As IggNight and Xtremedesyr said: the student version of 3dsMax is free and will let you use the official Blizzard export tool (Only works with Max 2011).
Registration asks you for the name of a university, but doesn't require any sort of verification that you really attend said school.
I would imagine any form of Max 2011 would work, though I'm really not sure what's different about Design compared to the standard version.
When you opt in they'll send a download link and installation instructions to your registered battle.net email address (the file is 113 mb). The tools come with an installer, so you just have to run their executable and the new tools and menu buttons will magically appear in Max. Includes sample models and not-quite-complete tutorial/reference files.
Terrain textures use the diffuse map's alpha channel for specular. If your alpha channel is solid black, the texture won't have any shiny areas. Though it may still be dependent on having a proper normal map to look right.
Alternately, as Maity said, you can simply turn down the Terrain Specular in your lighting.
You could group doodads by theme (terran installation, protoss, jungle, space platform, wreckage, etc).
Or just pick a list of interesting (or creatively uninteresting) doodads similar to the Do That Doodad WTEs - then people randomly roll off that list. Then we all get to giggle at the one guy who ends up with Barrels as his primary doodad.
In the Data editor, under the Sounds tab. Pick any sound in the list, double click Sound Assets in the right column.
From there double click one of the sound files in the list to open the library of every sound in the game - find the Music subfolder and use the Preview button to your heart's content.
If you imported the textures correctly they should be visible in the Terrain Textures texture slot, as you described.
Be sure to save your map after importing the files, they won't be available for use until you do.
Edit: Tested the tileset, it works. Uploading a screenshot-based step-by-step.
[Forgot to label one step at the beginning of part 4 - Create new terrain type. Not required, but I like to keep my new tilesets separate from the existing ones. Step 6 uses whichever tileset you used in part 4.]
Two of those people were me and my roommate, who missed the original signups and have been waiting for a chance to get our sticky little hands on the tools.
I would presume that is also the case for the other people who chimed in as soon as they discovered the door was open again.
On my end it's always gone straight to the last post if I just click the thread title, for as long as I've been using the site. To get to the first post I have to manually click the "Page 1" link.
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As IggNight and Xtremedesyr said: the student version of 3dsMax is free and will let you use the official Blizzard export tool (Only works with Max 2011).
Registration asks you for the name of a university, but doesn't require any sort of verification that you really attend said school.
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There was a thread on the official forums about getting this model (and a few others exclusive to the the pre-rendered cinematics).
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/8197860976
Short version: we may get a pack of the missing SM models at some point, but no promises.
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@Eimtr: Go
I would imagine any form of Max 2011 would work, though I'm really not sure what's different about Design compared to the standard version.
When you opt in they'll send a download link and installation instructions to your registered battle.net email address (the file is 113 mb). The tools come with an installer, so you just have to run their executable and the new tools and menu buttons will magically appear in Max. Includes sample models and not-quite-complete tutorial/reference files.
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@jesuson: Go
The cliff mesh you're using in the tileset isn't set up to have a transparent background.
You'll need to use a space platform cliff or one of the other "bottomless" cliffs, such as the metal catwalk from the Char Fortress.
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Terrain textures use the diffuse map's alpha channel for specular. If your alpha channel is solid black, the texture won't have any shiny areas. Though it may still be dependent on having a proper normal map to look right.
Alternately, as Maity said, you can simply turn down the Terrain Specular in your lighting.
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@Mozared: Go
You could group doodads by theme (terran installation, protoss, jungle, space platform, wreckage, etc).
Or just pick a list of interesting (or creatively uninteresting) doodads similar to the Do That Doodad WTEs - then people randomly roll off that list. Then we all get to giggle at the one guy who ends up with Barrels as his primary doodad.
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@ScrinKing: Go
My guess is that it defaults to whatever it uses for the "off" animation.
If so you should be able to change it through triggers or actor events.
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@dwklein: Go
In the Data editor, under the Sounds tab. Pick any sound in the list, double click Sound Assets in the right column.
From there double click one of the sound files in the list to open the library of every sound in the game - find the Music subfolder and use the Preview button to your heart's content.
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@Countbuffalo: Go
If you imported the textures correctly they should be visible in the Terrain Textures texture slot, as you described.
Be sure to save your map after importing the files, they won't be available for use until you do.
Edit: Tested the tileset, it works. Uploading a screenshot-based step-by-step.
[Forgot to label one step at the beginning of part 4 - Create new terrain type. Not required, but I like to keep my new tilesets separate from the existing ones. Step 6 uses whichever tileset you used in part 4.]
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@gamemore: Go
Two of those people were me and my roommate, who missed the original signups and have been waiting for a chance to get our sticky little hands on the tools.
I would presume that is also the case for the other people who chimed in as soon as they discovered the door was open again.
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@joecab: Go
Supposedly it still works, but only visible in-game. I haven't tested it yet myself.
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@Mozared: Go
Those ancient temple columns are pretty badass. Can't wait to see what people can do with em.
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@Mozared: Go
On my end it's always gone straight to the last post if I just click the thread title, for as long as I've been using the site. To get to the first post I have to manually click the "Page 1" link.
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@HydraMannequin: Go
Pretty sure it's a custom texture, along with about half of his other signs (Toshiba and FamilyMart in particular jump out at me).
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@Jeffman12: Go
Real-time, capable of being regenerated on the fly to create new dungeon levels.
Check out Ahli634's "Dia blo Mortal Shroud" (searchable on bnet) or Helral's Random Dungeon Map for examples.