Venator w/Proton Beam

[Master Leffe]

I'm trying to give the venator a weaker-than-Piett proton beam that lasts only a few seconds. I've added in the unit ability (copied from Piett) and made my changes. Ingame the icon for the beam shows up, but when I go to target it, the "X" on the reticle won't go away and I can't select a target. Anyone know why?

[Taurian]

did you add the ability AND the ability subobject list for the energy weapon?

[Master Leffe]

I'm not sure... What's the data for the subobject?

[Master Leffe]

Ok, I've done that, but the stupid beam still won't let me fire it...

[wolfshadow]

There may not be an animation for it.

[Empirecitizen]

The proton beam needs a <Owner_Particle_Bone_Name>. If you check the ability description , you'll see its attached to a HP_trac_bone.

The problem is Venators dont have such a bone so changing this to a bone that the Venators have should help (check the hardpoints to see wt the bones are) .

[magna mandaloe]

Proton Beam would make sense (If you can u should skin it blue) and add a beam (Fired from hanger) for like 7 seconds but has a strong hit.

[jonesyjonez]

I'm trying to give the venator a weaker-than-Piett proton beam that lasts only a few seconds. I've added in the unit ability (copied from Piett) and made my changes. Ingame the icon for the beam shows up, but when I go to target it, the "X" on the reticle won't go away and I can't select a target. Anyone know why?

 

Make sure the beam has a list of ships it can target, otherwise no matter what you do with the hardpoints/bones/code, the x will not change to a target pointer when you hover it over an enemy ship.

 

For instance:

 

<Applicable_Unit_Categories>Capital | Corvette | Frigate | Fighter | Bomber | Transport</Applicable_Unit_Categories>

[Master Leffe]

Empirecitizen and jonesy, I think I get what your saying, but I'm not quite sure how to do it... Modifying existing files I can do fine, but creating new lines is where I get a bit lost. How would you midify the bones to accept that Empirecitizen? (Sorry if I'm being a royal pain)

[Empirecitizen]

I have made an exoeriment myself and it worked. (the following codes can work but the numbers are not set according to balance. I just used these numbers so my test will be quick)

 

<Unit_Abilities_Data SubObjectList="Yes">

<!-- Primary ability -->

<Unit_Ability>

<Type>ENERGY_WEAPON</Type>

<Mod_Multiplier>SPEED_MULTIPLIER, 0.8f</Mod_Multiplier>

 

<GUI_Activated_Ability_Name> Venator_Energy_Weapon_Attack_Ability </GUI_Activated_Ability_Name> <!-- GUI Command Bar support -->

 

<Recharge_Seconds>1</Recharge_Seconds>

<Expiration_Seconds>5</Expiration_Seconds>

 

<Applicable_Unit_Categories>Capital | Corvette | Frigate | Fighter | Bomber | Transport</Applicable_Unit_Categories>

 

<SFXEvent_Target_Ability> Unit_Energy_Blast_Piett </SFXEvent_Target_Ability>

 

<SFXEvent_Special_Ability_Loop> Unit_Star_Destroyer_Energy_Blast </SFXEvent_Special_Ability_Loop>

 

 

</Unit_Ability>

</Unit_Abilities_Data>

 

<Abilities SubObjectList="Yes">

<Energy_Weapon_Attack_Ability Name="Venator_Energy_Weapon_Attack_Ability">

<Activation_Style> User_Input </Activation_Style>

<Applicable_Unit_Categories>Capital | Corvette | Frigate | Fighter | Bomber | Transport</Applicable_Unit_Categories>

<Applicable_Unit_Types />

<Owner_Particle_Effect>Piet_Powerup_Particle_Effect</Owner_Particle_Effect>

 

<Owner_Particle_Bone_Name> HP_B-M_Bone </Owner_Particle_Bone_Name>

<Activation_Min_Range>0</Activation_Min_Range>

<Activation_Max_Range>2000</Activation_Max_Range>

 

<!-- Modifiers. If 0 - no modifier is applied, 1 - "100% increase or decrease" -->

<Damage_Per_Frame>50</Damage_Per_Frame>

</Energy_Weapon_Attack_Ability>

 

</Abilities>

[Empirecitizen]

I have added no new lines. These are made from directly copying the Accuser's Unit_Abilities_Data SubObjectList and the original Abilities SubObjectList concerning the porton beam.

 

1. First I changed the name of this ability in the Abilities SubObjectList (the name which the game use to recgonize the the abilty not the name it will display in-game) to Venator_Energy_Weapon_Attack_Ability to differentiate it from Piette's.

 

2. Then you will have to change <GUI_Activated_Ability_Name> to match the new abilty you have created. ( This relate the ships to the abilty).

 

3 . Now pay attettion to <Owner_Particle_Bone_Name> HP_B-M_Bone </Owner_Particle_Bone_Name>. This is where the orange glow will appear on the ship. Originally it is attached to the bone where the tractor beam is on the SD it has to changed.

This HP_B-M_Bone is the bone where the shield gen is located. Bones are locations on the unit.

 

 

If you go to the hardpoint.xml and seek out the hardpoints of the ships you will see a line called <Attachment_Bone> This line controls where the hardpoints are placed. Therefore, reading this line will let you know the name of the bone that the hardpoint is attatched to. You can then use this information for attaching other things to this bone.

 

I have written quite a lot here but there are only 3 steps to allow the ability. Balance the abilty by changing the recharge time, damage per frame, range etc.