hi, i´m just wondering: when i add the flamethrower of the firebat to a marine. the flame comes out of his weapon.
when i add this to the merc viking in assault mode. there are 4 flames in front and 1 shooting to sky????
and: when i give a new created weapon to a normal viking in asault mode. it fires from the middel. but what i want is, that it has a double fire, like the torpedos in fighting mode. how can i do this?
The marine has 1 attachment point to define its "weapon" (in the gauss rifle). The Viking has at least 1 for each gatling cannon and torpedo launcher (4 total), the fifth one probably is a relic from previous builds/weapons.
The Attack actor of the firebat weapon uses an attachment method (Attachment Query Launch or so is the field name) which filters for all "weapon" attachment points on the model. It then places the "launch" sprite (flames) on each of those.
All prebuilt Attack actors (and newly created ones) use the "center" point as a fallback in case the attachment method fails for some reason, for example if no valid attachment point is found on the model.
Now for fixing it: You have to find out which points on the model are placed on the weapons you want, then find/create an attachment method to refer to those points.
You can do this by looking at existing weapon actors for the model. This is fast and works well if the original weapon of the unit works similar to your new weapon, for example your flamethrower viking. If you look at the Viking Assault Mode Attack actor you'll see it uses AMFilterWeaponSetA0 as an attachment method. You can simply copy this to your new weapon to make marine-like weapons fire from both gatling guns (firebat should work too)
This will, however, fail for multi-missile-based weapons, some beams, and weapon attachment points which aren't already used by core units. For missiles like the viking, banshee, missile turret etc. there's a special "pattern" data entry linked to the Launch Missile effect, used to make the missiles alternate between multiple launch points. (some units, like the wraith, simply use multiple launch missile effects and simpler attachment methods, but that's more work)
Look at the viking fighter mode weapon actor. It has 2 attachment methods: AMFilterVikingFighter, which filters out the missile launcher hardpoints, and AMPatternVikingFighter, which is the aforementioned launch point alternator. You can simply add the filter to any unit using the viking model to filter out the missile launchers. You have to make a new pattern for every Launch Missile effect used by the unit though:
Go to the Attachment Methods tab and find AMPatternVikingFighter (or however they named it...). You'll see a line that reads "LanzerTorpedoesLM", which is the "true name" of the viking's Launch Missile effect. Copy the Pattern and set this field to the name of the Launch Missile effect of your new weapon. Again, you have to use the "true name" or ID (or: the line next to the "suggest" button when you create a new data entry) to make it work.
Patterns are linked to the Launch Missile effect in this way, so you can reuse them whenever you reuse said effect. You can't reuse them for any unit using the same model though, which does work with Filters.
Another way of weeding out obscure attachment points is to open the model in the viewer and look at the attachment point names. You'll ususally be interested in the "weapon" ones. Next, use a custom filter (or the existing numbered ones for weapons) to check which attachment points correspond to which point on the model.
uff i worked the whole evening on this but i couldnt succeed :(
thx to your help my flamethrower viking fires out of only 2 spots
and i managed to give a thor torpedos like the viking fighter.
but i still have big problems with my gatling cannon. i´m using a lauch effect with the wraith laser weapon as missile unit. so you can actually see the bullets. looks pretty nice! but it does not fire out of the weapon when tychus uses it, nor when the viking uses it.
i even used for the the viking (where i want bullet lines at one time) another weapon system: the wraith missile system for laser :) i tried it with having 2 missiles, left and right. i tried everything, attached points here and there. but it does not work. it always fires from the ground, not from the weapons. i make an upload of this map. it would be fantastic if photoloss could have a look onto it. please please please :) ... i´m desperate
Tychus: You must specify the actor for the missile unit (as defined by the Launch Missile effect) on the attack actor. The field is called something like "Visuals - Missile" (sorry, my editor isn't in english. The current value of that field on Tychus' attack actor is "TychusCommandoAttackMissile")
You also have to set the Tokens of the attack actor: Set "Attack Effect" to Nothing, "Launch Effect" to your Launch Missile effect and "Impact Effect" to your damage effect. If the tokens are broken compare the Events+ field with that of the stalker or hydralisk attack.
