Right click the unmodified marine in the data editor. You WILL have issues if you try to duplicate a version that has already been modified or already been duplicated. You will want to duplicate the unmodified, original marine from the default mod.
When it asks you what to duplicate, check off the "actor" section. You do NOT need to duplicate the model, sounds, or anything else there. This should create a new unit and a new actor and they should be correctly linked if you duplicated an unmodified, default unit. DO NOT change the ID of the object. It will be Marine2 I believe.
If you want to change what unit an actor is linked to or check what it is linked to, then go to the actor tab and select the new actor. At the very top there should be a line (do not use tree view) in a separate section. That line contains which unit the actor is linked to.
When duplicating the marine, the new unit will probably be called Marine 2. The new actor will probably be Marine 2 as well and linked to the Marine 2 unit. If you rename the object ID of the unit, the actor will not be linked to it. If you rename the unit and click suggest ID, then it will change the ID and the actor will not be linked. If you rename the actor, duplicate a modified unit, or duplicate a duplicated unit, it will change the object ID without correctly changing the ID of what the actor is linked to.
If you have any issues, click on the actor in the data editor and go through EVERY field to make sure that all instances of "Marine2" correctly state the object ID of the unit. If you still cannot get it to work, then please post EXACTLY what you are modifying and what steps you are taking so that someone can tell you where you went wrong.
You should instead use terrain deformations. You will find that the terrain can be increased or decreased in height greatly. It is very possible to make huge mountains. As for importing a model to use, that is also possible. You would have to make a footprint for it that states not-walkable areas ect, so it would take some time but is possible.
Since game release, none of the custom art in my map will display at all. I had custom terrain textures, custom interface items, custom buttons/check boxes, ect. In game, the terrain simply doesn't load and the other images are just light blue squares.
In the beta, the map worked fine. I cannot figure out why none of the images can load now. They are all .dds format. The terrain loads and works perfectly in the editor, but in game it does not load. I'm stumped on this one as I can not see any reason that the editor can correctly display my custom terrain and images, while the game cannot load them. Any help or insight appreciated.
I heard that the new patch has removed natives, so I have not installed it yet. Can anyone confirm or correct the fact that the Wait and Point natives are removed? Why would they remove Point? My project is full of Points. And, if Wait and Points are gone, what alternatives are there?
Fake names do not work for everyone. If you have an authenticator on your account (WoW players and accomplished map developers will) then it would be a very bad idea to use a fake name. If the battery on your authenticator runs out, it breaks, or it gets lost then you need to provide Blizzard with copies of valid ID to remove the non-functioning authenticator. If you used a fake name, you would not be able to do this. So, really, if you already entered a fake name and attached an authenticator, then your account will become unusable as soon as that battery runs out. Just my 2 cents.
Update:
It appears that the file in the "normal map" section works differently than I had thought. The rgb part of the picture seems to apply light of that color, and the alpha channel determines how much of the default game light hits that spot where 100% (black) is fully lit and 0% (white) has no light and creates dark patches and shadows.
Therefore, if you are using a texture that already has dark patches and shadows, the inverted greyscale version of that texture would make an appropriate alpha channel for the normal map file. Also note that it is best to keep the contrast low and near 50% alpha (128/128/128) and avoid 0% or 100% alpha for best effect.
Ok, so the maximum file size of a map that could be published was 10.5 mb. I know that already, but it still leaves unanswered questions and issues.
What is the maximum file size for a mod?
Can you exceed 10.5 mb limit for one project by publishing a 10 mb map with a 10 mb mod?
How long does it take to download a 10 mb map on battle.net, if anyone knows?
Not to mention that the limit is RIDICULOUS. Terrain textures each must be 1024x1024 and a map can use 8 terrain textures. Compressed as much as possible, the 8 textures and 8 normal maps to make custom terrain take up 8 mb alone. With 8 of the 10 mb already used, how can you ad more than 2 custom models?
If Blizzard expects high quality maps, then 10 mb is not possible. For example, a map with a custom terrain set, 5 simple custom models, and 1 low quality music file (we could easily put that much in a wc3 map) would take at least 12mb and that is not nearly enough to make a custom mod.
I spent the better part of 2 full days trying to figure out how to make custom terrain textures work like the default ones in the editor. It is definitely no easy task through trial-and-error. Therefore, I decided to write up my findings in hopes that they may be useful for others.
