named Shockwave (Height) with Effect Type: Apply Behavior
set Units +: Target
This is a placeholder in the effect chain until you have created the actual behavior and validator.
Create a new Effect named Shockwave (Search) with Effect Type: Search Area
set Areas +: (Arc: 360; Effect: Shockwave (Height); Max Count: -1; Radius: 1)
set Search Filters: Exclude [Dead/Hidden/Invulnerable/Missile/Self/Stasis], Require [Ground] and Uncheck [Ally/Player]
Create a new Effect named Shockwave (Line) with Effect Type: Create Persistent
set Period Count: 12
set Period Durations: 0.075
set Period Effects:Shockwave (Search)
set Periodic Offsets: ([0, -0.5] .... [0, -6]) In increments of 0.5
set Location +: Source Point
set Location Offset - End +: Target Point
set Location Offset - Start +: Source Point
This is what will create your shockwave and apply its effects. You can make the line longer by increasing the increment size or making more Periodic Offsets while increasing the Period Count.
Behaviors Tab
Create a new Behavior named Shockwave (Height) with Behavior Type: Buff
set Categories: Temporary
set Modification +:
Behavior Modify Flags: Enable Disable Abilities
set Effect - Final:Shockwave (Damage
set Effect - Initial:Shockwave (Lift)
set Effect - Periodic:Shockwave (Drop)
set Duration: 0.56
set Flags: Hidden
set Period: 0.32
set Period Count: 1
link the Effect - Apply Behavior:Shockwave (Height)
Validators Tab
Create a new Validator named HasShockwave with Validator Type: Unit Compare Behavior Count
set Behavior:Shockwave (Height)
set Compare: Equal To
set Unit +: Target
set Value: 0
add Validator to Effect - Apply Behavior:Shockwave (Height)
Buttons Tab
Create a new Button named Shockwave
set Hotkey: D
set Icon: btn-ability-protoss-shieldbattery.dds
Abilities Tab
Create a new Ability named Shockwave with Ability Type: Effect - Target
open Commands + and set the Default Button for Execute to Shockwave
open Cost + and set Cooldown > Time Use: 2
set Effect:Shockwave (Line)
set Range: 6
Models Tab
Create a new Model named Shockwave (Impact)
set Model: BurrowFXSmall.m3
Create a new Model named Shockwave (Line)
set Model: BurrowFXLarge.m3
Actors Tab
Create a new Actor named Shockwave (Impact) with Actor Type: Model and Based On: Model Animation Style One Shot
set Model:Shockwave (Impact)
set Host +: Implicit:Implicit:Disabled (Remove Subject)
open Events + and create the following events:
Effect - Shockwave (Damage) - Start
Create
Actor Creation
Animation Play (Name: Land; Animation Properties: Unburrow, 02; Time Variant: 0.5; Time Type: Duration)
Animation Done
Destroy
Create a new Actor named Shockwave (Line) with Actor Type: Model and Based On: Model Animation Style One Shot
set Model:Shockwave (Line)
set Host +: Implicit:Implicit:Disabled (Remove Subject)
open Events + and create the following events:
Effect - Shockwave (Search) - Start
At Effect (Term)
Create
Actor Creation
Animation Play (Name: AoE; Animation Properties: Unburrow; Time Variant: 0.5; Time Type: Duration)
Animation Done
Destroy
Create a new Actor named Shockwave Sound with Actor Type: Sound and Based On: SoundOneShot
set Sound: Zerg_UnburrowMedium
open Events + and create the following events:
Effect - Shockwave (Search) - Start
Create
Sound Done
Destroy
Ground Pound
Effects Tab
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Damage) with Effect Type: Damage
set AI Notify Flags: Hurt Enemy
set Amount: 10
set Flags: Notification
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Drop) with Effect Type: Modify Unit
set Height: -1.5
set Height Time: 0.36
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Lift) with Effect Type: Modify Unit
set Height: 1.5
set Height Time: 0.36
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Height) with Effect Type: Apply Behavior
set Units +: Target
This is a placeholder in the effect chain until you have created the actual behavior and validator.
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Push) with Effect Type: Apply Force
set Amount: 1
set Mass Fraction: 1
set Time Scale Source +: Caster
set Location +: Source Unit/Point
set Unit +: Target
This is responsible for moving the units in whatever direction the force is moving. If you want to "suck" units into a vortex, use negative amounts. It is important that you understand this isn't just a single application. The Persistent will push/pull the unit(s) repeatedly over a short period of time to cause significant movement. If your Force Effect isn't moving your unit far enough, it's likely because you aren't using a Persistent/Buff to apply it rapidly over a brief time period.
