Deprotected Maps <- Yeah I know it's not really allowed on the forums but hear me ou

[Axiaz]

From what I have read, deprotected maps have everything lumped into one giant JASS file.

But are these deprotected maps functional? As in could I edit the code and make changes to it? And then play the map? Because I have deprotected one map but it had a bunch of errors in the JASS file which prevented it from being played. I'm trying to learn JASS/WE so I want to know if I can fix those errors and whatnot and actually play the map.

Sorry if this violates the rules. But my friends and I are playing this one map that's really good, except with a few MAJOR balance issues. So I really want to learn to improve it so we can have more fun and potentially make my own maps in the future.

Thank you.

 

[Radicool]

Depends on which kind of errors you are having. When you deprotect a map, usually the triggers aren't recovered in GUI form, but one big compiled jass form.

If you want to find the source of the errors, you need to learn jass.

But are these deprotected maps functional? As in could I edit the code and make changes to it? And then play the map?

Yes, yes and yes. It does depend on which errors you get, but you can normally fix errors given you have the ability to interpret the jass code and fix them. Sorry I don't know jass, so I can't help you fix your errors, and I'd probably get into trouble if I helped you anymore anyway.

 

[Vinz]

Sorry if this violates the rules. But my friends and I are playing this one map that's really good, except with a few MAJOR balance issues. So I really want to learn to improve it so we can have more fun and potentially make my own maps in the future.

It should be viable IMO if it's for personal use and not redistribution though.

 

[muzzel]

Just deprotect the map (wont help u with that) and use a MPQ Editor to open the Map Archive (for example this one). Then you can extract the script (war3map.j), modify it with any texteditor in the way you like and import it again. If you cannot open the map to play it you have an error in your script (note that you may only use normal jass, not vjass).
Depending on how big the map archive is you might need to optimize it again to shrink the file size (if you want to play multiplayer).

 

[Axiaz]

Thanks for the help everyone.

Looks like it's time to learn jass

 

[Dr Super Good]

You just need to edit the map files directly as all World Edit files have been removed.

 

[WaterKnight]

The mpq structure may be jumbled though, so not all mpq editor will be able to handle it. Maybe extract all the files with what can, then import them into a new/functional map archive.

 

[Dr Super Good]

The mpq structure may be jumbled though, so not all mpq editor will be able to handle it. Maybe extract all the files with what can, then import them into a new/functional map archive.

MPQEdit should handle it fine in WC3 mode. After all, WC3 can read them no problem.

 

[muzzel]

Id say fixing the mpq is part of the deprotecting process :> Then you can use any mpq editor you want ...

 

[Dr Super Good]

The most common trick is to change the MPQ version header. WC3 ignores the field completely as it used the only known version of MPQ at the time it was made. However WoW and SC2 advanced on that, adding new versions of file. Because MPQ editors need to support these files, you can break them by defining a WC3 compliant MPQ as a newer version. WC3 will still open it fine as it ignores version yet the MPQ software will break as it tries to load the structures only defined in newer version of MPQ but not present or invalid.

I believe there are other fields in the header you can corrupt to also get similar results but that is usually caused by the editors being poorly coded than anything.

An example would be specifying a block table larger than the file. A properly coded MPQ interface will load a reasonable size block table only (few thousand entries) and check if it extends file size. A poorly coded one might try and stupidly evaluate all block table entries resulting in many errors once the block table structure is exceeded and other data is being passed off as a block table entry.

 

[Axiaz]

I redid the whole deprotect process and it seems like it works fine now. Now I just have to learn to navigate through the huge walls of text.

A few things I noticed:
It seems like the unit portraits are set using ex.
Art:ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtons\BTNSelectHeroOn.blp
However, only a few of the blp files are actually found within the map itself. Are those the custom images? So are the rest borrowed from pre-existing blp files from wc3?
Also, it seems like I cannot open the (custom?) blp files included in the map. I tried the blp to png converters and blp viewers, but none of them work. Are there problems with the files?

Second issue I found is that there were a few .txt files which included chinese characters (maybe it's cause of my language settings?). Even for unit names and the like. Though I don't recall seeing any chinese characters ingame. Is this a problem with the file or did I mess up on my end? Or are those chinese units just not implemented in the map?

And do you recommend I learn from tutorials first and start by making simple maps and whatnot before I try to tackle this map?

Thank you very much for the help.