How do you get started with the maphacking and such?

Started by Frosty3k, March 01, 2010, 01:04:06 PM

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Frosty3k

I'm learning how to program at the moment, and I was interested in trying to code these maps and some AI for a learning experience.  Does anyone have any tips that they could share?  Or does anybody know how to actually code in such a way that the SC2 Beta would understand?
I took a look at those enhanced terran and zerg AI scripts, and it looked like C++ (at least when skimming through it).  But how did those programmers know that programming like that is what is required by the compiler inside sc2?

Is there a list of syntax keywords in an mpq file or something?

MisterTea


chetjan

Just curious is the language for the custom maps (and possibly AI) still going to be in JASS?

Kernel64

Quote from: chetjan on March 01, 2010, 10:04:07 PM
Just curious is the language for the custom maps (and possibly AI) still going to be in JASS?

It's like C somewhat. But I'm just mumbling. Maybe someone will make a simple tool that inserts codes and such one of these days.

It's easier if knowledge of the functions and what they do are provided. I'm sure the top guys are on this thing already.

Nordwin

the language, used to programm AI is galaxy.

http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Galaxy_Map_Editor#Galaxy_Language

but yes, the syntax is a bit similiar to c (its based on c, not to c++!! c++ is oop, c isnt and galaxy isnt aswell).. to program an ai it is veeery usefull to have some experience, especially with the basics like functions, loops and conditions, variables, ...
the given methods from blizzard for the ai are in the base.sc2data file, which is an .mpq-archive

kblood

Try:

http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/download.html
And try using the mpq unpacker mod for Total Commander. Total Commander can browse zip archives and other compressed stuff, like rar, as if it was a folder. With this mod, and adding the SC2 extensions to it, Total Commander can browse almost all SC2 files, since maps, AI and all that other stuff in SC2 is just renamed MPQ files.
Try using it to browse the map files, and use the F3 button to have a peak into them. Its not all hardcoded data, and it seems less than impossible to make meaning full changes to a map.
Also it should be possible to add folders like triggerslib to a map file, and it will use the AI placed into the map. I have not testet it yet though.