Chocobo
White-Flower
- Reaction score
- 409
This tutorial covers some of useful parts of the World Editor.
Table of Contents
1. Known Deysnchronisation causes
2. Pre-Placed World Editor Limitations
3. Guarding Points
3.1 Name of Guarding Points
3.2 Usage of Guard Positions
3.3 Guard Position Generation
3.4 Guard Position in Trigger Editor
3.41 AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position
3.42 AI - Recycle Unit Guard Position
3.43 AI - Lock Unit Guard Position
4. Map Size Limitations
5. Size taken by variables (globals or locals)
6. Object Data Files in Warcraft 3
7. Path Colors in World Editor
8. Abusive Using of Backward Animations
9. Running Warcraft 3 in Window Mode
10. Infopanel movement/attack speed filter
11. Blight infodata with UI\MiscData.txt
12. Selection Circle
13. Simulating Text Datas
14. Area Damage
15. Blizzard Chat Limit
1. Known Deysnchronisation causes
There is many desynchronisation causes online, and I will list them there :
- Missusing of GetLocalPlayer() (JASS Script Trigger Editor)
- Using Negative Sight Range for a unit (Unit Editor)
- Camera - Pan Camera as Necessary (GUI Trigger Editor)
- Traditionnal Fade Filter with a GetLocalPlayer() filter (JASS Script Trigger Editor, use an Advanced Filter to solve the problem)
- Too many initializations and preloads after (and not before) 0.00 seconds of game-time using Event - Time Elapsed (GUI Trigger Editor)
- Selection - Select Group For Player (GUI Trigger Editor)
- Too big Far Z usage, happens only on slow computers, like >2.5ghz with 20000.00 Far Z (GUI Trigger Editor - Camera Editor)
- Units with too many dice and sides per dice combined with a too small attack speed, like 1-1000000000 every 0.01 seconds (Unit Editor)
1.1 Missusing of GetLocalPlayer()
The causes of the desynchronisation while using GetLocalPlayer() are :
- Creating an alone handle (One handle that isn't existing on others' computers. An handle returns : widget (unit - item - destructable), player, trigger, (unit - item - destructable - player - trigger) extends handle)
- Creating an alone string (One string that handle a value in a computer but not in others' computers, returning automaticly "" and instant desync)
- Changing the amount of rows or columns of a Multiboard shown to an alone player
- Setting a same variable with differant values that use GetLocalPlayer() inside (Example : set whatever=GetPlayerName(GetLocalPlayer()))
- Running a Trigger for an alone player (Runs a trigger that isn't ran in others' computers)
- Using a Traditonnal Fade Filter instead of an Advanced Fade Filter
1.2 Safe uses of GetLocalPlayer()
GetLocalPlayer() is safe for :
- Special Effects' Model Names ("" for others' computers whereas you have "<blabla>")
- Creating Alone Multiboards or changing their values
- Using Differant Colorations for units
- Advanced Fade Filters
- Sounds
- Game - Display Text .... extended with parameters
... and more more. Too many to list it.
2. Pre-Placed World Editor Limitations
There is a limit to all Pre-Placed things in World Editor for a NON-campaign map:
- 6144 Pre-Placed Destructables
- 8192 Pre-Placed Doodads (Beware, doodads includes destructables)
- 512 Pre-Placed Neutral Hostile Units + Neutral Hostile Buildings + Neutral Passive Units
- 96 Pre-Placed Neutral Passive Units
- 1080 Pre-Placed Units for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 600 Pre-Placed Buildings for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 256 Pre-Placed Items
- 7776 Custom Units
- 7776 Custom Items
- 7776 Custom Doodads
- 7776 Custom Destructables
- 7776 Custom Abilities (including Buffs, which are obviously called Buffs, but are origanally Abilities)
- 7776 Custom Upgrades
The limits for each Campaign map is :
- 6144 Pre-Placed Destructables
- 8192 Pre-Placed Doodads (Beware, doodads includes destructables)
- 512 Pre-Placed Neutral Hostile Units + Neutral Hostile Buildings + Neutral Passive Units
- 96 Pre-Placed Neutral Passive Units
- 1080 Pre-Placed Units for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 600 Pre-Placed Buildings for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 256 Pre-Placed Items
- 5184 Custom Units
- 5184 Custom Items
- 5184 Custom Doodads
- 5184 Custom Destructables
- 5184 Custom Abilities
- 5184 Custom Upgrades
3. Guarding Points
3.1 Name of Guarding Points
Guarding Points are called in an another side Units' Guard Positions (UGPs). They are supposed for the computer to refill all important points with new units when the guarding units gets killed. This only applies to computer players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11). The Guarding Points do not affect Neutral Units.
