Countdown Timer

[siuloongbao]

Hey everyone, I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section or something. I had a question about the Countdown timer as a trigger for scenarios. I've been trying to use it to set an action after a certain amount of time has passed on the Countdown Timer, but the action always seems to be triggered after the set amount of time passes, but in game seconds rather then seconds on the countdown timer. Is this whats supposed to happen? If so is there anyway to set it to the countdown timer? Am I just doing something wrong? Any mapmakers out there who could help me out, much appreciated.

[X-Master2]

I hope this helps you with your problem, I used it for another problem someone else was having with about the same thing. click here (http://www.warboards.org/showthread.php?t=8683). and look for the file drop ship timer.

[siuloongbao]

Yea i saw that post. I've seen the file. My map has a trigger where a unit goes to a location to trigger the timer, then at the end of the countdown (at most 0) 6 ultralisks are supposed to appear at a separate location. But the units always appear in game seconds, when i set it at "at most 0" they appear at the beginning of the scenario. When i set it to (at least 120) they appear after 2 min of the game. It seems as if the countdown timer is actually game seconds.

[StealthyDeath]

It does say seconds in the trigger, so you can assume that it is in game seconds as that is how the game runs.

The reason they would appear in the very beginning is that the countdown trigger takes about 1/12 of a second to activate. That gives plenty of time for a trigger to create units.

To correctly fix it, you would need to use switches.

Always.
Set 'Switch 1'.
Modify Countdown Timer: Set to 120 seconds.


Countdown timer is at most 0 game seconds.
'Switch 1' is set.
Actions:
Create 6 Zerg Ultralisk at 'location X' for player X.

You can think of swtiches as On/Off swtiches. Set = On/ Clear = Off.

[fool]

maybe you are doing elapsed time condition.. elapsed time is total game time, and countdown timer specifically deals with the countdown timer that is used.

[Terazel]

I belive your problem is in the -At most- trigger, try at least, At most is only useful(to my knowledge) to set limits on things

IE
Condition:
Current Players kill at least 0 any unit.
Current player kills at most 200 any unit.
Action
Create 1 Protoss Zealot at Zealot for Current player.
Etc...

So if you want some type of limit to something, use an at most/at least combo, otherwise, use at least.

[siuloongbao]

Yea thanks for all the advice guys. I'll try them out.

Oh. What do switches do?

Sweet. It works. Thank you Stealthydeath. Thanks for all your comments, guys. But i still wanna find out what switches do.

[fool]

switches do everything. they are <3.

basically they are true or false questions. They can be turned on. And they can be turned off.

If siwtches are set you can do stuff in conditions. They are useful for different levels. Like rename switch 1 to level 1, and have


always
set "level 1"


if "level 1" is set
then make 50 zealots at here
display text "zealots"
clear level 1
set level 2


if level 2 is set
computer commands exactly 0 zealots
then make 50 marines at here
display text marines
clear level 2
set level 3

and there's your levels. they can do other stuff too. try doing different stuf with them, they let you do a ton of things.

[X-Master2]

switches do everything. they are <3.

basically they are true or false questions. They can be turned on. And they can be turned off.

If siwtches are set you can do stuff in conditions. They are useful for different levels. Like rename switch 1 to level 1, and have.

Yeah, like you probably could make a very nice card game map with switches, at least in theory.

[Kingscrab]

I have found the countdown timer to be cool, but pretty useless.
IF you can coordinate it with ELAPSED game time, then great! It will work fine and dandy, and just set your creation trigger to sync with ELAPSED GAME TIME.

Terazel's idea works better i think:

I belive your problem is in the -At most- trigger, try at least, At most is only useful(to my knowledge) to set limits on things

IE
Condition:
Current Players kill at least 0 any unit.
Current player kills at most 200 any unit.
Action
Create 1 Protoss Zealot at Zealot for Current player.



Personally, I find it much easier to use that type of trigger also...
But that's just me. :D

[siuloongbao]

I used stealthydeath's idea and it worked. So that makes me happy. The problem with elapsed time condition was that it won't always take the same amount of time to do this or that. and the trigger is supposed to trigger reinforcements...

Basically you fight another army until a certain point, then you get reinforcements and either escape or finish them off. I'm also trying to set a certain amount of time to survive, until those reinforcements come. So a countdown timer makes it easier.

[fool]

its really cool if you make reinforcements come from a far end of map, have a computer control it, and make them actually load up into transports and have air escorts and fly them over to your fighting players.

and dont make them invincible, just make a trigger to keep them alive if necesary (try a movelocation that is big, and make all men in that location or specific ones have full life constantly).

it just looks better and cooler if they arent invicnible and just dont appear out of nowhere. making sutff look cool rocks.

[siuloongbao]

Yea i can see what you're talking about. But these reinforcements are supposed to be monsters. And the path you're going down is a canyon or a ravine. So i dunno how thats going to work out. a ravine in a forest. But i might be able to bring them down from the original start location of the players. another factor is the countdown timer is to set a point at which, they don't need to fight any longer. WHich is why I chose instantaneous creation. At that point, they can run, if they've taken a lot of damage.

THis is also my first RPG map. So i'm trying to flesh things out, rather then make it pretty right now. Theres also 4 episodes to the map...things might get complicated. Like giving every unit names.

