Triggers - Countdown Timers

[Ghan]

I recently searched the tutorials for one on timers and came up dry, so I thought I'd create this basic overview for new mappers.

TIMERS​

I. What is a Timer?
II. Why are Timers used?
III. How to create a Timer
IV. Extras on Timers
V. Counting Up



I. What is a Timer?

A timer is a window that appears after a certain event that then counts down toward 0 in seconds from a specified time. There are two parts to a timer, the timer itself, which is to say the numbers that are counting down, and the timer window, which is the box that contains the numbers.​

II. Why are Timers used?

Timers have many uses, and new ones are being developed all the time. A timer can be used to count down the time left to accomplish an objective, or maybe to show the time until reinforcements arrive. But these are just two common examples of timers. Many more are out there to be discovered.​

III. How to create a Timer

Now, to the fun part. Triggering a timer. As I said, a timer has two parts, the timer and the window. Both of these will need to be taken care of in order to properly incorporate a timer into your map. Before you start creating triggers at random though, you'll need to create some variables to store the information. You should create one variable for the timer, and one for the window. The variables allow the computer to keep track of your timer, in the event that you have more than one on the map either at the same time or different times. Once you have created your variables, then you can create your triggers. The first trigger should have the event that you want to trigger the timer to display. This can be any of the events from the list in the trigger editor. For the actions, first, you need to create a window for your timer. (Remember, we just created the variable for the window, we didn't actually create the window.) Enter your timer variable so the computer can associate the timer with its proper window. This action should look like this:

• Countdown Timer - Create a timer window for MyTimer with title Time Left

Now you should store the window you just created so you can get rid of it later. (If you don't do this, you'll end up with a window displaying 0's just sitting at the top of the screen.) Create an action like this:

• Set MyTimerWindow = (Last created timer window)

Now you should show the window so players can see it:

• Countdown Timer - Show MyTimerWindow

Next, you can start the timer with your specified time remaining. This can only be done in seconds, so make sure to convert the minutes you want into seconds:

• Countdown Timer - Start MyTimer as a One-shot timer that will expire in 600.00 seconds

So your finished trigger will look like this:

• Start Timer
  • Events
  • <Add your event here>
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Countdown Timer - Create a timer window for MyTimer with title Time Left
    • Set MyTimerWindow = (Last created timer window)
    • Countdown Timer - Show MyTimerWindow
    • Countdown Timer - Start MyTimer as a One-shot timer that will expire in 30.00 seconds

Now, to get rid of the timer, it is a simple matter of adding an action to the trigger that will go off when the timer expires. This is a simple event, and you can add any actions you like to it. Make the trigger look like this:

• Timer Finish
  • Events
    • Time - MyTimer expires
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Countdown Timer - Destroy MyTimerWindow
    • <Add actions here>

This will destroy the window when it's done. That's it, you're finished!

Here's something else. It's possible to create and use a timer without showing a window. This can be useful if you want a timer to count down something for a trigger event, but you don't want the players to see it. In this case, you would simply eliminate the window variable and actions. Other than being invisible, it will still function like a normal timer.​

IV. Extras on Timers

Just a couple other interesting things to do with timers. (Feel free to post other ideas here, as well.)

1. Use a timer, and randomly give players a powerful unit for a set amount of time.
2. Use a timer to keep track of the time of day, and have a special action happen during the shift between night and day (such as opening and closing a gate).
3. Use a timer to end the game after a set period of time, giving victory to the player with the greatest overall score.
4. Allow players a certain amount of time to build before allowing them to attack.
5. Give players kill quotas to meet after set times in the game.
6. Only allow more advanced units to be built after a timer goes off.

Here's something else about timers. Say you want to measure how much time something took. If you have a timer set for 1 min to complete a task, then when the task is finished, the time left is 15 seconds. How do you get the time remaining? Simple. When the timer stops:

• Set MyRealVariable = (Elapsed time for (MyTimer))

​

V. Counting Up

This question has come up in the past, and there hasn't (to my knowledge) been a satisfactory answer. How do you create a timer that tracks the ELAPSED time of a game? First of all, there is no magic action that tells a timer to count up. But, with a little bit of a workaround, you can accomplish the same thing without having to worry about having integers track the minutes, seconds, and hours, and then have to put the colons in between. You can use the timer's own system to take care of that. Now to the triggers. First, for a count up timer, create and display the window at map initialization. Insert a wait after the melee actions because a window cannot be displayed at map initialization. So your trigger should look like this:

• Melee Initialization
  • Events
    • Map initialization
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Melee Game - Use melee time of day (for all players)
    • Melee Game - Limit Heroes to 1 per Hero-type (for all players)
    • Melee Game - Give trained Heroes a Scroll of Town Portal (for all players)
    • Melee Game - Set starting resources (for all players)
    • Melee Game - Remove creeps and critters from used start locations (for all players)
    • Melee Game - Create starting units (for all players)
    • Melee Game - Run melee AI scripts (for computer players)
    • Melee Game - Enforce victory/defeat conditions (for all players)
    • Wait 1.00 seconds
    • Countdown Timer - Create a timer window for MyTimer with title Time Elapsed
    • Set MyTimerWindow = (Last created timer window)
    • Countdown Timer - Show MyTimerWindow

