We will be giving a Stone Zealot the ability, Energy Absolution. This ability will take you through the basics of terrain deformation, show you how to freeze an animation, teach you to link actors (model & sound) to effects and abilities, and finally create an AoE effect that decreases its effect radially outward (Units more near the center will be damaged more).
Open the data editor (F7) & create a new Effect (Ctrl+ +) in the effects tab.
Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Damage
¤ This is where the damage comes from. Right side panel modifications:
AI Notify Flags: Hurt Enemy
¤ Tells the that its hurting an enemy.
Amount: 20
Flags: Notification
¤ Let's the enemy unit know it's being attacked.
Create a new effect (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (SA)
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Search Area
¤ This is what decides which units should be hit by our damage. Right side panel modifications:
Double click Areas. Now click on the green X so we can add a new value.
For the Effect, put Energy Absolution (Dmg)
Radius: 2
Radius Bonus 1
¤ Radius is the distance outward from the center that the damage effect will look for units to hit. Radius bonus adds onto the radius for every successive time this Search Area is used. Our next effect will use this Search Area 5 times, so the radius goes from 2 to 7. This creates our ripple effect.
Modify the Search Filters to read: Required: Ground; Excluded: Self, Player, Ally, Stasis, Dead
Create a new effect (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Create Persistent
¤ This will make our Search Area happen 5 times with a small delay between each Search. Right side panel modifications:
Initial Delay: .8
¤ Tells our persistent effect to wait .8 seconds before doing ANYTHING else.
Period Count: 5
¤ Repeat our Search Area effect 5 times.
Periodic Effects: Energy Absolution (SA)
¤ Effect that will be repeated.
Periodic Offsets: 0,-.3,0
¤ Move our Search Area 3 units in front of our creature (Later we will use Stone Zealot).
Open the buttons tab and create a new button (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution
ID: *press suggest* Right side panel modifications:
Alert Icon: Assets\Textures\btn-tips-terran-energynova.dds
Alert Tooltip: Send a large burst of energy flowing deep into the Earth begging to find an escape.
Hotkey: E
Icon: Assets\Textures\btn-tips-terran-energynova.dds
Tooltip: Send a large burst of energy flowing deep into the Earth begging to find an escape.
Open the abilities tab and create a new ability (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Effect - Instant Right side panel modifications:
Open Commands + and click on the very top row that says execute.
Make sure Show In Glossary is checked.
Scroll to the bottom and for Default Button use Energy Absolution
¤ This sets which button our ability is linked to by default.
Cost +: Click the green X to create a new value.
Under Cooldown for Time Use put 5
¤ Must wait 5 seconds between each use of Energy Absolution.
Under Vitals, click Energy and in the very bottom box put 50
¤ Makes our ability cost 50 energy.
AI Notift Effect: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
Effect: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
Finish Time: .6
¤ Approach, Prepare, Cast, Finish are the Stages of any ability. We are setting the Finish time to .6 seconds.
Prepare Time: .6
¤ See above.
Open the models tab and create a new model (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Explode)
ID: *press suggest*
Model Type: Generic
¤ This will be the model of our energy explosion effect. Right side panel modifications:
Model: Assets\Effects\Protoss\EnergyTransferLaunch\EnergyTransferLaunch.m3
Create a new model (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Fist E)
ID: *press suggest*
Model Type: Generic
¤ This will be the model of our enery accumulation at our unit's fist. Right side panel modifications:
Model: Assets\Effects\Protoss\EnergyTransferImpact\EnergyTransferImpact.m3
Open the actors tab and create a new actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Terrain)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Terrain Deformer
¤ This actor will create a small mountain where energy shoots up from. Right side panel modifications:
Blend Time: .2
¤ Take .2 seconds to change the land to our height.
Flags: Scale to Host
Footprint: Creep Tumor
¤ The shape the peak of our mountain will be (Creep tumors are round and small, PERFECT!).
