SC2Mapster

@FunkyUserName: Go

I re-posted a partial fragment because that fragment was the only portion that I had altered. Ergo, the error HAD to exist in that portion of the code. (not always true, but certainly applicable with the tiny layout file I'm using) And, sure enough, it did.

@SomeoneTookMyNameTT: Go

Thank you SO MUCH!

It never even occurred to me that the problem might be the compiler expecting only one kind of quotation mark. Q.Q

Should be able to get it working now, but I'll post again if something unforeseen crops up. (=

About a year ago, I made a UI layout file for my current game, and it worked fine. Now, I've decided to move the command card a bit down and to the right (which should be an easy change. Just modifying a few frame anchors) and have been unable to get my file to compile any time I change one of these fields.

My current layout file, which works, is:

    <Frame type="CommandPanel" name="GameUI/UIContainer/ConsoleUIContainer/CommandPanel" file="GameUI">
        <BatchImages val="true"/>
        <BatchText val="true"/>
        <Anchor side="Bottom" relative="$parent" pos="Max" offset="50"/>
        <Anchor side="Left" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="0"/>
        <Anchor side="Right" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="0"/>
        <Width val="1700"/>
        <Height val="200"/>

        <Frame type="CommandTooltip" name="CommandTooltip">
            <Anchor side="Bottom" relative="$parent" pos="Max" offset="-130"/>
            <Anchor side="Right" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="220"/>
        </Frame>

        <Frame type="Image" name="CommandTargetImage">
            <Anchor side="Bottom" relative="$parent" pos="Max" offset="9999"/>
            <Anchor side="Right" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="9999"/>
        </Frame>

        <Frame type="CommandButton" name="CommandButton00">
            <Anchor side="Top" relative="$parent" pos="Min" offset="9999"/>
            <Anchor side="Left" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="0"/>
        </Frame>

        <Frame type="CommandButton" name="CommandButton05">
            <Anchor side="Top" relative="$parent" pos="Min" offset="50"/>
            <Anchor side="Left" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="40"/>
        </Frame>

        <Frame type="CommandButton" name="CommandButton10">
            <Anchor side="Top" relative="$parent" pos="Min" offset="50"/>
            <Anchor side="Left" relative="$parent" pos="Mid" offset="-400"/>
        </Frame>
    </Frame>

All that I'm trying to do is change the anchors of the Command Panel to something more like this:

    <Frame type="CommandPanel" name="GameUI/UIContainer/ConsoleUIContainer/CommandPanel" file="GameUI">
        <BatchImages val="true"/>
        <BatchText val="true"/>
        <Anchor side="Bottom" relative="$parent" pos="Max" offset="0"/>
        <Anchor side="Right" relative="$parent" pos=“Max” offset="0"/>
        <Anchor side=“Top” relative="$this” pos=“Min” offset="0"/>
        <Anchor side="Left" relative="$this” pos=“Min” offset="0"/>
        <Width val="1700"/>
        <Height val="200"/>

However, when I try to compile this, I get a parsing error. What am I doing wrong?

Please help me here. I've been bashing my head against a wall of ignorance for days now. =3

@Laiev: Go

Sorry for disappearing for 5 days! =x No, really, I am.

Unfortunately, this solution doesn't work, as the Movement Speed value that you're modifying through triggers here just changes the unit's current MAXIMUM movement speed to a set value regardless of effects that would normally modify this. I want to be able to change a unit's CURRENT movement speed (while it is still in the process of accelerating to or from its max value).

I've already tried the data editor solution that you recommended. It doesn't work for reasons explained in my first post. I appreciate the help, though! (=

To be honest, the only solution that I can think of is to emulate acceleration by having my 'accelerating' units actually change their base movement speed at very short intervals (probably through the addition and removal of stacking buffs), rather than lowering the premade "acceleration" field in Blizzard's data editor. It'll probably work, but I'm not to keen on the idea. It seems horribly wasteful. =\

@willuwontu: Go

.0625*

I'm not talking about maximum movement speed. I'm looking for a way to cut a unit's current movement speed in half, even if it was only halfway through accelerating to it's maximum speed. At this point, I'll take a trigger or data solution, so long as it lets me solve the problem. (I also posted this thread in Data because of that)

Ideally, there'd be a way to get a unit's current velocity (since you KNOW that the SC2 engine is saving that value in between cycles), so that you could just cut that in half, but pausing a unit's movement half of the time (with very short intervals) could also work...if there were a way to do that while still preserving the unit's current velocity.