Now, how do you keep track of the increasing time in the game? Well, you will need ONE real variable. So, create a real variable. Next, create a trigger whose event is a periodic event every one second:

• Time - Every 1.00 seconds of game time

Then, for the first action, set the real to the real + 1 like this:

• Set GameTime = (GameTime + 1.00)

Next, just like before, start your timer, but this time have the time equal to the variable:

• Countdown Timer - Start MyTimer as a One-shot timer that will expire in GameTime seconds

Then immediately pause the timer because we DON'T want it to count down, right? So use this action:

• Countdown Timer - Pause MyTimer

Your finished trigger should look like this:

• Count Up Timer
  • Events
    • Time - Every 1.00 seconds of game time
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Set GameTime = (GameTime + 1.00)
    • Countdown Timer - Start MyTimer as a One-shot timer that will expire in GameTime seconds
    • Countdown Timer - Pause MyTimer

Now you're set! You'll have a timer that will keep up with the time elapsed.

BUT WAIT!!! You might be saying, "I want to put my time in a multiboard!" Well, let's take a look at how to do that.
First, if you think about it, you realize that you will need to use more variables because the timer system cannot operate in a multiboard. So, first, you'll need to create 3 variables, one for the seconds, one for the minutes, and one for the hours. Name these Integer variables Seconds, Minutes, and Hours. Now if you're really on top of things, you'll realize that these integers will not have the 'filler' 0's that come with a timer. It will display something like 2:5:9 instead of the cleaner 02:05:09. This presents a problem. You need to be able to insert a 0 before the integers, but only if they are below 10. For this reason, create ANOTHER set of 3 variables, but make these string variables and name them SecondString, MinuteString, and HourString. If you are completely lost as to why you should create these strings, be patient, as it will become clear later. As there are several tutorials on how to create multiboards, I will not go into details there. I will focus instead on the triggers needed to run the time elapsed. So, create one trigger for timekeeping. Make it's event every one second of game-time because you will need to increase the value of the seconds every second (unexpected, huh?). Then add the action to increase the seconds, like this:

• Set Seconds = (Seconds + 1)

The next part is a tad more difficult. You need to increase the minutes, but only when the seconds are at sixty. So add an IF, THEN, ELSE function after the seconds. For the condition, you want when the seconds variable becomes equal to 60, and for the action, you want to increase the minutes by one. So, do this:

• If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
  • If - Conditions
    • Seconds Equal to 60
  • Then - Actions
    • Set Seconds = 0
    • Set Minutes = (Minutes + 1)
  • Else - Actions

This takes care of the minutes as well as setting up the seconds for another round. Our next order of business is to do the hours. It is done much the same way as the seconds/minutes function, this time with minutes/hours. So add this action under the current IF, THEN, ELSE:

• If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
  • If - Conditions
    • Minutes Equal to 60
  • Then - Actions
    • Set Minutes = 0
    • Set Hours = (Hours + 1)
  • Else - Actions

So the trigger up to this point should look like:

• Actions
  • Set Seconds = (Seconds + 1)
  • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
    • If - Conditions
      • Seconds Equal to 60
    • Then - Actions
      • Set Seconds = 0
      • Set Minutes = (Minutes + 1)
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • Minutes Equal to 60
        • Then - Actions
          • Set Minutes = 0
          • Set Hours = (Hours + 1)
        • Else - Actions
    • Else - Actions

Unfortunately, the next part is harder. Dealing with the 'filler' 0's. Here is where the strings come into play. Now, in the event that the seconds, minutes, and/or hours are lower than 10, you need to add the zero. So, first is to create an IF, THEN, ELSE for the seconds that will check when they are below 10. The actions will set the second STRING to a 0 plus the integer itself so that when the STRING is displayed, it will look like a 0 and another number right after it. If you're confused, have a look:

• If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
  • If - Conditions
    • Seconds Less than 10
  • Then - Actions
    • Set SecondString = (0 + (String(Seconds)))
  • Else - Actions
    • Set SecondString = (String(Seconds))

This function says that, if the seconds are below 10, set the string equal to a 0 plus the seconds. If it is not below 10, then just set the string equal to the seconds. The functions for the minutes and hours are essentially the same:

• If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
  • If - Conditions
    • Minutes Less than 10
  • Then - Actions
    • Set MinuteString = (0 + (String(Minutes)))
  • Else - Actions
    • Set MinuteString = (String(Minutes))

• If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
  • If - Conditions
    • Hours Less than 10
  • Then - Actions
    • Set HourString = (0 + (String(Hours)))
  • Else - Actions
    • Set HourString = (String(Hours))

Your finished trigger should look like this:

• Time
  • Events
    • Time - Every 1.00 seconds of game time
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Set Seconds = (Seconds + 1)
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • Seconds Equal to 60
      • Then - Actions
        • Set Seconds = 0
        • Set Minutes = (Minutes + 1)
        • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
          • If - Conditions
            • Minutes Equal to 60
          • Then - Actions
            • Set Minutes = 0
            • Set Hours = (Hours + 1)
          • Else - Actions
      • Else - Actions
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • Seconds Less than 10
      • Then - Actions
        • Set SecondString = (0 + (String(Seconds)))
      • Else - Actions
        • Set SecondString = (String(Seconds))
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • Minutes Less than 10
      • Then - Actions
        • Set MinuteString = (0 + (String(Minutes)))
      • Else - Actions
        • Set MinuteString = (String(Minutes))
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • Hours Less than 10
      • Then - Actions
        • Set HourString = (0 + (String(Hours)))
      • Else - Actions
        • Set HourString = (String(Hours))

Ok, now all that's left is to display this in the multiboard. Use this action that will add colons in between the strings to make it look nicer:

• Multiboard - Set the text for MyMultiboard item in column 1, row 1 to (HourString + <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> + (MinuteString + <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> + SecondString))))

Notice how there are no Integer-to-String conversions, because it uses the 3 string variables. The conversions are taken care of in the tracking trigger.​

Well, that's all folks! Have fun! Feedback is welcomed.

 

[AceHart]

> A timer is a window

Hm...
You can have timers without windows.

Anyway, this leads rather naturally to the following question:
Can I have a timer that counts up? To show the elapsed game time for example. Preferably on a multiboard.


> have a special action happen during the shift between night and day

There's already events for time of day changes.

 

[Ghan]

> You can have timers without windows

Can you show timers without a window...?

> Can I have a timer that counts up?

I don't believe that a Warcraft III Timer can count up. You can, of course, use integers and conditions, etc. to manually create a timer that will count upward.

> There's already events for time of day changes

I am aware of this, however, a timer would allow players to better keep track of how much time they have left before the day/night change.

 

[uberfoop]

He was pointing out things that need to be explained in the tut.

 

[IKilledKEnny]

A nice tutpiral although very minimal, I would be happy if you add more to it, in this tutorial you are explaining nothing but how to create one, which is really not enough for a tutorial.

 

[Ghan]

OK, I've added a bit more to the tutorial about how to create a count up timer. Other suggestions or comments are still welcome!

 

[Master]

Nice tutorial.

 

[Sir Gordon]

It's rather good, bravo.

Though, only bump after 24 hours of your last post.

 

[Squll2]

awesome tutorial
one thing, mabye you should create a code (or picture) for the variables because i know some people arnt there really struggle with them

 

[Saviorpanda]

for the counting up thing i kinda thought of my own way to do it but it only works to an extent. And there are parts that i have no clue how to do. I made an Onyxia map that involves getting it done as fast as you can so what i have done so far is set up a timer that counts down from 10 minutes. What i dont know how to do is when u have completed that task that i made i wanted it to post the time it took u to kill onyxia in a text string. I'm guessing it would take sum arithmetic comparison like 10 - (time left) + blah blah blah but i cant figure it out. Im also assuming you would have to set an Integer variable = to time left but i dont have a clue... do any of you?

 

[tom_mai78101]

Start Timer
    Events
    <Add your event here>
    Conditions
    Actions
        [COLOR="Red"][B]Set MyTimer = (Last started Timer)[/B][/COLOR]
        Countdown Timer - Create a timer window for MyTimer with title Time Left
        Set MyTimerWindow = (Last created timer window)
        Countdown Timer - Show MyTimerWindow
        Countdown Timer - Start MyTimer as a One-shot timer that will expire in 30.00 seconds

You forgot to add this trigger.

 

[Ghan]

I've never used that function before. Where is the (Last Started Timer) in your trigger? I don't see one.

 

[Ghan]

Bump.

> Im also assuming you would have to set an Integer variable = to time left but i dont have a clue... do any of you?

There is a function for Time Remaining as well as Elapsed Time.

 

[Tinki3]

>I recently searched the tutorials for one on timers and came up dry

jonadrian made a tutorial on timers a while ago too, so you're not the only one.

However, I must say that this tutorial is rather good

 

[Ghan]

> jonadrian made a tutorial on timers a while ago too, so you're not the only one.

Ah, well. I WAS surprised that I could be the only one.

 

[Sim]

> Can you show timers without a window...?

You cannot show it, but it still can count!

You could, for example, count the time before x event happens without showing it to the players. Start the timer, but don't assign a timer window to it. It will expire normally.

 

[Ghan]

> You could, for example, count the time before x event happens without showing it to the players. Start the timer, but don't assign a timer window to it. It will expire normally.

Thanks. Added.

 

[Sim]

Great

This tutorial is unique, well detailed and basic.

Approved!

 

[tom_mai78101]

Anyway, good ROC tutorial. My one and only tutorila I could find for a timer in ROC.

Wish I could give you +1 rep.

 

[tom_mai78101]

A bump:

I think I did something wrong. How do you show two or more timers side by side at the top of the screen? Like in Hero Line Wars, when at least 2 heros died, the top screen appears at least 2 timer windows with each counting 30 seconds downwards.

I do hope you could reply to this post here, since it is a really long time.