Designing an Ability
Creating an ability from scratch may seem like a daunting task, but it gets easier the more you see it as a small interwoven puzzle. Pretty much every ability consists of linear effects that trigger in order. At the core nearly every ability acts like this, so you generally need to work backwards to construct an ability from the finishing point to the beginning.
What is the point of your ability?
Start by figuring out what you want your ability to ultimately do. There are seemingly endless possibilities for what can be accomplished with the Galaxy Editor through Data or Triggers, so don't feel limited by what you think can't be done. You could easily create a simple missile ability that arcs to its target with a massive explosion. You could create an ability that instantly boosts your unit's speed. You can even create an ability that morphs a Zergling into a Battlecruiser. Figure out what you want to do first, and then figure out how to accomplish the task from the end point.
A Simple Explanation of a Missile Ability
Let's say you want to create an ability that fires a missile at your target and deals damage when it reaches that target. Here is the order in which that would occur:
- Create a "Damage" effect. This will dictate how much damage your ability will deal when it hits your target.
- Create a "Launch Missile" effect. This will set a couple of things. First, it will let you set what missile unit is fired when the ability is used. Second, it will let you decide what effect occurs when the missile hits its target (this would be the Damage effect above).
- Create an "Effect - Target" ability. This will let you control a few specific details for your ability. First, it will let you set which effect is triggered when the ability is used (this would be the Launch Missile effect above). Secondarily, it will let you set the range of the ability and the cost to use the ability.
Though the process can get a lot more complex with more complicated abilities, the idea remains the same either way. For a detailed explanation of how to create a missile ability, see Creating a Missile Ability.
A Simple Explanation of an Instant Ability
Work in progress. -DevliN
A Simple Explanation of a Morph Ability
Work in progress. -DevliN