I wanted to get some insight into the Ability - Target Sorts+ field.
It can be found on most abilities.
I know it has something to do with the Target Sorts data type.
Let me explain a bit of context of what I'm trying to do, and how I'm going about it. Maybe someone can help from there.
Basically, I have an autocast ability (like a Fireball spell). What I want, is that the Fireballing unit should attack its nearest enemy (TSDistance) unless I specifically tell it to attack a specific unit (TSMarker?). It should keep attacking the unit till its dead, then go back to fireballing its closest target.
So kinda like the basic attack ability.
Right now what its doing is that when I right click on the unit I want killed, it will throw 1 fireball at that unit, then it will change target to some other unit. I want it so that when I right click on a unit, it will keep fireballing that unit till its dead and only then move onto another target.
Now I know this has something to do with target sorts and the TSMarkers (perhaps I need to set the marker for the unit somewhere?). Was wondering if anyone else has messed with Target Sorts for target acquisition in this way, or if anyone has any other thoughts.
To add some fuel to this question, here is another way to look at the problem.
I am basically trying to get an "Effect - Target" ability (which is autocasting) to mimic the targeting behavior of the default "Attack" ability that almost all units have. This behavior being:
1. When in range, attack nearest target.
2. When instructed (by right clicking on an enemy unit), switch targets to "right clicked" unit and continue attacking that unit till it dies.
Currently, the only way I have found to control the targetting behavior of abilities is through the "Ability - Target Sorts+" field in the ability object. However, the trick is getting the ability to remember (by setting a marker?) the unit I right clicked on and continue casting the autocast onto that target till it dies.
Currently, when my unit is in range, he targets a random target (say nearest). Then I right click on an enemy and the ability just fires once on that target, then goes back to targeting its nearest and/or some other random target. What I need it to do is to continue attacking the "right clicked" target till it dies and only then go back to attacking the nearest or random.
I dont know what the Sorts+ field is but you could try setting it up as a weapon and just have it fire as you move. I think I saw something that would let you hide the weapon from the UI if you want, but that part Im not sure about.@zzPop: Go
I dont know what the Sorts+ field is but you could try setting it up as a weapon and just have it fire as you move. I think I saw something that would let you hide the weapon from the UI if you want, but that part Im not sure about.
Aye, setting up a weapon would be easy, but I need to make it an ability specifically.
The reason for that is that its actually a "cast time" ability. Currently, you can only attach "cast phases" to abilites, and not weapons (at least not in a way that shows the casting bar on top of the unit).
This is why I chose an autocasted ability, the only problem now is to get it acquiring targets like the "Attack" ability does.
Im almost certain the Ability - Sorts+ is the way to go, along with the marker objects. Someone must have played around with that stuff.
I just noticed you can create yoru own 'Target Sorts' and one of the types is control. If you go to the drop down menu in the data editor its at the bottom. Might be worth looking into.
I just noticed you can create yoru own 'Target Sorts' and one of the types is control. If you go to the drop down menu in the data editor its at the bottom. Might be worth looking into.
Yea, I've looked into the other types of Target Sorts, for the most part they do what we expect them to do.
E.g.
TSDistance will pick the closest target to the caster
TSRandom will fire the ability at a random target in range every cast.
The only one that isnt working as we need, is TSMarker, which unfortunately, is exactly the one I need for this to work. That being said, I might have an idea why it isnt working as expected.
When I use TSMarker as my target sort type for autocast target aquisition, it only fires the ability at the right clicked target once, then proceeds to fire it at other targets. The reason this *could* be happening is that the right click puts a temporary marker on the unit which expires by the time the ability has finished casting (it has a cast time), Which means that by the time the next cast starts, the marker set from the previous cast doesn't exist, so the game starts casting at some other target.
This means that we need a way to somehow extend the duration that a target marker stays on the target, so as to allow it to still exist on the target by the time the next cast of the ability starts.
Which turns the question into, how do we manipulate how long a particular marker stays on a target?
Hello all.
