Lightning from the ground, to the ground.

[Elfansoer]

When I'm creating Lightning Effects with action - "Lightning - Create", why the connection point always on the ground?
(Example, when targeting to point {position-of-unit}, it would simply connect to that unit's base, not to it's chest, or head, or foot, or hand-left, or weapon, [enough!])

How it works?

 

[Maestros]

You can find everything about Lighting Effects, here.

It is very helpfull, and it sais about raising its height.

 

[Elfansoer]

Thanks a lot, still confusing though...

(No GUI trigger? Oh, Blizzard, please create a new patch for this...)

 

[Maestros]

Blizzard will never patch warcraft III again.

Get to know basic functions of triggers and try Lighting effects later when you have some experience.

 

[Elfansoer]

Yeah, thanks...

(I know it, that's why I'm praying...)

 

[ap0calypse]

I know you think JASS is confusion, but it is the easiest way to code. Blizzard made it so.

Link to post, written for a GUI-user.
Change the Z-coordinate depending on where you want it to be targeted at. Head could be something like 100. and chest 50. (no exact science here).
The problem is that the Z depends on the unit type.

 

[defskull]

Apo, you forgot to include MoveLightningEx function, as most of the people want to keep their Lightning to have timers before they expire right after creation.
I mean, most of the Lightning created in-between Caster and Target unit, they would move around, right ?

The problem is that the Z depends on the unit type.

How so ?
Z is the height of current position (terrain) you're at.

 

[ap0calypse]

Apo, you forgot to include MoveLightningEx function, as most of the people want to keep their Lightning to have timers before they expire right after creation.
I mean, most of the Lightning created in-between Caster and Target unit, they would move around, right ?


How so ?
Z is the height of current position (terrain) you're at.

The MoveLightningEx is in the rest of the thread (which I obviously didn't link xD).

Well, he wants the lightning to go to the head/chest of a unit.
If a unit is really big, then the Z will be higher. Thus it is unit type-dependent.

 

[defskull]

GetLocationZ returns the height of the terrain
The ModifyValue is for you to modify it for yourselves, if you don't understand, take a look at this example I made for a spell of mine.

EXAMPLE

• Actions
  • Custom script: local unit Caster = GetTriggerUnit()
  • Custom script: local location CasterLoc = GetUnitLoc(Caster)
  • Custom script: local unit Target = GetSpellTargetUnit()
  • Custom script: local location TargetLoc = GetUnitLoc(Target)
  • Custom script: local real x1 = GetUnitX(Caster)
  • Custom script: local real y1 = GetUnitY(Caster)
  • Custom script: local real x2 = GetUnitX(Target)
  • Custom script: local real y2 = GetUnitY(Target)
  • Custom script: local real z1
  • Custom script: local real z2
  • Custom script: if IsUnitType(Caster, UNIT_TYPE_FLYING) then
  • Custom script: set z1 = GetLocationZ(CasterLoc) + GetUnitFlyHeight(Caster)
  • Custom script: else
  • Custom script: set z1 = GetLocationZ(CasterLoc) + 50.00
  • Custom script: endif
  • Custom script: if IsUnitType(Target, UNIT_TYPE_FLYING) then
  • Custom script: set z2 = GetLocationZ(TargetLoc) + GetUnitFlyHeight(Target)
  • Custom script: else
  • Custom script: set z2 = GetLocationZ(TargetLoc) + 50.00
  • Custom script: endif
  • Custom script: set udg_LS_Lightning = AddLightningEx(udg_LS_LightningStringName, true, x1, y1, z1, x2, y2, z2)
  • Custom script: set udg_LS_Key = GetHandleId(Caster)
  • Custom script: call SaveLightningHandle(udg_LS_Hashtable, udg_LS_Key, 0, udg_LS_Lightning)
  • Custom script: call SaveUnitHandle(udg_LS_Hashtable, udg_LS_Key, 1, Target)
  • Custom script: call GroupAddUnit(udg_LS_Group, Caster)
  • Custom script: set Caster = null
  • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(CasterLoc)
  • Custom script: set Target = null
  • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(TargetLoc)
  • Trigger - Turn on LS Loop <gen>

This trigger will create a Lightning from Caster to Target.
It has IF/THEN/ELSE function check.

If the unit is Ground Unit, the Lightning is created GetLocationZ + ModifyValue in this case, the ModifyValue is constant 50.00.
If the unit is Flying Unit, the Lightning will be created base on its FlyHeight + GetLocationZ (GetUnitFlyHeight returns the center of body of the FlyingUnit so you don't have to further modify the value).

The 50.00 represents the height value from the unit's base (only applies to Ground Unit).

GetLocationZ does not has to do anything with the unit's height adjustment, it's the ModifyValue.

 

[Elfansoer]

Umm... defskull, on StaRMaestroS's link, there's said that the "AddLightningEx" is a JASS. So, if my WE is still original, I should install it first, right?

(It won't be work on my --current-- WE, right?)

 

[defskull]

Umm... defskull, on StaRMaestroS's link, there's said that the "AddLightningEx" is a JASS. So, if my WE is still original, I should install it first, right?

(It won't be work on my --current-- WE, right?)

JASS and vJASS is two different things.
JASS is what you write in the Custom script via GUI.
Obviously, vJASS > JASS, but vJASS requires you to first install it on your WE while JASS does not requires you to install any add-ons.

So, in your Trigger Editor, go to Custom script action, and type some native functions or whatever, THAT is JASS.

So basically, your current WE works fine with Custom script, you do not need to install anything else.

 

[Elfansoer]

Thank you very much, defskull! The Action "custom script" is one of the "list of actions that I NEVER used"... And I'll remove it from that list...
(Don't forget to recycle, Go Green!)

And, if i'm using JASS first, will the action "Lightning - Move Lightning" work for the lightning I made?
(Make it with JASS, move it with GUI, he means...)

 

[defskull]

And, if i'm using JASS first, will the action "Lightning - Move Lightning" work for the lightning I made?
(Make it with JASS, move it with GUI, he means...)

No, because the GUI MoveLightningLoc function does not provide any Z value.
You have to use AddLightningEx + MoveLightningEx if you want the Lightning to not stay on ground to ground.