Why doesn't this work?

[Kazuga]

Hi there, I have got stuck while making this ability, it's a "beam" ability based on dummys making 5 shockwaves:

Spoiler

Beam of justice
    Events
        Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
    Conditions
        (Ability being cast) Equal to Beam of justice 
    Actions
        Set BeamCaster = (Triggering unit)
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 50.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Floating Text - Create floating text that reads Kaaa... at BeamCasterPos with Z offset 0.00, using font size 12.00, color (100.00%, 0.00%, 0.00%), and 0.00% transparency
        Floating Text - Set the velocity of (Last created floating text) to 64.00 towards 90.00 degrees
        Floating Text - Change (Last created floating text): Disable permanence
        Floating Text - Change the lifespan of (Last created floating text) to 5.00 seconds
        Floating Text - Change the fading age of (Last created floating text) to 4.00 seconds
        Unit - Create 1 Beam dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Set BeamDummy = (Last created unit)
        Unit - Add Beam of justice dummy  to BeamDummy
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice dummy  for BeamDummy to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Set BeamDummyPos = ((Position of BeamDummy) offset by 50.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        For each (Integer A) from 1 to 5, do (Actions)
            Loop - Actions
                Unit - Create 1 Beam dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamDummyPos facing Default building facing degrees
                Set BeamDummy = (Last created unit)
                Unit - Add Beam of justice dummy  to BeamDummy
                Unit - Set level of Beam of justice dummy  for BeamDummy to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
                Unit - Order BeamDummy to Orc Tauren Chieftain - Shockwave BeamDummyPos
                Floating Text - Create floating text that reads BOM! at BeamCasterPos with Z offset 0.00, using font size 12.00, color (100.00%, 0.00%, 0.00%), and 0.00% transparency
                Floating Text - Set the velocity of (Last created floating text) to 64.00 towards 90.00 degrees
                Floating Text - Change (Last created floating text): Disable permanence
                Floating Text - Change the lifespan of (Last created floating text) to 5.00 seconds
                Floating Text - Change the fading age of (Last created floating text) to 4.00 seconds
                Wait 0.10 seconds
                Unit - Remove BeamDummy from the game
                Wait 0.30 seconds
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)

Help anyone?
Oh and btw, the first dummy is created but he doesn't get removed and the others isn't created. Also they don't shoot the spell :banghead:.

 

[Chocobo]

1 : You are not removing the first dummy
2 : Do the dummies got the time to cast shockwave with only 0.10 seconds?

 

[Vassilev]

Yup, I agree with Chocobo

0.10 seconds is too little

Here's a solution:

Dont use the trigger to remove the dummy while still in loop, instead, just give the dummy an expiration timer

Then make another trigger:

Event - A unit dies
Condition - Dying unit = beamdummy
Action - Remove Dying unit


So when you create the dummy, you give it a timed life, when it dies, it will be instantly removed from the game

 

[GoGo-Boy]

There's no need to remove it from game...

 

[Tubba]

Don't use waits within loops.

Also, make sure Cast Backswing is set to 0 on the dummy, and that all mana costs, etc, are set to 0.

 

[Vassilev]

There's no need to remove it from game...

haha.. well.. it saves him frustration from finding out why the beamdummy makes a noise when it dies !

i use that trigger cuz im too lazy to fix all of the values for my dummy

anyway, here's a good dummy guide for you

http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46238&highlight=ayumilove

 

[Kazuga]

Don't use waits within loops.

Also, make sure Cast Backswing is set to 0 on the dummy, and that all mana costs, etc, are set to 0.

Backswing does what? Have allways wondered that . Mana and such are set to 0 allready.

There's no need to remove it from game...

Tried with exparation timer, when the unit dies he get's ressd in base since he's a hero... So I do need to remove it from the game...

 

[GoGo-Boy]

There can't be a reason why a dummy should be a hero rofl.

haha.. well.. it saves him frustration from finding out why the beamdummy makes a noise when it dies !

i use that trigger cuz im too lazy to fix all of the values for my dummy

No comment, because you're too lazy you use triggers to compensate stuff like that? Oh my godness. That makes no sense, really.

Here a part about dummies from Daelin's trigger enhancing spells tutorial.

Before we enter triggers themselves, I would like to point some things out, extremely necessary in order to be able to enchance your spells.

First of all, you have to know that an unit cannot have two abilities based on the same root ability. What does this mean? If for example a unit has two abilities, both copies of the Flame Strike ability, the unit might not cast the spell it has been ordered to. It may cast the other Flame Strike ability, if it is not under cooldown. Be careful! There are enough abilities to copy.

Secondly, you must learn the concepts of Dummy Units. Dummy units are special units (lol, not really) meant to help you enchance the spell with better effects. For now, you must know how to create your own dummy unit in the object editor. After that, you will learn how to use them as well.