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Set) with Effect Type: Set
set Effects:Ground Pound (Height) and Ground Pound (Push)
set Maximum Count: -1
Create a new Effect named Ground Pount (Search) with Effect Type: Search Area
set Areas +: (Arc: 360; Effect: Ground Pound (Set); Max Count: -1; Radius: 2; Radius Bonus: 0.25)
set Search Filters: Exclude [Dead/Hidden/Invulnerable/Missile/Self/Stasis], Require [Ground] and Uncheck [Ally/Player]
It is important to note that Radius Bonus is what controls the outward ripple in effects. This number is added to the radius of the search every successive period that it runs.
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Shockwave) with Effect Type: Create Persistent
set Period Count: 17
set Period Durations: 0.05
set Period Effects:Ground Pound (Search)
This is what will create your radial shockwave and apply its effects. You can make the blast bigger by increasing the increment the Period Count.
Create a new Effect named Ground Pound (Jump) with Effect Type: Apply Behavior
set Units +: Target
This is a placeholder in the effect chain until you have created the actual behavior.
Behaviors Tab
Create a new Behavior named Ground Pound (Height) with Behavior Type: Buff
set Categories: Temporary
set Modification +:
Behavior Modify Flags: Enable Disable Abilities
set Effect - Final:Ground Pound (Damage)
set Effect - Initial:Ground Pound (Lift)
set Effect - Periodic:Ground Pound (Drop)
set Duration: 0.84
set Flags: Hidden
set Period: 0.48
set Period Count: 1
link the Effect - Apply Behavior:Ground Pound (Height)
Create a new Behavior named Ground Pound (Jump) with Behavior Type: Buff
set Categories: Temporary
set Modification +:
Behavior Modify Flags: Enable Disable Abilities
set Effect - Final:Ground Pound (Shockwave)
set Effect - Initial:Ground Pound (Lift)
set Effect - Periodic:Ground Pound (Drop)
set Duration: 0.72
set Flags: Hidden
set Period: 0.36
set Period Count: 1
link the Effect - Apply Behavior:Ground Pound (Jump)
Validators Tab
Create a new Validator named HasGroundPound with Validator Type: Unit Compare Behavior Count
set Behavior:Ground Pound (Height)
set Compare: Equal To
set Unit +: Target
set Value: 0
add Validator to Effect - Apply Behavior:Ground Pound (Height)
Buttons Tab
Create a new Button named Ground Pound
set Hotkey: F
set Icon: btn-ability-protoss-blink.dds
Abilities Tab
Create a new Ability named Ground Pound with Ability Type: Effect - Instant
open Commands + and set the Default Button for Execute to Ground Pound
open Cost + and set Cooldown > Time Use: 2
set Effect:Ground Pound (Jump)
Models Tab
Create a new Model named Ground Pound (Impact)
set Model: BurrowFXSmall.m3
Create a new Model named Ground Pound (Slam)
set Model: DragoonForceShield.m3
Actors Tab
Create a new Actor named Ground Pound (Impact) with Actor Type: Model and Based On: Model Animation Style One Shot
set Model:Ground Pound (Impact)
set Host +: Implicit:Implicit:Disabled (Remove Subject)
open Events + and create the following events:
Effect - Ground Pound (Damage) - Start
Create
Actor Creation
Animation Play (Name: Land; Animation Properties: Unburrow, 02; Time Variant: 0.5; Time Type: Duration)
Animation Done
Destroy
Create a new Actor named Ground Pound (Slam) with Actor Type: Model and Based On: Model Animation Style One Shot
set Model:Ground Pound (Slam)
set Host +: Implicit:Implicit:Disabled (Remove Subject)
open Events + and create the following events:
Effect - Ground Pound (Shockwave) - Start
Create
Actor Creation
Animation Play (Name: Land; Animation Properties: Stand; Time Variant: 0.333; Time Type: Time Scale)
Actor Creation
Set Scale (Scale: 6; Blend: 0.85; Label: Shockwave)
Animation Done
Destroy
This actor's events are very important if you want to create expanding blasts. It takes some tweaking and a lot of guess and check to figure out what the best setup is, but if your animation isn't moving fast enough, use Time Scale. Perhaps you need to slow it down instead. If it starts with the right speed, you can use Duration and match the times. The most important part, though, is to match your model's final scale to the actual Search Area so that the units being affected are visibly touched by the blast. In our case the model was expanding too slowly so we sped it up. The model also expands by default, so you don't need to Scale it as much.
