Update! 65KB StarLauncher v0.41, this thread for detailed information

[lurenjia]

I am not the author, just forwarding this tool here. I hope it may, more or less, facilitate your things related to SC2. However, DO NOT overstate the contribution of this tool.

Now the new version of this chinese launcher supports selecting team as well.
You can choose AI player as your teammate. That is, you can decide:
(you + AI) vs (2 AI) OR you vs (3 AI)
So, gl hf.

For download link, please refer to this topic (now with 0.41):
http://darkblizz.org/Forum2/sc2-tools/starlauncher-v0-3-with-team-setting-colorrace-selection-slot-changing/

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This is a very tiny, in terms of the file size (65KB), launcher with the function of selecting race and color.

The author of this tool said that the feature of selecting race, colorand team is not based on the work of StarCrack work. And this tool isposted on a chinese forum 2 hours before the well known StarCrackLauncher.

Source (in Chinese):
http://bbs.islga.org/read-htm-tid-38785.html

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Current issues:

I have tested it. Like what StarScrack Launcher does, it will modify map files. But the current version will not automatically backup your map files, so please do it by yourself.

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The following words are translated from the original chinese words:

Starcraft II Beta Launcher created by me. It is a very simple one regarding to its function. Selecting team is currently not available. Only simple test has been carried out.

Functionality:
- Load maps for single player game
- Choose the number of opponents (limited by the map)
- Selecing race both for human player and AI players
- Selecting colors (via choose the slot of each player)
- Setecting referee and spectator(observer) to watch AI only games

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For those having concern about the security issue. This is the results of virus scan (updated for v0.3):
http://www.virustotal.com/analisis/7dea05bbad67a4d4c5e04ba7afd9cf5b61804f80f7dc2afe7028699402a092dd-1267983901
It shows it is unlikely to be a virus but could be a crack.

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Screenshot:



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Notice:
I do not know the exact way of this tool as to implement its functionalities. I am not the author. But the author has said that the function of single player mode is based on the reverse engineering of Lazy Launcher. That is it. So do not raise any rubbish words arguing that.

[gzxaaa]

I was just about to post this Chinese tiny launcher here. This is an amazing work!

This launcher is actually independent of Lazylauncher! You DON'T need lazylauncher AT ALL!

I have no idea how the author realize the single player and race selection (with observer & reference function enabled) with a tiny 65KB program. The author probably developed his crack in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT way from the Lazytown team. It's not sandbox based at all.

The current version is still buggy and only works stable for 2-player map on my machine. For most 4-player map, it'll give error or can't place the AIs in the game. Maybe the program is not compatible with all maps but this is anyway a breakthrough in my opinion.

[Lucas]

no errors in my computer.

[kblood]

This Starlauncher is simply perfect It makes all other launchers... almost...  obsolete.
I now use Lazylaunch2 just to watch replays. Then I use this launcher to load maps I have placed in:
C:\Users\*username*\AppData\Local\Blizzard Entertainment\Battle.net\Cache\Download
(Windows 7 64 bit path)
And replays of the game will be put in the following folder after the game is over:
C:\Users\*username*\Documents\StarCraft II Beta\Replays\Recent
(Again Windows 7 64 bit path)
I have edited some of the maps already on this site in several places, and added the Starcrack v6.0 AI into them. Some maps I could not do it to without getting errors, but these few worked:
http://dionysus.dk/SC2/Maps%20with%20Starcrack%20V6%20AI/Verified_SCv6maps/
And I have made some replays with these maps, playing them from the cache/download folder with this launcher:
http://dionysus.dk/SC2/Maps%20with%20Starcrack%20V6%20AI/Replays/
Try adding my maps (Okay, I just added the AI), to the cache/download folder on your computer, and run these replays how you usually run replays. Since the AI is part of the map, all you need is the original SC installation without mods. If Starcrack AI v6 is installed it will probably work anyway, since the installed AI most likely will have no effect on the replay, unless you have the AI in a Starcraft2beta/TriggerLibs folder. That would probably be bad for the replay.
Well, I need some sleep. I have been running all kinds of tests on this Beta most of this weekend. I hope this will be useful for all the people doing so much great work to make this beta so enjoyable The SC v6 AI sure is awesome. I have lost to it more times than I would like to admit... 

