[ANIMATION] Dark Rift

[Terresquall]

Introduction

Dark Rift has visuals that are nicely done. These visuals, however, lack polish, so I'm going to point out the areas that are lacking here and give ways to improve them.

AoE Indicator

The skill has an AoE indicator that appears when it is cast. However, its coding is done a little bit weird such that the effect looks abit different from how it is shown below (the picture is done by the author of the effect).

Here's a description of the specific part of the code that is responsible for the AoE indicator.

• Function 3
  Create a [h098] dummy unit for the owner of Source at the location of Source and store this unit as DummyUnit
  Create a timer which runs at a 0.03 second interval
  Call Function 9 for each interval
  
  
• Function 9
  Set EvalLimiter to 90
  
  If [Level = 1] then
  Set EvalLimiter to 160
  If [Level = 2] then
  Set EvalLimiter to 120
  Set the location of DummyUnit to be the same as that of Source
  
  If [TriggerCalls > EvalLimiter] then
  Kill DummyUnit
  If [TriggerCalls > 30] then
  Show DummyUnit

This is what the above does, in simpler terms:

• Create a dummy unit with the Dark Rift effect as its model file and make it follow the Pit Lord.
• Hide the dummy unit and show it only after 0.9 seconds.
• Play the unit's "death" animation 0.2/0.4/0.3 seconds before the spell takes effect.

There are a lot of strange inconsistencies for the visuals of the code. This is probably because the skill's visual was recoded at one point and it wasn't done properly. These are the things that should be touched up:

• There's no need to hide the animation for 0.9 seconds. The currently imported model has a perfectly nice spawn animation.
• Make the animation's death animation play 0.4 seconds before it the spell takes effect across all levels. Any shorter and the animation won't complete properly.
• Optimally replace the dummy unit with an effect attached to the Pit Lord's "chest". Dummy units take up more RAM.

Target Indicator

The current one is quite pitiful. It is a small black smudge attached above a targeted unit/building.

This effect (Doodads\\Cinematic\\ShimmeringPortal\\ShimmeringPo rtal.mdl) should be attached to the unit's "origin" instead:

The "death" animation (picture above to the right) of the same effect is played on the target when Pit Lord arrives at it. So it makes sense to show the portal being created on the target during the delay instead of a black smudge.

Teleport Indicator

Play this at the arrival and departure location of all units teleported by Dark Rift:

Its a 7kb model that shows targets disappearing/arriving in a puff of black smoke.

This replaces the following effects that are played during the cast:

• The death animation of Doodads\\Cinematic\\ShimmeringPortal\\ShimmeringPo rtal.mdl played at the departure location.
• The Abilities\Spells\Items\AIil\AIilTarget.mdl effect played on the Pit Lord at the arrival location.

Misc: Cast Animation

I also suggest using Pit Lord's "Spell Slam" as his cast animation for Dark Rift. The reasoning behind this is simple: his current animation (where he raises his weapon up) causes his weapon to emit fire when he raises it up, and Dark Rift is not a fire spell. If we change his animation on this skill and Pit of Malice, we will have Firestorm and Expulsion (the fire skills) using the fiery cast animation and the non-fiery skills using the non-fiery animation.

NOTE: For the full animation to play, Dark Rift's Follow Through Time must be increased to 0.6 in the Object Editor. Otherwise the animation will be cut off abruptly. "Follow Through Time" is the amount of cast backswing the spell has and it can be animation cancelled (i.e. it doesn't affect balance).

To see this huge suggestion in more detail, check out the test map here.

[Schremba]

This sounds like a nice improvement. I like to redemove the overuse of the Shallow Grave buff. Abot the arrival-effect, I think I'd prefer a black-purple effect instead of a black-white effect. I'd also welcome a change in Pitlord's casting animation and use the one currently used for Rain of Fire.

[Mr. Burns]

Gj! Obvious T-up!

[CicatrixZ]

Terresquall? Support

[Terresquall]

This sounds like a nice improvement. I like to redemove the overuse of the Shallow Grave buff. Abot the arrival-effect, I think I'd prefer a black-purple effect instead of a black-white effect.

I welcome contributions to the arrival effect.

I'd also welcome a change in Pitlord's casting animation and use the one currently used for Rain of Fire.

Do you mean to change it to the one that is NOT used for Firestorm? Because all his spells use the same animation currently.

[Sven2k]

T-up

[L-60]

T-up

[Straight Flush]

T-Up

[AKBu3nY]

T-up.

[Schremba]

Originally Posted by Terresquall

I welcome contributions to the arrival effect.


Do you mean to change it to the one that is NOT used for Firestorm? Because all his spells use the same animation currently.

Like I posted it the other thread, I'd love to see current casting animation from Dark Rift (stand channel iIrc) for Firestorm. Maybe the current casting animation could also be a bit improved (for example add a purple efefct over the orange flame).

[D' Eradicated]

Originally Posted by CicatrixZ

Terresquall? Support

[Terresquall]

Like I posted it the other thread, I'd love to see current casting animation from Dark Rift (stand channel iIrc) for Firestorm. Maybe the current casting animation could also be a bit improved (for example add a purple efefct over the orange flame).

Dark Rift uses Spell, not Stand Channel. I tried putting Stand Channel for Firestorm, but the results were less than optimal.

[NoThlnG]

T-up for most things but kinda dislike the imported black-cloudy effect for teleport

[Schremba]

Originally Posted by Terresquall

Dark Rift uses Spell, not Stand Channel. I tried putting Stand Channel for Firestorm, but the results were less than optimal.

Are you sure about it? If I am not totally mistaken he has his weapon instantly in the air instead of lifting it. Thats why I think it is the stan channel animation.

[E02K]

So the only new thing is that black hole?
T-up.

[nEr0]

O m g! Im speechless. T-UP!

[Terresquall]

Are you sure about it? If I am not totally mistaken he has his weapon instantly in the air instead of lifting it. Thats why I think it is the stan channel animation.

I will have a look at it.

So the only new thing is that black hole?

That portal, and a bunch of tweaks to make the presentation more polished. Right now it looks like the skill is still in beta.

[Vot1_Bear]

Polishing+Terresquall:T-up

Though imo we don't have enough space for that black smoke... plus it's kinda unneeded. 7kb for that ball is ripoff.
Why not use the one used @ enigma's hole?

[Terresquall]

Though imo we don't have enough space for that black smoke... plus it's kinda unneeded. 7kb for that ball is ripoff.
Why not use the one used @ enigma's hole?

We have the space. The DotA map has alot of unused effects, icons, ability data and unit data left behind from previous versions due to remade heroes and skills. If we delete all these things, the map size can easily drop by a megabyte or two.

[Klagger]

But to me..i kinda like it...very nice !! T-up