***ZAdjust changes the render layer while keeping the image position.
YDrawOffset changes the image position (up/down) which in turn also affects its render layer.
If you have only the animation section in art.ini (no accompanying logic like a buildings ActiveAnim*** keys), then you can use YDrawOffset to force the animation into a different render layer, but you have to compensate this by shifting the animation in the opposite direction in the SHP.
e.g.
You want an explosion to always play above everything else,
you can use YDrawOffset=-75 (or less) to move the animation 3 height levels upwards (to be rendered above other anims) but to keep its position ingame the same, you have to move it 75 pixel down in the SHP.
While ***ZAdjust keys are limited to min -127, YDrawOffset can shift an animation way beyond that limit. IIRC I once used it to move an animation 500 layers to make sure it's truly rendered ever on top of everything else.
A pure ZAdjust key (without any prefix) doesn't exist in TS.
Open game.exe with a text editor and search for ZAdjust to find all available variants. _________________ SHP Artist of Twisted Insurrection: Nod buildings
Ydraw is used for buildings without any animation (active anim)
No, it's used for animations only. While you could use it on a buildings ActiveAnim, it causes unnecessary work since you also have to shift the anim in the SHP. So in this case use ActiveAnimZAdjust. Easier, faster.
***ZAdjust has many different keys for different purposes (art.ini NormalZAdjust for the Building itself, ActiveAnimZAdjust for the anim, TurretAnimZAdjust as a rules.ini key for turrets etc), so you can't say for both.
e.g. there is no ZAdjust key that works for a lone/separate animation like an explosion. (NormalZAdjust doesn't work on an explosion IIRC, but I could be wrong, feel free to test it)
If you want to move an explosion into a different layer, you have to use YDrawOffset or YSortAdjust (see the Tunnel Top animations)
Though to make it more confusing
YDrawOffset needs negative values to move into higher render layers
YSortAdjust needs positive values to move into a higher render layer.
So in simple terms
Buildings and their anims
-use ***ZAdjust
Lone/Separate anims (like explosions)
-use YDrawOffset or YSortAdjust
Exley wrote:
and another question, because there is confusing explanation (mod enc wrote it weirdly)
because we are in isometric view does Ydraw move layer
up or down, (as in toward sky) or forward/backward ?
or Zadjust does something of these ? (and which)
YDraw moves the anim by the set amount in Pixel upwards/downwards.
e.g. YDrawOffset=-100 moves the animation 100 pixel up on the screen, while the center of the animation is still the cell on which it is spawned.
Due to this visual shift, it in turn also moves in front of animations that are centered on cells further north -> thus moving it in a higher render layer.
As a general rule: If you have 2 anims, the one centered on a more southern cell is the one rendered in front of the other.
Big anims that go beyond the cell border sometimes need a render layer shift, to make sure they are not cut off by other anims close by.
Via shifting the render layer, you could achieve a more southern centered anim to be played behind a more northern cell centered anim.
***ZAdjust keys don't move anything pixel wise. Only render layer wise. _________________ SHP Artist of Twisted Insurrection: Nod buildings
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difference between ActiveAnimZAdjust and YDrawOffset ?