[Bt]

So only way to use different AI besides Blizzard EXTREMELY EASY STUPID AI is to modify the maps?

Doesn't seem like the perfect launcher to me.

I'd rather have a directory which I can drop the new AI into, or an option to select a different AI.

Seems a bit drawn out and unnecessary.

Only redeemable feature of this Launcher is the file size and ram footprint.

[SCFan68]

And people need to be aware that this launcher permanently changes your source map files. Unlike other launchers which modify them for play by making a temporary map file to launch from, and then leaving the original untouched.  With this launcher, when you have played a game and quit, the map file in question is unquestionably changed/modified still after the fact.


 This seems like poor form, IMO.

[gzxaaa]

And people need to be aware that this launcher permanently changes your source map files. Unlike other launchers which modify them for play by making a temporary map file to launch from, and then leaving the original untouched.  With this launcher, when you have played a game and quit, the map file in question is unquestionably changed/modified still after the fact.


This seems like poor form, IMO.

SCFan68 you're spammng this warning everywhere? I even find them on Chinese forum lol: http://3dmgame.chnren.com/bbs/showtopic-1156742.html

Anyway what you said is true but it should be an easy fix for the author. But why can't we backup the original maps ourselve? It doesn't bother me at all.

So only way to use different AI besides Blizzard EXTREMELY EASY STUPID AI is to modify the maps?

Doesn't seem like the perfect launcher to me.

I'd rather have a directory which I can drop the new AI into, or an option to select a different AI.

Seems a bit drawn out and unnecessary.

Only redeemable feature of this Launcher is the file size and ram footprint.

The launcher has nothing to do with AI script. If you want a better AI, simply install Starcrack AI 6.1 by replacing Base.sc2data. The author said that he won't include the trivial AI mod and map management as everyone can just copy and paste files to achieve them.

The launcher is independent of Lazylauncher, and is the ONLY crack currently that make you play team game with AIs instead of the stupid Free For All. You just need this 66KB launcher to enjoy almost everything for single player, like in starcraft 1. That's why I like it so much.

[SCFan68]

I assure you I have not been to any Chinese forums.  Someone from there must have read my post here, and cut/paste it over there.


I hardly think making people aware that this launcher will irrevocably alter their source map files is "spamming".  I am just making sure it's known. I said it in the other thread, and once again in this thread.  That's it.  Feedback.

Yes, we can back them up ourselves. I'm just warning people that it changes their files. I can't imagine why it makes you so uptight.  It should be absolutely fair to warn people about it.

[gzxaaa]

Lol calm down SCFan68. I know you're not doing anything wrong. I just feel a little little bothered when I saw your warnings three times within an hour (including the Chinese one which is not your fault). 

[SCFan68]

It's a completely legitimate concern and worthy of making known to people who want to use it, if for no other reason than to make sure they backup their files. People won't be expecting their source map files to be altered.


I'm not trying to put the launcher down, I think it's great otherwise.  I am just trying to be helpful, and warn people of the potential problem.  So they aren't later going "Why are all my maps messed up, HELP!!".

[Bt]

Thats what I mean.

This launcher isn't user friendly and it wrecks your maps.

No thanks.

[SCFan68]

Zoxc's is the best launcher still, IMO.  This one will do teaming, but if Zoxc can add that to his, then it'll totally rock. His newest one (2.2.2) also dispenses with the need for Lazy Launcher. Once he get's proper teaming into the mix, I think his will be best. I like the interface and functionality of it the most.


Others still have yet to even get races and colors into the mix.  But in the long run, theirs may also be quite cool.  But at this moment, I feel that Zoxc's launcher, with full team options working, would be complete and awesome.


