instantiating particle effects

Questions & Answers
1

I’m working on the mechanics of my Cleric class, where I’m trying to instantiate particle effects to the targeted player/enemy position. But that aspect isn’t working. I’m getting a null error.

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class ClericAbilities : MonoBehaviour 
{
	public ParticleSystem smiteParticle;
	public ParticleSystem smiteTargeted; //UNDER RESOURCES FOLDER AS A PREFAB AS "Smite"
	public float speed;

	public ParticleSystem healParticle;
	public ParticleSystem healTargted; //UNDER RESOURCES FOLDER AS A PREFAB AS "Heal"

	public ParticleSystem resurrectionParticle;
	public ParticleSystem resurrectionTargeted; //UNDER RESOURCES FOLDER AS A PREFAB AS "Resurrection"

	private bool isPlayerTargeted;
	private bool isEnemyTargeted;

	private Vector3 currentPlayerPosition;
	private Vector3 currentEnemyPosition;

	void Awake()
	{
		isPlayerTargeted  = false;
		isEnemyTargeted = false;
	}

	// Use this for initialization
	void Start () 
	{
		animation["Attack"].layer = 1;
		animation["Heal"].layer = 2;
		animation["Resurrection"].layer = 3;

		smiteTargeted = Resources.Load("Smite") as ParticleSystem;
		healTargted = Resources.Load("Heal") as ParticleSystem;
		resurrectionTargeted = Resources.Load("Resurrection") as ParticleSystem;
	}

	void Target()
	{
		if(Input.GetMouseButtonDown(0))
		{
			Ray ray = Camera.main.ScreenPointToRay(Input.mousePosition);
			RaycastHit hit;
			
			if(Physics.Raycast(ray, out hit,  1000))
			{
				string hitTag = hit.transform.tag;

				if (hitTag == "Player")
				{
					isPlayerTargeted = true;
					currentPlayerPosition = hit.transform.position;
					Debug.Log("Player selected");
				}

				else 
				{
					isPlayerTargeted = false;
				}

				if(hitTag == "Enemy")
				{
					isEnemyTargeted = true;
					currentEnemyPosition = hit.transform.position;
					Debug.Log("Enemy selected");
				}

				else
				{
					isEnemyTargeted = false;
				}
			}
		}
	}
	
	void Attack()
	{
		//1 second cast time
		if(Input.GetMouseButtonDown(1) && isEnemyTargeted)
		{
			animation.CrossFade("Attack");
			smiteParticle.Play();

			ParticleSystem smite = Instantiate(smiteTargeted) as ParticleSystem; //NULL ERROR
			smiteTargeted.Play();

			smite.transform.position = currentEnemyPosition;
		}
	}

	void Heal()
	{
		if(Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Alpha2) && isPlayerTargeted)
		{
			//3 second cast time
			animation.CrossFade("Heal");
			healParticle.Play();

			ParticleSystem heal = Instantiate(healTargted) as ParticleSystem; //NULL ERROR
			healTargted.Play();

			heal.transform.position = currentPlayerPosition;
		}
	}

	void Resurrection()
	{
		if(Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Alpha3) && isPlayerTargeted)
		{
			//5 second cast time
			animation.CrossFade("Resurrection");
			resurrectionParticle.Play();

			ParticleSystem resurrection = Instantiate(resurrectionTargeted) as ParticleSystem; //NULL ERROR
			resurrectionTargeted.Play();

			resurrection.transform.position = currentPlayerPosition;
		}
	}
	
	// Update is called once per frame
	void Update () 
	{
		Target();

		Attack();
		Heal();
		Resurrection();
	}
}
2

@jeff, Make your particle GameObject child of playerGameObject.

void Heal()
          {
              if(Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Alpha2) && isPlayerTargeted)
              {
                  //3 second cast time
                 GameObject healGO = Instantiate(Resources.Load("Heal"));
         ParticleSystem heal=healGO.GetComponent<ParticleSystem>(); 
         heal.Play();
             
         heal.transform.position = currentPlayerPosition;
 
         animation.CrossFade("Heal");


         healGO.transform.parent = currentPlayerPosition.parent; //This make your healGameObject child of playerGameObject

         Destroy (healGO, 3f);// This did not add any effect in this code //This is destroy heal gameObject after 3 sec. you can change that.  
      }
}

doc of Transform.parent

And Destroy your healGameObject when it’s effect is completed. (no effect in this code. but it is good thing to do.)