Height Delta: 1
¤ Height of terrain deformation (You can also use negative numbers for valleys).
Influence Range: 1
¤ Distance from center that will be affected.
Events +:
{ New Event(Right click -> Add Event):
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
~Sub Name: Start
Click the movie icon (Action) and put Create
¤ This makes it so that this actor is created when the enemy unit gets damaged by our effect. New Event:
~Actor Creation Action: Timer Set; Duration: .2, Name: Timer New Event:
~Timer Expired
~Right click our newly made action and click Add Term
Term type: TimerName; Enter Timer into the box Action: Destroy
¤ This destroys our actor after .2 seconds, which is the time it will take to deform the terrain into a small mountain.
}
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: SOp3Fwd
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Site Operation (Local Offset)
¤ This moves our actor model (Energy Absolution (Fist E)) 3 units forward so it matches our Stone Zealot better. Right side panel modifications:
Local Offset: 0,-3,0
¤ -3 for the y value means "Three units in front of."
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution Fist E
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Model
¤ This creates the visible energy on our Stone Zealots fist. Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{ New Event:
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
~Sub Name: Start Action: Create New Event:
~Actor Creation Action: Animation Play; Name: BSD, Animation Properties: Stand
}
Host +: Under Subject, click Alias then in the box use _Unit
¤ This makes any offsets we set for this actor to be with reference to a unit (creature), not the map itself.
Host Site Operations +: Click the green X to add a new value and in the box beneath use SOp3Fwd
¤ Now this actor will be created 3 units in front of our Stone Zealot.
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Explode)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Model
¤ This actor will create the visible energy that explodes out of the ground. Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{ New Event:
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
~Sub Name: Start Action: Create New Event:
~Actor Creation Action: Animation Play; Name: BSD; Animation Properties: Stand New Event:
~Animation Done
~Right click our newly made action and click Add Term
Term Type: AnimName; Name: BSD Action: Destroy
}
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Explode S)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Sound
¤ This will be our energy explosion sound. Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{ New Event:
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
~Sub Name: Start Action: Create New Event:
~Sound Done Action: Destroy
¤ Create our sound/play it when the damage is done & destroy it after the sound finishes.
}
Sound: Protoss_ExplosionLarge
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Fist ES)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Sound
¤ This will be our fist energy absorb sound. Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{ New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Finish Start Action: Create New Event:
~Sound Done Action: Destroy
¤ Create our sound/play it when the Stone Zealot's fist hits the ground (At the beginning of the Ability Finish Time) and destroy after the sound plays once.
}
Sound: Protoss_BuildingWarpFinish
Find the Stone Zealot Actor Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{ New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Approach Start Action: Animation Play; Name: Spell (Add Spell by going to customize, typing Spell and pressing the green X); Animation properties: Spell
¤ This will play the Stone Zealot's Spell animation at the beginning of our ability. New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Finish Start Action: Animation Set Paused; Name: Spell; Paused: Enabled
¤ This freezes the Spell animation right when the Stone Zealot's fist hits the Earth (Exactly what we want).New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Finish Stop Action: Animation Set Paused; Name: Spell; Paused: Disabled
New Event:
~Actor Creation Action: Animation Play; Name: BSD; Animation Properties: Stand New Event:
~Animation Done
~Right click our newly made action and click Add Term
Term Type: AnimName; Name: BSD Action: Destroy
}
Don't create new this time :) just find the Stone Zealot unit Right side panel modifications:
Abilities +: Click the green X and in the box use Energy Absolution
Command Card +: Click the bottom left most grey box. Now click the green X and put:
Command Type: Ability Command
Ability: Energy Absolution
You misunderstood me. What I mean is if you are using this ability against just one creature it won't look as well as against such many as at the beginning of the video since the visual effect appears only on target
You misunderstood me. What I mean is if you are using this ability against just one creature it won't look as well as against such many as at the beginning of the video since the visual effect appears only on target
Oh, that's true, but this ability isn't meant for Hero V. Hero combat. It's meant for bigger games with many units fighting at once.
