New Units, New Grps, and DatEdit

[KupoMoogle]

I've created four new GRPs for four new units that I would like to add to my mod. I had hopped to either make them entirly new units, or use them to replace the hero units (That way my mod can be played with the original SC Campaigns) The biggest problem that I have run into, are finding GRP files that I can replace, that still show up in the selection boxes in DatEdit. I know you can't create units, and so I had hopped to replace some of the unused units already built into starcraft (ex. Cargo Ship). The problem I have is that none of these units (with the exception of the independent Starport) show up in the selection box on the v1.4 DatEdit [Units >> Graphics >> Graphics:] bar. The same is true for the Flingy and Sprites bars. Do these units not have .GRPs associated to them? Is it possible to add a brand new GRP (one that is not replacing any other grps) and then use Ice or IceCC to tell a unit to use that .grp file? A similar solution I thought of was to make a .GRP that was twice as large as normal, and had the frames for both units, and then use Ice to tell the units to use the appropriate frames but the problem I ran into there was understanding how to tell hero units (like Raynor) to use a different Iscript instead of using the marine one (or any other unit).
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-- In an attempted summery --
Is it possible to tell DatEdit to recognize more options in its selection bars.
Can new .grp files be added instead of replacing current ones
- If so, How can I tell the unit to use the newly implanted .GRP file
- If not, Does anyone know of a few .GRP files already in starcraft, that are not used?
How can I tell a hero unit (like Raynor or Fenix) to use its own, new Iscript pointers, instead of using another units?

p.s. Is the Independent Starport Cursed!? I remember when I first started moding, that everything I read said that placing the Independent starport would crash starcraft. Is that just because it didn't have the correct set up to be a completed unit? If I changed the Independent Starport into a fully functioning unit, would it still cause starcraft to crash for some other reason?

[MaxedOutBC]

Is it possible to tell DatEdit to recognize more options in its selection bars?

No. It will be unable to read the DAT. For example, if you somehow added one unit the the units.dat structure then Datedit would be unable to read that data file.

Can new .grp files be added instead of replacing current ones?

Doubtful. Use GRPs you don't need (for example, Xel Naga Temple) can work, though.

If not, Does anyone know of a few .GRP files already in starcraft, that are not used?


Never need to find any, but perhaps there are some. If not, just use ones you don't need. To hook em up, some iscripting with GRP files that are used will be necessary.

How can I tell a hero unit (like Raynor or Fenix) to use its own, new Iscript pointers, instead of using another units?


You can't. Use an iscript that you won't need instead.

CONCLUSION:

Use unused things OR things you won't need (like MAYBE seige tank alternate mode, for example).

[U-238]

No. It will be unable to read the DAT. For example, if you somehow added one unit the the units.dat structure then Datedit would be unable to read that data file.


Not so fast... you can get DE to see the "extra" dat entries. You simply need to edit the list files in the data folder. However getting starcraft to see them is a different story. (read: long hard hacking process that involves pratically rewriting part of the exe.)

Can new .grp files be added instead of replacing current ones?

Yes and no. You can extend the list of grps listed by dat edit by editing images.tbl. Then loading your modified tbl into datedits options menu. But as far as adding a new entry to images.dat that requires the above stated.

If not, Does anyone know of a few .GRP files already in starcraft, that are not used?

Last I checked there were a grand total of 3 extra images.dat entries. However one of them is a weapons.dat entry so results from using that entry will be a little strange. The other two are unknowns that arn't used by anything. Those might work as units however I've only used them as weapon sprites so I wouldn't be 100% sure.

How can I tell a hero unit (like Raynor or Fenix) to use its own, new Iscript pointers, instead of using another units?

The hero units, while using their own units.dat entry, simply link up to the regular unit entry at the units.dat graphic point. (If you go to the "Graphics" tab in units.dat you'll see that the link to flingy.dat is just the graphic of the regular unit. The only exceptions to this are both kerrigans.) That said the only way to get a new iscript to a hero unit (besides kerrigan) would be to add in a new flingy, sprites, and images.dat entry them relink the hero unit to the added entries.

Unused things CAN work however they often produce jittery results and if you end up fighting a crash it may be one of those. (spoken from experience.)

[DiscipleOfAdun]

DatEdit still won't have the data for the new entry. BK hardcoded the sizes into the exe when I told him that it's be near impossible for sc to use them. He would have done it that way anyways.

btw, that total seems like the flingy count, not the images.dat count...


Heh, crash fighting. My favorite.

[U-238]

It is. Unit>Flingy>sprites>images.

DatEdit still won't have the data for the new entry. BK hardcoded the sizes into the exe when I told him that it's be near impossible for sc to use them. He would have done it that way anyways.

Bleh I didn't try it yet. I just assumed it worked that way. :E

Guess A3 is still usefull for something. :P