3.2 Usage of Guard Positions
When a spawned unit for the AI has no guard position, it'll be ordered to one of his images to do the same guard position to fill it, or to search a point to be filled. If there is no empty guard position, the unit will go on the First Guard Position (FGP), which is the point of the first pre-placed unit/building for the player. In simple, it is : The Starting Point
Without any guard position available on the map for the computer, the unit will stand there and do nothing unless a hostile unit comes close to it to be attacked forever until the death of the new unit. When the spawned unit moves too far of the Guard Position, it'll be ordered to return to its Guard Point. This is very similar for creeps' behaviour (neutrals' behaviour) that uses creep camps.
3.3 Guard Position Generation
When you create a pre-placed unit in World Editor for a computer, it generates automaticly a Guard Position (which can not be the FGP, First Guard Position, because it is the Starting Point). It stores the Owner, the Location, and also the Unit Type. You can not create Guard Positions after the game has started. Pre-placed normal units and removing them at map initialization do not remove the Guard Position. This can be useful when you need a Guard Position. But too many for the computer won't allow him to do an efficient guard of its outposts.
3.4 Guard Position in Trigger Editor
There is 3 functions about the Guard Position in the Trigger Editor :
3.41 AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position
This function can not be used on the First Guard Position and on Neutral Units.
This function removes the Guard Position of a unit, so there is no longer a guard position at the location of the unit, and can not be filled then. Also, the unit ignores the Guard Position, and won't return if it gets too far of its old position (following forever its target until one's death). And this function make the unit unavailable (considering as dead) for AI Scripts and in some cases, stucking it.
3.42 AI - Recycle Unit Guard Position
This function can not be used on the First Guard Position and on Neutral Units.
This function removes the Guard Position of a unit, like AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position. But, it sends the unit to the First Guard Position of the computer, and makes it also available for AI Scripts (considering as alive).
This almost undo the effect of AI - Ignore Guard Position.
3.43 AI - Lock Unit Guard Position
This function creates a homepoint for the unit at its current location. It works with similitudes as a Guard Position, but isn't a Guarding Point. It works more as a Patrol Point, and is used when the unit hasn't any Guard Point available. You can combine AI - Lock Unit Guard Position and AI - Recycle Unit Guard Position to make units patrols between special patrol points and the first guard position, but it cannot be ignored by AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position and cannot be removed or moved.
4. Map Size Limitations
The limit for online maps is 4 mb (4,194,304 bytes) after MPQ Compression. The MPQ Compression is very high in some cases (80% reduction from imported files is almost the max), very small in other cases (2~3% reduction from imported files). Singleplayer and Campaign map limitations are unlimited. You can have for example a map with 2 gb or a map with 20 kb size.
5. Size taken by variables (globals or locals)
Warcraft III Variable Format has 8 differants format type.
- Integers
Integers are 4 bytes in Little Endian Order
Example : 1234 Not Equal [00 00 04 D2]h
1234 Equal [D2 04 00 00]h
- Small Integers
Small integers are from -16384 to 16383. They take 2 bytes and are in Little Endian Order.
- Reals
Reals are Floats. They take 4 bytes and are in Little Endian Order.
Example : 7654.32 ~ [8F 32 EF 45]h ~ 7654.319824
The last number is the closest number to 7654.32
- Arrays
1 Array take 1 byte
- UnitIds
UnitId Integers takes 32 bytes. (46656 possibilities, they are like normal Integers)
- Flags
Boolean, or "Flags", take 4 bytes. In those 4 bytes, there are 32 bit, which can contains 32 flags. Each Flag can contain only the value 0 (False) or 1 (True).
- Water
Water Level (In the terrain) takes 4 bytes every cell, it handles 2 bytes for a total of 16 flags, and the 2 lasts for the closest number to the Water Level.
- Custom Handles
An integer or a flag may share themselves some bytes. A byte may handle two or more differant data.
- Structured Handles
Unknown. They have various size.