Viking: Also set the missile actors to the attack actors. You accidentally set the attack actors themselves instead. You also need better specifications for the launch points. The current (fixed) setup will cause both missiles to be launched from the left gun. Either copy the multi-missile setup of the viking/goliath/missile turret... or find and specify the exact hardpoints that refer to the left and right gatling guns.
And some general tips: Use the "duplicate" option (Ctrl+U) instead of copy-pasting things. It automatically links new entries if you copy multiples (i.e. sets Tokens and missile links automatically if you copy the attack and missile effects+actors simultaneously), and creates new defaults for unused fields, which makes locating fields you actually changed that much easier. (for example, many fields in your effects and actors refer to nonexistant wraith files instead of new nonexistant defaults, which makes them look like you edited them)
Don't duplicate things you don't need. For example only duplicate models if actor-based scaling doesn't work or other things respond to the original models (placement ranges...)
Add an editor prefix/suffix to anything you edit. It isn't visible ingame, and by typing said prefix/suffix in the search you can easily find edited effects. And loading the actor tab without a narrow search lags my editor a lot.
Germany. Which is quite annoying because whoever translated the editor had no idea what they were translating.
For example "charging up" and "charge into battle" are completely different words in german. Guess which one ended up on the Zealot and which one was used for "use charges" on abilities until late beta.
Same goes for "train unit" and "freight train". Quite a shock when duplicating a factory :)
And I still don't know which fields refer to geometrical distance "range" and which to statistical variance "range". Just a week ago I learned that the mover fields were the latter, while the german word used implies geometrical distance.
If any field names I post are way off, that's because I had to go through several synonyms to translate them. At least most of it can be deciphered by translating word-for-word.
hi, i´m just wondering: when i add the flamethrower of the firebat to a marine. the flame comes out of his weapon.
when i add this to the merc viking in assault mode. there are 4 flames in front and 1 shooting to sky????
and: when i give a new created weapon to a normal viking in asault mode. it fires from the middel. but what i want is, that it has a double fire, like the torpedos in fighting mode. how can i do this?
thx
Attachment points on the models.
The marine has 1 attachment point to define its "weapon" (in the gauss rifle). The Viking has at least 1 for each gatling cannon and torpedo launcher (4 total), the fifth one probably is a relic from previous builds/weapons.
The Attack actor of the firebat weapon uses an attachment method (Attachment Query Launch or so is the field name) which filters for all "weapon" attachment points on the model. It then places the "launch" sprite (flames) on each of those.
All prebuilt Attack actors (and newly created ones) use the "center" point as a fallback in case the attachment method fails for some reason, for example if no valid attachment point is found on the model.
Now for fixing it: You have to find out which points on the model are placed on the weapons you want, then find/create an attachment method to refer to those points.
You can do this by looking at existing weapon actors for the model. This is fast and works well if the original weapon of the unit works similar to your new weapon, for example your flamethrower viking. If you look at the Viking Assault Mode Attack actor you'll see it uses AMFilterWeaponSetA0 as an attachment method. You can simply copy this to your new weapon to make marine-like weapons fire from both gatling guns (firebat should work too)
This will, however, fail for multi-missile-based weapons, some beams, and weapon attachment points which aren't already used by core units. For missiles like the viking, banshee, missile turret etc. there's a special "pattern" data entry linked to the Launch Missile effect, used to make the missiles alternate between multiple launch points. (some units, like the wraith, simply use multiple launch missile effects and simpler attachment methods, but that's more work)
Look at the viking fighter mode weapon actor. It has 2 attachment methods: AMFilterVikingFighter, which filters out the missile launcher hardpoints, and AMPatternVikingFighter, which is the aforementioned launch point alternator. You can simply add the filter to any unit using the viking model to filter out the missile launchers. You have to make a new pattern for every Launch Missile effect used by the unit though:
Go to the Attachment Methods tab and find AMPatternVikingFighter (or however they named it...). You'll see a line that reads "LanzerTorpedoesLM", which is the "true name" of the viking's Launch Missile effect. Copy the Pattern and set this field to the name of the Launch Missile effect of your new weapon. Again, you have to use the "true name" or ID (or: the line next to the "suggest" button when you create a new data entry) to make it work.