Any help that you could give me would be wonderful! Thanks! (=

I'm not talking about maximum movement speed. I'm looking for a way to cut a unit's current movement speed in half, even if it was only halfway through accelerating to it's maximum speed. At this point, I'll take a trigger or data solution, so long as it lets me solve the problem. (I also posted this in the Triggers section because of that)

Ideally, there'd be a way to get a unit's current velocity (since you KNOW that the SC2 engine is saving that value in between cycles), so that you could just cut that in half, but pausing a unit's movement half of the time (with very short intervals) could also work...if there were a way to do that while still preserving the unit's current velocity.

Any help that you could give me would be wonderful! Thanks! (=

@Zer0skiller: Go

I'm very curious as to how exactly you did this. Would you be willing to share? =3

Found it!

IF you really can figure out how to get your unit to 'strafe' (I believe that this is impossible to really do outside of the trigger editor, but maybe you could come close using an augment ability on the move command that did an Apply Force effect to your unit, as per ProzaicMuze's nifty tutorial. You'd still need to make custom animations, though.), then I have a solution for you.

Search for the ability SS_FighterShooting. It's the ability that the viking from Lost Viking (the WoL 'arcade' game that you could play in the campaign) used, and it has everything you need. You could literally just apply a behavior that issued an order to use this ability (with a different missile unit, presumably) repeatedly and it would work. Based on your other abilities, I'm guessing you'll go the extra mile, though. =p

@Someguy3141: Go

I'm still working on these problems, by the way. And in spite of the relative length of my previous post, the problems that I'm having are all really just stated in the first paragraph. The rest is just my attempt to pre-emptively answer questions.

EDIT: I have now solved all of my problems.

To anyone wondering about the other problems I had, here's the crucial information that I was missing:

-You can't modify already created data entries in XML view, but you can create new ones.

-Copy-pasting a data entry appears to function differently from duplicating it, as duplicating an object creates data references to its parent (to save space, I assume?), while copy-pasting actually copies and pastes the data (without these references), as you would expect.

-When editing footprints in Layers (opens submenu) >> Placement Apply (dropdown option), be sure to click the Define Sets button! This is crucial, as sets are not quite standardized!

-Creep is modified under Data > Terrain Data > Terrain Types > Whatever texture set you chose for your map (mine was "Valhalla (Lunar)"). You can check your current texture set under Map > Map Textures.

@Pecula: Go

I'm just happy that I was finally able to help someone in return on these forums! Although I wish that I had been able to figure out exactly how I got the ability to work properly in my own game, so I could've helped you a bit better. =3

So, in an effort to make a few Zerg heroes a little more interesting, I've decided to (1) give them generate creep behaviors, (2) modify their creep footprints to create my own custom shapes, (3) tint the creep texture slightly darker, and (4) make the creep translucent, so that you can see the terrain that it's covering.

Unfortunately, I STILL have not figured out how to do any of these things other than (1). Let me clarify what I do know.

(2) I know what footprints are and understand most of the fields visible from Table view and Detail view. HOWEVER, critical aspects of the footprints used when generating creep appear to only be modifiable through XML view. And I don't know how to apply changes to objects through XML view (when I try, they never compile for me, I always get errors) As an example of these differences, look at Footprint2x2Creep and Footprint2x2Contour. All fields for these footprints (other than name) are identical in Table/Detailed view, but if you look at XML view...

    <CFootprint id="Footprint2x2Contour">
        <Layers index="Check">
            <Rows value="xx"/>
            <Rows value="xx"/>
        </Layers>
        <Layers index="Place">
            <Rows value="xx"/>
            <Rows value="xx"/>
        </Layers>
        <Shape>
            <Radius value="1.1181"/>
            <Offsets value="-1,0.5;-0.5,1;0.5,1;1,0.5;1,-0.5;0.5,-1;-0.5,-1;-1,-0.5"/>
            <Borders value="7,0,2;0,1,2;1,2,2;2,3,2;3,4,2;4,5,2;5,6,2;6,7,2"/>
        </Shape>
    </CFootprint>



    <CFootprint id="Footprint2x2Creep" parent="Footprint2x2">
        <Layers index="Check">
            <Sets index="0">
                <Positive index="Creep" value="1"/>
                <Negative index="Creep" value="0"/>
            </Sets>
        </Layers>
        <Shape>
            <Radius value="1.1181"/>
            <Offsets value="0.5,-1;-0.5,-1;-1,-0.5;-1,0.5;-0.5,1;0.5,1;1,0.5;1,-0.5"/>
            <Borders value="7,0,2;0,1,2;1,2,2;2,3,2;3,4,2;4,5,2;5,6,2;6,7,2"/>
        </Shape>
    </CFootprint>

You'll notice that they are very different. And I have no clue as to how I can manually edit one to look like the other.

