Simples question, can I use a collision to create an object where it hits?

[happygreenfrog]

I get the feeling that we expect a lot from these people, but that really, although Clickteam offers powerful technology, we should never allow it to be a substitute for creative intuition.

You still don't get it, do you? There are some things that are impractical/more processor-intensive to do in a more complicated way (or, as you seem to keep putting it, in a way that uses "creative intuition"). For example, making a counter object using Active objects is, in general, downright silly. And making a drawing program entirely out of active objects? More processor-intensive than using the surface object for sure, and also downright silly.

[Grim_Jester]

Cap, just do it. Use a lot of actives on the sword and the ninja. Get the results that you want, and then decide if it will be a performance issue. I have a feeling that you can do a couple dozen collision checks per sword swing without worrying about performance.

[pzazz]

Here's a rough solution... seeing as your sword shape is roughly round, set the hot spot of the hit effect to about 50 pixels back (out of the drawing area), turn on 'automatic rotations' or add the other angles in the image editor. Then set the hit effect to create at the centre of the blade and 'always look at' the ninja. It will shift to look at the ninja with the hit image 50 pixels from where it's created towards the ninja. With some tweaking you might get away with it...