This is purely the system. Actual map will use different units, a different power source behaviour and power link. Also the town hall will have a buff with a death effect to temporarily disable the grid.
Also notice how I turned the beam upside down to make it look like swinging cables.
Otherwise it is ready unless there is something you can think of to improve it?
Maybe altering how the cables are destroyed might make it look better.
Also there is an issue if there are multiple power sources it will be first come first served.
I will upload an improved version
Edit: made a more or less finished version with any unused stuff being removed. Just need to import it and hook it up to new units both in the validators and units data types. Even made the power link orthogonal to the one used by the protoss.
Stuff that needs changing are the power nodes and power source units. I believe the source is going to be the town hall. Also need to change the splat actors used by the Power actor. Also maybe changing the normal and specular textures of the beam.
I decided to see if killing the unit actually removes the cable. Most of them worked, but there were a random 3 cables theat hung from the pylon even though all the zerglings were dead. I killed the pylon, but the cables just hung there.
Really? So you say the beam still persists even though both the launch and impact unit are dead? What unit did you kill first? It should purge itself evey 3 seconds max.
Could you please find and define the exact conditions under which this occurs? Although just knowing the directionality of the problem beam would allow me to solve it
Edit: Made a revised version and fixed 2 bugs. Now lines die if source dies and forgot to change the power surge disable to the new power source behaviour from the default pylon.
Cables will probably look better than simple energy flow as I used. Now we need to work on some designs for the Town Hall and Power Line to figure out where they will attach.
With pylons have them tall with a circular apical attachment point so you cannot go wrong with them. With the power source/user structures just have a crown of attachment points and use an AM that goes by distance choosing the closest impact site to the source and the closest launch site to the target.
Also look for models with the attacher bones because those can be used as beams.
Oh and we can adjust sized of the various radii and model scales as needed.
Done some testing of your system and my opinion is to go back to the drawing board visual wise. It does not support multiple sources, has major issues if several links are activated at once, is not very stable as far as visuals go and has moderate lag with just 100 links in close proximity. Here are some screenshots showing some problems I found.
Also try to avoid having a Search Area effect linked to a Create Persistent effect
The Extend By Unit Radius flag on the search area effects explains your radius problems.
I would recommend avoiding beam models that flow in a specific direction because your system often causes them to flow in opposite ones.
Also with my power system they are meant to be dirty great big power cables and not tentacles but that is just the model used and can easily be swaped.
I agree. Beams seem to be the protoss thing (I'm not saying it is, but just saying) Anyways, I'm not sure if this could be possible, but there is in the doodads, a cable that's connected to 2 poles. I'm not sure if you could use that. But if you can, then it would be good becuase it's already looking like a cable.
Just look at the bones the model has in the previewer. If it has attacher it could be used as a beam. If you mean to it as an alternative to spanning the gaps there would be the problem of estimating the scaling.
Or just use it's model to replace that of the archon beam actor and see if it works.
In the top of the lower right pannel you should find a small button with a tiny icon of a bone on it. A folder is then shown called bones.
You still are not able to link multiple sources. Also there is still the issue of all the persistents. For cutting the power just do like I did and have a perpetuating death response that momentarily disables the network. Still has issues forming a proper network.
Maybe consider removing the orphan destruction pathway for your beams and replacing it with something else? Also maybe put in a target sorts in your search?
Actually the cables are no less laggy than the other beams. The only reason his system lags more is he uses lots of persistents that fire 10 times a second.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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I tried using channeled affects to reduce lag potential, more like Lilianna's idea I guess. I still have to work on it. But the idea is that powered pylons wont create that huge amount of searches until their power source is killed. I haven't checked the systems uploaded here recently, but it looks like we don't have a definite system yet.
In short you did not check the perfected system I posted in #85. My system only searches if there are targets that have not yet been connected to the visuals. It forms perfect networks despite hardy destructive testing. It also seems to only have caused a stir with the choice of model used for the beam.
Well I fixed it. Lets see if any of you can streamline it a little.
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Looking good.
Think it is ready to go in the map? Or do you still need the death effect?
This is purely the system. Actual map will use different units, a different power source behaviour and power link. Also the town hall will have a buff with a death effect to temporarily disable the grid.
Also notice how I turned the beam upside down to make it look like swinging cables.
Otherwise it is ready unless there is something you can think of to improve it?
Maybe altering how the cables are destroyed might make it look better.
Also there is an issue if there are multiple power sources it will be first come first served.
I will upload an improved version
Edit: made a more or less finished version with any unused stuff being removed. Just need to import it and hook it up to new units both in the validators and units data types. Even made the power link orthogonal to the one used by the protoss.
Stuff that needs changing are the power nodes and power source units. I believe the source is going to be the town hall. Also need to change the splat actors used by the Power actor. Also maybe changing the normal and specular textures of the beam.
Contribute to the wiki (Wiki button at top of page) Considered easy altering of the unit textures?
https://www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/179654-data-actor-events-message-texture-select-by-id
https://media.forgecdn.net/attachments/187/40/Screenshot2011-04-17_09_16_21.jpg
I decided to see if killing the unit actually removes the cable. Most of them worked, but there were a random 3 cables theat hung from the pylon even though all the zerglings were dead. I killed the pylon, but the cables just hung there.
