Minimap as Map; Camera follows units

[Halofan]

Firstly, I'm working on a new map that would have the player follow a single unit around, similar to an RPG. I changed a few things around with the camera so that it stays locked to the unit but still allows players to issue orders on the minimap. My question is how do I make the minimap display only terrain, and not buildings, units, etc.? I removed the fog of war, but don't want wandering creeps, gold mines, and other objects to show up, so that the minimap basically functions as a map (like in TES IV:Oblivion or Fallout 3)


Secondly, a while back I had designed a map that allowed me to keep the camera locked to the unit I wanted, and as the unit turned, the camera rotated to stay on the unit's back, but I can't remember how I did that and I no longer have the map. I've searched the tutorials and couldn't find it, and I tried locking the camera to the unit with the action "Lock Camera to Unit with unit's rotation."

*EDIT*

To be honest, I'd rather fix the first problem, the second isn't as important to me, so even if you can't help with the camera, any feedback on the map would be much appreciated (+rep). Thanks in advance.

 

[XxShadyxX]

For the second one, just have it reset the Lock Camera to unit with unit's rotation, and boom there you go.

 

[Halofan]

I did that, several times. It's not working.

 

[XxShadyxX]

Use a periodic timer, every 0.09 seconds it re applies the Lock, it works, I have done it before.

 

[millz-]

Solution for first would be quite troublesome. You will have to go into your object editor, and go through every single unit that will ever appear in your map, set Stats - Hide Minimap Display (uhom) to true. Yes, every single unit that will appear in your map.

 

[Halofan]

Yeah, I tried doing that too, and still isn't working. But it's alright, I've just decided to go with something different. The camera still follows, but it's on a slight delay so that unit moves around the screen a little bit.

Solution for first would be quite troublesome. You will have to go into your object editor, and go through every single unit that will ever appear in your map, set Stats - Hide Minimap Display (uhom) to true. Yes, every single unit that will appear in your map.

Ohh, I was afraid of that.

 

[Tru_Power22]

You could take a screen shot of an empty map, then use is it as Wc3MapPreivew.tga to hide everything. You should still be able to issue orders not sure though.

 

[Halofan]

Yes but then the map would be fully revealed, I have a black mask over it to start. Fog of war is gone though, so anything they've gone through is visible, but where they haven't been is still unknown. And I'm pretty sure that if I were to make it an image in place of the minimap, I couldn't issue orders onto it anymore. Thanks though.