Editing spells/abilites

Hi there guys!
I need a little help...

I try to make a multiplayer-RPG campaign. I have some problems, that i tried to solve, but couldn't. Some of them might be stupid, but ...

Here they are:
- How could i make negatives values in the object editor, like Ring of -5 armor.
Or weapon with -12 damage. - i think found the answer in the forum...
- How could i make unit, to dont get +dam from level-up attribut bonuses?
(yeah, This can be solved with -dam items...)
- Is it possible to make then unit to cannot attack, but can cast a spell like the
priestess flaming arrow? .. i want a autocastable fireball spell (that is irrelevant to units dam. like stormbolt.)
- And why those fucking corpses decays, even if i say to suspend...
/ Unit - A unit Dies
Unit - Suspend corpse decay for (Dying unit) /
- Could i make an ability like Frost arrows with stun effect?
- How can i 'stop' an animation, like i would like to 'make' a hero lying on the ground?
- what are the speciall effects parts? I mean like: head,origin etc etc...

Thank to all helpers...

First, go to File->Preferences->General and check "Allow negative real values in the Object Editor". Now, whenever you want to use a negative number shift-click the data field, rather than double clicking it.


Go to Advanced->Gameplay Constants, and check "Use Custom Gameplay Constants". Then, go down to the category Hero Attributes (it'sinalphabetical order). The damage field is called "Attack bonus per Primary Att. point". There's also other fields you can change.


You can just give them a searing arrow ability that instead has a fireball model as the missile. Then, use a trigger with Unit - Issue Order with no target: "flamingarrows". Then, detect the event Unit is issued order: "unflamingarrows", and order the unit to "flamingarrows" again. That makes it so it will always be autocast.


There's a field in the object editor called Combat - Death Type. It lets you turn off decay (although that might not work, I haven't actually tried it).


Yes, but that would be a bit difficult if you're new to triggers. I would learn a little more first, although if someone wants to make it for you feel free.


The trigger action "Animation - Play (your unit)'s "stand" Animation".


The trigger action "Animation - Play (your unit)'s "decay" Animation".
or
The trigger action "Animation - Play (your unit)'s "death" Animation".



Hope that helps.

Yes. It helped me a lot. Thank you... I have to learn a little.. so later i will make next round of questions. :)

I fear simply making the autocast ability reactivate itself when deactivated won't work, if it uses mana: If the unit doesn't have enough mana, it will use a regular attack instead.

Something like the following (rough outline) should let it work anyway, though.

But can I make an ability to be autocast, (like war stomp, sleep or any non-autocast spell)? Is it possible, or i have to modify the file which contains these in the relevant mpq?
And the information what you gave, might be useful too... because i want to force the unit, to always use the autocas-spell...

Post Edit:

Hi again. I'm here with some more questions.

- Recently i'm reading the forum in this site. And i read that a hero could have maximum 5 hero abilites, and 7 normal abilites... this refers only to the object editor right? I mean with triggers can I add as many (hero and non-hero) skills as i want to the unit without any problem?
- Is there any way to change the special effect size? For example a big-big entangle animation. (I am thinking about that to make a larger (smaller) dummy unit, and make the special effect on it, with offset. So I can make 'any-size' special effect...)
- Do All abilites have to take a position in the order tab? (if it has a slot to fill). To be exact: I want to make a Fanaticism aura (+damage +attack speed ). This needs an endurance and a command aura. So i need a dummy hero ability (for icon), and 2 (non-hero, item) skills for aura... But if it is an item, non-hero skill, it can't have more than 1 level... so i have to make a new skill for every level, and trigger work. And i would like to avoid that...
- How can i make a skill to be instantly cast on the caster unit, like divine shield? For example: If i click on the "rejuvanation" skill, it will automatically cast on the unit. - i dont want dummy units and dummy skills or any trigger.
- There is skill in DotA called "greater bash". (It knockbacks the unit, and makes a little dust around the attacked unit.) Is the skill made with triggers, or there is a skill in the game with these attributes? (I saw a skill named "maul". Could it be?)

