Ramdomizing triggers (in a map)... basicaly the works for me. :(

[Basan]

I've been thinking to do a map to insert in a mod campaign that am developing and since it uses ramdom triggers, never liked the Law of Probabilities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_total_probability) that much (along with lack of time to spare) and then I though some of you might help me out.
This map involves a lot of triggering (see concept below) and so I'm a tad concerned about it's eventual lag during the test stages afterwards. Will hypertriggers aid in ventilating this issue out of my worries list, if that 'trigger weight' occurs?

My concept tweaks around an enemy dropship that has a controlling device such as Psi Emitters (all those from player 8) to pass over it's enemy Zerg Hatcheries, Lairs or even Hives that afterwards are converted to their side (other AI Terran player that supports player 8). And our goal is to shut down this rogue shadow project, preventing this Terran force from going rampart with the help of all the Zerg that they could convert in that region. Now, it's the time when the plot tickens (read due to triggering complexity)... Well, that dropship has to refuel itself from time to time at certain Starports of the same player because the device installed in it draws it's power cells dry real fast. I just wanted for it to start in a random Starport (easily done) and to randomly pick wich Zerg spawing structure it will head to as well. As you can see, after passing over that building I wanted it to choose any Starport available (read not destroyed) in that same random feel that I'm driving it at here. :smirk:
When it touches down to refuel, a timer will be set to let us know how much time we do have 'till the next flight takes off (or if we want to smash that Starport in the mid-time). Of course during each flight of that dropship, I'll have it pin-pointed in the minimap. For us to know how many Zerg buildings we still have untill the Terrans convert'em all (aka we lose), a board will be set to meet with that objective. After considering the triggers weight on that map, am fearing a bit of lag and ain't too sure if hypertriggers will do the trick... I have the storyline drawn already with some of it's maps / plot already made (to belong in an UMS & minor mod campaign of mine as said above) and just wanted to know in your opinion wich will be my major hassles while putting this particular map into birth. :concern:

My main problem here is how to intangle triggers in order to have the least weight possible and for it to work as smothly it can be. I'm asking for help since my (SC) mapping is sorta rusted out and 'cause haven't got much time to fuss around it lately. Again, tks for any help in advance. ;)

[X-Master2]

From what I read, hypertriggers at certain points in the map probably would reduce lag considerably, but you will have to pick the points, since I have no idea exactly how you the cinimatics to look like on your map. Since they can play a key role in the over all feel of the map, and any one with an eye for detail, or is a really good map maker could appreciate it. Other than that, the only other thing that will be a problem will be the fun factor, sounds like a really good idea, and deeply involved, but what about the aspects of challenge of the game? will it be an all experiences type of thing? or will it be that only a hadefull of people can understand how to play, and the noobs have to be told (even though they should try to figure it out for themselves) everything. Otherwise it will take a while to get everything in working order, most noticably the testing aspect, lot of hours on that. Well I did all I could for right now and this current time. Hope it helped.

[marlow1]

im need help using triggers

[MidnightGladius]

How many hatcheries/lairs/hives and starports are there? If there are a lot, this could get VERY hard to manage...

Hmm... Basan, it's doable in one way that's fairly easy (though it's somewhat of a dumb AI).

Give the dropship five "phases", preferably with death counters - fueled, on the way to capture, unfueled, on the way to fuel, and fueling.

For the dumb AI (doesn't care about distance), just do the normal switch-randomizing thing to set where the dropper spawns. When the dropship is "fueled" (which it starts as), do another randomization to choose which Zerg cluster it goes to, and have 2 trigs for each outcome: if the building is controlled already, re-randomize. If it isn't head to that location, and change the status to "on the way to capture". Once it is there, change the setting from "on the way to capture" to "unfueled".

Now, repeat the randomization trigs, this time changing it from "unfueled" to "on the way to fuel" after it decides to move. If they have no more starports, a simple "kill" trigger should do nicely. Once the dropship is at the starport, give it to P12 so enemy fire can't "chase it away", and then set the status to "fueling". For the countdown timer, set it up from the very beginning, but make a trigger so that when the status is not on "fueling", it adds one to the timer every second, so it gives the illusion of not going downwards. After it hits 0, give the dropship back to the CPU, reset the timer, and set the status to "fueled", upon which time it'll go back and repeat the process all over again.

There are other ways to do it, but that's what came to mind, first.

[Basan]

Once in a milenia a thread revival served it's purpose. :D
And MG, thanks for the assistance but lately all my SC projects are on a halt status (as in, not much time for fun with'em :P).
Anyway, rest assured that I'll remember that concept although I had schemed it to work in similar ways.
Side note info: My re-randomizing is (kinda) simple 'cause at tops will only have 5-6 Starports and a similar number of Zerg hives. Almost sure on 5, but maybe will end up with 4 Zerg AI's just to prevent sprite limit :cry: ).

And from my initial intel', you can almost figure out which race and shady character you'll play with, right? ;) (Although I still have two options for race and hero on the works.)

[MidnightGladius]

This is obviously a Kerrigan/Zerg mission stopping ole' Arcturus from stealing her Broods.

Or at least, that's what it seemed like to me upon reading it.