Animation-change unit's height? Animation-play rare attack?

[Ruination]

Ok so I want my blademaster to blink and reappear a few seconds later in the air above where I cast the ability in his critical strike pose. He will then smite his enemies with much special effects. I got him to blink and hide, then reappear a few seconds later in the right position which works as long as I move him before I hide him--not sure why that is but that's ok. I threw in his rare attack animation, and set his height to 200. In case he needs to be a flying unit to change his flying height, I also made him have movement of flying. He isn't changing height, and he isn't getting into any animation? Any ideas?

I've tried just about every possible sequence of hide, move, play animation, change height, and unhide. No order seems to work. Oh is there a critical strike animation specificly instead of rare attack?

Thanks for any input. I think this could look really cool if I can get it.

Here's what I put...

Blink Tear
    Events
        Unit - A unit Begins casting an ability
    Conditions
        (Ability being cast) Equal to Blink tear 
    Actions
        Wait 0.30 seconds
        Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of (Casting unit)) using Abilities\Spells\NightElf\Blink\BlinkCaster.mdl
        Environment - Create a 0.70 second Normal ripple deformation at (Position of Caster[1]) with starting radius 50.00, ending radius 250.00, and depth 55.00, using 0.25 second ripples spaced 10.00 apart
        Wait 0.20 seconds
        Animation - Play (Casting unit)'s attack animation, using only Rare animations
        Wait 0.10 seconds
        Unit - Pause (Casting unit)
        Unit - Move (Casting unit) instantly to (Target point of ability being cast)
        Animation - Change (Casting unit) flying height to 200.00 at 3.00
        Unit - Hide (Casting unit)
        Wait 3.00 seconds
        Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of (Casting unit)) using Abilities\Spells\NightElf\Blink\BlinkCaster.mdl
        Unit - Unhide (Casting unit)
        Unit - Unpause (Casting unit)

 

[Heptameron]

You can make a regular unit flying-height changeable by adding and removing Medivh's Crow Form ability. Just one of those quirks...

 

[Ruination]

Okay...but I made his movement flying, ya know? Seems like that would work. I will try medivh's ability. Any idea about the animation? And when I pause him, will he pause IN mid-air? Man that would be so cool...well cool if he's in a good pose, not if he's just standing in the air--that would look dumb heh.

Thanks.

 

[Heptameron]

Any idea about the animation? And when I pause him, will he pause IN mid-air? Man that would be so cool...well cool if he's in a good pose, not if he's just standing in the air--that would look dumb heh.

I don't know... you mean his critical strike animation? You should check the name of that animation... I don't think it's just "attack."

 

[Ruination]

Hmm well I tried putting 'casting unit's (name of critical strike) animation. That didn't work. How can I check the name of it?

 

[Heptameron]

Hmm well I tried putting 'casting unit's (name of critical strike) animation. That didn't work. How can I check the name of it?

In the Terrain Editor, with the unit selected... the Previewer displays the animation names as you show the animation.

 

[Ruination]

Ah hah. Thanks. Well...hmm is there a way to pause him faster heh. He pauses a good 1/10 of a second after the animation is completely done. So he is paused just standing there. I need to pause him IN the animation. I'm guessing that's impossible. Too bad )=

 

[Sargon]

I'm guessing that's impossible. Too bad )=

Not at all. I've seen it done more than once.

I'd bet that the reason he's pausing .1 seconds too late is because you have a .1 second wait in there. Try removing it.

 

[mems]

after pausing the unit u can play any kind of animation untill u give a command to that unit.
- Your animation name is: "Attack Slam" case sensitive
- I also reccomend you to decrase animation speed first and play this one will be nice.
- Giving Crown form abilitiy is enough to change the height values even u remove this ability after giving it. which also a must if you dont want to see the ability icon on your hero.

 

[KiroKlydwn]

Animation - Change (Casting unit) flying height to 200.00 at 3.00

I'm pretty certain that 3.00 is an insanely slow rate of increasing height. If you make it like 2,000 instead, then I think it will only take 1/10 of a second.

 

[Ruination]

Thanks guys. I have no wait in between the animation and pause, they're back to back. Also, I tried playing his animation while he was paused, he didn't move. I had no idea what the 'at' part was for the height, so I tried 0, 3, 5, but I never thought of 2000 hehe, I'll see what that does. Finally, how do I slow down the animation, that would be great.

I was having the problem earlier, that I couldn't instantly move the unit if he was hidden. I was forced to move him and put the hide right after. Do you thikn the hide actions are interferring with the animations and pauses?

I took out the hides and it still pauses him after he attack slams. The height is also not working now.