- Strings / Trigger Strings
Strings are just like arrays of chars finished with a null char (From C++ : "\0").
But, Blizzard uses a special coloring code to change the color of the text shown, these starts with "|cff", and finishes with "|r", most of the times. An example is "|c00BBGGRR|r", in which you replace by the percentage value "BB", "GG", "RR", by the percentage value you want. They are hexadecimal values (0123456789ABCDEF), using 2 digits each, BB = Blue, GG = Green, RR = Red.
In Trigger Strings, if it starts with "TRIGSTR_", with a sensitive case, it is a Trigger String. Trigger Strings are ever keep in the virtual memory when you play a map, which is loaded at the map initalization, as a name of "TRIGSTR_***". Instead of writing the TRIGSTR_<WHATEVER> thing, Warcraft III get a look in the string table, and displays the correct trigger string. They work only for files inside a .w3m or .w3x map, but not with the exception of WTS files, which is used for Trigger Strings files itself. If the following number after "TRIGSTR_" is negative, it will be considered as the first one, called "TRIGSTR_000". And when there are letters, they will be considered as 0, or if an example of "5aa", as 5.
At all, they takes :
- Strings : (String Length + 1) bytes (Because of the finishing char)
- Trigger Strings : 12 bytes (Note Trigger Strings handles Strings, so the total is Trigger Strings + Strings)
Variable renaming types:
6. Object Data Files in Warcraft 3
The table shows where to get the object IDs and the modification IDs and if the files use the 2 additional level and data pointer integers.
2 additionnal level and data pointers seems small, but can be used in mass to store data and to change Ids if you want to use them with the Trigger Editor and a bit of ASCII.
7. Path Colors in World Editor
In simple :
-> White : Can not be built, can not be walked, can not be flyed
-> Red : Can be built, can not be walked, can be flyed
-> Yellow : Can be built, can not be walked, can not be flyed
-> Green : Can be built, can be walked, can not be flyed
-> Teal : Can not be built, can be walked, can not be flyed
-> Blue : Can not be built, can not be walked, can be flyed
-> Magenta : Can not be built, can not be walked, can be flyed
-> Black : Can be built, can be flyed, can be walked
8. Abusive Using of Backward Animations
When you want to play an animation in reverse mode, like the death animation of a footman, an archer.. or whatever you want, you think for triggers that -100.00% in animation speed is imposible, but, it is possible.
Example with that trigger that has a death unit of 2.333s :
Notice : 2.333/(500.00/100.00) = 0.4666
2.333 : Death Animation Time (this is not constant for all units)
500.00 = 500.00% of its original speed
100.00 = A meaning for 100%, bracking 500.00 to 5.
The death animation is played first, with an improvement of the animation speed by 5x and a vertex coloring making the unit invisible to avoid death particles. Then there is a Polled Wait, and the vertex come back to the normal values and the animation speed is reversed. And after, it waits until the animation is fully reversed and the animation is set to 100.00% and to stand to avoid the unit to stuck doing nothing.
9. Running Warcraft 3 in Window Mode
To run Warcraft 3 in Window Mode, it is very simple. Right Click the Warcraft 3 Icon, choose Properties, go in Shortcut, and look for Frozen Throne.exe. Then add the tag -window after a space and ", and Warcraft 3 will run in Window Mode. Quite useful if you are using World Editor and Warcraft 3 at same time.
10. Infopanel movement/attack speed filter
The filter used by Warcraft 3 for the movement speed filter is :
(s meaning for current movement speed)
Very Slow = s<175
Slow = 175<s<220
Average = 220<s<280
Fast = 280<s<350
Very Fast 350<s
The filter for the attack speed filter is :
(s meaning for attack speed)
Very Slow = 3.00<s
Slow = 3.00<s<2.00
Average = 2.00<s<1.50
Fast = 1.50<s<1.00
Very Fast = s<1.00
11. Blight infodata with UI\MiscData.txt
This is only allowed in singleplayer mode if you changed UI\MiscData.txt to avoid preload bugs, desyncs, and game splits on multiplayer.
Remember : DCT = Dirt Chance Table
s1 = Straight 1 (5)
s2 = Straight 2 (10)
sd = Straight Diagonal (15)
d1 = Diagonal 1 (5)
d2 = Diagonal 2 (20)
cn = Center Node (100, can not be changed)
Which leads us to :
12. Selection Circle
Like the Blight, this is only allowed in singleplayer if you modify UI\MiscData.txt, but it is quite useless.
