Altering the unit's selection circle?

[Hashjie]

The only thread that I've found so far is this one:

http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/...e-98/how-change-selection-circle-model-85205/

It didn't seem like anyone found an answer.

I'd also like to know if this is true and that it is in fact impossible to change the model underneath the unit's feet (selection circle) for units, hero's, buildings and pre-targets.

I've tried changing the following blp's in the same way they where created without luck:

ui\Feedback\selectioncircle\SelectionCircleBuilding.blp
ui\Feedback\selectioncircle\SelectionCircleUnit.blp
ui\Feedback\SelectionCircleUnit\_UItargetSharedB.blp

When opening the Selection circle unit models inside magos model editor my custom textures seem to work fine
But in-game I just get the standard ugly looking green circle.

Anyone has found a solution for this yet?

EDIT:
So far I've tried creating a custom selection model and importing it over the original path + the blp's over the original path. Didn't work...
I've tried changing the Game Interface to a aura model just to check if it changes: it didn't...
I've tried changing the Game Interface to a custom selection model, didn't work...

Anyone has any more ideas or is this thing hard-coded ?
If it is: then why does blizzard feel the need to put it in the Game Interface >.<
That seems so stupid, why would you put something in there that you can't change?
What's the point in having it there then :S? It feels like they're teasing me, make the bully stop please

EDIT2:
I figured out it would be best to try a different approach.
I'm going to disable the selection UI through triggers and put my custom model underneath them whenever they are selected.
This should be fairly simple to accomplish:

• Game - Enable selection and deselection functionality (Disable selection circles)

call EnableSelect( true, false )

I'm still not sure about detecting pre-selection in this case though...
Trackables won't be a good solution for detecting them so that will probably need some intervention.

• Game - Enable pre-selection functionality (Disable pre-selection circles, life bars, and object info)

Seems like a lot of drawbacks to make it look nice too. :/
However, it's too late right now. I'll do it tomorrow. For those interested, I'll post my progress here in this thread.
(I'm sure this has been done before, I just can't find any examples)

 

[Ezekiel12]

The skins are in ReplaceableTextures\Selection\

It might be possible to change the model somehow but I never figured that out as the selection circle topic is quite complex. Some adjustments can be made in miscdata.txt and theres some .slk which has another size option.
If any of these changes can be imported to the map I dont know right now..

As you can even delete all those selection models and skins in ui\feedback\... without warcraft noticing, it might be really tricky to get your own model in^^..

 

[Derdan]

So do you want the selection circle to be a square, or...? I know the selection circle can be changed; you must import the .blp to the paths that Ezekiel12 gave above. Whether there are selection circle/square .blps out there is the question.

Edit: Create the shape in .blp format of whatever you want the shape to be. It should be white so it can change colors according to whether the unit you are hovering over is an enemy, neutral, or ally. It should be 128x128. Import it to ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleLarge.blp for large structures, ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleMed.blp for medium structures, and ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleSmall.blp for units.

 

[Almia]

this is possible actually.I saw one in Mineralz and more.You can ask their authors.

 

[Derdan]

Here is an example of what I made:

 

[Hashjie]

Here is an example of what I made:

This was exactly what I needed, I just couldn't find the correct paths.
Thanks a ton, you really helped me out here

Do you perhaps also know the model that is used for these blp's? Are they inside the same MPQ directory? (apparently not)
If so I'll create my own collored versions for ally and enemy.
I did it for the other models too
It's cool that it also contains the SpellAreaOfEffect blp's... I'll have a look at it too.

again, big thanks for this! Same to you Ezekiel12 for showing me the path! +rep

EDIT:

1 more thing to do

Notice that I did the selection circle really quick using magic wand xD

Now all I need to find out is how to remove the standard colors for the selection and use my own custom ones. That would be sweet
There must be a model file out there somewhere that is used for these selection circles...
I'm going to try altering selectioncircle.mdx in UI\Feedback\SelectionCircle. I think for some reason this model has something to do with it.
As it did have a green animation color but it didn't have the correct textures... :/ It's also the one shown in Game Interface.
I'll see what happens when I import my custom one without animation color.
Still though, I think there might be one out there that I'm missing...

As you can even delete all those selection models and skins in ui\feedback\... without warcraft noticing, it might be really tricky to get your own model in^^..

Thanks for the heads up
Do you perhaps have a thread or topic to link me to? I haven't really found a good topic about this yet.

 

[Anvil]

I'm going to try altering selectioncircle.mdx in UI\Feedback\SelectionCircle. I think for some reason this model has something to do with it.
As it did have a green animation color but it didn't have the correct textures... :/ It's also the one shown in Game Interface.
I'll see what happens when I import my custom one without animation color.
Still though, I think there might be one out there that I'm missing...

These models are not used by the game, Blizzard don't implemented these models. (I think because models can't adapt to the form of the ground like images, i don't know.)

The selection circle, sad but is an image. So you can't change his form to something epic, you can only change the image.

