[vJASS] Problem: Temporary Unit Removal

[Hydrolisk]

I am developing a spell that is intended to temporarily remove a unit from the game. That is, after casting the spell on a target, the target cannot perform any actions and cannot be observed by any player for a specified duration. Additional specifications include the target being unavailable for any other spell interactions until the duration passes and the unit is restored.

Using "ShowUnit(u, true/false)" is not sufficient as the unit u can still perform autoattacks and move around.

Using "DisableUnitTimed(u, real)" from Risking_DUsk's UnitStatus is problematic in that it will not work on a unit that is hidden via "ShowUnit(u, false)".

The brute force solution I have for this is to use "DisableUnitTimed(u, real)" and then use "ShowUnit(u, false)" after the passage of a small unit of time (ex. 1/16th of a second). This is not desirable.

A more elegant solution is desired. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[bear_369]

How about pausing the unit then hide it?

 

[Hydrolisk]

There are too many side effects that pausing causes, primarily the extension of many ordinary melee spells. The context of the spell in question is a modded melee map.

 

[PurgeandFire]

Have you considered hiding him and moving him off the map? (or to any secluded location) After the spell expires, move him back. That way he won't be affected by spell interactions (e.g. target AoE).

 

[Hydrolisk]

I've considered this, but I'm not sure if I can actually move units off of the playable map area (in which case, this would work relatively well).

I have been working on an invulnerability system to augment the current spell. As it is, it functions well enough, but if there is a really good method for this sort of effect, I am still looking.

 

[Chaosy]

Pause unit then add locust. Shouldn't that work?

 

[KILLCIDE]

Pause unit then add locust. Shouldn't that work?

If I remember correctly, aspects of locust still linger on the unit even after removal.

 

[DracoL1ch]

use a Sleep ability with proper duraion
or
add Abun ability for the duration

 

[Aniki]

There's an ability called "Item Soul Theft" of an item called "Soul Gem" that does something like this but may have some side effects.

I've considered this, but I'm not sure if I can actually move units off of the playable map area (in which case, this would work relatively well).

Well if you can't do that then... you could remove the unit "for real", temporary of course =):

globals
    gamecache cachy
endglobals

function cachy_init takes nothing returns nothing
    call FlushGameCache(InitGameCache("foo-bar.cache"))
    set cachy = InitGameCache("foo-bar.cache")
endfunction

// remove unit, temporary
...
call StoreUnit(cachy, "", "temporay-removed-unit", temporary_removed_unit)

// store the unit's current life, mana, user-data, etc., because those are not respected by RestoreUnit, if you care

call RemoveUnit(temporary_removed_unit)
set temporary_removed_unit = null
...

// restore
...
set temporary_removed_unit = RestoreUnit(cachy, "", "temporary-removed-unit", Player(...), x, y, facing)
...

RestoreUnit takes care of the hero's level, items and abilities, or at least it should... =)

 

[Arad MNK]

GAMECACHE??

Simply save the units' data (health, ID, mana, position, variables pointing to the unit, unit index, etc) and then remove it for real. Create the unit again using the variables data. You can use a Hashtable for that.

 

[DracoL1ch]

why do you want to remove unit, missing all his buffs, added abilities and stuff? hiding & disabling the way to go