First of all, if you look at the default textures in the terrain sets, you will notice that there is two texture files. These are labeled as "Normal Map" and "Texture" and they are both in the ".dds" format. I'll start with the format.
The .dds format stands for Direct Draw Surface and is the format that Direct X uses for textures, apparently. Most applications cannot read or save in this format, but there are plug-ins to work with this file type for GIMP (free software) and Photoshop. Some programs, such as Irfanview, can open the file type but not save files in that type and will not be useful for creating textures.
Ok, so now you hopefully have found yourself a program for editing the .dds file type. So, what is the difference between the Normal Map and the Texture? If you look at the default terrain texture files in the editor, you will notice that they are very dark and do not look like they do when placed on the ground. And the Normal Maps are usually greyscale and sort of look like someone used an "emboss" effect on the texture. Well, its a very complex system of alpha channels. First I will explain what the alpha channels do for these textures, then after I will explain how to do it it GIMP.
~~
Texture: The texture appears almost black in the editor's file browser because of its alpha channel. After much experimenting, the alpha channel of the texture file determines how well it blends with other textures on the ground.
- If the alpha channel is non-existent or 0% (pure white) then the texture will not blend at all with other textures when placed on the ground. This could be useful, I suppose, but for the most part it looks extremely ugly.
- When the alpha channel of the texture is 100% (pure black) it blends smoothest with other ground textures in the editor.
Values in between, any shade of grey, have a varying amount of blend between textures. Therefore, I recommend that all of your ground textures always have a pure black, 100% alpha channel. This will make them blend the smoothest.
~~
Normal Map: The 'normal map' files that Blizzard uses are NOT true normal maps. If you take your texture and use a normal map generator, the result will NOT work in the editor as terrain. The "Normal Map" field seems to function much more like a Specular Map. The editor is very confusing in this. Anyway, the file in the Normal Map field seems to function with greyscale images and color images and also MUST have an alpha channel to function correctly.
- In the image (rgb part), the darker areas of the image will have less lighting.
- The lighter areas of the image will have more lighting. It functions sort of like highlights and tells the game which areas to draw light on.
- For the alpha channel, 0% (pure white) will have extreme lighting in only the up-down direction.
- 100% (pure black) alpha will have extreme lighting in only the left-right direction.
Don't quote me on the directions as I may have switched them. Its confusing and I doubt most people will have a use for messing with this feature.
I recommend a 50% alpha (128r, 128g, 128b) for the full image on the Normal Map. Yes, you can make much more complex lighting with other values, but it is difficult to do and unnecessary because the brightness of the rgb image already controls how much light there is. You are welcome to contribute more information if you find better results another way. I tested using a copy of the image as the alpha and an inverted copy of the image, but both looked horrible.
~~
How to make a .DDS file in GIMP:
- First, find a plug-in for GIMP to be able to save in the .dds format. Note that the size of your image must be a power of 2 for it to work in the Galaxy editor (128, 256, 512, 1024, ect). You do not need a seamless or tiling texture because the Galaxy editor will blend it for you.
- When your image is ready, right click on it in GIMP and go to Layer --> Mask --> Add Layer Mask and click Ok. This will add a new layer to use as your alpha channel. Edit this new layer as you see fit (I recommend pure black (256,256,256) for Textures and medium grey (128,128,128) for Normal Maps.
- When it is done, right click the image and select Layer --> Mask --> Apply Mask Layer.
- Your alpha channel is done and your image is complete. Click save and save it as a .dds file. When prompted for settings, change the compression to lower the file size and select "add mipmap". (all of Blizzard's file have the mipmap).
- Now just import the file and use it in the data editor as I described!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Corrections or contributions are welcome. However, I am NOT taking requests to make your terrain or textures at this time, sorry.
Edit: Note that this will be a Premium project in Blizzard's marketplace upon release of the premium content system. That means it will be sold for money and by helping out you can earn your share. I'm not asking for charity work.
Introduction:
I am currently far into development of a 3rd person shooter, multiplayer, full-game mod. The code, textures, interface, terrain, maps, music, and models are already in development and should be complete before the release of Starcraft 2. The development team is simply missing an animator. Most of the work required is relatively simple.