But kudos to this author for figuring out the team issues.  Major kudos.

[CraniX]

Truly an amazing loader, not like others floating around.
Good job on this one I would recommend it to everyone.

CraniX

[lurenjia]

Zoxc's is the best launcher still, IMO.  This one will do teaming, but if Zoxc can add that to his, then it'll totally rock. His newest one (2.2.2) also dispenses with the need for Lazy Launcher. Once he get's proper teaming into the mix, I think his will be best. I like the interface and functionality of it the most.


Others still have yet to even get races and colors into the mix.  But in the long run, theirs may also be quite cool.  But at this moment, I feel that Zoxc's launcher, with full team options working, would be complete and awesome.


But kudos to this author for figuring out the team issues.  Major kudos.

Yeah, the Zoxc's one is amazing. Actually it is the one I am using.
But I just found that the new version of Valkirie's well known Starcraft II - Beta Launcher, v0.21 is much more versatile now.
So I am hesitating which one I should choose.
However, this is a "pleasant" problem

[kblood]

So only way to use different AI besides Blizzard EXTREMELY EASY STUPID AI is to modify the maps?

Doesn't seem like the perfect launcher to me.

I'd rather have a directory which I can drop the new AI into, or an option to select a different AI.

Seems a bit drawn out and unnecessary.

Only redeemable feature of this Launcher is the file size and ram footprint.

The easy way with the most features? Well, I am greedy and want them all, I use most loaders, each for a different thing
But I make a mapfolder, specifically for Starlauncher, in my cache. I call this folder sYk0 since it is his maps I am putting in it. Then I add the only AI I am playing since it truly rocks. Starcrack V6, to my Starcraft 2 game folder. I do this because some maps do not want this AI put directly into them.
After doing it this way, it will be important to name replays after what AI it was played with, to keep them replayable. This is my prefered way to play the game.
When not playing SC2, I watch replays. For that I either use LazyLaunch2 or the SC2ALLin1 launcher. The SC2ALLin1 is annoying to use for anything else though. I really do not like its map management. Seems to be floating around, and not making stuff replayable. All the features it has seems somewhat useless to me, since I would rather have the regular launch options like show FPS. Instead it has unused thingamabobs. The replay player is nice though and works well. I dont like having to browse for my replays folder, and this mod does that very well. The other features are nice to look at, but can wait for a time where there are more maps to choose from.
I do not like the S2Launcher_Unsupported_v25 because it messes with my patches. Maps I got backups off, the patches makes me having to reinstall SC2 Beta again to be able to watch replays. It does look promising though. I like the Starcrack AI v6 much better though.
SC2Launcher2.0.2 got a nice MOD feature. I like how it can use only the parts of an AI that has actually been changed. Makes it more obvious how much has been done to the script, and takes less space.
But I do not change scripts often after 6.0, and I would rather be certain that I have replays to watch after playing a map. The most certain way would be a map folder in the cache that I run directly from there with lazylaunch2. Other launchers or extensions usually have a hard time locating hidden files, which makes this almost impossible.
Pros with StarLauncher v0.3. No fancy features shown which are not even in the launcher anyway, no trying to control what AI I should use to play with.
It enables you to play in teams (although it probably cannot be done and having a viewable replay), also the current AIs does not yet support teams. But the feature is there, and since we are lacking scripts for it, we cannot really say how bugged it is, or if it even is bugged.
You can choose your race, you can choose the race of other players, and you can set them to being computer or disabled. The other options are useless as far as I know.  3 out of 5 is still nice though, and the 2 others might prove useful for something.
You can watch replays of games played with this launcher as long as the game was played from a map in the cache folder.
You can choose color by changing your player controlled player. This might work with less problems than other launchers that got that function recently.


Cons: Replays might go out of sync. If it happens it is usually within the first 2 min of the replay. Might only happen for team games. It does edit the map it plays, so best have maps only used for this launcher, and everything seems to be a ok.


EDIT other launchers have been updated. Guess I will have to take a look at them tomorrow again