Unused Spaces ?_?

[Konn]

How many Unused spaces are there for Custom Units, Buildings, etc ?_?

(And yes im new XD, Ive been working on a mod for a lil while and wanna see if I cant actually succeed in adding new units, though where ill get a spriter for the graphics I dont know XD)

EDIT1: How do I find the Unused spaces anyways ?_?

Programs being used: DatEdit, SCAI, a few tools to make maps, WinMPQ, MPQCompactor, MPQDraft =)

What prgrams am I missing ?_?

EDIT2: How do I mod the names of units and weapons too ?_? (Instead of doing that in the StarEdit for it ?_?)

[Durandal]

Firegraft, TBLPad, and Ice are important tools.

You need TBLPad to edit the unit names. use WinMPQ to extract the file rez/stat_txt.tbl (where all the strings and unit names are), then edit it, and implement it.

Just look through DatEdit for the unused unit spaces, and count them. it's not that hard.

[Konn]

When I did that I found only 4 unused thing (Though I just pressed U XD)

And thank you I gonna go get those now =3

EDIT1: ICE or IceCC ?_?

EDIT2: Should I add the new units 1st or change the other units 1st ?_?

[Durandal]

You can't 'add' units to Starcraft. At least not in a manner that's easily doable or even recommendable. Just go through the list and you'll find like ten unused units at least, take some time on it and don't force others to.

Ice is easy for newbs to understand, IceCC is more intermediate.

[Konn]

Sorry, what I meant by add was use the unused XD

And about that "take some time on it and don't force others to" im sorry, I thought I said I would go search for that again after =S

Thanks Ill get ICE then =3

[Konn]

You need TBLPad to edit the unit names. use WinMPQ to extract the file rez/stat_txt.tbl (where all the strings and unit names are), then edit it, and implement it.

So I found the file but all it shows are a few hundred [] and word (Though no names, I know I must be doing something wrong)

May I just ask what im doing wrong (Sorry for the double post and asking a probably obvious question) =S

[U-238]

You can only add a maximum of 3 new units to the game. While there's plenty of unused units.dat entries to go around, it's the flingy.dat entries that are so limited. (units must connect to a flingy.dat entry)

So I found the file but all it shows are a few hundred [] and word (Though no names, I know I must be doing something wrong)

May I just ask what im doing wrong (Sorry for the double post and asking a probably obvious question) =S

Mind showing a screen? I don't quite understand.

Welcome to warboards btw. :)

[Konn]

ahh, so is that 3 max, or 3 per race ?_?

Well I dont know how to get a screen shot of anything out of a game XD and Thanks =3

[Durandal]

Press the PrtScrn button on your keyboard, above your arrow keys.

Then open up Paint, hit Ctrl+V (or go to edit>>paste). It'll paste a screenshot of your desktop there, then just save as JPG and upload.

[Konn]

Well thats why I didnt know (I knew about the Print Screen button) but I didnt think it was like pressing copy =S

[TheNomad]

I recommend you use heroes to add new units. But don't use heroes with specific attributes (Sarah, Raynor, Tom Kazansky etc.), but "normal" ones like the hero Archon, hero Mutalisk, hero Guardian, basically something without "rules". The others have specific upgrades and techs assigned to them.

[U-238]

I recommend you use heroes to add new units. But don't use heroes with specific attributes (Sarah, Raynor, Tom Kazansky etc.), but "normal" ones like the hero Archon, hero Mutalisk, hero Guardian, basically something without "rules". The others have specific upgrades and techs assigned to them.

Keep in mind though that hero units have the same flingy.dat entries as the base unit. (eg: jim raynor has the same flingy.dat entry as the vulture/marine) While this can be changed you're still limited to the 3 usable unused entries in flingy.dat. (And it's 3 entries total. Not per-race.)

[Konn]

Sorry I didnt repsond till now, my computer wouldnt boot up, but atleast now I can show you my errors =/

Heres the pics

[U-238]

You can't open stat_txt in notepad. You need to use tblpad (http://starcraft.org/downloads/CustomsDownloads/Intermediate/TblPad) to view the strings. (the txt at the end is deceiving I know)

[Konn]

Thank you =D

Ill check it out now =3

EDIT1: It automatically opens in notepad (Im supposed to open it with WinMPQ right ?_?)

[ForTheSwarm]

Right click on it and choose open with. Then click browse and select tblpad.

[U-238]

It doesn't always work that way (runtime errors). The best, most surest, way to open it would be to open tblpad and then use File>Open and navigate to your tbl from there.

[Konn]

It doesn't always work that way (runtime errors). The best, most surest, way to open it would be to open tblpad and then use File>Open and navigate to your tbl from there.

Problem with that is that tbl doesnt wanna work

Heres a pic of the error:

[TheNomad]

You need the VB4 runtime (http://shadowflare.samods.org/download/Vbr4.zip)

[Konn]

Thank you =D

EDIT1: (Doesnt seem to have helped, still same error happens after I extracted and installed =/)

EDIT2: And I cant find the file (Search hasnt found it either)

[TheNomad]

Try this (http://www.ascentive.com/support/new/support_dll.phtml?dllname=COMDLG32.OCX)

[Konn]

Thank you =D Now TBL is working, (Still trying to figure out how to open those files under TBL but im searching now)

[Durandal]

You start the program.

You click File>>Open.

You find your file.

You open it.

I think that was pretty thorough.

[Konn]

Ok, thats not the problem... the problem is (While using TBL) getting into BroodDat.mpq (When I use WinMPQ it only opens as notepad)

EDIT1: Otherwise I wouldnt need to ask such questions XD

[ForTheSwarm]

Open stat_txt, not BroodDat.