Description:
This project has a very large scope and will span many different units, weapons, game modes, and maps. As this is a full-game mod, all assets will be custom and default aspects of the game will NOT be used. This means that this project has fully custom music, sounds, ground textures, doodads, interface, and models. The mod is also designed to be extremely easy to implement to any user-created maps as well without any coding required. The project is a third person, fast-paced, shooter with online team-based play.
Goals:
The current goals and schedule of this project are as follows. First, a video will be released showing off graphics and gameplay mechanics. This will be at an undetermined date between now and the release of Starcraft 2. On the release of Starcraft 2, a demo will be available with only 1 map, limited units, and limited modes of play. At an undetermined date shortly after the release of Starcraft 2, the full version will be released as a premium map/mod for sale in Blizzard's marketplace. The full release will include many different maps, modes of play, and a wide range of units.
What we are looking for:
The project requires an animator. The animator will have the job of animating a number of units for the project. Most of the tasks required are simple tasks such as adding the location that missiles leave a unit or making an engine light up for a move animation. The majority of the models are vehicles or aircraft that do not require very many or complex animations. However, at least one unit will be humanoid and require walk/fire/reload animations similar to that of the marine. Attachment points are most likely not needed.
If you are an animator, then please send me a private message or reply to this thread. Thank you, we look forward to seeing your name in the credits. Feel free to ask for more details regarding the project.
Edit: Note that this will be a Premium project in Blizzard's marketplace upon release of the premium content system. That means it will be sold for money and by helping out you can earn your share. I'm not asking for charity work.
Ok, so I am trying to make a validator that checks the height of a unit. This is done with a validator of type 'Unit Compare Field' with the 'Validator - Field' set to "Height." That part works. I suppose my issue would be universal to checking any validator value, really.
However, this only applies for comparing the height field to a set value in the 'Validator - Value' field. If I want to check if the height field is greater than 0, I can just write 0 as the value. But I want to check if the height is greater than that of another unit or an arithmetic result. Is there a way to write code into the 'Validator - Value' field or compare it to another unit with the 'Validator - Other Unit' field? Any help appreciated!
0
Right click the unmodified marine in the data editor. You WILL have issues if you try to duplicate a version that has already been modified or already been duplicated. You will want to duplicate the unmodified, original marine from the default mod.
When it asks you what to duplicate, check off the "actor" section. You do NOT need to duplicate the model, sounds, or anything else there. This should create a new unit and a new actor and they should be correctly linked if you duplicated an unmodified, default unit. DO NOT change the ID of the object. It will be Marine2 I believe.
If you want to change what unit an actor is linked to or check what it is linked to, then go to the actor tab and select the new actor. At the very top there should be a line (do not use tree view) in a separate section. That line contains which unit the actor is linked to.
When duplicating the marine, the new unit will probably be called Marine 2. The new actor will probably be Marine 2 as well and linked to the Marine 2 unit. If you rename the object ID of the unit, the actor will not be linked to it. If you rename the unit and click suggest ID, then it will change the ID and the actor will not be linked. If you rename the actor, duplicate a modified unit, or duplicate a duplicated unit, it will change the object ID without correctly changing the ID of what the actor is linked to.
If you have any issues, click on the actor in the data editor and go through EVERY field to make sure that all instances of "Marine2" correctly state the object ID of the unit. If you still cannot get it to work, then please post EXACTLY what you are modifying and what steps you are taking so that someone can tell you where you went wrong.
0
You should instead use terrain deformations. You will find that the terrain can be increased or decreased in height greatly. It is very possible to make huge mountains. As for importing a model to use, that is also possible. You would have to make a footprint for it that states not-walkable areas ect, so it would take some time but is possible.
0
Bump.
It seems my image that is a .tga file does load, but all of my .dds textures do not show up in game.
0
@phoenixfire2001: Go
I believe a 128 unit square in WC3 is equivalent to 1 unit in SC2.
In SC2, if you create a 96x96 map then it has those number of units, while in WC3 a 96x96 map would have had something like 12288x12288 units.
0
Since game release, none of the custom art in my map will display at all. I had custom terrain textures, custom interface items, custom buttons/check boxes, ect. In game, the terrain simply doesn't load and the other images are just light blue squares.
In the beta, the map worked fine. I cannot figure out why none of the images can load now. They are all .dds format. The terrain loads and works perfectly in the editor, but in game it does not load. I'm stumped on this one as I can not see any reason that the editor can correctly display my custom terrain and images, while the game cannot load them. Any help or insight appreciated.
