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Hero Selection Systems

Tonks

Tonks

Tonks

Level 8
Joined
Feb 4, 2007
Messages
389
Various Hero Selection Systems and How They Work

In this tutorial I'm going explain many of the methods for hero selection.

Index-​
1 · Next / Previous Hero Viewing
2 · Dialog Menu Selection
3 · Using a Unit and Circles of Power
4 · Hero Taverns
5 · Clicking and Doubleclicking
6 · Random Hero
1 - Next / Previous Hero Viewing

Difficulty: Moderate
Note: This is not a good idea if you have more than 8-12 heroes.
This is not a very common method of hero selection. In fact, I've only ever seen it used in the Blizzard map Azeroth Grand Prix. I used it myself in one of my maps.
Essentially what this system entails is having a unit that has several abilities; Next, Previous, and an ability with the icon of the Hero. When you click Next, it locks your camera to the next hero in line, and when you click Previous it locks your camera to the previous hero. Then when you click the ability with the Hero's icon, it selects that hero.

Variables:
- HeroSelector - Unit Array Variable - Size 12
- HeroSelectAbil - Ability Array Variable - Size 12 (Initial Value set to your first hero)
- L - Point Variable

Abilities:
- You will need an ability for every hero. The ability should be named after the hero and should have the same icon as the hero.
- Next - Should be based off an ability easily modified to do nothing.
- Previous - Should be based off an ability easily modified to do nothing, but should not be based off the same ability as "Next."

Units:
- You will need one of each of your heroes (preferably in a line) owned by Neutral Passive.
- You will need one Hero Selector unit for each player. Should have the Abilities Next, Previous, and the ability corresponding to the first hero.

Triggers:
  • View Previous
    • Events
      • Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
    • Conditions
      • (Ability being cast) Equal to Previous
    • Actions
  • Actions
    • Unit - Remove HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] from (Triggering unit)
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] Equal to Dwarves
      • Then - Actions
        • Set HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] = Panda
        • Camera - Lock camera target for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) to Panda 0040 <gen>, offset by (0.00, 0.00) using Default rotation
        • Unit - Add HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] to (Triggering unit)
        • Skip remaining actions
      • Else - Actions
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] Equal to Clubz
      • Then - Actions
        • Set HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] = Dwarves
        • Camera - Lock camera target for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) to Dwarves 0037 <gen>, offset by (0.00, 0.00) using Default rotation
        • Unit - Add HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] to (Triggering unit)
        • Skip remaining actions
      • Else - Actions
    • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
      • If - Conditions
        • HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] Equal to Muskles
      • Then - Actions
        • Set HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] = Clubz
        • Camera - Lock camera target for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) to Ice T 0036 <gen>, offset by (0.00, 0.00) using Default rotation
        • Unit - Add HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] to (Triggering unit)
        • Skip remaining actions
      • Else - Actions
  • Events
    • Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
  • Conditions
    • (Ability being cast) Equal to Previous [/CODE]
  • Runs this trigger when an ability is cast, but only if it is the "Previous" Ability.
  • [TRIGGER]Unit - Remove HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] from (Triggering unit)
Removes the ability that is assigned to HeroSelectAbil for that player.

  • If - Conditions
    • HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] Equal to Dwarves
  • Then - Actions
    • Set HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] = Panda
    • Camera - Lock camera target for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) to Panda 0040 <gen>, offset by (0.00, 0.00) using Default rotation
    • Unit - Add HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] to (Triggering unit)
This checks if the HeroSelectAbil variable is set to the Dwarves ability. If it is, it sets it to the Panda ability, Locks the camera to the Panda unit, and adds the Panda ability to the unit.

  • Skip remaining actions
This is in there to make sure that it doesn't continue the function.

The rest of the trigger is repetitive, and does not need to be explained.