Create a new Actor named Ground Pound Sound with Actor Type: Sound and Based On: SoundOneShot
set Sound: Hybrid_PsionicShockwaveLaunch
open Events + and create the following events:
Effect - Ground Pound (Shockwave) - Start
Create
Sound Done
Destroy
The Caster
Units Tab
Duplicate the Zeratul Hero and its corresponding Actor. Everything else will be stock or made from scratch.
Name it Yo Duh
open Abilities + and remove all but [Move/Stop]; add [Shockwave/Ground Pound]
open Command Card + and remove all Zeratul's Abilities and Attack; add [Shockwave/Ground Pound]
Feel free to use the attached Test Map or contact me via forum post/IRC if you encounter problems. Keep in mind that I'm a busy person so I may not reply right away, but I'll do my best to answer all questions/concerns that I am aware of :)
hey awsome tutorial, i was wondering if u could also add a part explaining how to make a single target, knock back ability that will push the unit backwards along the ground?
You make me doubt about my methods, you could propably do leap spell with something like that too, but I have done it with triggers. Would be nice to see how leap spell would look with data editor methods tought....
I really apriciate there tutorials. They contain so much usefull stuff and they are responsible for teaching me how to use data editor.
btw, I would like to hear how did you become so good? I find data editor being sooo hard to use without tutorials.
I have downloaded the map to check all the data directly in the editor. I have noticed that if you move Zeratul shortly after casting the shockwave spell, the shockwave gets messy... hard to explain. It doesn't move straight, it veers off course.
Good tutorial, however, some steps are somewhat superfluous.
e.g. You don't need separate set of effects & behaviors to raise/lower a unit. A single behavior can accomplish this using the Behavior Modification+ -> unit tab -> height and height time (start/stop) fields. Using it this way gives the added benefit that you can control the setting of various different timings for raise/lower (as well as height) within the same behavior.
Secondly, you didn't mention that the increasing/decreasing of the speed of the knock-back is actually controlled by setting the minimum speed of the target unit. (which also can be done with the single behavior described above). So if you say, want to make a knockback that really punts units far, you do that by increasing the min speed, and not by increasing the force in the force effect.
Also, your use of persistent effects is somewhat convoluted (leading to additional complication that is not really needed). A single periodic effect can pretty much control all aspects of a good knockback spell, be it line, aoe, or single target.
In:
Create a new Effect named Ground Pount (Search) with Effect Type: Search Area
•set Areas +: (Arc: 360; Effect: Ground Pound (Set); Max Count: -1; Radius: 2; Radius Bonus: 0.25)
•set Search Filters: Exclude [Dead/Hidden/Invulnerable/Missile/Self/Stasis], Require [Ground] and Uncheck [Ally/Player]
What does Radius Bonus do?
Also, how would changing the arc effect both abilities? Would it make enemies get thrown in a different direction or would the blast (for either) only effect enemies to a certain side?
I have downloaded the map to check all the data directly in the editor. I have noticed that if you move Zeratul shortly after casting the shockwave spell, the shockwave gets messy... hard to explain. It doesn't move straight, it veers off course.
Any solution ?
Thanks for all your tutorials.
I am seeing the same problem. When i launch the spell and walk right after it it sends it behind my unit or makes the last "explosion" hit far behind my unit.
@zenx1 - If you've ever been on the IRC you may have heard about my strong aversion to triggers. While I may claim it's because triggers are evil (which they totally are!!!), it's actually because I have spent NONE of my time in the Trigger Editor. I have, instead, focused all my time in the Data Editor. By doing this I learned things much more quickly and I got further than if I had tried to learn everything at once. To anyone wanting to get into the Data Editor, I'd strong suggest you start with spells. At the end of the day, nearly everything boils down to Effects, Behaviors and Actors. If what you're learning doesn't involve one of these things it's probably something you shouldn't be learning yet or it's self-explanatory. Once you understand those three sections of the Data Editor, the rest of it begins to make a lot more sense given how much they build upon them.
@zzPop - It's good to know that changing the movement speed of the unit affects how the force moves the units. I'll update the tutorial to mention this.