So my unit seems to do the spell correctly (or at least I think so). However, when I move my unit he will disappear at random. I am not sure what is causing it, do you have any idea?
I don't know why, but once I finished and I went to place the Stone Zealot on the map, he disappeared after about 5 secons, on the editor, I tested in game and he wasnt there. I couldnt see him on the editor or in game. Was there something I did wrong? Please help.
That's actually really interesting. It sounds like your units are trying to play an animation that doesn't exist for them.
@Imperfect1987: Check and make sure your unit has the "Spell" & "Stand" animations. They must be named exactly like that. You can check by going to the model's tab, finding your unit's model, and going into the previewer for that model. Once the previewer is open, right click on the animation bar you will see at the bottom and go to "Change animation." This shows all the animations the unit has.
@Cybrok: Check to be sure in the actor events of the Stone Zealot you used the correct animations, "Spell" & "Walk."
If they don't work I can recreate the spell in a map for you all.
Oh, I'm a failure... It's because the Stone Zealot Actor is destroying itself after playing the BSD Stand Animation. Okay here is the fix:
In the Stone Zealot Actor:
Quote:
New Event:
~Animation Done
~Right click and add a new Term
Term Type: AnimName; Name: BSD Action: Destroy
Just delete that, skip that part. It's forcing the Stone Zealot to kill itself after playing the stand animation once, which is obviously not what we want.
We will be giving a Stone Zealot the ability, Energy Absolution. This ability will take you through the basics of terrain deformation, show you how to freeze an animation, teach you to link actors (model & sound) to effects and abilities, and finally create an AoE effect that decreases its effect radially outward (Units more near the center will be damaged more).
_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_ Effects Tab _-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_
Open the data editor (F7) & create a new Effect (Ctrl+ +) in the effects tab.
Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Damage
¤ This is where the damage comes from.
Right side panel modifications:
AI Notify Flags: Hurt Enemy
¤ Tells the that its hurting an enemy.
Amount: 20
Flags: Notification
¤ Let's the enemy unit know it's being attacked.
Create a new effect (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (SA)
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Search Area
¤ This is what decides which units should be hit by our damage.
Right side panel modifications:
Double click Areas. Now click on the green X so we can add a new value.
For the Effect, put Energy Absolution (Dmg)
Radius: 2
Radius Bonus 1
¤ Radius is the distance outward from the center that the damage effect will look for units to hit. Radius bonus adds onto the radius for every successive time this Search Area is used. Our next effect will use this Search Area 5 times, so the radius goes from 2 to 7. This creates our ripple effect.
Modify the Search Filters to read: Required: Ground; Excluded: Self, Player, Ally, Stasis, Dead
Create a new effect (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Create Persistent
¤ This will make our Search Area happen 5 times with a small delay between each Search.
Right side panel modifications:
Initial Delay: .8
¤ Tells our persistent effect to wait .8 seconds before doing ANYTHING else.
Period Count: 5
¤ Repeat our Search Area effect 5 times.
Periodic Effects: Energy Absolution (SA)
¤ Effect that will be repeated.
Periodic Offsets: 0,-.3,0
¤ Move our Search Area 3 units in front of our creature (Later we will use Stone Zealot).
_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_ Buttons Tab _-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_
Open the buttons tab and create a new button (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution
ID: *press suggest*
Right side panel modifications:
Alert Icon: Assets\Textures\btn-tips-terran-energynova.dds
Alert Tooltip: Send a large burst of energy flowing deep into the Earth begging to find an escape.
Hotkey: E
Icon: Assets\Textures\btn-tips-terran-energynova.dds
Tooltip: Send a large burst of energy flowing deep into the Earth begging to find an escape.
_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_ Abilities Tab _-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_
Open the abilities tab and create a new ability (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution
ID: *press suggest*
Effect Type: Effect - Instant
Right side panel modifications:
Open Commands + and click on the very top row that says execute.