So go to the unit editor and copy-paste the footman unit. Rename it as dummy, so that you will be able to recognize it later. And now, change the following fields accordingly:

Abilities – Normal – It should include only the Locust unit ability. This will make the dummy unselectable, invulnerable and will remove its collision, allowing any unit to pass through it. By this you assure the unit cannot be detected in any way.

Art – Model File – Switch to custom and type none.mdl. This will make the unit invisible (not as invisibility, but unseen).

Art – Shadow Image – Switch the value in preset to none.

Art – Special – Delete everything there.

Combat – Attacks enabled – Switch to none.

Combat – Death Type – Switch to Can’t Raise, Does not Decay

Movement – Speed Base – Set its value to 0.

Movement – Type – Switch to Fly.

Sound – Unit Sound Set – Change its value to NONE.

Stats – Can Flee – False.

Stats – Food Cost – Set it to 0.

Stats – Hide Minimap Display – True

Stats – Sight Radius (Day) – 0
Stats – Sight Radius (Night) – 0

Techtree – Upgrades Used – Delete all.

After you have given the unit all these values you can place one on the map and notice that ingame you won’t see it. In World Editor it will appear as a box with green/black squares. That’s because the model you assigned to the unit doesn’t exist. It will disappear ingame.

Another concept we need to study is Dummy abilities. You will give these abilities to the hero and they will practically have no effect, until we enchance them with triggers. What they will have is the mana cost, cooldown, description, eventually requirements, buffs and icons (and obviously name). Practically they should act like a normal hero ability, if you learn for example the ability should be there, with its mana cost and cooldown (when the hero casts it), the description when you put the mouse on the icon and of course it should be AoE if your enchanced spells is supposed to be AoE, or single target if your enchanced spell is supposed to be single target and so on. And this leads us to a second problem: on which spell to base your dummy ability?

Let’s say that you want to do an Area of Effect Sleep (affects all the units in a selectable area). Some of you who have absolutely no experience in spellmaking might say that you must base your dummy spell off Sleep. Wrong! The dummy spell as I mentioned before must mimic the final result spell with no effect (so in this case targets the units in an AoE but doesn’t put them to sleep when cast). However, sleep is a single target spell, not an AoE (like Silence, Blizzard, Cluster Rockets, Flame Strike and other Area of effect spells). You should base your spell off one of the example spells I gave above.

Note
The duration of the dummy spells should be set to 0.01 if it is initially greater than 0. If for these spells you set the duration to 0, it will last forever (or for some until dispelled). And this might lead to other problems. If you want to make a dummy spell which targets a single unit and only damages it (pure example), if you base it off storm bolt, it will do a 0.01 stun, breaking channeling spells. Same thing will happen with silence if you don’t remove the spell disabling effect. Be very careful!

 

[Kazuga]

Well, now it works with creating and removing dummys, also make them use the ability. The problem now is that they shoot sort of randomly, and also of some reason it doesn't work if this part isn't within the trigger:

Spoiler

Beam of justice
    Events
        Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
    Conditions
        (Ability being cast) Equal to Beam of justice 
    Actions
        Set BeamCaster = (Triggering unit)
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 50.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Pause BeamCaster
        Floating Text - Create floating text that reads Kaaa... at BeamCasterPos with Z offset 0.00, using font size 12.00, color (100.00%, 0.00%, 0.00%), and 0.00% transparency
        Floating Text - Set the velocity of (Last created floating text) to 64.00 towards 90.00 degrees
        Floating Text - Change (Last created floating text): Disable permanence
        Floating Text - Change the lifespan of (Last created floating text) to 5.00 seconds
        Floating Text - Change the fading age of (Last created floating text) to 4.00 seconds
        [B][U]Unit - Create 1 Beam dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Add a 2.00 second Force Of Nature expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Unit - Turn collision for (Last created unit) Off
        Set BeamDummy = (Last created unit)
        Unit - Add Beam of justice dummy  to BeamDummy
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice dummy  for BeamDummy to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)[/U][/B]
        Set BeamDummyPos = ((Position of BeamDummy) offset by 50.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        For each (Integer A) from 1 to 5, do (Actions)
            Loop - Actions
                Unit - Create 1 Beam dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamDummyPos facing Default building facing degrees
                Unit - Add a 2.00 second Force Of Nature expiration timer to (Last created unit)
                Unit - Turn collision for (Last created unit) Off
                Set BeamDummy = (Last created unit)
                Unit - Add Beam of justice dummy  to BeamDummy
                Unit - Set level of Beam of justice dummy  for BeamDummy to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
                Unit - Order BeamDummy to Orc Tauren Chieftain - Shockwave BeamDummyPos
                Floating Text - Create floating text that reads BOM! at (Position of BeamCaster) with Z offset 0.00, using font size 12.00, color (100.00%, 0.00%, 0.00%), and 0.00% transparency
                Floating Text - Set the velocity of (Last created floating text) to 64.00 towards 90.00 degrees
                Floating Text - Change (Last created floating text): Disable permanence
                Floating Text - Change the lifespan of (Last created floating text) to 5.00 seconds
                Floating Text - Change the fading age of (Last created floating text) to 4.00 seconds
                Wait 0.10 seconds
        Unit - Unpause BeamCaster
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)

Also, is there a risk for lagg on battlenet when using this since you create units so fast after eachother and order them to use the ability? If so, is there any easier way to make a "beam" like ability...? Have seen them in dragonball and such games and they look awsome but I just can't figure how they do it...

