SC2Mapster

@TerraAzure: Go

You *can* however, modify triggers in your mod file from your map using extra data... unless your using a purely data mod, in which case this doesn't help you at all.

@GnaReffotsirk: Go

Extra data and modifiable dependencies allow you to make changes to trigger libraries within the mod. This has no impact on game data, as the data module always modifies the current document's XML.

Some of you may have noticed the Extra Data option added (almost) recently. This can be used alongside modifiable dependencies to modify and update trigger libraries of mods from within a map file, all without changing documents. For those of us working on large scale projects that use a mod (or handful of mods) across multiple maps, this feature is a huge workflow improvement.

How to:

1. Open up your dependencies and right click the desired mod in the left pane. Check "Modifiable"

2. In the trigger module, click on Data > Extra Data

3. Ensuring the desired mod is in your StarCraft II/Mods folder, select the desired mod and hit "OK"

4. Notice that marking your mod as modifiable changes it's color to blue in the library pane of the trigger module, allowing you to make changes to the library. Unsaved changes are marked by an asterisk next to the library's name. Adding the mod as extra data allows you to save changes made to the mod, overwriting the mod file and applying your changes to all maps using the mod.

CAVEATS

There may be more undiscovered features within Extra Data yet to be documented. Extra Data only works with mods saved as .SC2Mods and not with .SC2Components. It appears that you can only save the mod if StarCraft 2 is not currently running an instance of a map using the mod (ie, you have to close the game to save the mod before relaunching to test the map)—which is unfortunate, but still a significant improvement over the previous document-switching method.

@Talioso21: Go

Blizzard uses the new animation features of sc2 layouts added in 3.0. The xml will look a lot like this:

http:pastebin.com/ZJv3WwQb

<Frame type="Image" name="AnimatedHex">
    <Anchor side="Top" relative="$parent" pos="Min" offset="16"/>
    <Anchor side="Left" relative="$parent" pos="Min" offset="14"/>
    <Anchor side="Bottom" relative="$parent" pos="Max" offset="-16"/>
    <Anchor side="Right" relative="$parent" pos="Max" offset="-14"/>
    <RenderPriority val="300"/>
    <SubpixelRendering val="True"/>
   
    <LayerCount val="2"/>
   
    <Texture val="Assets/Textures/ui_battlenet_glue_campaign_panelbg_mask.dds" layer="1"/>
    <TextureCoords top="0" left="0" bottom="1" right="0.85" layer="1"/>
    <WrapUV val="True" layer="1"/>
   
    <Color val="128,196,255"/>
 
    <Texture val="Assets/Textures/ui_battlenet_glue_campaign_panelbg_mask_shimmer.dds" layer="0"/>
    <TextureCoords top="0" left="0" bottom="1" right="0.85" layer="0"/>
    <AlphaLayer val="True" layer="0"/>
    <WrapUV val="False" layer="0"/>
   
    <Animation name="UVScroll">
        <Event event="OnShown" action="DirectionForward" frame="$parent"/>
        <Event event="OnShown" action="Play" frame="$parent"/>
        <Controller type="LayerUV" layer="0" side="Left" relative="True" sidelock="true" end="Loop" >
            <Key type="Curve" time="0" value="0.6" out="Fast"/>
            <Key type="Curve" time="4.5" value="-0.8" in="Fast"/>
            <Key type="Curve" time="4.6" value="-0.8" in="Fast"/>
        </Controller>
    </Animation>
   
    <Animation name="Highlight">
        <Event event="OnShown" action="DirectionForward,Play" frame="$parent"/>
        <Controller type="Fade" end="Pause">
            <Key type="Curve" time="0" value="0" out="Fast"/>
            <Key type="Curve" time=".2" value="255" in="Slow"/>
        </Controller>
    </Animation>
</Frame>

This library houses a collection of general functions I've been using across my latest projects, which may be useful to the community.

GENERAL

• If Then

ACTOR

• Send Actor Message To Unit Group

CAMERA

• Shake Camera For Player

CONVERSION

• Convert Boolean To Real

DEBUG

• Debug Flash Unit
• Debug Point
• Debug Circle
• Debug Rectangle
• Debug Zergling
• Debug Mutalisk
• Debug String
• Debug Panel Show/Hide
• Debug Panel Set Field
• Debug Panel Set Value

(This is what the debug panel looks like)

MATH

• Angle Is Between Bounds
• Integer Is Odd
• Sign (Integer)
• Sign (Real)

REGION

• Constrain Point To Region

STRING

• DeCamel
• Capitalize
• String Is Valid
• Convert Point XY To String

TIMER

• Add Time To Timer

UI

• Hide All UI Frames For Players

Unit

• Unit Has Behavior With Behavior Flag

PIRL.SC2Mod

Note that you have to apply the glaze before setting opacity, as glazes are finicky.

You can use one trigger / event for this functionality. Terrible psuedoscript below.

EVENT
Any Player enters chat message that contains "-", matching Partially.

CONDITION
Substring(EnteredChatMessage, 1, 1) == "-"

ACTIONS
If (StringContains(EnteredChatMessage, "Debug Time"))
  DebugInt = StringToInt(Substring(EnteredChatString, 13, StringLength(EnteredChatString)))
  DoStuffWithDebugInt(DebugInt)
Else If (StringContains(EnteredChatMessage, "Debug Unit"))
  DoStuffWithDebugUnit(SelectedUnit)

Logging into bnet in the editor (via Manage Published Maps, etc) fixes the issue.

Unfortunately this seems to be necessary every time you open the editor...

@Templarfreak: Go

I was working on this last month. I've attached the results of that work. Also includes some changes to collision (now dynamic based on unit height/width instead of always being six points).

NOTE that hit detection (ie, running into enemies and getting damaged or jumping on enemies to pop them) is not well implemented and to merely prove the concept. Proper hit detection would require more work to feel right within the SC2 engine, since with data the game can only check around a unit's center point (or in the case of the current implementation, a group of attached hit box units for each "real" unit) within a search effect.

For those of you with github, I've created a public repo of the 2DGL here. I do not currently have time to develop this further, but may be able to assist (or at least answer questions) if any one else would like to.

@alleyviper85: Go

Rescaled grey box model they added in Void to show invisible walkable platform doodads (search actors for walkable, find the model from there).

Thank you all! I (obviously) could not have done this without the knowledge I've picked up over the least 5 years at sc2mapster.

@Tya, congrats to you as well! I think they said at Blizzcon that they intend for the contest to be annual.

@Supernova134: Go

The attachment point for the turret needs to have the same Z as the origin

@cgsource: Go

Ah, didn't know you were the one who made JetCraft! Loved your use of custom assets in SIEGE!! (did you use new layout animation features or just move dialog items over time?). I'd like to see crazier special abilities, and the ability to use them earlier in the game though.

Good luck today :D

Glad to see you're back in the game :D

@ahrimansiah: Go

Is your "crushing system" behavior and search effect base? Triggers with attached regions? We know nothing about your map or your system.

Attaching your map could also help debug the problem.