Meaning a circle of 1.00 returns 72 radius size in Warcraft 3.
13. Simulating Text Datas
A text data is a floating text like the gold shown when killing a unit, a critical strike, an evasion...
If you modify it, it is like the part 11 and 12.
Here is an example :
??? text data :
??? Text Color=transparency (255 meaning 0.00%),red,blue,green
??? Text Velocity=real X level,real Y level,100
??? Text Lifetime=lifespan
??? Text FadeStart=fading time start (in seconds)
Velocity is calculated in that way :
real X level = speed * 0.071 / 128 * Cos(angle * 3.14159/180.0)
real Y level = speed * 0.071 / 128 * Sin(angle * 3.14159/180.0)
Here is the list of text datas :
Gold Text Data :
Gold Text Color=255,255,220,0
Gold Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Gold Text Lifetime=2
Gold Text FadeStart=1
Lumber text data :
Lumber Text Color=255,0,200,80
Lumber Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Lumber Text Lifetime=2
Lumber Text FadeStart=1
Bounty text data :
Bounty Text Color=255,255,220,0
Bounty Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Bounty Text Lifetime=3
Bounty Text FadeStart=2
Missile 'miss' text tag data :
Miss Text Color=255,255,0,0
Miss Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Miss Text Lifetime=3
Miss Text FadeStart=1
Critical Strike text tag data :
Critical Strike Text Color=255,255,0,0
Critical Strike Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Critical Strike Text Lifetime=5
Critical Strike Text FadeStart=2
Shadow Strike text tag data :
Shadow Strike Text Color=255,160,255,0
Shadow Strike Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Shadow Strike Text Lifetime=5
Shadow Strike Text FadeStart=2
Mana Burn text tag data :
Mana Burn Text Color=255,82,82,255
Mana Burn Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Mana Burn Text Lifetime=5
Mana Burn Text FadeStart=2
Bash text tag data :
Bash Text Color=255,0,0,255
Bash Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Bash Text Lifetime=5
Bash Text FadeStart=2
For unknown reasons, Bash text is not used.
14. Area Damage (more for newbies)
Most of the times (and mostly only, else you nuke everyone), you are going to say : I want to damage the enemy units in the area only, not friendly units.
Example of wrong way of doing this :
Though it looks ok, it isn't because this takes all units (including the damage source if it is in the area of damage) and deal damage to them.
Here is a good way of doing this (though it takes some lines) :
This deals damage to every unit that is an enemy to the "whatever damage source".
Note : Damage Area is the only function with a "overtime" argument.
15. Blizzard Chat Limit
This is stupid.. but remember the limit of character amount is 254.. do not bypass it with the Game Interface (ex : setting things like [All], [Referees].....), else the game crashes.
More to come later.
Table of Contents
1. Known Deysnchronisation causes
2. Pre-Placed World Editor Limitations
3. Guarding Points
3.1 Name of Guarding Points
3.2 Usage of Guard Positions
3.3 Guard Position Generation
3.4 Guard Position in Trigger Editor
3.41 AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position
3.42 AI - Recycle Unit Guard Position
3.43 AI - Lock Unit Guard Position
4. Map Size Limitations
5. Size taken by variables (globals or locals)
6. Object Data Files in Warcraft 3
7. Path Colors in World Editor
8. Abusive Using of Backward Animations
9. Running Warcraft 3 in Window Mode
10. Infopanel movement/attack speed filter
11. Blight infodata with UI\MiscData.txt
12. Selection Circle
13. Simulating Text Datas
14. Area Damage
15. Blizzard Chat Limit
1. Known Deysnchronisation causes
There is many desynchronisation causes online, and I will list them there :
- Missusing of GetLocalPlayer() (JASS Script Trigger Editor)
- Using Negative Sight Range for a unit (Unit Editor)
- Camera - Pan Camera as Necessary (GUI Trigger Editor)
- Traditionnal Fade Filter with a GetLocalPlayer() filter (JASS Script Trigger Editor, use an Advanced Filter to solve the problem)
- Too many initializations and preloads after (and not before) 0.00 seconds of game-time using Event - Time Elapsed (GUI Trigger Editor)
- Selection - Select Group For Player (GUI Trigger Editor)
- Too big Far Z usage, happens only on slow computers, like >2.5ghz with 20000.00 Far Z (GUI Trigger Editor - Camera Editor)
- Units with too many dice and sides per dice combined with a too small attack speed, like 1-1000000000 every 0.01 seconds (Unit Editor)
1.1 Missusing of GetLocalPlayer()