The comments about my use of Modify Unit and Persistents are inaccurate though. You DO need to use separate Modify Unit effects in order to have the height change happen WITHIN the duration of the Behavior rather than outside of it. Your method would have the unit raise into the air when the buff is applied and then fall AFTER the buff is removed. This is obviously problematic and unrealistic given that you'd still be in the air when the shockwave was triggered. Not to mention there is no added benefit of controlling times given that the Modify Unit effects already do this. Simply put, your method isn't as efficient as using a pair of Modify Unit effects.
Now the comment about my persistent effects is wrong on so many levels that it's less inaccurate than it is offensive. I appreciate that you're trying to point out things you find helpful, but please know what you're talking about before you try to correct my tutorials. I'm all about providing accurate information, but this is just wrong. Your claiming that a single persistent effect can control all aspects of a knockback spell when both of the abilities I have listed do precisely that. . . Ground Pound (Shockwave) and Shockwave (Line) are the only two persistents in this tutorial. Now unless you're trying to say that the two spells can share one persistent (which is false), your comment disproves itself.
So again, thanks for the comment about move speed, that's good to know! Please make sure you double check your critiques, though, before you suggest I'm adding 'superfluous" steps to my tutorials.
@SakiSakurai - This actually doesn't matter. It's just a label and doesn't actually affect how the model turns out outside of sorting purposes. I have sometimes accidentally left it on foliage and never noticed. I just prefer to set it to generic given that it makes more sense that way.
@Groquest - Making a self-sufficient shockwave that launches in the direction the unit is facing is hard than simply changing to Effect - Instant. If you use the fixed values mentioned below (Source Point and Target Point) this will allow you to change to Effect - Instant and get the spell you want, but the curve when you move during the spell comes back. To avoid this you would either need to create a 2nd persistent between the ability and the offsets (Ability > New Persistent > Offsets Persistent) so that this new persistent tells the spell where to shoot from without allowing the path to curve when you move. . The alternative is to prevent your unit from moving until the shockwave is over.
@Auracy - Radius Bonus the amount the persistent increases the search area by every period. The result is the search radius grows from 2 > 2.25 > 2.5 and so forth to create the ripple effect you see when the units are knocked back. Arc is the portion of a circle the search area covers. So if you set the arc to 180, only one half of the area surrounding the unit would be knocked back. You can experiment with this value to see what I mean.
@rey91 - Thanks for covering the part about Source Unit vs Source Point, but you need to change Location Offset - End + to Target Point as well in order to fix problem entirely. I'll fix the tutorial and upload a new version of the test map that doesn't have this issue. If you don't fix both fields there will still be a slight curve as opposed to the crazy curve you saw when moving.
"This is responsible for moving the units in whatever direction the force is moving. If you want to "suck" units into a vortex, use negative [force] amounts."
Location + is the point the force pushes a unit away from or pulls it towards. Thus Source means where the Persistent that creates it is centered. In this setup, the location of the Persistent is the epicenter of the applied force. It's fairly simple: place the Persistent at the location (using offsets) the target is going to move to.
I have fixed this problem. I will try and post the solution when I have time.
END EDIT*
Sorry to resurrect a semi-dead thread, but I'm having trouble converting these methods into a "grapple-hook" like effect. Maybe you can help?
I've got a unit that shoots said grappling hook at another unit, intending to pull the target towards the caster. I've tried numerous methods but can't figure out why it's not working. My most recent idea is this:
Create the persistent "pulling" force at offsets between the caster and target, gradually pulling the target along the distance between them.
Launch Missile
Effect - Launch Effect = Create Persistent
Create Persistent
Effect - Effect - Initial = Lift
Effect - Effect - Final = Drop
Effect - Period Count = 18
Effect - Period Durations = .1
Effect - Period Effects = Set*
Effect - Period Offsets = (0,-4.5)|(0,4.0)|...(0,-0.25)**
(*) I'm using Set here instead of Search because I just want one unit (the target) to be affected, not units in a splash area.
( )As in, the distances between target and caster, counting down from just off the target location I reason if the ability has range 5 these values are between 0 and 5.
All other effects/behaviors (Lift, Set, Drop, Height) are the same as yours except (Pull) changes from Effect - Amount = 1 to -1 (for the pull instead of push).
It doesn't work. The missile launches and hits but nothing happens. If you know what's going on here or need more information, please let me know - I'd appreciate any help you can offer.
