Intuitive Buff System

[Ignitedstar]

Hey, Dusk. You're... still... alive... right...?

I have a few questions. I noticed that the base ability you used for your auras in IBS is Tornado. Was this something you did by default just because, or was it because you need Tornado's "disappears when on command card" scheme? Unless IBS is already using the spellbook trick?

Also, IBS does use levels, doesn't it? I noticed that IBS doesn't have a GetUnitBuffLevel function. At the same time, I noticed that buffs handled by IBS don't seem to have an assigned level on the buff. I can understand why since the base ID of the buff doesn't have levels, but wouldn't this affect how GetUnitAbilityLevel detects buff levels? I'm concerned because I need buffs with levels on them.

[Anitarf]

Originally Posted by Ignitedstar

Hey, Dusk. You're... still... alive... right...?

Last Activity: 09-19-2011

Surprisingly, yes.

I have a few questions. I noticed that the base ability you used for your auras in IBS is Tornado. Was this something you did by default just because, or was it because you need Tornado's "disappears when on command card" scheme? Unless IBS is already using the spellbook trick?

I doubt it, since the only reason to use tornado aura is to avoid having to use the spellbook trick. Why would you need to use other auras anyway?

Also, IBS does use levels, doesn't it? I noticed that IBS doesn't have a GetUnitBuffLevel function. At the same time, I noticed that buffs handled by IBS don't seem to have an assigned level on the buff. I can understand why since the base ID of the buff doesn't have levels, but wouldn't this affect how GetUnitAbilityLevel detects buff levels? I'm concerned because I need buffs with levels on them.

GetUnitAbilityLevel will always return 1 for buffs the unit has, regardless of their actual level. The only way to get a level of a buff is to get the dbuff's level, for example GetEventBuff().level. However, it is unfortunate that the system doesn't attempt to match the ability's level with the buff level like ABuff does, since even if you can't detect it with GetUnitAbilityLevel you could still use it to have different tooltips for different levels.

[Ignitedstar]

Originally Posted by Anitarf

I doubt it, since the only reason to use tornado aura is to avoid having to use the spellbook trick. Why would you need to use other auras anyway?

Because it annoys me that all buffs based on Tornado are labeled red. If it can't be helped I'm fine with it, but yeah, I'm that kind of person. -_-

Originally Posted by Anitarf

GetUnitAbilityLevel will always return 1 for buffs the unit has, regardless of their actual level. The only way to get a level of a buff is to get the dbuff's level, for example GetEventBuff().level. However, it is unfortunate that the system doesn't attempt to match the ability's level with the buff level like ABuff does, since even if you can't detect it with GetUnitAbilityLevel you could still use it to have different tooltips for different levels.

Uugh... Funny thing is, is that I didn't realize any of these small issues with IBS until after I had fully implemented it to handle all of the buffs in my map. In retrospect, I couldn't use ABuff when I made the decision at the time because structs made absolutely no sense to me. I really need the level functionality; It seems that switching over is the best decision.

[Anitarf]

Originally Posted by Ignitedstar

Because it annoys me that all buffs based on Tornado are labeled red. If it can't be helped I'm fine with it, but yeah, I'm that kind of person. -_-

I think colour codes can be used to override the default red colour. It makes a mess out of your buff names in the object editor, but as long as you can identify your buffs based on their icons it's not such a big deal.

Uugh... Funny thing is, is that I didn't realize any of these small issues with IBS until after I had fully implemented it to handle all of the buffs in my map. In retrospect, I couldn't use ABuff when I made the decision at the time because structs made absolutely no sense to me. I really need the level functionality; It seems that switching over is the best decision.

Well, you could also add the level functionality to IBS, it's just one additional line in the create method to set the level when new buffs are created and the same line in the UnitAddBuff function to update the level when a buff is reapplied. Of course, if you have other issues with the system, switching may still be preferable.

[Ignitedstar]

LOL I don't know how exactly, but I got buff levels to work. I also got the most important function I needed to work:

GetUnitBuffLevel takes unit target, integer whichType returns integer

A slight "issue": it takes about 5 seconds for the buffs to hit the proper level number. The buffs stay at level 1 for ~5 seconds and then goes to its proper level, but I tested whether or not this would affect their effectiveness. It doesn't; it's just warcraft's engine "catching up" with itself or something, which is great news for me.

But I honestly don't care about that. I saved myself a week's worth of writing, testing, and debugging. I'm happy.

[Fledermaus]

Originally Posted by Anitarf

I think colour codes can be used to override the default red colour. It makes a mess out of your buff names in the object editor, but as long as you can identify your buffs based on their icons it's not such a big deal.

Yup. Green colour code is 0000ff00 and if you change Name (Editor Only) to the buffs name, it will display it in the editor without the colour code tags, very nice.

Originally Posted by Ignitedstar

LOL I don't know how exactly, but I got buff levels to work.

Just making sure you're setting the ability level in the buff create method and in "buff already exists" part of UnitAddBuff?

[Ignitedstar]

From what you posted to Ani, that's what I figured that I was supposed to do if I wanted to get away from all buff names being red.

Yes, first part is right. As for the second part; I was thinking about it. I was afraid of what would happen to buffs if I put SetUnitAbilityLevel in an either/or case, so I decided to put it right before the if statement.