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- Sep 13, 2021
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Systems, Concepts & Map Prototypes
This thread gathers several systems, prototypes, unfinished maps, and general scripting ideas I’ve been working on over the years (mostly around patches 1.27–1.31).
It’s basically a small archive of my “stuff”, things I’ve made or tested that might be useful, interesting, or spark new ideas for mapmakers.
All resources shared here are free to use, and I’m open to suggestions, feedback, or new ideas from anyone interested.
General Note:
Regarding the scripts, most of them work as intended, but some may still lack certain implementations or contain minor bugs. They are shared as-is for experimentation and further improvement.
JASS Scripts:
Modular Third-Person Camera System (MTPCS)
A modular third-person camera framework for Warcraft III focused on clean structure, easy maintenance, and smooth gameplay.
First built on 1.27, later adapted for 1.31+ with invisible UI-frame mouse edge control for better responsiveness.
Modules:
| CamSetup | Defines and manages the global camera configuration parameters for initialization. |
| CamCore | Updates the camera dynamically, handles looping calculations per player, and manages offset logic. |
| CamKeyInput | Handles keyboard input and toggles between Manual and Auto modes using the ESC key. |
| CamMouseInput | Controls camera panning via mouse edge detection using invisible frames (requires TasFullScreenFrame by Tasyen, v1.31+). |
| CamAPI | Provides an interface layer for external triggers or systems to interact with or customize camera behavior, and includes basic commands. -farz [value] Sets the Far Z clipping plane (range: 3000–10000) -fov [value] Changes the camera Field of View (range: 10–120) [Host only] -dist [value] Sets camera distance to the target (range: 0–10000) [Host only] -aoa [value] Adjusts camera Angle of Attack (range: 0–360) -rot [value] Sets camera horizontal rotation (range: 0–360) -height [value] Adjusts camera height offset (range: -1000–1000) [Host only] -debug Toggles camera debug visualization and info (Host only) |
Features:
- Modular, extensible design with multiplayer support.
- Mouse edge control implemented via invisible UI frames, compatible from patch 1.31+.
- Supports both Manual Mode (controlled with arrow keys and mouse edge movement) and Auto Mode (automatically interpolates rotation from the unit’s facing angle and adjusts pitch based on terrain elevation).
- Clean integration and adaptability for a wide range of map types (RPGs, action maps, exploration maps, etc.).
- Import all modules and configure globals in CamSetup.
- Adjust CamAPI if you want triggers or systems to modify the camera in-game.
- In Object Editor, set each unit’s Custom Value to represent its height (used to calculate camera altitude).
- Camera distance automatically scales with Custom Value but can be customized in CamAPI.
- Handle events like unit selection or death separately depending on your system design.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Excessive terrain elevation causes the mouse to click on terrain behind the camera. | Keep elevation transitions smooth; adjust height variation gradually and maintain consistent pathing around elevated areas. |
| Large selectable models (buildings/destructibles) interfere with camera view or selection. | Adjust model collision boxes and make non-essential geosets unselectable. Keep foundation geosets selectable if necessary. |
| Incorrect pathing setup causes camera or unit access issues. | Use Pathing Blocker (Any) for large barriers or walls, and Pathing Blocker (Ground) for small decorative or restricted areas that shouldn’t block camera movement. |
| Mouse edge control fails when overlapping UI elements. | Redesign the UI layout to avoid overlap with camera edge zones. Consider a minimalist interface to enhance third-person visibility. |
| Older game versions (pre-1.31) lack mouse input functionality. | Use Auto Mode to automatically interpolate rotation and pitch, providing smoother control on older versions. |
Media:
Modular Environment System (MENVS)
A modular environment system for Warcraft III focused on dynamic fog, sky, ambient sound, and music control driven by the day/night cycle, applied locally per player.
MENVS uses smooth linear RGB interpolation to update fog colors and distances over time, allowing each environment preset to define its own visual identity across the full 24-hour cycle.
Modules:
| EnvConfig | Configuration module defining environment presets, including fog color palettes, fog distances, sky models, DNC models, and day/night stage timings. |
| EnvCycle | Runtime module that updates fog, sky, and DNC models per player using smooth interpolation based on game time. |
| EnvAPI | External-facing API to assign environments per player or globally, with optional debug and test commands. -env [id] Applies a configured environment preset ID -sky [id] Forces the sky model of a preset (local) -dnc [id] Loads day/night models of a preset (local) -timeset [value] Sets the time of day (range 0–24) -timedebug Toggles environment debug overlay |
Extra Extension:
| EnvZoneSystem | Integrates MENVS with the MTPCS camera system to apply environments per player based on camera position and zones. Handles zone-based environment switching, nested zones, ambient sounds, and day/night music playlists. |
| CmdMusicModes (BONUS) | Simple command-based music controller for testing and debugging. -musicrace -musiclegacy -musiczone |
Features:
- Modular and extensible design
- Local per-player environment application
- Smooth fog color and distance transitions over the day/night cycle
- Zone-based environments with nested zone support
- Integrated ambient sounds and music with day/night separation
- Designed to work alongside custom camera systems (MTPCS)
Usage:
- Import all modules into your map and configure environment presets in EnvConfig; each environment uses a numeric ID and can optionally define fog palettes, sky models, and DNC models.
- Use EnvCycle as-is to handle runtime fog, sky, and day/night interpolation; no additional setup is required beyond configuration, or modify the system if you want fog start/end or camera farZ to be dynamically configurable.