I know some questions can be answered with a little testing and searching in WE, but i would be very thankful for your help...

Stop avoiding triggers =P. But here are some answers.


No you can't, but you can simulate it by having periodic events that order them to cast the spell or things like that. Wouldn't be too 'smart' or anything, but if you worked on it enough it wouldn't be bad.


No, at least they won't be visible on the command card.


You could just use a unit whose model is that effect, then increase their scaling size. Or you could do what you're thinking of. It depends how you need to use it.


You can make an ability so it doesn't appear on the command card, but that the unit still has it. To do this, create the ability, and create a spellbook ability which holds only 1 spell (which is the ability you just made). Now, using triggers, add the spellbook ability to the unit, then disable the spellbook ability for the owning player of that unit.


You can't do that without triggers and dummy casters, unless the spell by default targets the caster.


It's made with triggers. Not too hard to make, just when the ability is used start a fast repeating timer which each time it loops moves the target unit back a little more. And create some effects each time.

So, basically, you're going to have to learn to like triggers if you want to get this stuff made ^^.

Thanks man! I learned new things today too.
I don't like triggers because i know i'm not a programmer, and i will make memory leaks, redundant triggers, bugs and so on... But if I could make it in object editor or something like that, it makes my work much easier and better....

I promise, when I am finished, i will post here the Heroes with their skills...

Thanks anyway.

Hi there again!

- How can i choose the "attack 2" animation for the skill?
Exactly: I want to make the Demonhunter to "circle attack". Its the second attack animation. But i cant call it in the object editor, and so cant witzh trigger... I tried some ways, it didnt work.
- omfh I forgot it :S ... maybe later.
Oh yes. 1 got one: I want to make a spell, that moves units in circle around the hero. I make it in loop; x=x+3degree, then 0.01 second wait. but i dont think it runs 100 times in a second. it runs about 5-10 times max i think. And it seems like the unit "jumps" always a little. (it moves not fluently, but jerky)

HI^^ It is not possible editing the skills. It always use a random attack animation, use a JASS function (see this post for more info).

EDIT: oh, about the 2nd question: don't use wait commands (you are right, they doesn't wait i.e. 0.01 seconds, but much more); better using a Periodic Event which runs every 0.01 seconds (it works).

- ohh fu... shit... then it complicates much the skill... (I dont like Jass to much... I even have to learn the program's structure :( )
- As I think, I should use Periodic Event instead of wait action in most situation....

I've got a new question just for you
- As i saw, if i use an item ability (removed the "item ability" pipe) it wont appear in the hero's skill tab. Am I rgiht?
- I would like to use the Grunt's Berserker strength on my hero. But I can't find it in the ability list, only in the upgrades list and there i cannot change the unit-upgrade attachments.. It links to the gruns. Is it coded into it? And I am owned?

Thanks for info.

It depends on the ability if it shows on the command card or not; most item abilities don't show up on the command card, but some do (mainly those based on unit abilities, like auras). Most unit abilities show up on the command card, but some don't (like Tornado's slow aura, I think the permanent invisibility of Spirit Wolves also doesn't show). It all depends on the ability.

As has been mentioned, you can hide passive abilities using the disabled spellbook trick, as for abilities that don't show an icon, but you want them to, you can always use a dummy ability that does nothing except display an icon instead of the invisible one.

The berserker strength is an upgrade, not an ability. You could replicate it with abilities, though, by using the bonus hp and bonus damage item abilities.

- Yes. Thank you. I wasn't sure about this. (perma invis is not shown.)



- Yeah ^^ Taintedreaility helped me about this spellbook thing. I like it very much. But i dont hide it acutally, because it seems to be more thoughtful, precise :). And the player can also calculate more, because he/she knows the abilites stats. The only bad thing about it, you cant put hero ability in it...


- Yes, it seems i have to use triggers and abilities and so on...

or just hold shit before u moditfy the value and after u can put negative

I suppose you mean shift? :P.

Yeah, I could not resist.

Actually, you can. Hero abilities work the same as unit abilities, except for the added bonus of being able to level them up via the hero skill learn menu.

Link.