[U-238]

1) open brooddat.mpq with WinMPQ
2) find the stat_txt.tbl
3) drag the stat_txt.tbl out of the WinMPQ window and drop it on your desktop (or other folder you're using)
4) close WinMPQ and open up TblPad
5) go to File>Open and navigate to the newly extracted stat_txt.tbl, select it, and click the "Open" button.

[Konn]

1) open brooddat.mpq with WinMPQ
2) find the stat_txt.tbl
3) drag the stat_txt.tbl out of the WinMPQ window and drop it on your desktop (or other folder you're using)
4) close WinMPQ and open up TblPad
5) go to File>Open and navigate to the newly extracted stat_txt.tbl, select it, and click the "Open" button.

Ill try that a 4th time now =/ (Though I saved it on the desktop each time)

note to ALL who see this, do not save it outside of broodat.mpq =/ (I feel like an idiot again XD)

[Konn]

So then does that mean I can change and use the things called (and similar too) Unused Terran Bldg<0>*<0>*<0> If so then how many buildings could I use ?_?

(Just considering the fact of only being able to use 3 unused unit spots in general, or does this go for ALL unused things ?_?)

EDTIT1: (Sorry for double post =/)

[U-238]

Unit-wise there's plenty of open unused/hero slots. Graphicly speaking though there's only around 3 unused graphic spaces that tunnel all the way through to images.dat. So, while you could "create" quite a few units using the unused units.dat spots, all but 3 of them would have to use preexisting graphics.

And all the strings are simply text-based and you can change them to whatever you want. (read: however many unused buildings there are is what you can use)

[Konn]

Ok, so what about changing the graphics of a hero so I can make a bunch of units ?_?

and then making 3 different graphics for each race (1 unit each race)

would that work in allowing me to make a few extra units ?_?

EDIT1: Ok, so I renamed alot of heroes (Will "add" 3 units later 2 terran 1 protoss, or something like that) BUT, how do I make DatEdit have the names in it ?_? (So I know what units im changing)

[TheNomad]

OK, I don't think you got it... The basic lesson you must learn is file correspondence.

Imagine a table. You have TWO main table rows: UNITS (includes infantry, vehicles, ships, heroes, buildings, add-ons, special units, resources and powerups) and WEAPONS (targeted weapons with no effect, weapons with projectiles, weapons with technologies etc.).

Then you have 3 columns: FLINGY, SPRITES and IMAGES.

If you can't, I'll draw it... ASCII art ftw.

|================================================= =======|
| MAIN | FLINGY | SPRITE | IMAGE |
|================================================= =======|
| Marine | Marine | Marine | Marine |
| Yamato Gun | Yamato Gun | Yamato Gun | Yamato Gun |
|================================================= =======|


... etc.

Each entry corresponds to another. Each format has its own properties.
The Flingy handles some part of physics (movement, speed, acceleration and damage handling - basically what actually does the damage in a game is the flingy), the Sprite is the simplest way of drawing, it doesn't use any overlays DIRECTLY (but inherits them from a corresponding image), and the image is the most advanced, it holds iScript data, drawing flags, effect remapping, overlay mapping, palette mapping, and has a GRP pointer.

Depending on what you want, some features might not require a sprite or a flingy. Also note that Zerg units require an additional images.dat entry for spawning.

The problem here is that the heroes use their respective normal-unit flingys (except for Sarah). Which means ... limited entries.


Hope this explains what U238 tried to tell you.

[Konn]

So in other words, I cant exactly change the sprites of other units/heroes/buildings/weapons/etc ?_?
Well that sucks if I cant.

(Example Basically I wanna change Gui Montang to Terran Marine (Heavy) so I rename him, but use the Marine sprite)
Example 2 I wanna change the hero Goliath into a panda (Im not actually doing that) so I make the sprite and set it up, Isnt that what RetroGRP is for and a few other programs do the same ?_?

(When the name was changed and stats set in I was gonna ask bout sprites anyways XD)

EDIT1: Forgot, Also theres 3 units I can add right ?_? eg: A Hero of the M-82 Mobile, a Terran Bunker Tank, and a Protoss Mobile Pylon which I would make/frankenstein the sprites.

So isnt there a program I can DL to change sprites of already made things ?_?
(If ya need a list of what heroes im changing then just say so)

EDIT2: And how do I make DatEdit also read the names ?_? Or is that not posible (I tried overwritting the stat_txt in the defaults =/ (Wait I have an idea)

[ForTheSwarm]

DatEdit will always have the original names, even if you change stat_txt.

[Konn]

ok, so then theres no point in trying to change the names in DatEdit =/ So then I should just change the things I want to (health etc) then add those to a different folder with my stat_txt and compress it to see the names im guessing =/

[ForTheSwarm]

Add unit.dat or weapons.dat etc. to the mod file in WinMPQ, as well as the stat_txt.tbl.

[TheNomad]

You didn't have to overwrite the file, there is an option for that already built in, lol...
To read your own names just enable "use custom labels".

You can change sprites and so on, what I meant was that for example, both Raynor Marine and Terran Marine use the same flingy. And many heroes do that too. So you are restricted to what you can use. Not to mention that using the same flingy means you point to the same iScript.

[U-238]

Basically what we're saying is: If you changed the Raynor Marine graphic, the regular marine's graphic would also get changed automatically. This is the same case with most all of the hero's. (Except for "special" ones like sarah kerrigan, infested kerrigan, etc that have their own graphics.)

[Konn]

Ok, so ill have to check what ive done =/ (Thank you) So I might need to think of a different method XD