Make sure Show In Glossary is checked.
Scroll to the bottom and for Default Button use Energy Absolution
¤ This sets which button our ability is linked to by default.
Cost +: Click the green X to create a new value.
Under Cooldown for Time Use put 5
¤ Must wait 5 seconds between each use of Energy Absolution.
Under Vitals, click Energy and in the very bottom box put 50
¤ Makes our ability cost 50 energy.
AI Notift Effect: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
Effect: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
Finish Time: .6
¤ Approach, Prepare, Cast, Finish are the Stages of any ability. We are setting the Finish time to .6 seconds.
Prepare Time: .6
¤ See above.
_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_ Models Tab _-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_
Open the models tab and create a new model (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Explode)
ID: *press suggest*
Model Type: Generic
¤ This will be the model of our energy explosion effect.
Right side panel modifications:
Model: Assets\Effects\Protoss\EnergyTransferLaunch\EnergyTransferLaunch.m3
Create a new model (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Fist E)
ID: *press suggest*
Model Type: Generic
¤ This will be the model of our enery accumulation at our unit's fist.
Right side panel modifications:
Model: Assets\Effects\Protoss\EnergyTransferImpact\EnergyTransferImpact.m3
_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_ Actors Tab _-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_
Open the actors tab and create a new actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Terrain)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Terrain Deformer
¤ This actor will create a small mountain where energy shoots up from.
Right side panel modifications:
Blend Time: .2
¤ Take .2 seconds to change the land to our height.
Flags: Scale to Host
Footprint: Creep Tumor
¤ The shape the peak of our mountain will be (Creep tumors are round and small, PERFECT!).
Height Delta: 1
¤ Height of terrain deformation (You can also use negative numbers for valleys).
Influence Range: 1
¤ Distance from center that will be affected.
Events +:
{
New Event (Right click -> Add Event):
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
~Sub Name: Start
Click the movie icon (Action) and put Create
¤ This makes it so that this actor is created when the enemy unit gets damaged by our effect.
New Event:
~Actor Creation
Action: Timer Set; Duration: .2, Name: Timer
New Event:
~Timer Expired
~Right click our newly made action and click Add Term
Term type: TimerName; Enter Timer into the box
Action: Destroy
¤ This destroys our actor after .2 seconds, which is the time it will take to deform the terrain into a small mountain.
}
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: SOp3Fwd
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Site Operation (Local Offset)
¤ This moves our actor model (Energy Absolution (Fist E)) 3 units forward so it matches our Stone Zealot better.
Right side panel modifications:
Local Offset: 0,-3,0
¤ -3 for the y value means "Three units in front of."
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution Fist E
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Model
¤ This creates the visible energy on our Stone Zealots fist.
Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{
New Event:
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Ripple CP)
~Sub Name: Start
Action: Create
New Event:
~Actor Creation
Action: Animation Play; Name: BSD, Animation Properties: Stand
}
Host +: Under Subject, click Alias then in the box use _Unit
¤ This makes any offsets we set for this actor to be with reference to a unit (creature), not the map itself.
Host Site Operations +: Click the green X to add a new value and in the box beneath use SOp3Fwd
¤ Now this actor will be created 3 units in front of our Stone Zealot.
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Explode)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Model
¤ This actor will create the visible energy that explodes out of the ground.
Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{
New Event:
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
~Sub Name: Start
Action: Create
New Event:
~Actor Creation
Action: Animation Play; Name: BSD; Animation Properties: Stand
New Event:
~Animation Done
~Right click our newly made action and click Add Term
Term Type: AnimName; Name: BSD
Action: Destroy
}
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Explode S)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Sound
¤ This will be our energy explosion sound.
Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{
New Event:
~Msg Type: Effect
~Source Name: Energy Absolution (Dmg)
~Sub Name: Start
Action: Create
New Event:
~Sound Done
Action: Destroy
¤ Create our sound/play it when the damage is done & destroy it after the sound finishes.
