Raycast collided object not transforming when scripted to?

Questions & Answers
1

In this meleeAttack code I scripted, the attacked object is gathered via raycast. Everything works fine, the problem lies in that the enemy object wont be transformed by the transform command.

IE: hit.collider.gameObject.transform.Translate(Time.deltaTime*2, Time.deltaTime*2, 0, Space.World);

meleeAttack.js

var cooldownTimer: int = 10;
var countDown : int = 0;
var playerAttackRange : int = 5;
var particle : GameObject;
var player : GameObject;
animation["swordSlash"].layer = 1;
var particleClone = particle;

function Start () {

}

function Update () {
	
	
		
	if(Input.GetButton("Fire1") &&  Time.time > countDown){
		
		attack();
		}
		
}

function attack(){
	countDown = Time.time + cooldownTimer;
	if(AbilitySystem.fireElement.equippedFire == true) {
	
	var hit : RaycastHit;
	var fwd = transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward);
	
	if(Physics.Raycast(transform.position, fwd, hit, playerAttackRange)){
			Debug.Log("Melee has struck " + hit.collider.gameObject + " at a range of " + playerAttackRange +"!!!!!!!!!!!");
			if(hit.collider.gameObject.tag == "Enemy") {
				hit.collider.gameObject.GetComponent(EnemyHealth).enemyCurrentHealth -= AbilitySystem.fireElement.swordDamage;
				particleClone = Instantiate(particle, hit.collider.gameObject.transform.position, hit.collider.gameObject.transform.rotation);
				Destroy(particleClone, 1);
				hit.collider.gameObject.transform.Translate(Time.deltaTime*2, Time.deltaTime*2, 0, Space.World);
				}
			}
		}
	}
2

Your problem is caused by the amount you translate:

  ...transform.Translate(Time.deltaTime*2, Time.deltaTime*2, 0, Space.World);

Unless you call Physics.Raycast each Update while the button is pressed (what the cool down timer disallows), the effect will be too small (less than 0.1 unit at 30 frame per seconds). Furthermore, this will always move the target in the same world direction, no matter the direction the weapon strikes it.

A good solution is to apply the movement during a specific time (0.5 seconds, for instance) and yield while this time is being counted (the function attack() is converted automatically to a coroutine by the JS compiler). You can also define the “impact” direction opposite to hit.normal, thus the ray will seem to push the target back:

function attack(){
  if(AbilitySystem.fireElement.equippedFire == true) {
    countDown = Time.time + cooldownTimer;
    var hit : RaycastHit;
    var fwd = transform.forward; // <- easier way to get the forward direction
    if(Physics.Raycast(transform.position, fwd, hit, playerAttackRange)){
      Debug.Log("Melee has struck " + hit.collider.name + " at a range of " + playerAttackRange +"!!!!!!!!!!!");
      if(hit.collider.tag == "Enemy") {
        hit.collider.GetComponent(EnemyHealth).enemyCurrentHealth -= AbilitySystem.fireElement.swordDamage;
        particleClone = Instantiate(particle, hit.transform.position, hit.transform.rotation);
        Destroy(particleClone, 1);
        // calculate the direction to push the target:
        var impact = -hit.normal;
        impact.y = 0; // keep it horizontal
        impact = impact.normalized * 2.0; 
        // apply the movement during duration seconds:
        var duration = 0.5;
        while (duration > 0){
          hit.transform.Translate(dir * Time.deltaTime, Space.World);
          duration -= Time.deltaTime; // count time
          yield; // return to loop next frame
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

NOTE: Notice that I simplified a lot the access to properties like transform, name, tag etc. Most game object properties allow access to the other properties directly: collider.tag, collider.name, transform.gameObject etc.