The causes of the desynchronisation while using GetLocalPlayer() are :
- Creating an alone handle (One handle that isn't existing on others' computers. An handle returns : widget (unit - item - destructable), player, trigger, (unit - item - destructable - player - trigger) extends handle)
- Creating an alone string (One string that handle a value in a computer but not in others' computers, returning automaticly "" and instant desync)
- Changing the amount of rows or columns of a Multiboard shown to an alone player
- Setting a same variable with differant values that use GetLocalPlayer() inside (Example : set whatever=GetPlayerName(GetLocalPlayer()))
- Running a Trigger for an alone player (Runs a trigger that isn't ran in others' computers)
- Using a Traditonnal Fade Filter instead of an Advanced Fade Filter
1.2 Safe uses of GetLocalPlayer()
GetLocalPlayer() is safe for :
- Special Effects' Model Names ("" for others' computers whereas you have "<blabla>")
- Creating Alone Multiboards or changing their values
- Using Differant Colorations for units
- Advanced Fade Filters
- Sounds
- Game - Display Text .... extended with parameters
... and more more. Too many to list it.
2. Pre-Placed World Editor Limitations
There is a limit to all Pre-Placed things in World Editor for a NON-campaign map:
- 6144 Pre-Placed Destructables
- 8192 Pre-Placed Doodads (Beware, doodads includes destructables)
- 512 Pre-Placed Neutral Hostile Units + Neutral Hostile Buildings + Neutral Passive Units
- 96 Pre-Placed Neutral Passive Units
- 1080 Pre-Placed Units for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 600 Pre-Placed Buildings for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 256 Pre-Placed Items
- 7776 Custom Units
- 7776 Custom Items
- 7776 Custom Doodads
- 7776 Custom Destructables
- 7776 Custom Abilities (including Buffs, which are obviously called Buffs, but are origanally Abilities)
- 7776 Custom Upgrades
The limits for each Campaign map is :
- 6144 Pre-Placed Destructables
- 8192 Pre-Placed Doodads (Beware, doodads includes destructables)
- 512 Pre-Placed Neutral Hostile Units + Neutral Hostile Buildings + Neutral Passive Units
- 96 Pre-Placed Neutral Passive Units
- 1080 Pre-Placed Units for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 600 Pre-Placed Buildings for Players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11)
- 256 Pre-Placed Items
- 5184 Custom Units
- 5184 Custom Items
- 5184 Custom Doodads
- 5184 Custom Destructables
- 5184 Custom Abilities
- 5184 Custom Upgrades
3. Guarding Points
3.1 Name of Guarding Points
Guarding Points are called in an another side Units' Guard Positions (UGPs). They are supposed for the computer to refill all important points with new units when the guarding units gets killed. This only applies to computer players from 1 to 12 (0 to 11). The Guarding Points do not affect Neutral Units.
3.2 Usage of Guard Positions
When a spawned unit for the AI has no guard position, it'll be ordered to one of his images to do the same guard position to fill it, or to search a point to be filled. If there is no empty guard position, the unit will go on the First Guard Position (FGP), which is the point of the first pre-placed unit/building for the player. In simple, it is : The Starting Point
Without any guard position available on the map for the computer, the unit will stand there and do nothing unless a hostile unit comes close to it to be attacked forever until the death of the new unit. When the spawned unit moves too far of the Guard Position, it'll be ordered to return to its Guard Point. This is very similar for creeps' behaviour (neutrals' behaviour) that uses creep camps.
3.3 Guard Position Generation
When you create a pre-placed unit in World Editor for a computer, it generates automaticly a Guard Position (which can not be the FGP, First Guard Position, because it is the Starting Point). It stores the Owner, the Location, and also the Unit Type. You can not create Guard Positions after the game has started. Pre-placed normal units and removing them at map initialization do not remove the Guard Position. This can be useful when you need a Guard Position. But too many for the computer won't allow him to do an efficient guard of its outposts.
3.4 Guard Position in Trigger Editor
There is 3 functions about the Guard Position in the Trigger Editor :
3.41 AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position
This function can not be used on the First Guard Position and on Neutral Units.