Hey Prozaic, you forgot to mention what type the abilities are when creating Ground Pound and Shockwave abilities. EDIT: I figured out that the Ground Pound is an [b]Effect - Instant[/b] and Shockwave is an [b]Effect - Target[/b], though this should be in the tutorial.
im having troble finding out how to active it, if a melee units attack a structure. (ofc without trigger), and also putting a CD on it so it dont active everytime a units attacks it
I'm trying to make this ability work as a targeted ability... I'd like to be able to target a location and have the epicenter of the push effects at that point. I've modified the ability so that it targets a point, and it seems that the effected units are definitely getting pushed in order (starting with the units closest to the targeted point and radiating outwards), but for some reason the push vector seems to still be coming from my casting unit.
What gives? Which Target - Location + field do I need to change?
EDIT:
Got it. Target - Location + of the Push effect changed to (Name of Search effect):Target Point.
(If you see typos, please point them out so that I can fix them)
This tutorial is fairly self explanatory. Something goes boom, units go flying. We'll be making a radial blast that pushes units back and a shockwave that tosses units into the air. I thought about adding more variations, but I realized that they'd all just be lesser versions of the Ground Pound Ability. Thus everything you need to start using Apply Force can be found in this tutorial.
ONE VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If the unit isn't in the air when you push/pull it, the unit will drag along the ground and almost "hop" in the direction it's being moved. This means that if you want to throw units any distance you need to lift them off the ground, even if it's just a barley noticeable height.
Also, while I don't use this in my examples, zzPop pointed out that you can increase how quickly a unit is knocked back by force effects by changing its minimum speed. If you want to add this to my abilities you'd go to Behavior - Modification + and do so through the Movement Tab
Shockwave
Effects Tab
This is a placeholder in the effect chain until you have created the actual behavior and validator.
This is what will create your shockwave and apply its effects. You can make the line longer by increasing the increment size or making more Periodic Offsets while increasing the Period Count.
Behaviors Tab
Validators Tab
Buttons Tab
Abilities Tab
Models Tab
Actors Tab
Ground Pound
Effects Tab
This is a placeholder in the effect chain until you have created the actual behavior and validator.
This is responsible for moving the units in whatever direction the force is moving. If you want to "suck" units into a vortex, use negative amounts. It is important that you understand this isn't just a single application. The Persistent will push/pull the unit(s) repeatedly over a short period of time to cause significant movement. If your Force Effect isn't moving your unit far enough, it's likely because you aren't using a Persistent/Buff to apply it rapidly over a brief time period.
It is important to note that Radius Bonus is what controls the outward ripple in effects. This number is added to the radius of the search every successive period that it runs.
This is what will create your radial shockwave and apply its effects. You can make the blast bigger by increasing the increment the Period Count.
This is a placeholder in the effect chain until you have created the actual behavior.
Behaviors Tab
Validators Tab
Buttons Tab
Abilities Tab
Models Tab
Actors Tab
This actor's events are very important if you want to create expanding blasts. It takes some tweaking and a lot of guess and check to figure out what the best setup is, but if your animation isn't moving fast enough, use Time Scale. Perhaps you need to slow it down instead. If it starts with the right speed, you can use Duration and match the times. The most important part, though, is to match your model's final scale to the actual Search Area so that the units being affected are visibly touched by the blast. In our case the model was expanding too slowly so we sped it up. The model also expands by default, so you don't need to Scale it as much.
The Caster
Units Tab
Duplicate the Zeratul Hero and its corresponding Actor. Everything else will be stock or made from scratch.
You now have a Master of the Force >:D
Feel free to use the attached Test Map or contact me via forum post/IRC if you encounter problems. Keep in mind that I'm a busy person so I may not reply right away, but I'll do my best to answer all questions/concerns that I am aware of :)
Awesome tutorial, but would it be possible to make the affected units fly in an arc using movers?
great tutorial, but i have a question
what would you have to do to make for example massive units immune to the knockback effects, but not to the damage
Add a Validator - Unit Filter so that it applies to everything BUT Massive.
hey awsome tutorial, i was wondering if u could also add a part explaining how to make a single target, knock back ability that will push the unit backwards along the ground?
Its so sick how good you are at this stuff!!!
You make me doubt about my methods, you could propably do leap spell with something like that too, but I have done it with triggers. Would be nice to see how leap spell would look with data editor methods tought....
I really apriciate there tutorials. They contain so much usefull stuff and they are responsible for teaching me how to use data editor.
btw, I would like to hear how did you become so good? I find data editor being sooo hard to use without tutorials.
