Fire trap problems

I finally started making the fire traps that I had planned for my battle arena map, but I can't get the timing right. The first lot of trap fire effects start off and then they get destroyed and right after that the next lot of trap fire effects start. The problem is that it doesn't sync well and timing is really bad. Sometimes one region of trap fire effects just stop altogether and the other region of trap fire effects don't stop, when they should evenly be in and out of effect for exactly the same amount of time.

Here's what I have:


TrapFireStart
Events
Map initialization
Conditions
Actions
Trigger - Run TrapFireEffects <gen> (checking conditions)



TrapFireEffects
Events
Conditions
Actions
If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
If - Conditions
TrapPhase Equal to 0
Then - Actions
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap01 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[1] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap02 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[2] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap03 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[3] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap04 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[4] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap05 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[5] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap06 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[6] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap07 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[7] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap08 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[8] = (Last created special effect)
Wait 2.00 seconds
For each (Integer A) from 1 to 8, do (Actions)
Loop - Actions
Special Effect - Destroy TrapFire1[(Integer A)]
Set TrapPhase = (TrapPhase + 1)
Trigger - Run (This trigger) (checking conditions)
Else - Actions
Do nothing
If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
If - Conditions
TrapPhase Equal to 1
Then - Actions
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap09 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[1] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap10 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[2] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap11 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[3] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap12 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[4] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap13 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[5] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap14 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[6] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap15 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[7] = (Last created special effect)
Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of 1Trap16 <gen>) using Doodads\Cinematic\FireTrapUp\FireTrapUp.mdl
Set TrapFire1[8] = (Last created special effect)
Wait 2.00 seconds
For each (Integer A) from 1 to 8, do (Actions)
Loop - Actions
Special Effect - Destroy TrapFire1[(Integer A)]
Set TrapPhase = 0
Trigger - Run (This trigger) (checking conditions)
Else - Actions
Do nothing


Anyone have a better way of doing it?

i didnt really understand how you made that im sorry dude :)

yes...the trigger is too big, might i suggest spliting it in 2 ?
and i think where the problem is..if If all conditions are true do this, else do that, but u don't have any conditions....maybe you should try putting it as the last line ?
...no, it won't work that way :)

i just had an idea :)
are the firetraps spawned from the ground, or a wall/doodad/building ?
anywayz, u can always make a building that looks like an doodad, set it neutral pasive, invulnerable and it can cast modified Shockwave that looks like firetraps at certain regions at certain time....
Voila, u got urself an, accurate as a clock, shockwave traps that won't stop firing...

here's a sample trigger, well, 2 of them exactly, cuz i dunno which one u might need :

trigger one:
event:map init
conditions:none, or DuelTime equals 1
event: unit- issue order targeting a point, Make <firetrap_spawning_unit> cast Shockwave aka firetrap1 at random point in region firetrap_target1
wait 1 sec
again, use the same trigger, except it now casts Shockwave aka Firetrap-Blue at random point in region firetrap_target2 ....

trigger two:
event:unit enters region firetrap_target1
conditions : entering unit is a hero
event: order <firetrap_spawning_unit> to cast shockwave aka firetrap1 at entering unit....

if u knew u'r way with that huge trigger, u should have absolutely no probs triggerin this one out :)

so, instead of using trigger based damage, and attaching damage to SFX, try the abilities cuz they're much easier :)

sorry, i forgot to explain you my "variables" :)
first, the <firetrap_spawning_unit> is an unit that looks like a doodad or whatever do u need.....

Shockwave aka firetrap1 is a Red Firetrap...
ShockWave aka firetrap-blue is a blue firetrap
shockwave etc is i dunno...whatever Firetrap u need :)

so if u'r using 4 different fire traps, u should make 4 different shockwaves, or any other abilities :)

might i suggest cone of fire, fireball, Black Drake-red dragon's projectile (make an spell of it), phoenix fire with edited projectile/missile....

the Firetrap_target regions :
well, i kinda imagined that if it is the duel combat, it in the upper-left corner of the screen (usualy) and its kinda small space, so 8 should be enough...

so u have 8 firetrap_target regions...

so the trigger one should look
fire at 1
wait
fire at 2
wait
fire at 3
wait
etc...

the main thing is that those abilities MUST have cooldown 0 and mana cost 0
i hope i helped...

Thanks for replying guys, sorry I didn't reply earlier.

I haven't been able to figure out why my firetraps don't work the way I want them to.

Shark,

Maybe I'll use a unit building instead but I'd really prefer to have it exactly the same as the traps from Ascent to the Upper Kingdom.

I know the way I done the trigger seems long and even unpractical but I just wanted to get the thing up and running first. I usually leave the optimizing until last.

Haven't been working on it lately, I'll probably leave it until the end--after I finish everything else.