Custom abilities - general question - why channel?

[chovynz]

[del]What are the abilities that we can use just like channel? Why are we ONLY using channel when making a custom ability? From the looks of it we can make a custom ability from a number of other abilities safely. The thing to remember is change the Order integer.

Example of what I'm talking about
Channel Ability:
Text - Order String Use/Turn on: channel
Order: channel (raw values)

We change this to something else so it doesn't interfere with other custom channels.

I've spotted a number of other abilities using this same usage method. e.g.
Flare
Text - Order String Use/Turn on: flare
Order: flare (raw values)

So my question is: why have we been encouraged to only use channel? My second question is does anyone have a list of abilities that we can safely make custom abilities from? Considering all abilities have that field, I'm thinking its safe to use any as long as that order string is changed.[/del]


Nevermind. I was being stupid. I just realised the field to be changed is the Base Order ID, not the order string. (Well it's both but, eh...)

 

[AceHart]

> I've spotted a number of other abilities using this same usage method

No, you didn't.

There's exactly three abilities this works with:
- Channel
- Spell Book
- Charge Gold and Lumber

They come with a special option for doing so: Data - Order ID

Changing "text - order" does nothing.


As a general rule, take whatever ability is already doing most of what you plan to do, and trigger the rest.
Now, "most of what you need" could be as little as using an ability with the correct targeting...

And, well, "Channel" is just extremely flexible...

 

[chovynz]

Thanks Ace! I was tired that night

 

[Chocobo]

So my question is: why have we been encouraged to only use channel? My second question is does anyone have a list of abilities that we can safely make custom abilities from? Considering all abilities have that field, I'm thinking its safe to use any as long as that order string is changed.

by the way : http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showpost.php?p=387539&postcount=24