Diablo's health/mana orbs as unit with animation

[Robbepop]

Hiho,

I had an awesome idea which could be useful to many maps like my upcoming line tower wars map.

The idea is a model which is similar to the diablo health/mana orbs in the UI:

The model would require several animations which indicate their current percental fill. E.g. "value_0" for empty, value_10" for 10% full, "value_50" for 50% full and "value_100" for full.
About 10 or 20 (increments in 10 or 5 by step) would be very useful I think.
So you could have them used to display percental health and mana in your map via codes.

Should be implementable, isn't it?
What do you think about this?

Regards,
Robbepop

edit:
something like these pictures:

 

[Ardenian]

Indeed, it is possible and also not difficult if you are experienced with custom interfaces.

The problem I see, I don't know whether there is a solution to this, but the interface is visible to all players then, not only the original player.
I don't know whether it is possible to make them invisible without transparency.

If you would like to read a bit about custom interfaces, then I can search two links for you, I dealt with this in the past, too.

 

[Robbepop]

The idea is not a custom interface but only a model with an orb-like shape and these animations so that a mapper can use it via a unit (or doodad etc.) and play its animations on demand to change the current fill state.

Regards,
Robbepop

 

[Ardenian]

Hmhm, I know how it is done, but I am not sure whether I can actually do it.

So, did I get it right, an orb model with different textures making it look as if it is filled ?

 

[Robbepop]

Hiho,

I am basically searching a model like this one:

But with several different animations which do the filling of the trancendent orb.
I don't know if this is done via textures or animations or if this is possible at all the way I mean it.

The thing should then look similar to this:

For a very simple approach one could implement this so that the sphere always faces the users camera just like the spheres of the orcish blademaster.

I really think that this model could be a great utility for many many maps!

Regards,
Robbepop

edit:

this would be a nice template I think:

 

[Ardenian]

Yes, I should be able to do this. Give me some days, please.

However, I worry about its look. The unfilled areas won't be transparent, but black.

I wonder, too, you seem to know how it is done, why don't you do it yourself, what is missing ?

 

[Robbepop]

I would love to do it but I am missing experience with modelling tools and have not enough time to learn them in order to be productive with it.

Maybe I should learn it finally ...

Hm, ... also it would be more awesome if it was possible to make it transparent instead of just plain black.
Then, maybe a 3d-model instead of a facing-texture would be better if that's possible there.

Regards,
Robbepop

 

[Ardenian]

I can create the sphere, add the different textures for different fill levels, but I don't know how to add transparency. I will ask a bit around, maybe someone knows.

This is the tutorial I will refer to, it is very simple: http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/3d-modeling-tutorials-282/change-model-texture-using-alternate-animations-264323/

 

[Robbepop]

Can't you just make a sphere model with a liquid inner-model (only visually liquid).
The liquid would have a unique texture (e.g. a red texture which looks like the liquid within the sphere). And with every different animation you would just scale the liquid within the sphere.

Here an image which should explain the ideas:

Regards,
Robbepop

 

[Ardenian]

Yes, I understand, I will see what I can do, but I cannot promise anything.

 

[Robbepop]

okay cool. looking forward to your creations! =)

 

[Hantoo]

Not Sure if it works well with A plane with a Sphere texture In with alpha and Billboard (Like the Sphere Wand of the Priest Staff) , plus with different fill, and make the plane uses different part of UV with Texture Animation

Could Work In 3d too i think, but in this case, i think is more better to be used as 2D Plane
Little Poly Waste if it is done in 3D, and Not too Fancy I think if it is done in 3D actually.

Ok... You said it at the Blademaster part, Didnt read it finish

Well, Just see if you wanna take my Suggestion, Make A choice And then I can Try making it, just that, If I try... I might take quite a long time.... because, you know? Procrastinating.

 

[Robbepop]

Hiho,

well I don't really care how it can be done best I just care if the result looks pleasing.
I also tried to create it with Blender but failed because I am a total noob with 3D tool programs to be honest. XD
For the 3D-model I got the idea to create it with an outer- and an inner sphere where the inner sphere's polygons are stripped away for every 10% (e.g.) missing value. The stripped-away polygons are joined together at mid so that the whole sphere is closed and not just a cup at 50% value.

That's how it could work when I understood 3D modelling correctly.

Regards,
Robbepop

 

[Hantoo]

If 20 animation are needed, What tag exactly I should use? @.@
Anyway, Here's some Demo on what I mean just Some Lazy work
I don't even do the glass or anything, just use the image you have there

Just saying, (Just I think) if, If the model of 3D Sphere really seperate into 20 parts, it will be quite heavy

Example Demo on What I mean

There are the other way where I can put all the seperated image into one, and that would work well for 20 images, just that I couldn't get that work atm because that's my weaker part in warcraft modeling (Something like, I know it can be done, but not sure how yet)

 

[Robbepop]

Hiho,

rofl looks very funny ingame.
However, it requires far too much space compared to its current quality ...

But I think it could be possible to make it beautiful with this kind of face-to-camera technique and a proper texture and especially less filesize.

For the animation names I thought that: "value x" would be perfectly fine where x is a number between 0 and 100.
So "value 0" stands for empty, "value 10" for 10% filled, "value 50" for 50% filled and "value 100" for 100% filled.
One could also go with 20 steps so that "value 5" is also a possible animation for a 5% filling ratio.

The stand animation could then simply be the same as "value 0" or "value 100" what the model's creator prefers most.
Also the current model is not semi-transparent (or at least the glass isn't) which looks bad and I hope this can be fixed. :S

Here an ingame image: