Requesting tutorial on reusing existing animations/archetypes for custom abilities

[Ghostlines]

The use cases for this involve creating custom abilities, and attempting to create archetypes for those abilities by copying and modifying existing archetypes for similar abilities.

 

The common pitfall is having the custom ability mechanics work perfectly (possibly including windup/chargeup animation), but missing the ability animation and projectile. Redscreens may also show, but not in all cases (possibly referencing inability to perform ff_fire, or that a unit didn't receive expected projectile hit).

 

As for me, I'm at my wit's end, and none of my specific threads for help are being answered, so I thought I'd cry out for a tutorial, since anyone working with custom abilities will likely be encountering the same problems.

 

There's too much that I and others do not know or fully grasp about how archetypes, animations, and custom abilities are associated, and how to adequately troubleshoot issues when they aren't working well together.

 

While I've personally gotten some archetypes/animations to work with custom abilities (such as a custom stasis power, and a custom energy shield power), many of the other psi power animations/archetypes (Soulfire, Insanity, Fuse) refuse to animate for me.

 

Seeking wisdom from the gurus here. Help us out?