0
Thank you, appreciated.
0
I heard that the new patch has removed natives, so I have not installed it yet. Can anyone confirm or correct the fact that the Wait and Point natives are removed? Why would they remove Point? My project is full of Points. And, if Wait and Points are gone, what alternatives are there?
0
Bump
0
Fake names do not work for everyone. If you have an authenticator on your account (WoW players and accomplished map developers will) then it would be a very bad idea to use a fake name. If the battery on your authenticator runs out, it breaks, or it gets lost then you need to provide Blizzard with copies of valid ID to remove the non-functioning authenticator. If you used a fake name, you would not be able to do this. So, really, if you already entered a fake name and attached an authenticator, then your account will become unusable as soon as that battery runs out. Just my 2 cents.
0
Update: It appears that the file in the "normal map" section works differently than I had thought. The rgb part of the picture seems to apply light of that color, and the alpha channel determines how much of the default game light hits that spot where 100% (black) is fully lit and 0% (white) has no light and creates dark patches and shadows.
Therefore, if you are using a texture that already has dark patches and shadows, the inverted greyscale version of that texture would make an appropriate alpha channel for the normal map file. Also note that it is best to keep the contrast low and near 50% alpha (128/128/128) and avoid 0% or 100% alpha for best effect.
0
Ok, so the maximum file size of a map that could be published was 10.5 mb. I know that already, but it still leaves unanswered questions and issues.
What is the maximum file size for a mod?
Can you exceed 10.5 mb limit for one project by publishing a 10 mb map with a 10 mb mod?
How long does it take to download a 10 mb map on battle.net, if anyone knows?
Not to mention that the limit is RIDICULOUS. Terrain textures each must be 1024x1024 and a map can use 8 terrain textures. Compressed as much as possible, the 8 textures and 8 normal maps to make custom terrain take up 8 mb alone. With 8 of the 10 mb already used, how can you ad more than 2 custom models?
If Blizzard expects high quality maps, then 10 mb is not possible. For example, a map with a custom terrain set, 5 simple custom models, and 1 low quality music file (we could easily put that much in a wc3 map) would take at least 12mb and that is not nearly enough to make a custom mod.
0
I spent the better part of 2 full days trying to figure out how to make custom terrain textures work like the default ones in the editor. It is definitely no easy task through trial-and-error. Therefore, I decided to write up my findings in hopes that they may be useful for others.
First of all, if you look at the default textures in the terrain sets, you will notice that there is two texture files. These are labeled as "Normal Map" and "Texture" and they are both in the ".dds" format. I'll start with the format.
The .dds format stands for Direct Draw Surface and is the format that Direct X uses for textures, apparently. Most applications cannot read or save in this format, but there are plug-ins to work with this file type for GIMP (free software) and Photoshop. Some programs, such as Irfanview, can open the file type but not save files in that type and will not be useful for creating textures.
Ok, so now you hopefully have found yourself a program for editing the .dds file type. So, what is the difference between the Normal Map and the Texture? If you look at the default terrain texture files in the editor, you will notice that they are very dark and do not look like they do when placed on the ground. And the Normal Maps are usually greyscale and sort of look like someone used an "emboss" effect on the texture. Well, its a very complex system of alpha channels. First I will explain what the alpha channels do for these textures, then after I will explain how to do it it GIMP.
~~
Texture: The texture appears almost black in the editor's file browser because of its alpha channel. After much experimenting, the alpha channel of the texture file determines how well it blends with other textures on the ground.
- If the alpha channel is non-existent or 0% (pure white) then the texture will not blend at all with other textures when placed on the ground. This could be useful, I suppose, but for the most part it looks extremely ugly.
- When the alpha channel of the texture is 100% (pure black) it blends smoothest with other ground textures in the editor.
Values in between, any shade of grey, have a varying amount of blend between textures. Therefore, I recommend that all of your ground textures always have a pure black, 100% alpha channel. This will make them blend the smoothest.
~~
Normal Map: The 'normal map' files that Blizzard uses are NOT true normal maps. If you take your texture and use a normal map generator, the result will NOT work in the editor as terrain. The "Normal Map" field seems to function much more like a Specular Map. The editor is very confusing in this. Anyway, the file in the Normal Map field seems to function with greyscale images and color images and also MUST have an alpha channel to function correctly.
- In the image (rgb part), the darker areas of the image will have less lighting.
