Magic Frustrations

[DainBramages]

I can't get the surfaceindicator to show up. The only demo for it is Teleport. What are the requirements to create a magic action that actually draws the surfaceindicator? Selecting a game object for it and setting the "direction' to 'Indicate' isn't enough. The best I can get is an instant effect at the caster's feet with no indicator. If I create a Teleport magic ability the surfaceindicator doesn't show up either.

Targeting magic is confusing anyway. The magic action seems to have available targets selected automatically that aren't visually indicated but instead stored. Ideally, I would want magic abilities that allow you to select a target location for an area effect or select a single target accompanied by some indication that the character is targeted with the ability to cycle through targets. Both of these things are VERY basic in an RPG. It is not immediately obvious how to implement this with all the nested modules that lack clear explanations. The timeline of magic actions makes sense until you stop putting those modules together. Using "target" direction does target the target I'm looking at. But using Indicate never lets me indicate.

The video for magic is two years old and doesn't include much explanation. It creates a very basic projectile (copying from the demo again and again like ALL of your videos) and sets up an already existing Teleport. There are more modules now in the magic action. The documentation is very unclear on the purpose of a lot of the settings. Reading through several thousand lines of code and backtracking through inherited classes and things is tiresome and confusing. The Fireball magic in the demo creates a magic projectile and there are 3 or 4 different places to apply damage/impact - nope, it isn't clear which to use or why - just supposed to mimic the ol' Fireball. When I create a magic action it doesn't do any damage anyway (my melee weapons do) and my impact effects only appear the first time and then sporadically thereafter.

"Simple Caster" is described as a caster module with 'basic' functionality but it is actually inside the Caster Module Group script. It implies that you could or should create a more robust caster module. But there are EIGHT modules on magic actions. So many of the modules talk about starting/stopping effects but it isn't clear how to indicate WHICH effect is being started or stopped. Fade Materials can make my character's hair disappear and that definitely wasn't part of the action.

If I change too many settings and change them back, I get different results. Like my magic projectiles just stop spawning. Or all the inputs I'm using just stop working at all (there are no animation events because I can't make it far enough that it would be worth my time). This product is NOT very intuitive and it is not explained very well. I get that it is customizable. Sure. But how can I customize something when the basic functions don't work unless I just make demo items? Nothing beyond the demo items is actually explained. The explanations for settings just repeat the words in the name of the setting as if that helps anyone. This product is great if you want to make an already existing assault rifle with a fireball. I'm not even talking about inserting my own scripts. I'm just referring to using the existing modules as written and trying to get something different that actually works.

I ain't mad, bro. But I'm definitely frustrated. It would be nice to have examples or explanations for many of the modules and how they work together. I can make 'forward' magic projectiles that work most of the time and a 'forward' flamethrower effect. Nothing seems to work when I move beyond that and then the things that do work stop working along with the new stuff.

 

[Justin]

We do need to update the magic video - right now the priority has been on ensuring everything is stable and bug free but magic and throwable videos are next on the docket.

Taking it one step at a time the surface indicator can be specified with the Simple Caster module:



This setup is from the Teleport magic item.

Targeting magic is confusing anyway. The magic action seems to have available targets selected automatically that aren't visually indicated but instead stored. Ideally, I would want magic abilities that allow you to select a target location for an area effect or select a single target accompanied by some indication that the character is targeted with the ability to cycle through targets. Both of these things are VERY basic in an RPG. It is not immediately obvious how to implement this with all the nested modules that lack clear explanations. The timeline of magic actions makes sense until you stop putting those modules together. Using "target" direction does target the target I'm looking at. But using Indicate never lets me indicate.

I do not believe that we have a module that visualizes the target but I'll tag @Sangemdoko for confirmation. Right now we are still bug fixing instead of adding new features but the bug fixes are slowing down so we'll then be getting to a version with new features. For the visual indicator though it will require extending the Simple Caster module.

"Simple Caster" is described as a caster module with 'basic' functionality but it is actually inside the Caster Module Group script. It implies that you could or should create a more robust caster module. But there are EIGHT modules on magic actions. So many of the modules talk about starting/stopping effects but it isn't clear how to indicate WHICH effect is being started or stopped. Fade Materials can make my character's hair disappear and that definitely wasn't part of the action.

Most of the module groups will execute each module. For example, with the Teleporter begin there is Spawn Particle, Fade Materials, and Play Audio Clip. All three of these will be executed. Fade Materials will fade the current GameObject, and only the hair is fading likely because the materials used by your character doesn't support alpha fade.

 

[DainBramages]

I do those exact settings and don't get an indicator. Does it only work with teleport? The caster module comes before the cast effects modules so I would assume you should be able to use "indicate" and set your target position regardless which effects you put down or at least get the indicator and then nothing. I can't get an indicator to appear.

 

[DainBramages]

If I add a particle spawn to the impact action group for a hit effect, it only plays the first hit. Sometimes it still shows it spawned in the hierachy and sometimes it doesn't. But it only works on the first impact. How do I end/reset that?

 

[Justin]

The surface indicator doesn't know the type of magic item it is using so will work with any magic type. If you enable debugging on the Item Action is there a blue ray drawn where the character is looking?

If I add a particle spawn to the impact action group for a hit effect, it only plays the first hit. Sometimes it still shows it spawned in the hierachy and sometimes it doesn't. But it only works on the first impact. How do I end/reset that?

My guess is that the particle is still playing. Make sure your particle effect ends within a reasonable duration. You should also add the ParticlePooler component so the particle effect can be reused.