Basic Map Creating Tips and Suggestions

[NinjasDontFight]

Last Edited: 1-1-09... I'm caught up with a bunch of school work and programming classes, this tutorial is taking longer than I expected.

Basic Map Creating Tips and Suggestions
Made By: NinjasDontFight

Thinking
Terraining Tips
Importing
Units
Doodads
Tricks
Balancing/Testing
Misc.

Help-List!

Their are a few questions I have. Any help would be nice

1. Why do modelers make some models that require a additional .blp texture path that must be included to make the model show up correctly?
2. Explain exporting
3. Why do I have to restart the WE to get imported models to show correctly.
4. Feedback, Errors and Advice!

Thinking
Thinking is a powerfull tool in making stuff. So use it wisely, this tutorial is just a guildines and perhaps a pointer to how to help you with your map(s). So think carefully about this tutorial and what you should know that is best for you!

Obviously, we need a game plan for our, errm your map. You obviously have it all planned out, and it will be done in less than a day. Trust me, alot of begginers think this, and everyone does. Never get cocky on anything you do, just never seems to work. Map making is a dedicated process that honestly, is just very hard and tedious work to do. Most people will give up on you, so be carefull about your map partners. (Notice: For a head's up, you will never know.). You yourself might give up. But hell, its life nothing's perfect.

So let's skip the text crap and go right to the bright fancy picture tutorisl! xD

(Notice: If you are unfamiliar with the WE (World Editor). Please review my other tutorial for information.)

Importing
Well I decided to make this the first important topic. If you really are dedicated to your map, and you want a helpfull boost to your moral energy.(Notice: I'll blabber a bit later about moral energy) Importing models is a pain-kinda-less experience to make your map very interesting. Obviously you want those high-tech thingy ma gobs to make your map look interesting or fit a specific theme. Well lets get your started on importing.

Links

Here's a link for Models.
Here's another link for Icons.
Deh-Another link for Spells.
Lastly a link for Skins.

Sadly, I only know how to properly import models for the moment. >_<

But lets get started with that. We are going to upload a few models, showing the variations I know of importing. Some require just a .mdx file, while others require a .mdx file + .blp texture file. I can't explain exactly why some modelers do this.

Notice: You will need a .zip opener. WinZip has a free good one. Theirs a 45-Day Evalution. I'd use that that.

How to Import

(Notice: I'm currently putting this under "Hide" Tags. Since it is long and the fact that a Import Help system exists. It's located above the downloading of models.)

1. I hope you got your WE open. Since this is a tutorial, make a New Map. Set the tileset to "Ashenvale", size to 128x128 and click "OK".
2. Click the "Import" button. Thats located on the toolbox --> far right. It's highlighted, by my messy hand-writing.

1. Once opened, you will see this...

1. Now that we have this open. Let's import a model for our map. We are gonna use a model I've uploaded before and it works. >>Model<<
2. Once you have it downloaded somewhere, use your Evaluated or Bought WinZip or whatever thing your using. Extract it to your desktop, just for easy access convience.

1. Once extracted to your desktop or your preference. Go to your "Import Manager" in the WE.
2. Click the "Import" button.

1. You will get a dialog for your model to import. Go to the folder that contains it. You will see...

1. Click the "LogBridgeSmall45". You will return to the Import Manager page. You should see this...

1. Once thats done, lets test it out. Go to your "Object Editor" ---> Tab "Doodads". Copy and Past a Altar and change...
   1. Name = Imported Bridge
   2. Pathing Texture = None
   3. Maximum Scale = 6.00
   4. Tilesets = All
   5. Model File = war3mapImported\LogBridgeSmall45.mdx
2. Here's a picture to where u can select the imported model(s).

1. Once you have this done, find the model. (Notice: To make this step easier, select the "Imported Bridge --> Right Click --> "Select in Tool Pallete")

1. Your new bridge awaits you! I'll show you next another confusing importation thing.

(Notice: If for any reason you get a strange green checkered box. Save your map, close down the WE. Re-open it, then load your map. If you place the unit again. It should work, if it dosen't. Ask me or anybody else about your problem.)


Back to Importing

 

[iPeez]

The title is bigger than the tutorial

Needs a little more I think...

 

[Flame_Phoenix]

Explain exporting

Afaik, it uses on imported resources. After importing a resource, you can also export it. Export will create a copy of the imported file, at the specified directory.

Why do I have to restart the WE to get imported models to show correctly.

Well, thing is you don't. After importing a model, if you test the map, you can see the model at work, however it won't show up in WE. The reason for this is because importing stuff forces warcraft to re-arrange some internal stuff like in the folders afaik.

The title is bigger than the tutorial

So far I agree xD

 

[Linaze]

This only has two sections at the moment, thinking and importing. First of all, the thinking part of the tutorial isn't really very detailed at all, and doesn't teach readers anything at all really. Moving on, the importing section is utterly useless if you ask me, as there is a link to a very detailed importing tutorial under the download link of every importable resource. This leaves this tutorial with no useful parts whatsoever, and for this reason I suggest this tutorial for the graveyard.

 

[Pyritie]

Graveyarded.