This function removes the Guard Position of a unit, so there is no longer a guard position at the location of the unit, and can not be filled then. Also, the unit ignores the Guard Position, and won't return if it gets too far of its old position (following forever its target until one's death). And this function make the unit unavailable (considering as dead) for AI Scripts and in some cases, stucking it.
3.42 AI - Recycle Unit Guard Position
This function can not be used on the First Guard Position and on Neutral Units.
This function removes the Guard Position of a unit, like AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position. But, it sends the unit to the First Guard Position of the computer, and makes it also available for AI Scripts (considering as alive).
This almost undo the effect of AI - Ignore Guard Position.
3.43 AI - Lock Unit Guard Position
This function creates a homepoint for the unit at its current location. It works with similitudes as a Guard Position, but isn't a Guarding Point. It works more as a Patrol Point, and is used when the unit hasn't any Guard Point available. You can combine AI - Lock Unit Guard Position and AI - Recycle Unit Guard Position to make units patrols between special patrol points and the first guard position, but it cannot be ignored by AI - Ignore Unit Guard Position and cannot be removed or moved.
4. Map Size Limitations
The limit for online maps is 4 mb (4,194,304 bytes) after MPQ Compression. The MPQ Compression is very high in some cases (80% reduction from imported files is almost the max), very small in other cases (2~3% reduction from imported files). Singleplayer and Campaign map limitations are unlimited. You can have for example a map with 2 gb or a map with 20 kb size.
5. Size taken by variables (globals or locals)
Warcraft III Variable Format has 8 differants format type.
- Integers
Integers are 4 bytes in Little Endian Order
Example : 1234 Not Equal [00 00 04 D2]h
1234 Equal [D2 04 00 00]h
- Small Integers
Small integers are from -16384 to 16383. They take 2 bytes and are in Little Endian Order.
- Reals
Reals are Floats. They take 4 bytes and are in Little Endian Order.
Example : 7654.32 ~ [8F 32 EF 45]h ~ 7654.319824
The last number is the closest number to 7654.32
- Arrays
1 Array take 1 byte
- UnitIds
UnitId Integers takes 32 bytes. (46656 possibilities, they are like normal Integers)
- Flags
Boolean, or "Flags", take 4 bytes. In those 4 bytes, there are 32 bit, which can contains 32 flags. Each Flag can contain only the value 0 (False) or 1 (True).
- Water
Water Level (In the terrain) takes 4 bytes every cell, it handles 2 bytes for a total of 16 flags, and the 2 lasts for the closest number to the Water Level.
- Custom Handles
An integer or a flag may share themselves some bytes. A byte may handle two or more differant data.
- Structured Handles
Unknown. They have various size.
- Strings / Trigger Strings
Strings are just like arrays of chars finished with a null char (From C++ : "\0").
But, Blizzard uses a special coloring code to change the color of the text shown, these starts with "|cff", and finishes with "|r", most of the times. An example is "|c00BBGGRR|r", in which you replace by the percentage value "BB", "GG", "RR", by the percentage value you want. They are hexadecimal values (0123456789ABCDEF), using 2 digits each, BB = Blue, GG = Green, RR = Red.
In Trigger Strings, if it starts with "TRIGSTR_", with a sensitive case, it is a Trigger String. Trigger Strings are ever keep in the virtual memory when you play a map, which is loaded at the map initalization, as a name of "TRIGSTR_***". Instead of writing the TRIGSTR_<WHATEVER> thing, Warcraft III get a look in the string table, and displays the correct trigger string. They work only for files inside a .w3m or .w3x map, but not with the exception of WTS files, which is used for Trigger Strings files itself. If the following number after "TRIGSTR_" is negative, it will be considered as the first one, called "TRIGSTR_000". And when there are letters, they will be considered as 0, or if an example of "5aa", as 5.
At all, they takes :
- Strings : (String Length + 1) bytes (Because of the finishing char)
- Trigger Strings : 12 bytes (Note Trigger Strings handles Strings, so the total is Trigger Strings + Strings)
Variable renaming types:
Code:
Value Variable Type Value Format
0 Integer int
1 Real float (single precision)
2 Unreal (0 <= val <= 1) float (single Precision)
3 String string (null terminated)6. Object Data Files in Warcraft 3
The table shows where to get the object IDs and the modification IDs and if the files use the 2 additional level and data pointer integers.