Patterns are linked to the Launch Missile effect in this way, so you can reuse them whenever you reuse said effect. You can't reuse them for any unit using the same model though, which does work with Filters.
Another way of weeding out obscure attachment points is to open the model in the viewer and look at the attachment point names. You'll ususally be interested in the "weapon" ones. Next, use a custom filter (or the existing numbered ones for weapons) to check which attachment points correspond to which point on the model.
wow, thanks a lot for this detailed answer, this is almost a tutorial :) i will try it out as soon as i can and post it.
thanks again
@Photoloss:
Nice detail. Good work.
uff i worked the whole evening on this but i couldnt succeed :(
thx to your help my flamethrower viking fires out of only 2 spots
and i managed to give a thor torpedos like the viking fighter.
but i still have big problems with my gatling cannon. i´m using a lauch effect with the wraith laser weapon as missile unit. so you can actually see the bullets. looks pretty nice! but it does not fire out of the weapon when tychus uses it, nor when the viking uses it.
i even used for the the viking (where i want bullet lines at one time) another weapon system: the wraith missile system for laser :) i tried it with having 2 missiles, left and right. i tried everything, attached points here and there. but it does not work. it always fires from the ground, not from the weapons. i make an upload of this map. it would be fantastic if photoloss could have a look onto it. please please please :) ... i´m desperate
Tychus: You must specify the actor for the missile unit (as defined by the Launch Missile effect) on the attack actor. The field is called something like "Visuals - Missile" (sorry, my editor isn't in english. The current value of that field on Tychus' attack actor is "TychusCommandoAttackMissile")
You also have to set the Tokens of the attack actor: Set "Attack Effect" to Nothing, "Launch Effect" to your Launch Missile effect and "Impact Effect" to your damage effect. If the tokens are broken compare the Events+ field with that of the stalker or hydralisk attack.
Viking: Also set the missile actors to the attack actors. You accidentally set the attack actors themselves instead. You also need better specifications for the launch points. The current (fixed) setup will cause both missiles to be launched from the left gun. Either copy the multi-missile setup of the viking/goliath/missile turret... or find and specify the exact hardpoints that refer to the left and right gatling guns.
And some general tips: Use the "duplicate" option (Ctrl+U) instead of copy-pasting things. It automatically links new entries if you copy multiples (i.e. sets Tokens and missile links automatically if you copy the attack and missile effects+actors simultaneously), and creates new defaults for unused fields, which makes locating fields you actually changed that much easier. (for example, many fields in your effects and actors refer to nonexistant wraith files instead of new nonexistant defaults, which makes them look like you edited them)
Don't duplicate things you don't need. For example only duplicate models if actor-based scaling doesn't work or other things respond to the original models (placement ranges...)
Add an editor prefix/suffix to anything you edit. It isn't visible ingame, and by typing said prefix/suffix in the search you can easily find edited effects. And loading the actor tab without a narrow search lags my editor a lot.
thanks a lot, i will try it out and post the result. where are you from photoloss?
Germany. Which is quite annoying because whoever translated the editor had no idea what they were translating.
For example "charging up" and "charge into battle" are completely different words in german. Guess which one ended up on the Zealot and which one was used for "use charges" on abilities until late beta.
Same goes for "train unit" and "freight train". Quite a shock when duplicating a factory :)
And I still don't know which fields refer to geometrical distance "range" and which to statistical variance "range". Just a week ago I learned that the mover fields were the latter, while the german word used implies geometrical distance.
If any field names I post are way off, that's because I had to go through several synonyms to translate them. At least most of it can be deciphered by translating word-for-word.
lol... thats why my editor is in english, not in german :)
so thanks to you, my weapon work. here is a youtube video of them:
unfortunatly my pc is really bad so fraps and sc2 together causes lags ^^
Gattling cannon needs work.
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
what kind of work? please be more specific...
Maybe add a SOp (Random Point In Circle) to the impact site of the Action actor, make the bullets smaller and more frequent.
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