Lightning storm weapon?

Magicknight94 · Cyborg Soldier **Joined**: 08 Dec 2010

I used to see a mod in which a tank can create a lightning storm on its target. How is this possible?

Lin Kuei Ominae · Seth **Joined**: 16 Aug 2006 **Location**: Germany

different ways possible

a) some art.ini coding and animations magic (debris spawned randomly over a certain area, causing lighting bolt anims to be played and do damage)

Can be also combined with different weapon logics like Cluster

b) some Ares logic (ask the Ares pros how this could be done). Maybe they also added already a CreateLightningStorm key for warheads for the lazy modders.

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Graion Dilach · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:43 am Post subject:

You can simply use an invisible weapon with c'n'ping the animations together yourself for warheadanim, giving the effect of that.

You can also go Cluster - first stage is the cloud, second stage are the bolts - as said.

In both scenarios, use of PreImpactAnim to properly sync the damage delivery and the animations is recommended.

Art debris is only a solution if you don't mind not getting experience and making the weapon useless on water.

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Magicknight94 · Cyborg Soldier **Joined**: 08 Dec 2010

Graion Dilach wrote:

You can simply use an invisible weapon with c'n'ping the animations together yourself for warheadanim, giving the effect of that.

You can also go Cluster - first stage is the cloud, second stage are the bolts - as said.

In both scenarios, use of PreImpactAnim to properly sync the damage delivery and the animations is recommended.

Art debris is only a solution if you don't mind not getting experience and making the weapon useless on water.

I created the bolts with AnimList=EXPLOSML,WCLBOLT1,WCLBOLT2,WCLBOLT3

in WH, but I don't know how to add cloud.

And what is PreImpactAnim?

Lin Kuei Ominae · Seth **Joined**: 16 Aug 2006 **Location**: Germany

both has pros and cons

using weapon keys only (as GD mentioned)
pros
-unit can gain veterancy
-easy to code

cons
-only instant hit and one single strike possible
-weather cloud and lightning bolt start playing at the same time and instantly when the projectile hits (can look a bit artificial)
-attack on only one cell or bad random distribution using Cluster (all Cluster cells are hit instantly at the same time)
-no random delay between lightning bolt strikes

using art.ini debris
pros
-the animation of the cloud can be looped and independent of the lightning bolt
-lightning bolt can be played with a delay
-multiple lightning bolts can be played over a certain duration (to look like one cloud firing multiple bolts)
-can be made to play randomly in a bigger area multiple clouds with each cloud shooting randomly lightning bolts

cons
-splashes in water (might be possible to prevent that by using the right warhead with a big spread and good timing on the debris, so they explode before they hit the ground)
-unit can't gain veterancy
-much harder to code (needs a lot of art.ini animations and debris knowledge)

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Graion Dilach · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:06 pm Post subject:

Lin Kuei Ominae wrote:

cons
-weather cloud and lightning bolt start playing at the same time and instantly when the projectile hits (can look a bit artificial)

This is why PreImpactAnim is advised.
http://ares-developers.github.io/Ares-docs/new/warheads/preimpactanim.html

Oh and lol, I mixed cluster with airburst on my previous post. So you could go and time the airburst right with PreImpactAnim and since SpreadRadius is completely customizable within last Ares builds, probably that's the best way to go.

_________________
"If you didn't get angry and mad and frustrated, that means you don't care about the end result, and are doing something wrong." - Greg Kroah-Hartman
=======================
Past C&C projects: Attacque Supérior (2010-2019); Valiant Shades (2019-2021)
=======================
WeiDU mods: Random Graion Tweaks | Graion's Soundsets
Maintainance: Extra Expanded Enhanced Encounters! | BGEESpawn
Contributions: EE Fixpack | Enhanced Edition Trilogy | DSotSC (Trilogy) | UB_IWD | SotSC & a lot more...