- The lighter areas of the image will have more lighting. It functions sort of like highlights and tells the game which areas to draw light on.
- For the alpha channel, 0% (pure white) will have extreme lighting in only the up-down direction.
- 100% (pure black) alpha will have extreme lighting in only the left-right direction.
Don't quote me on the directions as I may have switched them. Its confusing and I doubt most people will have a use for messing with this feature.
I recommend a 50% alpha (128r, 128g, 128b) for the full image on the Normal Map. Yes, you can make much more complex lighting with other values, but it is difficult to do and unnecessary because the brightness of the rgb image already controls how much light there is. You are welcome to contribute more information if you find better results another way. I tested using a copy of the image as the alpha and an inverted copy of the image, but both looked horrible.
~~
How to make a .DDS file in GIMP:
- First, find a plug-in for GIMP to be able to save in the .dds format. Note that the size of your image must be a power of 2 for it to work in the Galaxy editor (128, 256, 512, 1024, ect). You do not need a seamless or tiling texture because the Galaxy editor will blend it for you.
- When your image is ready, right click on it in GIMP and go to Layer --> Mask --> Add Layer Mask and click Ok. This will add a new layer to use as your alpha channel. Edit this new layer as you see fit (I recommend pure black (256,256,256) for Textures and medium grey (128,128,128) for Normal Maps.
- When it is done, right click the image and select Layer --> Mask --> Apply Mask Layer.
- Your alpha channel is done and your image is complete. Click save and save it as a .dds file. When prompted for settings, change the compression to lower the file size and select "add mipmap". (all of Blizzard's file have the mipmap).
- Now just import the file and use it in the data editor as I described!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Corrections or contributions are welcome. However, I am NOT taking requests to make your terrain or textures at this time, sorry.
0
Its unfortunate that it seems you do not have the time. Thank you for your reply.
0
Edit: Note that this will be a Premium project in Blizzard's marketplace upon release of the premium content system. That means it will be sold for money and by helping out you can earn your share. I'm not asking for charity work.
Introduction:
I am currently far into development of a 3rd person shooter, multiplayer, full-game mod. The code, textures, interface, terrain, maps, music, and models are already in development and should be complete before the release of Starcraft 2. The development team is simply missing an animator. Most of the work required is relatively simple.
Description:
This project has a very large scope and will span many different units, weapons, game modes, and maps. As this is a full-game mod, all assets will be custom and default aspects of the game will NOT be used. This means that this project has fully custom music, sounds, ground textures, doodads, interface, and models. The mod is also designed to be extremely easy to implement to any user-created maps as well without any coding required. The project is a third person, fast-paced, shooter with online team-based play.
Goals:
The current goals and schedule of this project are as follows. First, a video will be released showing off graphics and gameplay mechanics. This will be at an undetermined date between now and the release of Starcraft 2. On the release of Starcraft 2, a demo will be available with only 1 map, limited units, and limited modes of play. At an undetermined date shortly after the release of Starcraft 2, the full version will be released as a premium map/mod for sale in Blizzard's marketplace. The full release will include many different maps, modes of play, and a wide range of units.
What we are looking for:
The project requires an animator. The animator will have the job of animating a number of units for the project. Most of the tasks required are simple tasks such as adding the location that missiles leave a unit or making an engine light up for a move animation. The majority of the models are vehicles or aircraft that do not require very many or complex animations. However, at least one unit will be humanoid and require walk/fire/reload animations similar to that of the marine. Attachment points are most likely not needed.
If you are an animator, then please send me a private message or reply to this thread. Thank you, we look forward to seeing your name in the credits. Feel free to ask for more details regarding the project.
Edit: Note that this will be a Premium project in Blizzard's marketplace upon release of the premium content system. That means it will be sold for money and by helping out you can earn your share. I'm not asking for charity work.
0
Ok, so I am trying to make a validator that checks the height of a unit. This is done with a validator of type 'Unit Compare Field' with the 'Validator - Field' set to "Height." That part works. I suppose my issue would be universal to checking any validator value, really.
However, this only applies for comparing the height field to a set value in the 'Validator - Value' field. If I want to check if the height field is greater than 0, I can just write 0 as the value. But I want to check if the height is greater than that of another unit or an arithmetic result. Is there a way to write code into the 'Validator - Value' field or compare it to another unit with the 'Validator - Other Unit' field? Any help appreciated!