Really? So you say the beam still persists even though both the launch and impact unit are dead? What unit did you kill first? It should purge itself evey 3 seconds max.
Could you please find and define the exact conditions under which this occurs? Although just knowing the directionality of the problem beam would allow me to solve it
Edit: Made a revised version and fixed 2 bugs. Now lines die if source dies and forgot to change the power surge disable to the new power source behaviour from the default pylon.
Contribute to the wiki (Wiki button at top of page) Considered easy altering of the unit textures?
https://www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/179654-data-actor-events-message-texture-select-by-id
https://media.forgecdn.net/attachments/187/40/Screenshot2011-04-17_09_16_21.jpg
Cables will probably look better than simple energy flow as I used. Now we need to work on some designs for the Town Hall and Power Line to figure out where they will attach.
With pylons have them tall with a circular apical attachment point so you cannot go wrong with them. With the power source/user structures just have a crown of attachment points and use an AM that goes by distance choosing the closest impact site to the source and the closest launch site to the target.
Also look for models with the attacher bones because those can be used as beams.
Oh and we can adjust sized of the various radii and model scales as needed.
Contribute to the wiki (Wiki button at top of page) Considered easy altering of the unit textures?
https://www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/179654-data-actor-events-message-texture-select-by-id
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Time to input something into this
IMO, a tentacle doesn't fit "Robots", so I used the Void Ray Beam, and I think Domination Beam is also an alternative
Used some Validators to make the beams appear and disappear correctly. Still some bugs. WIP
The infinite range power relay problem is still there, but again, it doesn't matter if we are using buildings
PS Seems that the Search Area interpret 6.5 as a 7, so I increased the power range to 7.
Done some testing of your system and my opinion is to go back to the drawing board visual wise. It does not support multiple sources, has major issues if several links are activated at once, is not very stable as far as visuals go and has moderate lag with just 100 links in close proximity. Here are some screenshots showing some problems I found.
Also try to avoid having a Search Area effect linked to a Create Persistent effect
The Extend By Unit Radius flag on the search area effects explains your radius problems.
I would recommend avoiding beam models that flow in a specific direction because your system often causes them to flow in opposite ones.
Also with my power system they are meant to be dirty great big power cables and not tentacles but that is just the model used and can easily be swaped.
Contribute to the wiki (Wiki button at top of page) Considered easy altering of the unit textures?
https://www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/179654-data-actor-events-message-texture-select-by-id
https://media.forgecdn.net/attachments/187/40/Screenshot2011-04-17_09_16_21.jpg
I really prefer cables over beams, as cables seem more robot-like.
I agree. Beams seem to be the protoss thing (I'm not saying it is, but just saying) Anyways, I'm not sure if this could be possible, but there is in the doodads, a cable that's connected to 2 poles. I'm not sure if you could use that. But if you can, then it would be good becuase it's already looking like a cable.
Just look at the bones the model has in the previewer. If it has attacher it could be used as a beam. If you mean to it as an alternative to spanning the gaps there would be the problem of estimating the scaling.
Or just use it's model to replace that of the archon beam actor and see if it works.
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https://media.forgecdn.net/attachments/187/40/Screenshot2011-04-17_09_16_21.jpg
Seems that when a large number of beams is present, beams start to disappear
Again, those direction problems and most bugs are solved if we use immobile buildings (map attached)
Now I have to figure out how to cut all links and power down the grid when a tower dies
There is no pre-made physical beams in the editor (may be someone will make it for us?)
Alternatives include Colossus Beam, Domination Beam, Hunter Seeker Tracking Beam, ......
PS How to view bones with the previewer?
In the top of the lower right pannel you should find a small button with a tiny icon of a bone on it. A folder is then shown called bones.
You still are not able to link multiple sources. Also there is still the issue of all the persistents. For cutting the power just do like I did and have a perpetuating death response that momentarily disables the network. Still has issues forming a proper network.
Maybe consider removing the orphan destruction pathway for your beams and replacing it with something else? Also maybe put in a target sorts in your search?
Contribute to the wiki (Wiki button at top of page) Considered easy altering of the unit textures?
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But the thing is that not only do the cables present less lag, they seem more robotic.
Look at terminator or the matrix. Those machines have cables everywhere.
Actually the cables are no less laggy than the other beams. The only reason his system lags more is he uses lots of persistents that fire 10 times a second.
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I tried using channeled affects to reduce lag potential, more like Lilianna's idea I guess. I still have to work on it. But the idea is that powered pylons wont create that huge amount of searches until their power source is killed. I haven't checked the systems uploaded here recently, but it looks like we don't have a definite system yet.
In short you did not check the perfected system I posted in #85. My system only searches if there are targets that have not yet been connected to the visuals. It forms perfect networks despite hardy destructive testing. It also seems to only have caused a stir with the choice of model used for the beam.
Still alternatives are welcomed.
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"in short" you really like this term to define what people say huh? Well if your system is perfect add it to the project map file and let's move on.
It still needs heavy peer testing but alternatives are always welcomed.
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