(3) I know that this can be done through "Terrain Texture Sets", but (a) I have no idea how to modify textures (that's something that I need to read up on, if I can find good tutorials to peruse), and (b) I can't actually find the "Terrain Texture Sets" category. =3

(4) I'm not sure if making creep translucent is possible, but if it isn't, I can get by with the 'disallow creep' terrain painter. I would GREATLY prefer to just make creep transparent and let it cover everything, though.

I know this is a long question, but that's an inevitable result of my tendency to avoid asking for help on the forums unless I've wasted hours on it trying to find a solution on my own. I appreciate all the help you guys have given me, and I don't want to be any more of a bother than necessary. (=

By the way, is anyone else more knowledgeable about Actors than me familiar with this problem?

EDIT: Allow me to direct your attention to this most excellent tutorial, which should empower you to pinpoint the problem for yourself: http://www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/4656-data-working-with-actors-beginner-difficulty/

This is kind of absolute bare-minimum knowledge for working with missiles and actors in general. I am ashamed to have not read this ages ago. =3 Better late than never, I suppose.

@FunkyUserName: Go

Eight days later, I'm back, as promised!

Unfortunately, the map that I'm doing this on is a project that I'd rather not post...more because I'd be embarrassed if someone published the half-baked version that exists now than because I'm afraid of someone stealing credit. =p

I'll see if I can replicate the problem in a duplicate map. Do you happen to know an easy way to copy data editor material between maps? The easiest method that I can think of is copy-pasting the field entries for each part of the effect tree from XML view and then reassembling them on the other side, which will still be a bit of a pain.

EDIT: Well, I've resolved the cooldown problem. (and while I haven't found a FIX for the tinting problem, I've been able to avoid being troubled by it thus far, by simply avoiding it, which is good enough, I guess. *shrugs*) It was indeed an error in the code that I showed in my original post, and although I can't say for sure, since I had changed multiple fields simultaneously when I fixed it, but the thing that did it was probably giving the ability cooldowns their own link to reference.

The fixed code was:

<CAbilEffectInstant id="GuardianShieldEx">

</CAbilEffectInstant>

Bump!

Still looking for solutions to those first two problems. The Spawn Infested Terrans ability I've actually given up on. I'm just going to use the original ability, rather than trying to create my own working duplicate. (I'd replicated the entire effects tree and umpteenth-checked it, and looked at every relevant actor I could find. No luck.)

Anyone have any ideas? Questions? Complaints? =3

@Pecula: Go

You're very welcome! And I'm glad that you're able to wait on this. I'll help you out in 8 days. Feel free to post your map in the mean time, and I'll look through it to find the error. Otherwise, I'll post an empty map with the finished ability for ya. (;

EDIT: 8 days later, and I think I'm stupid this morning, based on how much trouble I had. =3 You were probably having difficulties because you weren't using a ballistic mover, which was an easy change for me to make.

Unfortunately, there's some problem with either the Launch Missile ability or (more likely) the corresponding Action actor, "Fireball Attack", that I encountered because I had lazily copy-pasted the example map from the Diablo Fireball Spell Tutorial. For whatever reason, the missile actor isn't using the correct mover right off the bat, but the missile unit is, which is causing a desync between the two. Since I couldn't isolate the problem, the workaround here is the next best thing I managed. If you go to the "Fireball Redirect Behavior" on the first map that I posted and increase the Period value, you'll see what the problem is. (The Effect - Initial field doesn't actually do anything, since the behavior doesn't count as being applied when the unit starts with it)

The problem emerged when I increased the Launch Missile effect's Impact Offset, so I'm also attaching a 'marginally better' version that doesn't use an Impact Offset. (but this means that the missile won't move forever if you target a point on the ground so close that the "Fireball Redirect Behavior" behavior doesn't have time to take effect (i.e., right on top of the unit. That's a pretty small distance.))