 

[Flare]

If so, is there any easier way to make a "beam" like ability...? Have seen them in dragonball and such games and they look awsome but I just can't figure how they do it..

It's a dummy unit with model file like holy light or hero revival, and the maximum pitch (or roll, not sure) angle is set to a negative value (hold shift when opening the field in object editor to make it negative)

 

[Kazuga]

Hm, solved it in a new way, by creating dummy units with the model file "avatar of vengance" in a line with permanent immolation. Problem is it looks awfull in trigger and I know you can do this with "For each integer A do" but I have no idea how to make it that way, any way here is new trigger:

Spoiler

Beam of justice
    Events
        Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
    Conditions
        (Ability being cast) Equal to Beam of justice 
    Actions
        Set BeamCaster = (Triggering unit)
        Set BeamCasterPos = (Position of BeamCaster)
        Unit - Pause BeamCaster
        Floating Text - Create floating text that reads Charging energy... at BeamCasterPos with Z offset 0.00, using font size 12.00, color (100.00%, 0.00%, 0.00%), and 0.00% transparency
        Floating Text - Set the velocity of (Last created floating text) to 64.00 towards 90.00 degrees
        Floating Text - Change (Last created floating text): Disable permanence
        Floating Text - Change the lifespan of (Last created floating text) to 3.00 seconds
        Floating Text - Change the fading age of (Last created floating text) to 4.00 seconds
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 1.50 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 100.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 200.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 300.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 400.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 500.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 600.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        -------- ----------- --------
        Set BeamCasterPos = ((Position of BeamCaster) offset by 700.00 towards (Facing of BeamCaster) degrees)
        Unit - Create 1 Beam of justice dummy for (Owner of BeamCaster) at BeamCasterPos facing Default building facing degrees
        Unit - Set level of Beam of justice (dummy)  for (Last created unit) to (Level of Beam of justice  for BeamCaster)
        Unit - Add a 3.00 second Generic expiration timer to (Last created unit)
        Custom script:   call RemoveLocation (udg_BeamCasterPos)
        Wait 0.03 seconds
        Unit - Unpause BeamCaster

Also it doesn't look so cool when they are created, it's like the beam laggs it's way forward (just looks like it, it does not lagg ).

 

[Flare]

you cant wait 0.03 seconds, any wait action below 0.27 seconds will automatically wait 0.27, regardless of what you want it to do.

if you want a 'proper' beam like the DBZ maps, just edit the Maximum Pitch Angle (or Roll Angle, more than likely pitch though) to a negative value, and the 'head' of the dummy will project outwards, then boost the dummy's anim speed a bit so that the beam appears quickly ^^

 

[Kazuga]

>you cant wait 0.03 seconds, any wait action below 0.27 seconds will automatically wait 0.27, regardless of what you want it to do.
So that's why it was so big wait time between the creations...

>if you want a 'proper' beam like the DBZ maps, just edit the Maximum Pitch Angle (or Roll Angle, more than likely pitch though) to a negative value, and the 'head' of the dummy will project outwards, then boost the dummy's anim speed a bit so that the beam appears quickly ^^
Huh...? Sorry but that's like jass to me (don't undestand a word^^).

 

[Flare]

its a field in the object editor. i forget what category its under (probably art). when you find it, hold shift and double-click it and set the value to -10 (use it on footman for a test and pre-place a footman). then, if it doesnt show end result in main wc3 window, test and see what happened to the footman

 

[Knight7770]

Ok, this is what I think Flare means:
If you adjust the Maximum Pitch Angle to a negative value, the dummy's head will look longer, along the Z axis. Then, if you increase its animation speed, it will appear quickly; and it will look like a real beam.
EDIT: Flare beat me to it

 

[Kazuga]

"Maximum pitch angle" cannot be lower than 0...

 

[Flare]

make sure Allow real negative values in Object Editor is enabled in File - Preferences. and you MUST hold shift when you double-click it.

 

[Knight7770]

If you can't double-click it and hold down shift at the same time, just click on the field once, then press shift and enter.

 

[Kazuga]

Hm, got it to a negative value when holding down shift and doubleclicking, but nothing hapend to the footmen head...

 

[Flare]

his whole body will turn sideways (as if he is lying on his side)