  • View Next
    • Events
      • Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
    • Conditions
      • (Ability being cast) Equal to Next
    • Actions
      • Unit - Remove HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] from (Triggering unit)
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] Equal to Panda
        • Then - Actions
          • Set HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] = Dwarves
          • Camera - Lock camera target for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) to Dwarves 0037 <gen>, offset by (0.00, 0.00) using Default rotation
          • Unit - Add HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] to (Triggering unit)
          • Skip remaining actions
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] Equal to Dwarves
        • Then - Actions
          • Set HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] = Clubz
          • Camera - Lock camera target for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) to Ice T 0036 <gen>, offset by (0.00, 0.00) using Default rotation
          • Unit - Add HeroSelectAbil[(Player number of (Owner of (Triggering unit)))] to (Triggering unit)
          • Skip remaining actions
        • Else - Actions
As you can tell, the Next trigger is just the same as the Previous trigger, in reverse.



  • Pick Cart
    • Events
      • Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
    • Conditions
      • (Unit-type of (Triggering unit)) Equal to Hero Selection
      • Or - Any (Conditions) are true
        • Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Panda
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Bonez
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Clubz
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Dwarves
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Fatty
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Muskles
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Priest
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Revenant
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Spirit
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Tinker
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Troll
    • Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Bonez
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Bonez for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Clubz
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Ice T for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Dwarves
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Dwarves for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Fatty
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Fatty for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Muskles
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Muskles for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Panda
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Panda for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Priest
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Priest for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Revenant
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Revenant for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Spirit
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Toad for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Tinker
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Tinker for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Ability being cast) Equal to Troll
        • Then - Actions
          • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
          • Unit - Create 1 Troll for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
          • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
        • Else - Actions
      • Camera - Apply Camera 002 <gen> for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) over 0.00 seconds
      • Unit - Remove (Triggering unit) from the game
This trigger creates the unit corresponding to the clicked ability.

  • Conditions
    • (Unit-type of (Triggering unit)) Equal to Hero Selection
    • Or - Any (Conditions) are true
      • Conditions
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Panda
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Bonez
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Clubz
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Dwarves
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Fatty
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Muskles
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Priest
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Revenant
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Spirit
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Tinker
        • (Ability being cast) Equal to Troll
Checks if the triggering unit is the Hero Selection unit and if the cast Ability is any of the abilities corresponding to the heroes.

  • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
    • If - Conditions
      • (Ability being cast) Equal to Bonez
    • Then - Actions
      • Set L = (Random point in Team1Spawn <gen>)
      • Unit - Create 1 Bonez for (Owner of (Triggering unit)) at L facing Default building facing degrees
      • Custom script: call RemoveLocation(udg_L)
Checks if the ability being cast is the ability corresponding to the Bonez hero. If it is, it creates 1 Bonez at a random point in the Team1Spawn region.

Note: "Set L = ..." and "call RemoveLocation(udg_L)" are used to avoid a memory leak in this trigger.


Last but not least you'll want to have a trigger that sets the Hero Selectors.

  • HeroSelectors
    • Events
      • Time - Elapsed game time is 0.00 seconds
    • Conditions
    • Actions
      • Set HeroSelector[1] = Hero Selection 0012 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[2] = Hero Selection 0013 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[3] = Hero Selection 0014 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[4] = Hero Selection 0015 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[5] = Hero Selection 0011 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[6] = Hero Selection 0017 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[7] = Hero Selection 0016 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[8] = Hero Selection 0020 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[9] = Hero Selection 0019 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[10] = Hero Selection 0018 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[11] = Hero Selection 0021 <gen>
      • Set HeroSelector[12] = Hero Selection 0022 <gen>
This sets the HeroSelector variables according to their arrays. "HeroSelector[1]" is set to Red's Hero Selector unit, "HeroSelector[2]" is set to Blue's, etc..

2 - Dialog Button Selection

Difficulty: Easy
This is a fairly easy to create and very easy to comprehend method. It only requires two triggers, and only a few variables.

Variables:
- Dialog_Var - Dialog Variable
- Hero1_Var - Dialog Button Variable
- Hero2_Var - Dialog Button Variable
- You must create a Dialog Button Variable for each of the Dialog Buttons.