[Basan]

...
Oh. What do switches do?

Sweet. It works. Thank you Stealthydeath. Thanks for all your comments, guys. But i still wanna find out what switches do.

Altough Fool's explanation is heading in the right direction, imho it still lacks some of the switches potencials (for example, they can be used to set triggers when off as well).
I've explained those to KingCrab already. Try n' find a recent thread he made and there look for my explanation. ;)

Yea i can see what you're talking about. But these reinforcements are supposed to be monsters. And the path you're going down is a canyon or a ravine. So i dunno how thats going to work out. a ravine in a forest. But i might be able to bring them down from the original start location of the players. another factor is the countdown timer is to set a point at which, they don't need to fight any longer. WHich is why I chose instantaneous creation. At that point, they can run, if they've taken a lot of damage.

THis is also my first RPG map. So i'm trying to flesh things out, rather then make it pretty right now. Theres also 4 episodes to the map...things might get complicated. Like giving every unit names.

Try using locations and the order command (an "AI script at location") in trigger(s) to pull this one of.
You can change the units names in map editors', just have to fuss around it's menus. But it will prob'ly take ya some time to change all units default names (for every map you'll make for that RPG campaign of yours). :)

And trust me, it isn't that complicated to make computer AI units become reinforcements after following a certain path in the map. :poke: I'll be glad to help, if you tell us what's your aim. Many things are possible only using a couple (give or take a few) of triggers. ;)

[siuloongbao]

I'm using the order command for the computer. What i'm trying to do is link the different order commands so they follow a path. But sometimes, they get stuck at the end of an order command, and don't follow it to the next order command.

Player 5 brings at least 1 any unit to "location"

--> Issue order to all unit owned by player 5 anywhere to attack to "location 2"

I have a series of these triggers set up, but sometimes not all the units go, and some at stuck at the end of the first order command.

Is there a particular reason this happens?

[Kingscrab]

Don't know if this is relevant, maybe it is why they are not following your order... I often use triggers like that too...

CREATE XX quantity of UNIT XX at LOCATION XX for PLAYER XX
Then:
ORDER all XX at XX LOCATION OWNED by PLAYER XX "ATTACK" to LOCATION XXXX
PRESERVE TRIGGER

Now my point... Sometimes when the units spawn, if you spawn a lot of them, or the box is small, they sort of "get pushed" outside the location box. Obviously, they will not follow the order you give them as they are not "at location XX" anymore. I solve this by creating ANOTHER location box that envelops the "spawning" location and then it works just fine. Maybe that helps. Maybe not. Just one of my observations i've made... :)

- kingscrab

[siuloongbao]

I don't really see that as the problem, but maybe you're right kingscrab. Who knows. Thanks for the idea.

Hm. another problem is when i order them to attack to a destination, they dont' really attack-move they're way there, they more or less move to the location, occasionally attacking when they're attacked.:confused:

any ideas?

[Kingscrab]

Sorry i couldn't help more. Maybe make 100% sure you have the PRESERVE trigger set?
As for the attacking while moving: That sounds pretty normal from my experience. They attack sporadicaly en route but only if molested. They usually attack en masse when they reach their destination though. No idea how to fix that. I use INSANE AI and they are usually pretty aggressive.

- Kingscrab

[Basan]

I'm using the order command for the computer. What i'm trying to do is link the different order commands so they follow a path. But sometimes, they get stuck at the end of an order command, and don't follow it to the next order command.

Player 5 brings at least 1 any unit to &quot;location&quot;

--&gt; Issue order to all unit owned by player 5 anywhere to attack to &quot;location 2&quot;

I have a series of these triggers set up, but sometimes not all the units go, and some at stuck at the end of the first order command.

Is there a particular reason this happens?

You're sure that the locations aren't the same? Or even that they use the same name for several locations. That sometimes bugs our guessing of wich is wich in the map editor.
Don't forget also the preserve trigger action as someone said already. And you could also use switches and/or larger locations to ensure that the units keep goin' down that path. ;)

[siuloongbao]

lol. yes i'm sure the locations are different, for each group of locations i set them to different numbers. My locations i use for my orders are. "Destination 1" "Destination 2" and "Destination 3"

But i think the problem was simply the size of the location, also i'll preserve trigger. But that shouldn't have mattered, If one unit, any enemy unit, steps on the location, all enemy units anywhere are supposed to move to the next location, and so on. Or else my trigger needs modifying.

[Basan]

...
But i think the problem was simply the size of the location, also i'll preserve trigger. But that shouldn't have mattered, If one unit, any enemy unit, steps on the location, all enemy units anywhere are supposed to move to the next location, and so on. Or else my trigger needs modifying.

Perhaps I've hit where your snag it's at.
You do have several triggers that say to those units to move from location to location after arriving to that 2nd location? And so on, I hope. :confused:
It won't work if you simply have one trigger with all those order commands in it that supposedly will set'em into going a certain path (even if separated between'em with wait blocks).

[siuloongbao]

yea i have those. I have 3 destinations, each destination tells the units to go to the next destinaiton, but only whenn they are all at that destinaton. SO the size of my location may be a factor. A factor i believe i fixed. or i hope i did ne way. I've been sick lately, so i don't know if it works. I haven't been on campaign editor yet. But i believe it works.