So the lack of content on the ai subject is very apparent and really shines with a huge abscense, i've decided to write some guides of what i'm learning in the editor, keep in mind that i'm new to the editor so the first few things will be very basic, i'll also post my map files if someone is interested.
Methods of Testing
First i would like to point out a few good tips and tricks that i learned that might not be so obvious to everyone.
Revealer
Creating a revealer for yourself can be very useful when testing triggers, allows you to set it to reveal the whole map if you change to (function? Gonna verify this when i get home). Credits to Beider
Text Messages
Another good way of making sure the trigger triggers is adding a text message to the action. If you've got few triggers then you don't really need to write something useful, but i would recomend marking everything properly. Credits to Beider
Again credits goes to Beider he made an almoast identical guide back in the beta, if he wants this removed then i'll remove it and put in a link to his video instead.
Guide 1 : Computer training units.
Introduction
Here we will be learning how to get a computer player to actually train units from say a barracks. This is useful for people like me who want units to be trained instead of just "spawned" the effect is pretty much the same to be honest but this adds more feel to the map (im MY oppinion). At this point this is the first successful attempt for me to actually tell the ai to do something.
Step By Step
Triggers
Create Revealer for player 1, entire map (So you can see if the ai actually creates units).
Modify Player Properties for player 2 (set minerals to 1000).
Start campaign ai ( If you start the melee ai instead this method only works for units, and the melee ai brings a lot of garbage that you may or may not want.)
Set Player Alliance player 1 and player 2, (I like this, then you can actually see the progress bar of the ai training units.
Create a trigger with a periodic time even interval of 20 seconds or so, and make it train a marine in player 2s with the default town and priority settings.
Player Settings
Go into the player menu, set player 2 to computer and the ai to computer, you can set the race to say terran if you want to train a marine, but it does not really matter.
Map Related Stuff
For everyone that didnt get the obvious, you need to create a structure that can train the unit that you want to train, tech and supply limits affect how well this trigger will work, the ai can get supply blocked and can't train units that it did not tech to.
Guide 1.1 : Making a simple map with a simple ai
Introduction
This guide will build upon the things we did in the first guide, the goal here is to create an ai, that builds, attacks, harvests and rebuilds units / buildings if destroyed.
Credits
Beider - Learned some testing methods and the unit training stuff from him. ( http://forums.sc2mapster.com/resources/tutorials/2846-video-tutorial-computer-creating-units/ ) Allthough i'm not sure if he is active here anymore i've sent him a PM since i've included something very very simmilar to his guide in here and i by no means claim it's my own work or whatever, all the credits goes to him.
So the lack of content on the ai subject is very apparent and really shines with a huge abscense, i've decided to write some guides of what i'm learning in the editor, keep in mind that i'm new to the editor so the first few things will be very basic, i'll also post my map files if someone is interested.
Methods of Testing
First i would like to point out a few good tips and tricks that i learned that might not be so obvious to everyone.
Revealer
Creating a revealer for yourself can be very useful when testing triggers, allows you to set it to reveal the whole map if you change to (function? Gonna verify this when i get home). Credits to Beider
Text Messages
Another good way of making sure the trigger triggers is adding a text message to the action. If you've got few triggers then you don't really need to write something useful, but i would recomend marking everything properly. Credits to Beider
Again credits goes to Beider he made an almoast identical guide back in the beta, if he wants this removed then i'll remove it and put in a link to his video instead.
Guide 1 : Computer training units.
Introduction
Here we will be learning how to get a computer player to actually train units from say a barracks. This is useful for people like me who want units to be trained instead of just "spawned" the effect is pretty much the same to be honest but this adds more feel to the map (im MY oppinion). At this point this is the first successful attempt for me to actually tell the ai to do something.
Step By Step
Triggers
Player Settings
Map Related Stuff
Guide 1.1 : Making a simple map with a simple ai
Introduction
This guide will build upon the things we did in the first guide, the goal here is to create an ai, that builds, attacks, harvests and rebuilds units / buildings if destroyed.
Credits
Beider - Learned some testing methods and the unit training stuff from him. ( http://forums.sc2mapster.com/resources/tutorials/2846-video-tutorial-computer-creating-units/ ) Allthough i'm not sure if he is active here anymore i've sent him a PM since i've included something very very simmilar to his guide in here and i by no means claim it's my own work or whatever, all the credits goes to him.
Changelog
08-07-2011 - Solved the "bug/problem" in the first guide, and updated it.
Gonna reserve a second one aswell, because i have no idea about the actual limit of these posts :(
Useful asset for readers:
http://www.sc2mapster.com/assets/ai-editor/
I've actually been looking at that, but i never dared to dl it, i'm a bit untrustworthy, does still work with the latest patches though?
It didn't look broken when I opened it up, it's more of a small framework than anything.
Aha okay, i was just a bit scared because it didnt look updated etc, i'll definatley take a look when i get home! :D
Durr, apparently i didnt read the stuff about the ai editor :) nvm my last edit!
This should be in tutorials? this part of trigger forums is for questions regarding mapers trigger problems :)
I can move it for you
Yeah feel free to move it :)
done