Code:
Extension Object Type Object IDs Mod IDs Uses Optional Ints
w3u Units Units\UnitData.slk Units\UnitMetaData.slk No
w3t Items Units\ItemData.slk Units\UnitMetaData.slk (those where useItem = 1) No
w3b Destructables Units\DestructableData.slk Units\DestructableMetaData.slk No
w3d Doodads Doodads\Doodads.slk Doodads\DoodadMetaData.slk Yes
w3a Abilities Units\AbilityData.slk Units\AbilityMetaData.slk Yes
w3h Buffs Units\AbilityBuffData.slk Units\AbilityBuffMetaData.slk No
w3q Upgrades Units\UpgradeData.slk Units\UpgradeMetaData.slk Yes2 additionnal level and data pointers seems small, but can be used in mass to store data and to change Ids if you want to use them with the Trigger Editor and a bit of ASCII.
7. Path Colors in World Editor
Code:
Color Build state Walk state Fly state
White no build no walk no fly
Red build ok no walk fly ok
Yellow build ok no walk no fly
Green build ok walk ok no fly
Teal no build walk ok no fly
Blue no build walk ok fly ok
Magenta no build no walk fly ok
Black build ok fly ok walk okIn simple :
-> White : Can not be built, can not be walked, can not be flyed
-> Red : Can be built, can not be walked, can be flyed
-> Yellow : Can be built, can not be walked, can not be flyed
-> Green : Can be built, can be walked, can not be flyed
-> Teal : Can not be built, can be walked, can not be flyed
-> Blue : Can not be built, can not be walked, can be flyed
-> Magenta : Can not be built, can not be walked, can be flyed
-> Black : Can be built, can be flyed, can be walked
8. Abusive Using of Backward Animations
When you want to play an animation in reverse mode, like the death animation of a footman, an archer.. or whatever you want, you think for triggers that -100.00% in animation speed is imposible, but, it is possible.
Example with that trigger that has a death unit of 2.333s :
Code:
Events
Selection - Player 1 (Red) selects a unit
Conditions
Actions
Set MyUnit = (Selected unit)
Animation - Play MyUnit's Animation - death animation
Animation - Change MyUnit's animation speed to 500.00% of its original speed
Animation - Change MyUnit's vertex coloring to (100.00%, 100.00%, 100.00%) with 100.00% transparency
Wait (2.333 / (500.00 / 100.00)) seconds of game-time
Animation - Change MyUnit's vertex coloring to (100.00%, 100.00%, 100.00%) with 0.00% transparency
Animation - Change MyUnit's animation speed to (0.00 - 100.00)% of its original speed
Wait 2.333 seconds of game-time
Animation - Change MyUnit's animation speed to 100.00% of its original speed
Animation - Play MyUnit's Animation - stand animationNotice : 2.333/(500.00/100.00) = 0.4666
2.333 : Death Animation Time (this is not constant for all units)
500.00 = 500.00% of its original speed
100.00 = A meaning for 100%, bracking 500.00 to 5.
The death animation is played first, with an improvement of the animation speed by 5x and a vertex coloring making the unit invisible to avoid death particles. Then there is a Polled Wait, and the vertex come back to the normal values and the animation speed is reversed. And after, it waits until the animation is fully reversed and the animation is set to 100.00% and to stand to avoid the unit to stuck doing nothing.
9. Running Warcraft 3 in Window Mode
To run Warcraft 3 in Window Mode, it is very simple. Right Click the Warcraft 3 Icon, choose Properties, go in Shortcut, and look for Frozen Throne.exe. Then add the tag -window after a space and ", and Warcraft 3 will run in Window Mode. Quite useful if you are using World Editor and Warcraft 3 at same time.
10. Infopanel movement/attack speed filter
The filter used by Warcraft 3 for the movement speed filter is :
(s meaning for current movement speed)
Very Slow = s<175
Slow = 175<s<220
Average = 220<s<280
Fast = 280<s<350
Very Fast 350<s
The filter for the attack speed filter is :
(s meaning for attack speed)
Very Slow = 3.00<s
Slow = 3.00<s<2.00
Average = 2.00<s<1.50
Fast = 1.50<s<1.00
Very Fast = s<1.00
11. Blight infodata with UI\MiscData.txt
This is only allowed in singleplayer mode if you changed UI\MiscData.txt to avoid preload bugs, desyncs, and game splits on multiplayer.