Hi !
I have downloaded the map to check all the data directly in the editor. I have noticed that if you move Zeratul shortly after casting the shockwave spell, the shockwave gets messy... hard to explain. It doesn't move straight, it veers off course.
Any solution ?
Thanks for all your tutorials.
Good tutorial, however, some steps are somewhat superfluous.
e.g. You don't need separate set of effects & behaviors to raise/lower a unit. A single behavior can accomplish this using the Behavior Modification+ -> unit tab -> height and height time (start/stop) fields. Using it this way gives the added benefit that you can control the setting of various different timings for raise/lower (as well as height) within the same behavior.
Secondly, you didn't mention that the increasing/decreasing of the speed of the knock-back is actually controlled by setting the minimum speed of the target unit. (which also can be done with the single behavior described above). So if you say, want to make a knockback that really punts units far, you do that by increasing the min speed, and not by increasing the force in the force effect.
Also, your use of persistent effects is somewhat convoluted (leading to additional complication that is not really needed). A single periodic effect can pretty much control all aspects of a good knockback spell, be it line, aoe, or single target.
Other then that, this is a good basic tutorial.
When you say create a new ability (Name Shockwave). You forgot to say "Effect target. (Model) is it foliage or Generic?
Thank you for the tutorial.
I'd like to make a similar ability like this, but without the targetting procedure. So that the shockwave ripples towards the unit's facing direction.
I've tried changing the ability type of shockwave from 'Effect - Target' to 'Effect - Instant', but it didn't work.
What should I do to turn it to an instant spell?
In:
Create a new Effect named Ground Pount (Search) with Effect Type: Search Area
•set Areas +: (Arc: 360; Effect: Ground Pound (Set); Max Count: -1; Radius: 2; Radius Bonus: 0.25)
•set Search Filters: Exclude [Dead/Hidden/Invulnerable/Missile/Self/Stasis], Require [Ground] and Uncheck [Ally/Player]
What does Radius Bonus do?
Also, how would changing the arc effect both abilities? Would it make enemies get thrown in a different direction or would the blast (for either) only effect enemies to a certain side?
delete -.-
I am seeing the same problem. When i launch the spell and walk right after it it sends it behind my unit or makes the last "explosion" hit far behind my unit.
Solved instead of source unit. Put source point.
@zenx1 - If you've ever been on the IRC you may have heard about my strong aversion to triggers. While I may claim it's because triggers are evil (which they totally are!!!), it's actually because I have spent NONE of my time in the Trigger Editor. I have, instead, focused all my time in the Data Editor. By doing this I learned things much more quickly and I got further than if I had tried to learn everything at once. To anyone wanting to get into the Data Editor, I'd strong suggest you start with spells. At the end of the day, nearly everything boils down to Effects, Behaviors and Actors. If what you're learning doesn't involve one of these things it's probably something you shouldn't be learning yet or it's self-explanatory. Once you understand those three sections of the Data Editor, the rest of it begins to make a lot more sense given how much they build upon them.
@zzPop - It's good to know that changing the movement speed of the unit affects how the force moves the units. I'll update the tutorial to mention this.
The comments about my use of Modify Unit and Persistents are inaccurate though. You DO need to use separate Modify Unit effects in order to have the height change happen WITHIN the duration of the Behavior rather than outside of it. Your method would have the unit raise into the air when the buff is applied and then fall AFTER the buff is removed. This is obviously problematic and unrealistic given that you'd still be in the air when the shockwave was triggered. Not to mention there is no added benefit of controlling times given that the Modify Unit effects already do this. Simply put, your method isn't as efficient as using a pair of Modify Unit effects.
Now the comment about my persistent effects is wrong on so many levels that it's less inaccurate than it is offensive. I appreciate that you're trying to point out things you find helpful, but please know what you're talking about before you try to correct my tutorials. I'm all about providing accurate information, but this is just wrong. Your claiming that a single persistent effect can control all aspects of a knockback spell when both of the abilities I have listed do precisely that. . . Ground Pound (Shockwave) and Shockwave (Line) are the only two persistents in this tutorial. Now unless you're trying to say that the two spells can share one persistent (which is false), your comment disproves itself.
So again, thanks for the comment about move speed, that's good to know! Please make sure you double check your critiques, though, before you suggest I'm adding 'superfluous" steps to my tutorials.
