[Need Info] Offset for projectile effects

[plumsy460]

How do I adjust where the projectile appears when it's being launched?

For instance: A Hydralisk shooting out Needle Spines from above it's own head.

Thank in advance!


PS: I looked into the Launch Missile effect and tried adjusting Target: Launch Offset, but it doesn't work that way It just seems to make the projectile accelerate slower.

 

[Dr Super Good]

The short answer is "Actors".

The missile always starts from the launcher origin and moves to the destination (or with launch properties). To make it look like it comes from a Hydralisk head or Missile Turret launchers actors are used. The actor system artificially displaces the missile model so it appears to come from an attachment point of another actor. Like wise its displacement changes during flight so that when it arrives at the target it looks like it has impacted an attachment point (instead of the origin or nearby).

I forget the exact terms but I think Site Operations on the appropriate actors (Missile or Attack) are involved. Look at how the Marauder or Battle Cruiser does it as both have slow and visible missiles. In any case the launch and impact attachments are determined by actors and not the actual missile itself.

 

[plumsy460]

Thanks for your reply! -I'm afraid I still need to spread more rep to give it to you :/

I'm very happy you're going through with your explanation as I'm intersted in learning how this editor works overall.
I've tried a couple of attempts over the past few days to look into the Actors and Attach Methods of Marauders, Battlecruisers and Missile Turrets to look for the uniqe properties that modifies their launch options.

Sadly I'm unsucessful so far. I hate to dissapoint myself since I usually figure out the stuff I need if I put enough effort into it.
I noticed that every Attach Method use -Keywords- such as (Weapon) or (Top). What I found interesting is that Maraudors and Turrets use "Patterns" which seems to be at least a part of their unique launching. I tried to simply copy one of them and apply to a different unit where I modified a few things but it didn't seem to have any effect.

Maybe I just did it wrong? I noticed Attach Methods have "Base", "Driver", "Keyword" - Are those important? What do they do? The editor doesn't say anything about it.

I would be very thankful if I could get some more specific details on what to do.
Thanks again!

 

[Dr Super Good]

I noticed that every Attach Method use -Keywords- such as (Weapon) or (Top). What I found interesting is that Maraudors and Turrets use "Patterns" which seems to be at least a part of their unique launching. I tried to simply copy one of them and apply to a different unit where I modified a few things but it didn't seem to have any effect.

The pattern signifies that a state is used to determine where to launch from. This is done so that Marauders and Missile Turrets alternate launch sides after every shot. Hydralisks will not use a pattern since it always comes from the same point (I think).

For drivers to work the model needs the attachment points. These are model properties so may or may not always be present. For example most Terran and Zerg unit models lack shield attachments. If you give these units shields you need to add a special spherical artificial shield attachment to them otherwise an actor error will be thrown every time the unit is attacked (since it cannot find a shield attachment).

Here is a general tutorial on the subject by Blizzard. Unfortunately it does not go into much detail on attachment methods.

 

[plumsy460]

Thanks again for your help.

Upon researching I have come across something that changes my request.

The unit I'm trying to "fix" is not a hydralisk, it's in fact a Warcraft 3 Tower from Renee's War3 Mod. The problem with the tower is that it launches attacks from the ground (probably default Origin).
My initial thought was to simple move the launch location by increasing it's Z axis. This was not the right approach and I apologize for making a rather inconsiderate request about it.

So my request now is: How do I make the launch effect recognize the "Weapon" or "Top" attachment?

I have a concern that the model itself may not have any assigned attachment points. But let's hope not.

 

[plumsy460]

Just wanted to inform that I'm now using a different tower that works properly. My problem has in theory been fixed but I'm still be open to recieve information about attachment methods and anything regarding launching projectiles.

Thanks again to Dr. Super Good for your help.