Remember : DCT = Dirt Chance Table
s1 = Straight 1 (5)
s2 = Straight 2 (10)
sd = Straight Diagonal (15)
d1 = Diagonal 1 (5)
d2 = Diagonal 2 (20)
cn = Center Node (100, can not be changed)
Which leads us to :
Code:
10% 15% 20%
5% 5% 15%
100% 5% 10%12. Selection Circle
Like the Blight, this is only allowed in singleplayer if you modify UI\MiscData.txt, but it is quite useless.
Meaning a circle of 1.00 returns 72 radius size in Warcraft 3.
13. Simulating Text Datas
A text data is a floating text like the gold shown when killing a unit, a critical strike, an evasion...
If you modify it, it is like the part 11 and 12.
Here is an example :
??? text data :
??? Text Color=transparency (255 meaning 0.00%),red,blue,green
??? Text Velocity=real X level,real Y level,100
??? Text Lifetime=lifespan
??? Text FadeStart=fading time start (in seconds)
Velocity is calculated in that way :
real X level = speed * 0.071 / 128 * Cos(angle * 3.14159/180.0)
real Y level = speed * 0.071 / 128 * Sin(angle * 3.14159/180.0)
Here is the list of text datas :
Gold Text Data :
Gold Text Color=255,255,220,0
Gold Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Gold Text Lifetime=2
Gold Text FadeStart=1
Lumber text data :
Lumber Text Color=255,0,200,80
Lumber Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Lumber Text Lifetime=2
Lumber Text FadeStart=1
Bounty text data :
Bounty Text Color=255,255,220,0
Bounty Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Bounty Text Lifetime=3
Bounty Text FadeStart=2
Missile 'miss' text tag data :
Miss Text Color=255,255,0,0
Miss Text Velocity=0,0.03,100
Miss Text Lifetime=3
Miss Text FadeStart=1
Critical Strike text tag data :
Critical Strike Text Color=255,255,0,0
Critical Strike Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Critical Strike Text Lifetime=5
Critical Strike Text FadeStart=2
Shadow Strike text tag data :
Shadow Strike Text Color=255,160,255,0
Shadow Strike Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Shadow Strike Text Lifetime=5
Shadow Strike Text FadeStart=2
Mana Burn text tag data :
Mana Burn Text Color=255,82,82,255
Mana Burn Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Mana Burn Text Lifetime=5
Mana Burn Text FadeStart=2
Bash text tag data :
Bash Text Color=255,0,0,255
Bash Text Velocity=0,0.04,100
Bash Text Lifetime=5
Bash Text FadeStart=2
For unknown reasons, Bash text is not used.
14. Area Damage (more for newbies)
Most of the times (and mostly only, else you nuke everyone), you are going to say : I want to damage the enemy units in the area only, not friendly units.
Example of wrong way of doing this :
Code:
Unit - Cause [B]<whatever unit>[/B] to damage circular area after 0.00 seconds of radius [B]<whatever size>[/B] at [B]<whatever location>[/B] dealing [B]<whatever damage[/B] damage of attack type [B]<whatever attacktype>[/B] and damage type [B]<whatever damagetype>[/B]Though it looks ok, it isn't because this takes all units (including the damage source if it is in the area of damage) and deal damage to them.
Here is a good way of doing this (though it takes some lines) :
Code:
Custom script: set bj_wantDestroyGroup=true
Unit Group - Pick every unit in (Units within [B]<whatever range>[/B] of [B]<whatever location>[/B] Matching ((Owner of (Matching unit)) belongs to an enemy of ([B]<whatever damage source>[/B]) Equal to True) and do (Actions)
Loop - Actions
Unit - Cause [B]<whatever unit>[/B] to damage (Picked unit), dealing [B]<whatever damage>[/B] damage of attack type [B]<whatever attacktype>[/B] and damage type [B]<whatever damagetype>[/B]This deals damage to every unit that is an enemy to the "whatever damage source".
Note : Damage Area is the only function with a "overtime" argument.
15. Blizzard Chat Limit
This is stupid.. but remember the limit of character amount is 254.. do not bypass it with the Game Interface (ex : setting things like [All], [Referees].....), else the game crashes.
More to come later.