}
Sound: Protoss_ExplosionLarge
New Actor (Ctrl+ +)
Name: Energy Absolution (Fist ES)
ID: *press suggest*
Actor Type: Sound
¤ This will be our fist energy absorb sound.
Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{
New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Finish Start
Action: Create
New Event:
~Sound Done
Action: Destroy
¤ Create our sound/play it when the Stone Zealot's fist hits the ground (At the beginning of the Ability Finish Time) and destroy after the sound plays once.
}
Sound: Protoss_BuildingWarpFinish
Find the Stone Zealot Actor
Right side panel modifications:
Events +:
{
New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Approach Start
Action: Animation Play; Name: Spell (Add Spell by going to customize, typing Spell and pressing the green X); Animation properties: Spell
¤ This will play the Stone Zealot's Spell animation at the beginning of our ability.
New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Finish Start
Action: Animation Set Paused; Name: Spell; Paused: Enabled
¤ This freezes the Spell animation right when the Stone Zealot's fist hits the Earth (Exactly what we want). New Event:
~Msg Type: Ability
~Source Name: Energy Absolution
~Sub Name: Source Finish Stop
Action: Animation Set Paused; Name: Spell; Paused: Disabled
New Event:
~Actor Creation
Action: Animation Play; Name: BSD; Animation Properties: Stand
New Event:
~Animation Done
~Right click our newly made action and click Add Term
Term Type: AnimName; Name: BSD
Action: Destroy
}
_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_ Units Tab _-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_-+*^*+-_
Don't create new this time :) just find the Stone Zealot unit
Right side panel modifications:
Abilities +: Click the green X and in the box use Energy Absolution
Command Card +: Click the bottom left most grey box. Now click the green X and put:
Command Type: Ability Command
Ability: Energy Absolution
(>^.^)> <DonE> <(^.^<)
tutorial?
tbh it does not look very effective when there are only few units around. Maybe instead create a blast wave that kills within its radius?
i like it
good work
O u think it should be moved to tuts section? *Calls mod*
That'd be OP, but could easily be done by editing the Flags of the Damage effect and checking the Kill box.
This would kill every unit it hit.
Or one could always increase the radius ;)
ty ^_^
@iE4TM4PS: Go
You misunderstood me. What I mean is if you are using this ability against just one creature it won't look as well as against such many as at the beginning of the video since the visual effect appears only on target
Oh, that's true, but this ability isn't meant for Hero V. Hero combat. It's meant for bigger games with many units fighting at once.
if u want i have a map i want to give away if u are on the eu servers look at battle suit
its perfectly for this sort of skills
Moved to right forum.
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
Video fixed (New channel, etc.)
So my unit seems to do the spell correctly (or at least I think so). However, when I move my unit he will disappear at random. I am not sure what is causing it, do you have any idea?
I don't know why, but once I finished and I went to place the Stone Zealot on the map, he disappeared after about 5 secons, on the editor, I tested in game and he wasnt there. I couldnt see him on the editor or in game. Was there something I did wrong? Please help.
Sorry for the later reply, I've been on vacation.
That's actually really interesting. It sounds like your units are trying to play an animation that doesn't exist for them.
@Imperfect1987: Check and make sure your unit has the "Spell" & "Stand" animations. They must be named exactly like that. You can check by going to the model's tab, finding your unit's model, and going into the previewer for that model. Once the previewer is open, right click on the animation bar you will see at the bottom and go to "Change animation." This shows all the animations the unit has.
@Cybrok: Check to be sure in the actor events of the Stone Zealot you used the correct animations, "Spell" & "Walk."
If they don't work I can recreate the spell in a map for you all.
Oh, I'm a failure... It's because the Stone Zealot Actor is destroying itself after playing the BSD Stand Animation. Okay here is the fix:
In the Stone Zealot Actor:
Just delete that, skip that part. It's forcing the Stone Zealot to kill itself after playing the stand animation once, which is obviously not what we want.
Updated first post to reflect the fix.