I wanted to get some insight into the Ability - Target Sorts+ field.
It can be found on most abilities.
I know it has something to do with the Target Sorts data type.
Let me explain a bit of context of what I'm trying to do, and how I'm going about it. Maybe someone can help from there.
Basically, I have an autocast ability (like a Fireball spell). What I want, is that the Fireballing unit should attack its nearest enemy (TSDistance) unless I specifically tell it to attack a specific unit (TSMarker?). It should keep attacking the unit till its dead, then go back to fireballing its closest target.
So kinda like the basic attack ability.
Right now what its doing is that when I right click on the unit I want killed, it will throw 1 fireball at that unit, then it will change target to some other unit. I want it so that when I right click on a unit, it will keep fireballing that unit till its dead and only then move onto another target.
Now I know this has something to do with target sorts and the TSMarkers (perhaps I need to set the marker for the unit somewhere?). Was wondering if anyone else has messed with Target Sorts for target acquisition in this way, or if anyone has any other thoughts.
Thanks!
Its been about a week. Anyone got any ideas on this?
To add some fuel to this question, here is another way to look at the problem.
I am basically trying to get an "Effect - Target" ability (which is autocasting) to mimic the targeting behavior of the default "Attack" ability that almost all units have. This behavior being:
1. When in range, attack nearest target.
2. When instructed (by right clicking on an enemy unit), switch targets to "right clicked" unit and continue attacking that unit till it dies.
Currently, the only way I have found to control the targetting behavior of abilities is through the "Ability - Target Sorts+" field in the ability object. However, the trick is getting the ability to remember (by setting a marker?) the unit I right clicked on and continue casting the autocast onto that target till it dies.
Currently, when my unit is in range, he targets a random target (say nearest). Then I right click on an enemy and the ability just fires once on that target, then goes back to targeting its nearest and/or some other random target. What I need it to do is to continue attacking the "right clicked" target till it dies and only then go back to attacking the nearest or random.
Insights, inputs, ideas all welcome.
Really?
No one has any idea on this? Interesting...
Either no one understands what I'm asking, or everyone is really stumped by this.
I dont know what the Sorts+ field is but you could try setting it up as a weapon and just have it fire as you move. I think I saw something that would let you hide the weapon from the UI if you want, but that part Im not sure about.@zzPop: Go
Aye, setting up a weapon would be easy, but I need to make it an ability specifically.
The reason for that is that its actually a "cast time" ability. Currently, you can only attach "cast phases" to abilites, and not weapons (at least not in a way that shows the casting bar on top of the unit).
This is why I chose an autocasted ability, the only problem now is to get it acquiring targets like the "Attack" ability does.
Im almost certain the Ability - Sorts+ is the way to go, along with the marker objects. Someone must have played around with that stuff.
Lets get some ideas and discussion on this from the weekend crowd.
I just noticed you can create yoru own 'Target Sorts' and one of the types is control. If you go to the drop down menu in the data editor its at the bottom. Might be worth looking into.
Yea, I've looked into the other types of Target Sorts, for the most part they do what we expect them to do.
E.g.
TSDistance will pick the closest target to the caster
TSRandom will fire the ability at a random target in range every cast.
The only one that isnt working as we need, is TSMarker, which unfortunately, is exactly the one I need for this to work. That being said, I might have an idea why it isnt working as expected.
When I use TSMarker as my target sort type for autocast target aquisition, it only fires the ability at the right clicked target once, then proceeds to fire it at other targets. The reason this *could* be happening is that the right click puts a temporary marker on the unit which expires by the time the ability has finished casting (it has a cast time), Which means that by the time the next cast starts, the marker set from the previous cast doesn't exist, so the game starts casting at some other target.
This means that we need a way to somehow extend the duration that a target marker stays on the target, so as to allow it to still exist on the target by the time the next cast of the ability starts.
Which turns the question into, how do we manipulate how long a particular marker stays on a target?
Bumping for the weekend crowd.
It seems Ability Target Sorts needs a lot more investigation.