Triggers:
  • Dialog
    • Events
      • Time - Elapsed game time is 0.00 seconds
    • Conditions
    • Actions
      • Dialog - Change the title of Dialog_Var to Pick your Hero
      • Dialog - Create a dialog button for Dialog_Var labelled Hero 1
      • Set Hero1_Var = (Last created dialog Button)
      • Dialog - Create a dialog button for Dialog_Var labelled Hero 2
      • Set Hero2_Var = (Last created dialog Button)
      • For each (Integer A) from 1 to 12, do (Dialog - Show Dialog_Var for (Player((Integer A))))
  • Dialog - Change the title of Dialog_Var to Pick your Hero
Changes the title of the Dialog_Var variable to "Pick your Hero." This is what will be displayed at the top of the menu.

  • Dialog - Create a dialog button for Dialog_Var labelled Hero 1
  • Set Hero1_Var = (Last created dialog Button)
Puts a dialog button on the menu labeled "Hero 1" This is what will be displayed on the button itself. Then it sets the Hero1_Var variable to the button that was just created. You need to set the variable so that you can reference it later.


Now you need this trigger to register when a button is clicked, and what button it was:

  • ClickedButton
    • Events
      • Dialog - A dialog button is clicked for Dialog_Var
    • Conditions
    • Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Clicked dialog button) Equal to Hero1_Var
        • Then - Actions
          • Unit - Create 1 Footman for (Triggering player) at (Center of (Playable map area)) facing Default building facing degrees
        • Else - Actions
      • If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
        • If - Conditions
          • (Clicked dialog button) Equal to Hero2_Var
        • Then - Actions
          • Unit - Create 1 Footman for (Triggering player) at (Center of (Playable map area)) facing Default building facing degrees
        • Else - Actions
  • If - Conditions
    • (Clicked dialog button) Equal to Hero1_Var
  • Then - Actions
    • Unit - Create 1 Mountain King for (Triggering player) at (Center of (Playable map area)) facing Default building facing degrees
Creates a Mountain King if the clicked button was the Hero1_Var button.
 

Kixer

Kixer

Kixer

Level 9
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
652
Nice

Looks really good... You could add arrow key scrolling for the "Next / Previous Hero Viewing" system for those who may want it...

A suggestion for a system is a selection preview system like Hero's Hero Selection System . Im not saying copy it but learn from it...
 

paskovich

paskovich

paskovich

Level 11
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
764
Good one!
But, i saw separate toturials for these (exept the first and the last one) systems. Anyway it's a good idea to collect them! And, you wrote it really well, so good job!

Btw, i have already made the last (click-on-the-hero-to-see-details and click-again-to-select :) ) type. However, it's in jass :p, and i don't think it will fit this tut.
 

wyrmlord

wyrmlord

wyrmlord

Level 11
Joined
Oct 13, 2005
Messages
233
Looks good so far, but you can easily make some optimizations to the code in some spots. The only major one I see is the trigger to pick the heroes using the first method. You go through each type of unit, and then create the location, the unit, and then remove the location. This makes the code much larger than it has to be. Simply create the location at the beginning of the trigger and destroy it at the end. All you'll have to do after each if/then action is just create the hero. This will also improve the readability of the code.

Also, something tells me that the first method could be improved more if you only used 1 ability to pick a hero. First off, you'd keep track of the current hero being looked at by a player. Then when the "pick hero" ability is cast, you would create a unit with type of the currently being looked-at hero. This would eliminate much more coding and will make it easier to add more heroes.

Now for your method of moving between heroes. You're doing that if/then thing again which makes the code look very ugly. I would suggest using an array of either rects or just the available units to be selected as I mentioned above. The player would start off looking at rect[0] or unit[0], when the next button was hit, the player would then be looking at rect/unit[current+1]. You would of course have to add more code to the initializing trigger, but the rest of the code wouldn't need to be updated after that. Additionally, a variable would be needed to keep track of the maximum number of heroes as well.

Now for your next method of hero selecting. Once more, you're doing the ugly if/then thing. Variable arrays would come in handy once again. You would create each dialog and set it to an index in the array, and then use another array for the heroes. You would also, again, have another variable that would keep track of the maximum amount of heroes. When the dialog is clicked, you'll start a loop that will loop through all the indexes of the dialog, and if that's the correct dialog, it will create a unit of type heroes[index].

You still have a long way to go on this system, good luck.
 