For colors, you can check the UI\MiscData.txt, this part:

[SelectionCircle]
// Defines different textures to be used based on selection circle size.
// The Size## value defines the largest size which uses the given textures.
// Note that the last size does not need a Size## value since anything bigger
// than the next size down uses it.
NumSizes=3
Size00=100
Texture00=ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleSmall
TextureDotted00=ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleSmallDotted

Size01=300
Texture01=ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleMed
TextureDotted01=ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleMedDotted

Texture02=ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleLarge
TextureDotted02=ReplaceableTextures\Selection\SelectionCircleLargeDotted

// This value is multiplied by the SLK scale field to get the circle size
ScaleFactor=72

// This value is added to the selection circle height
// when on walkable doodads.
// Note: this is also applied to shadow images
ImageWalkableZOffset=15

// Colors
ColorFriend=255,0,255,0
ColorNeutral=255,255,255,0
ColorEnemy=255,255,0,0
AllyOffset=0.2

Try changin the colors of the end.

 

[Ezekiel12]

Do you perhaps have a thread or topic to link me to? I haven't really found a good topic about this yet.

No, all I say is based on own tests.

Ok, as I thought ui\miscdata.txt can not be imported to the map and is loaded at warcraft start, this is also the place where the selection color can be changed (like Anvil just said).

Do you perhaps also know the model that is used for these blp's?

I quite sure there is no such model. So either there is some yet unknown method how the ui\feedback\... selection models can be picked up by warcraft to make it work,
or there is no way because warcraft has them directly in some .dll which makes it too complicated.

 

[Hashjie]

I see... Thanks for the explenation guys.
Such a shame that miscdata.txt is taken directly from the war3.mpq instead of the map's archive

Sadly like you said Ezekiel12, this thing is probably hardcoded.

Thanks for explaining everything.
Still though I think the best way of doing this is like what I said in my first post: disable the selection circle and put a custom image underneath the units whenever they are selected.
(This does remove the pre-selection though...)
I'll try to create something that looks okay and see if that works instead.

EDIT: currently having a little problem that I need to get solved, but after that I'll create a nice little resource to make this happen.

 

[Derdan]

I wanna know, does altering the colors in MiscData actually work?

 

[Hashjie]

Well importing Miscdata.txt into your map with altered colors does not work, I've tested that. But I'm not sure if it'll work if you change the Miscdata.txt inside the war3.mpq.

 

[Anvil]

I put a modified data in my war root folder, the color changed in world editor, but not in-game. The colors are applied in other way I think.

Also, the selection circle is not hardcoded. Is just an image attached to the x/y of the selected unit, like the shadows.

 

[Hashjie]

Currently I'm writing a library to re-create unit selection. Should I stop doing that and try finding a way of altering the image of the selection circle itself?

The library will hopefully be done tomorrow if I will continue on it.

 

[Derdan]

What are you trying to do again?

 

[Anvil]

I think is better a system from scratch, you can't modify the selection circle, same goes to the shadow.

 

[Ezekiel12]

Yes the color change works, put the changed miscdata.txt in war3patch.mpq.
Note though that also the rectangle where you select the units with is changed.

 

[Hashjie]

What are you trying to do again?

I'm creating a system that uses custom blp's for the unit selection circle.

I think is better a system from scratch, you can't modify the selection circle, same goes to the shadow.

Yes I thought so too. I'm currently working on it.
So far it creates a custom selection circle underneath allies, enemy and own units for the triggering player locally. It also removes the normal selection circle and pre-selection circle.

I'm still working on the timers to make them move with the units (should be really simple).

I'm thinking about adding configurability. I'm going to ask a friend of mine to use a python script he wrote to gain data from the object editor.

I want him to use his script on selection circle size for all the units in the editor so that this can be put in a configuratible linked list. This way people can decide to change the selection scale for each unit inside the system.

Plus I'm thinking about adding blp support for structures and hero units so that people can decide wether they want different selection circles for them.

The system will probably be finnished before the end of the week, unless I get into a lot of trouble along the way.

Yes the color change works, put the changed miscdata.txt in war3patch.mpq.
Note though that also the rectangle where you select the units with is changed.

You do realize that this can only be done for a client if they do this specifically? So in other words, this can not be done for a single map but needs to be done for your entire game. It's simply a mod of your personal warcraft 3 that other people can't see.


EDIT: I just realised something: not only do we need unit selection, but also destructable selection and item selection...
I have no idea how to get those working as I couldn't find any event to use for this :/. Anyone has any ideas on this matter?
I just checked this thread: http://www.wc3c.net/showthread.php?p=1120777
The only thing I can think of is creating dummy units with a slightly bigger selection then the items and destructables, but that is quite an ugly workaround...
Also, what does this event do?

EVENT_PLAYER_UNIT_DETECTED

If it has anything to do with pre-selection that would be great ^.^

 

[Anvil]

I think EVENT_PLAYER_UNIT_DETECTED is when a unit detects another unit (hidden, with buff, etc). I'm sure this is not for selection.