Heya,
In this tutorial I hope to show you how to make an advanced hero selection system in a step by step guide.
This one works via players clicking on heroes they wish to use as opposed to taverns or region methods.
I've tried to include as many pictures & samples as possible.
If you have any suggestions, recommendations or critiques, by all means tell me.
Please note the sample triggers probably have some
Leaks in them, but as they are only going to be run at the start of the game its no real big deal.
I'd
Strongly Recommend first of, to download the sample map attached, to see how it works & looks in game.
If you are already fairly experienced with the World Editor you could simply copy/paste across the system into your map & skip this tutorial.
It might however be a good idea, to read it anyways.
Contents
Globals
First off, the dreaded global variables must be created:
- Boolean Array - This is so when a player has selected a Hero we can mark him as already having a hero, preventing him from selecting any more.
- Unit Groups - A/B - These are there to group up the heroes for selection purposes. We can detect if a player clicks on them, with necessary conditions
- Unit Group - Used - This is used to store current Heroes that are selected by players and being considered for use. Stops a player snatching someone else players before he can confirm.
- Player Groups - These are to group the players into their appropriate teams. Simplifies a lot of things later on, which you'll see.
- Unit Array - This is to store a players current hero he has selected. We use this to change the ownership/color of previous selected heroes back to normal when selecting a new hero
Dummy Units/Abilities
For the selection system, well need 1 dummy unit & 1 dummy ability.
I recommend basing these on the militia unit + the tornado slow aura ability.
Dummy Unit
- Will be used as fake unit sold on Heroes, to confirm/select that Hero.
- Will be used as a dummy to lock/rotate the camera around.
- Add/replace invulnerable/locust abilities
- Remove his shadow
- Disable attacks
- Remove his sound speed
- Reduce Gold/Lumber/Food cost to 0
- Alter his tooltips, something like:
- Tooltip Basic - 'Select this Hero'
- Tooltip Extended - 'Selects this Hero to fight for your cause.'
- Give him an appropriate icon, I recommend MC's tick box icon
Selection Arrow Ability
This is very easy, only need to add 2 minor things:
- Art target - Stop Sharing
- Art target attachment point - Overhead
Terrain/Units/Rects
Now we need to setup the terrain & the units, creating both a hero selection area & a base for each team.
Hero Selection Areas:
- All heroes should be computer ally player of team A/B, in this case player's 6/12.
- Place a militia unit in the center (more on that later).
Team Bases:
- Place a rect, where the heroes can teleport to after picking a hero.
Player Teams
Next we need to setup the teams, in this test map/tutorial I'll be using 2 teams:
- Players 1-6 - (Player 6 being the computer ally)
- Players 7-12 - (Player 12 being the computer ally)
Here is a sample trigger on how I'd recommend going about this:
Sample Teams Trigger:
Init 2
It would also be nice to set up a nice camera for each player:
Cameras:
- Create a cinematic fade in for all players.
- Move the camera for each team to their hero selection areas.
- Lock the camera for each team onto that militia in their hero selection areas.
- Rotate the camera for each team around that militia in their hero selection areas.
- Disable user control.
Sample Camera Trigger:
Initz
Cinematic - Disable user control for (All players)
:
- Place heroes in their groups
- Change color to Black (Neutral color)
- Disable attack/movement on all heroes
- Reduce Skill Points to 0
- Add Sell Units ability
- Add Militia (Dummy Unit Selection) to stock
- Make invulnerable
Heroes:
Unit Group - Add Paladin 0000 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Blood Mage 0003 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Keeper of the Grove 0004 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Warden 0007 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Demon Hunter 0006 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Priestess of the Moon 0005 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Archmage 0001 <gen> to GroupA
Unit Group - Add Mountain King 0002 <gen> to GroupA
-------- --------
Unit Group - Add Death Knight 0012 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Shadow Hunter 0011 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Far Seer 0009 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Tauren Chieftain 0010 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Blademaster 0008 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Dreadlord 0014 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Lich 0013 <gen> to GroupB
Unit Group - Add Crypt Lord 0015 <gen> to GroupB
-------- --------
Unit Group - Pick every unit in GroupA and do (Actions)
Loop - Actions
Unit Group - Pick every unit in GroupB and do (Actions)
Loop - Actions
Finally we are reaching the good stuff.
This trigger will handle players clicking on a hero.
For this we need:
- Detect player unit selection.
- Check the player hasn't already got a hero.
- Check the hero isn't already being selected by another player.
- Check the player is selecting from the right group of heroes.
- Remove the selection arrow from the previously selected hero.
- Change the previously selected hero back to computer ally.
- Change the previously selected heroes color back to black.
- Add the selection arrow to the new hero selected.
- Change ownership of the newly selected hero, also changing color.
- Set the newly selected hero as the players Selection
- Add the hero to the used group, marking it as being used.
Select Hero:
Select Hero
Nearly there. This trigger will handle players confirming their hero.
It will detect them 'buying' the fake selection unit, returning the selected hero back to normal & then lastly creating a fresh new hero at their teams base for them to use.
For this we need:
- Detect unit being sold.
- Check the unit being sold is the dummy selection unit.
- Set the players boolean, marking him as having a hero (prevents him from picking any others).
- As in the unit selection, remove the selection arrow from previous unit, change it back to computer ally & change its color to black.
- Reset the players camera & move it to his team's base.
- Create the hero he selected at his team's base for him.
- Add a special effect onto the freshly created hero, I recommend tomb of retraining.
- Select the newly created hero for him.
Confirm Hero:
Confirm Hero
As a small add-on I'd recommend adding a finishing touch to the Dummy Unit. in his Model File, change it to 'blank' / a 'space'.
This will make him invisible, in the editor hell show up as a green box, but ignore that.
Thats all folks, thx for reading this tutorial.
I hope you enjoyed it and learned something from it.
Events
Map initialization
Conditions
For each (Integer A) from 1 to 12, do (Actions)
Player - Make (Player((Integer A))) treat (Player((Integer B))) as an Ally with shared vision
Player Group - Add (Player((Integer A))) to ForceA
Unit - Change color of (Picked unit) to Black
Hero - Modify unspent skill points of (Picked unit): Set to 0 points
Custom script: call UnitRemoveAbility(GetEnumUnit(),'Amov')
Neutral Building - Add Selection Unit to (Picked unit) with 1 in stock and a max stock of 1
Set Selected[(Player number of (Triggering player))] = (Triggering unit)
Special Effect - Create a special effect attached to the origin of (Last created unit) using Abilities\Spells\Items\TomeOfRetraining\TomeOfRetrainingCaster.mdl
Selection - Select (Last created unit) for (Triggering player)
Game - Display to (All players) the text: ((Name of (Triggering player)) + ( has chosen + ((Proper name of (Last created unit)) + (, the + (Name of (Last created unit))))))