Tonks

Tonks

Tonks

Level 8
Joined
Feb 4, 2007
Messages
389
A suggestion for a system is a selection preview system like Hero's Hero Selection System . Im not saying copy it but learn from it..
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try to add that in.

wyrmlord said:
Looks good so far, but you can easily make some optimizations to the code in some spots. The only major one I see is the trigger to pick the heroes using the first method. You go through each type of unit, and then create the location, the unit, and then remove the location. This makes the code much larger than it has to be. Simply create the location at the beginning of the trigger and destroy it at the end. All you'll have to do after each if/then action is just create the hero. This will also improve the readability of the code.

Also, something tells me that the first method could be improved more if you only used 1 ability to pick a hero. First off, you'd keep track of the current hero being looked at by a player. Then when the "pick hero" ability is cast, you would create a unit with type of the currently being looked-at hero. This would eliminate much more coding and will make it easier to add more heroes.

Now for your method of moving between heroes. You're doing that if/then thing again which makes the code look very ugly. I would suggest using an array of either rects or just the available units to be selected as I mentioned above. The player would start off looking at rect[0] or unit[0], when the next button was hit, the player would then be looking at rect/unit[current+1]. You would of course have to add more code to the initializing trigger, but the rest of the code wouldn't need to be updated after that. Additionally, a variable would be needed to keep track of the maximum number of heroes as well.

Now for your next method of hero selecting. Once more, you're doing the ugly if/then thing. Variable arrays would come in handy once again. You would create each dialog and set it to an index in the array, and then use another array for the heroes. You would also, again, have another variable that would keep track of the maximum amount of heroes. When the dialog is clicked, you'll start a loop that will loop through all the indexes of the dialog, and if that's the correct dialog, it will create a unit of type heroes[index].

You still have a long way to go on this system, good luck.
Click to expand...

I'm aware of all these methods, and I have attempted each and every one of them. They do not work. If you would like, I could go through, list all the problems for each one, but I'd rather not.
The Next / Previous Selection was very difficult because all the methods you suggested, I thought of, and didn't work. This was the fifth remake of this system, and the first one to work.

I'm not going to worry about small things like where I placed the location setting, or whether I used 'too many' If / Then / Else functions. In my opinion, they're possibly the most useful Gui functions available, along with Integer A. In all honesty, why would I sacrifice workability for readability?
 

Flame_Phoenix

Flame_Phoenix

Flame_Phoenix

Level 20
Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
2,260
Incomplete tutorial .... if you are going to finish please add some images, you should also add a map with that stuff ... The only thing you are doing is copy/paste all codes you know ..... You only explain few of them and you don't even tell people how to reach them .... You have lot's of work to do.
1.5/5 in my opinion... However when you finish this huge tutorial (if you finish it) you will have a better rank (3.5/5 maximun because you have no images and no map.)
You should also create a bibliography section because this is not only your work .... It is the work of other people as well. Blizzard included.
It is poor for now, but you can make it better, keep doing the good work, this tutorial has potential.

I also strongly advice you to see my "How to Create a Tavern by Flame_Phoenix" Tutorial at general mapping section, it will help you, trust me.
 

Wolverabid

Wolverabid

Wolverabid

Level 32
Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
5,291
Flame_Phoenix & Matrix:

Guys if you are trying to talk to Tonks, you are talking to a brick wall: Gone.

If our Spell moderators feel that this tutorial is incomplete or unhelpful then it will be moved to the Graveyard, otherwise it stands as-is for the information of users who are interested in this subject.
 

paskovich

paskovich

paskovich

Level 11
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
764
At my first comment, I wrote this is good, but I didn't think this will be all of it... The guys are right, it still needs a testmap, and it should be finished (cover all points), but anyway, if only one person finds this useful in the future, then Tonks did not work on this redundantly.
IMO, this shouldn't be graveyarded, as you said Wolve, it should stand as-is.
 

dantles1992

dantles1992

dantles1992

Level 5
Joined
Aug 15, 2022
Messages
99
I am sorry if it is wrong to post but is there tutorial on how to make race selection stuff and how t rename races if I later want to change the name of the race? pleas help
 
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