Blink Tear
    Events
        Unit - A unit Begins casting an ability
    Conditions
        (Ability being cast) Equal to Blink tear 
    Actions
        Wait 0.30 seconds
        Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of (Casting unit)) using Abilities\Spells\NightElf\Blink\BlinkCaster.mdl
        Environment - Create a 0.70 second Normal ripple deformation at (Position of Caster[1]) with starting radius 50.00, ending radius 250.00, and depth 55.00, using 0.25 second ripples spaced 10.00 apart
        Wait 0.20 seconds
        Unit - Add Crow Form to (Casting unit)
        Wait 0.10 seconds
        Unit - Order (Casting unit) to Special Medivh - Raven Form
        Animation - Change (Casting unit) flying height to 250.00 at 2000.00
        Unit - Move (Casting unit) instantly to (Target point of ability being cast)
        Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of (Casting unit)) using Abilities\Spells\NightElf\Blink\BlinkCaster.mdl
        Animation - Play (Casting unit)'s Attack Slam animation
        Unit - Pause (Casting unit)
        Wait 2.50 seconds
        Unit Group - Pick every unit in (Units within 512.00 of (Position of (Casting unit))) and do (If (((Picked unit) belongs to an ally of (Owner of (Casting unit))) Equal to True) then do (Unit - Make (Picked unit) face (Casting unit) over 0.00 seconds) else do (Do nothing))
        Wait 2.50 seconds
        Unit - Unpause (Casting unit)
        Wait 0.20 seconds
        Unit Group - Pick every unit in (Units within 512.00 of (Position of (Casting unit))) and do (If (((Picked unit) belongs to an ally of (Owner of (Casting unit))) Equal to False) then do (Advanced - Slide (Picked unit) using ((Facing of (Picked unit)) - 180.00) degrees angle with a starting velocity of 25.00 and kill destructables in the way True) els
        Wait 0.30 seconds
        Unit Group - Pick every unit in (Units within 512.00 of (Position of (Casting unit))) and do (If (((Picked unit) belongs to an ally of (Owner of (Casting unit))) Equal to False) then do (Unit - Explode (Picked unit)) else do (Do nothing))

 

[mems]

first of all u understand the the crown form ability wrongly.

We dont make a unit change to something to make it fly.
There is a function at animation which changes the units flight height. However a unit with foot,hover or amphibious movement in its stats has no height value which are determined as land units. If a unit has no flying height you cannot change it.

However there is an ability which adds flying height to any kind of unit. This is the "crow from ability". When you give this ability to a unit it gives that unit a flying height. then you can remove this ability instantly. like this:

Unit - Add Crow Form to (Casting unit)
Unit - Remove Crow Form From (Casting unit)

Afther this 2 codes that unit has a flying height. so u can change this value with

Animation - Change (Casting unit) flying height to 250.00 at 2000.00

You dont neet do order that crow form ability, nor use it just give and remove immedeately. the usage is like that.

secondly you can change a units animation speed if you just search the functions at animation. Thats just easy..

- First say play attack slam then change height values.

 

[Ruination]

Okay I will change what you suggest, thanks. I still don't see a solution to the hero pausing after his animation. That is still a problem.

 

[mems]

-Create a unit variable like name "Caster" assign the casting unit to this variable at the start of your code then newer use casting unit again use your variable Caster.

Becouse you have many waiting times if another unit casts an ability then the casting unit becomes this one not your blade master.

- newer use this:

Unit - A unit Begins casting an ability

but use this:

Unit - A unit Starts effect of an ability

becouse beginning an ability can be cancelled by other abilities like stun or something also by the unit itself

- first pause your unit. then move it gi,ve effect on it ect. then after making your needs Unpause it and reset unit animation(again search the animation tab) also reset the animation speed if you have changed.

 

[Ruination]

Hey Mems and others, I just wanted to let you know I got this working nearly completely. The height change just isn't working but this ability looks damn good as it is so I'm not gonna sweat it. I added and removed crow form, then changed height, but no cigar. I am proud of this ability though, and thanks for your help!

 

[daadslfk]

Unit - Hide (Casting unit)
Wait 3.00 seconds
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of (Casting unit)) using Abilities\Spells\NightElf\Blink\BlinkCaster.mdl
Unit - Unhide (Casting unit)
Unit - Unpause (Casting unit)
Just a question, don't you have to unhide the unit before you create the special effect. I haven't messed around with animations and special effects enough to know but if you haven't tried that you might want to check that.

 

[Ruination]

If I'm playing a blink when he dissappears and reappears it is hard to tell if one is not working. I've changed it to only having one because it really does the job of both.