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Tutorial: Scaling Size in Cinematics
Basics
What is scaling size?
Scaling size is a real value, which makes the model in question appear either larger or smaller, depending on whether you increased or decreased the value.
Differences between scaling size on units and doodads
The major difference between scaling size on units and scaling size on doodads is that with doodads, you have a maximum and a minimum scaling size. This means that you can change the scaling size of each doodad you place in the map. To change the individual scaling size of a doodad, double-click it in the World Editor. You should see a box appear with the doodad’s name, and some boxes. The 3 boxes we will be looking at are the X, Y, and Z scale boxes. These are in percents, so if you want to make a doodad’s overall size twice that of its original size, you need to set the X, Y, and Z scale boxes to 200.00. You can change each box separately; play around with it until you get what you are looking for.
The Actual Tutorial
How can this help me when making cinematics?
Well, there are many ways that scaling size can help you in cinematics:
Realistic Building-Size
If you haven’t noticed already, the default building sizes are about 2 or 3 times the height of a default unit. This is not how it works in real life. There are two ways to fix this:
Increase the building sizes
You can double, or even triple, the scaling size of your buildings to make them seem realistic. This can be effective, but you will need to either use many pathing blockers, or make custom pathing maps. This can be very time-consuming.
Decrease the unit sizes
You can also decrease the unit sizes. Because it is a cinematic, the viewer will not be able to tell that the units are actually very small, as long as you have the cameras set up correctly. This is the technique I use, because one does not have to play with the pathing maps of the doodads and buildings.
“Creating” Special Effects
There are certain models in Warcraft 3 that have particle emitters. However, these particle emitters also have models, so they only have restricted uses. With scaling size, you can manipulate these models to create special effects. First, you will need to find a model with particle emitters. I will be using the Sun Well as an example. Next, you should set the Sun Well’s pathing map to None, so as not to interfere with things. Then, you want to set the minimum scaling size to a small number, such as .01. You can also set the maximum to a small number, but I recommend making it a bit larger than the minimum. I usually set it at 0.1. Then, place your Sun Well on the map. It should not look like the standard Sun Well, but instead, it should look like a stick of yellow light with circles emitting from the top. Then, place your new “special effect” wherever it is needed. Some other models which can be used for this are: the Waterfall, Lighting Bolt, and Shimmering Portal.
List of models which can be used as special effects:
•Waterfall
•Sun Well
•Lightning Bolt
•Shimmering Portal
•Fountain
•Wall Fountain
•Demon Storm
•Dust
•Power Generator (not very good)
•Flame Grate (not very good)
•Fire
•Fire Blue
•Eye of Sargeras
•Rising Water
•Rising Water Wide
•Trap Frost
•Trap Fire
•Smoke Smudge (not really worth it)
•Footprints Demonic
•Cityscape Houses
•Water Elemental
•Phoenix
•Phoenix Egg
•Healing Ward
•Skeletal Mage
•Disease Cloud
•Locust
•Banshee
•Shade
•Owl Scout
•Avatar of Vengeance
•Lava Spawn
•Monster Lure
•Tornado
Feel free to make suggestions for this list.
Close-Up Shots of Units
If you want a close-up shot of a unit’s face, weapon, or whatever, you can use scaling size to make it easier. Just make the scaling size of the unit to something large, such as 5.00 or 10.00. Then, place the large unit on the map. Finally, position your camera so you can see the part of the unit you want. Voila! You now have a close-up shot of your unit.
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