@SakiSakurai - This actually doesn't matter. It's just a label and doesn't actually affect how the model turns out outside of sorting purposes. I have sometimes accidentally left it on foliage and never noticed. I just prefer to set it to generic given that it makes more sense that way.
@Groquest - Making a self-sufficient shockwave that launches in the direction the unit is facing is hard than simply changing to Effect - Instant. If you use the fixed values mentioned below (Source Point and Target Point) this will allow you to change to Effect - Instant and get the spell you want, but the curve when you move during the spell comes back. To avoid this you would either need to create a 2nd persistent between the ability and the offsets (Ability > New Persistent > Offsets Persistent) so that this new persistent tells the spell where to shoot from without allowing the path to curve when you move. . The alternative is to prevent your unit from moving until the shockwave is over.
@Auracy - Radius Bonus the amount the persistent increases the search area by every period. The result is the search radius grows from 2 > 2.25 > 2.5 and so forth to create the ripple effect you see when the units are knocked back. Arc is the portion of a circle the search area covers. So if you set the arc to 180, only one half of the area surrounding the unit would be knocked back. You can experiment with this value to see what I mean.
@rey91 - Thanks for covering the part about Source Unit vs Source Point, but you need to change Location Offset - End + to Target Point as well in order to fix problem entirely. I'll fix the tutorial and upload a new version of the test map that doesn't have this issue. If you don't fix both fields there will still be a slight curve as opposed to the crazy curve you saw when moving.
Want to buy a simpler form of this tutoral..
Say cast ability .... and the unit is moved to target point with forces....
THis would help me figure this out alot better..
from just reading this I can not tell how the persistant effect applies the force in a specific direction....
Im using a trigger loop to apply the force but I have no idea how to apply it in a specific direction
"This is responsible for moving the units in whatever direction the force is moving. If you want to "suck" units into a vortex, use negative [force] amounts."
Location + is the point the force pushes a unit away from or pulls it towards. Thus Source means where the Persistent that creates it is centered. In this setup, the location of the Persistent is the epicenter of the applied force. It's fairly simple: place the Persistent at the location (using offsets) the target is going to move to.
@ProzaicMuze
*EDIT*
I have fixed this problem. I will try and post the solution when I have time.
END EDIT*
Sorry to resurrect a semi-dead thread, but I'm having trouble converting these methods into a "grapple-hook" like effect. Maybe you can help?
I've got a unit that shoots said grappling hook at another unit, intending to pull the target towards the caster. I've tried numerous methods but can't figure out why it's not working. My most recent idea is this:
Create the persistent "pulling" force at offsets between the caster and target, gradually pulling the target along the distance between them.
Launch Missile
Effect - Launch Effect = Create Persistent
Create Persistent
Effect - Effect - Initial = Lift
Effect - Effect - Final = Drop
Effect - Period Count = 18
Effect - Period Durations = .1
Effect - Period Effects = Set*
Effect - Period Offsets = (0,-4.5)|(0,4.0)|...(0,-0.25)**
(*) I'm using Set here instead of Search because I just want one unit (the target) to be affected, not units in a splash area.
( )As in, the distances between target and caster, counting down from just off the target location I reason if the ability has range 5 these values are between 0 and 5.
All other effects/behaviors (Lift, Set, Drop, Height) are the same as yours except (Pull) changes from Effect - Amount = 1 to -1 (for the pull instead of push).
It doesn't work. The missile launches and hits but nothing happens. If you know what's going on here or need more information, please let me know - I'd appreciate any help you can offer.
Hey Prozaic, you forgot to mention what type the abilities are when creating Ground Pound and Shockwave abilities. EDIT: I figured out that the Ground Pound is an [b]Effect - Instant[/b] and Shockwave is an [b]Effect - Target[/b], though this should be in the tutorial.
im having troble finding out how to active it, if a melee units attack a structure. (ofc without trigger), and also putting a CD on it so it dont active everytime a units attacks it
Prozaic,
I'm trying to make this ability work as a targeted ability... I'd like to be able to target a location and have the epicenter of the push effects at that point. I've modified the ability so that it targets a point, and it seems that the effected units are definitely getting pushed in order (starting with the units closest to the targeted point and radiating outwards), but for some reason the push vector seems to still be coming from my casting unit.
What gives? Which Target - Location + field do I need to change?
EDIT:
Got it. Target - Location + of the Push effect changed to (Name of Search effect):Target Point.