Slow or Pause Special Effect

[Radicool]

Before Reforged, I was able to "pause" or "slow" special effects. To do so, I'd assign a special effect model to a dummy unit and change it's animation speed as desired.

• Animation - Change HealingMatrix's animation speed to 0.00% of its original speed

Since (possibly Reforged), this is no longer working. Is this the case for anyone else? Are there anyworkarounds that don't involve editting the raw model?

 

[Uncle]

You have a lot more control over Special Effects in the latest versions. They're almost always better than using Dummy units.

In your case you're looking for Time Scale:

• Special Effect - Set Time Scale of (Last created special effect) to 1.00

 

[Radicool]

Thanks for this, I didn't see this addition. I tried the below, but it unfortunately didn't work. I assume:

• "Time Scale" means to play the SPX at a percentage of it's original speed. Time scale = 0.01 means to play at 1% of it's normal speed
• Also tried a timescale of 100 but it didn't seem to change anything.
• The Set Special Effect Time sets the SPX to play over a period of time. I tried 200 but it didn't change anything
• Also tried some negative values for time scale, but the SPX speed remains unchanged.

• Untitled Trigger 001
  • Events
    • Time - Elapsed game time is 2.50 seconds
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of Knight 0078 <gen>) using Abilities\Spells\Undead\ReplenishHealth\ReplenishHealthCasterOverhead.mdl
    • Set VariableSet HealingMatrix_SPX = (Last created special effect)
    • Special Effect - Set Time Scale of HealingMatrix_SPX to 0.01
    • Special Effect - Set Height of HealingMatrix_SPX to: 220.00
    • Special Effect - Set Scale of HealingMatrix_SPX to 1.75

Trying the same thing with a different ability effect, but the graphics still play like normal.

• Untitled Trigger 002
  • Events
    • Time - Elapsed game time is 2.50 seconds
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Position of Knight 0078 <gen>) using Abilities\Spells\Other\Awaken\Awaken.mdl
    • Special Effect - Set Time Scale of (Last created special effect) to 0.10

What am I doing wrong?

 

[Uncle]

The Wonderful World of Special effect Modifications!

My Intention with this tutorial is to inform users of the many useful ways they can modify special effects to their advantage, we will be exploring what, why, and whatever these modifications may pose to our merit. Something of note: @ThisPOT made a rough draft of a projectile system that uses...

www.hiveworkshop.com

Should work unless its bugged on your version.

 

[Radicool]

I created a fresh blank map and copied this simple piece of code. Please see the attached screenshot and map. To be clear, I'm trying to "freeze" AKA pause the special effect. I want it to sort of sit there and last a long time (not finish in the default 1.5 seconds and disappear).

I am running the latest client of Warcraft 3 (patch 1.32.10.17380). Have I misunderstood how to slow (pause) a special effect?

• Start
  • Events
    • Time - Elapsed game time is 0.00 seconds
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Visibility - Create an initially Enabled visibility modifier for Player 1 (Red) emitting Visibility across (Playable map area)
    • Camera - Pan camera for Player 1 (Red) to (Center of (Playable map area)) over 0.00 seconds
    • Wait 2.00 seconds
    • Special Effect - Create a special effect at (Center of (Playable map area)) using Abilities\Spells\Undead\ReplenishHealth\ReplenishHealthCasterOverhead.mdl
    • Special Effect - Set Time Scale of (Last created special effect) to 0.00

Can someone please confirm the attached map works for you as intended?

 

[Duckfarter]

It works for me as intended, it freezes and sits there. I waited about 30 seconds and it still sat there. I use the classic version though.

Thats pretty cool. Kinda really makes me wanna try out AttachObject v2.04

EDIT: I found this function call SetUnitTimeScale(u, 0) in [vJASS] - [Snippet] SuspendUnit you could try it with a dummy unit.

 

[Radicool]

It works for me as intended, it freezes and sits there. I waited about 30 seconds and it still sat there. I use the classic version though.

Thats pretty cool. Kinda really makes me wanna try out AttachObject v2.04

Thanks for checking this. I just turned on classic graphics and found it works for me too. Perhaps this is a bug with Reforged mode?

So do others have issues changing the time of Special Effects with Reforged graphics?

How do we submit a proper bug report to Blizzard? Any devs patrol these forums anymore?

 

[Nichilus]

@Radicool I can confirm same issue on my side. Setting time scale for efx in HD has no effect, in SD works properly

 

[Uncle]

So it does work on HD graphics but it seems to be really picky about what works and what doesn't.

I managed to get the Ancient Protector missile and Crypt Fiend missile working as intended.

Unfortunately, these bugs will probably never get fixed.