- Extend or call EnvAPI if external systems need to assign environments, trigger updates, or influence MENVS behavior programmatically.
- If using EnvZoneSystem, import MTPCS, create and tag rects (ENV, MUSIC, AMBIENT, SWITCH, ENVxMUSIC(ZONE),ZONExAMBIENT), then register zones in SetupZoneConfig() using the environment IDs defined in EnvConfig.
- When configuring zones, optionally assign day and night music playlists and ambient sounds, and register smaller nested zones first to ensure correct priority when zones overlap.
- Initialize the zone system with InitZone() to enable camera-based environment application, zone transitions, and automatic day/night updates for ambient sounds and music.
Error: During testing, different behavior was observed between game versions. On v1.31+, zone-based ambient sounds do not appear to trigger correctly for unknown reasons, while music transitions are smooth. On v1.27b, both ambient sounds and zone-based music work as intended; however, music transitions may cause a slight hitch when switching tracks.
This map is intended as a technical sandbox and reference implementation rather than a full gameplay experience.
Uses a custom camera system (MTPCS); unit height values are not fully configured and may affect camera positioning.
Credits (Music used for demonstration): Blizzard Entertainment (World of Warcraft music), Brandon Fiechter, Johann Aion.
Creep Respawn System
A configurable neutral creep respawn system designed for open maps and freeroam gameplay.
Automatically registers preplaced neutral creeps and respawns them after death, while preventing respawns near hostile structures. Supports optional fade-in effects, idle or aggressive wandering behavior, and automatic item drops through optional library integration.
Features:
- Automatic creep respawn with configurable delay
- No-spawn radius check near enemy bases
- Fade-in effect on respawn, inspired by WoW
- Optional integration with Wander (BPower) for creep movement
- Optional ItemDropData support for loot generation
- Supports neutral passive and aggressive units
Usage Notes:
Configure respawn timing and no-spawn radius via global constants.
Call Respawn_Init() during map initialization to register all neutral creeps.
Optional libraries (Wander, ItemDropData) can be included if needed.
This system is provided as a reusable prototype and technical reference.
ItemDropData is an unfinished experimental idea and is not planned to be completed or maintained by the author.
Its mention and optional integration are provided only as a conceptual reference for users who may want to implement their own loot system.
Hero Race Selector
A configurable race-based hero selection system inspired by WoW-style selection flows.
Players first choose a race, then select and confirm a hero belonging to that race using dummy display units and a locked cinematic camera. Real playable heroes are spawned only after all players confirm their selection.
Features:
- Two-step race and hero selection with confirmation.
- Configurable spawn modes via flags, defining how and where heroes are spawned after selection.
- Dedicated and configurable map area for the selection menu.
- Local cinematic selection camera with adjustable parameters.
- Background music during selection, configurable per race or globally.
- Per-player selection state tracking and hero locking.
- Easily extensible menu to add more races and heroes via code configuration.
Configuration Notes:
All races and heroes are defined in Init_Config().
Selection requires a dedicated selector area.
Hero spawning and external system hooks are handled in DoSpawnFor().
Fully configurable via code (camera, positions, spawn mode) using Object Editor IDs.
Credits: Confirm/check icon by Lockheart.
Spell Time Stop
A configurable area-based Time Stop spell implemented in JASS.
Freezes enemy units within a radius using a buff-driven system that enforces a true pause state. Units are visually tinted while frozen and are fully restored when the buff expires or the unit dies.
Features:
- Area-based time stop effect
- Buff-controlled duration and cleanup
- True freeze state (movement, attacks, spells blocked)
- Visual feedback via unit tinting
- Safe cleanup on buff expiration or unit death
Configuration Notes:
Spell and buff IDs via Object Editor are configured in globals.
Radius and check period are adjustable via constants.
Credits: Uses the Time Rune model by Matilda_Knights and a Time Stop spell icon by Blizzard Entertainment.
MAP Prototypes & Stuff:
This is my largest prototype exploring a Role-Playing Strategy in 3D concept for Warcraft III.
It is not a finished game, but a technical and gameplay exploration built around third-person perspective, hero-led parties, and environmental interaction.
Some Gameplay Elements:
- Third-person camera gameplay adapted for Warcraft III
- Environment systems per zone (fog, lighting, sky, music)
- Hero-led party system with restricted unit control
- Rotatable building construction and open base placement
- Creep respawn and early progression (gold, expansion)
- Unit unlocks based on hero level
- Hero selection by race
- Additional systems (walls, utilities, experimental mechanics)
This prototype is presented through two different maps.
The maps were originally developed in patch 1.27b. (fully editable in 1.27b)
To test them in 1.31+, enable the following libraries when editing the map:
- CamMouseInput
- TasFullScreenFrame
- FrameLoader (optional).
Prototype Map 01
A small and focused map designed to showcase core gameplay systems in a simple environment.
Prototype Map 02
A larger open-area prototype where the player spawns randomly and must choose where to establish an initial base, farm creeps, and secure a gold mine to grow.
This map was originally envisioned to expand into a much larger concept, featuring neutral factions, deeper progression, main dungeons, and global random events.
For demonstration purposes, it was intentionally limited to a smaller area to showcase the core systems.
Credits: All credits for models, resources, and reused content are included inside the maps.
Bonus Content:
Stuff Pack:
A complete archive of scripts, maps, experimental content, and reference material accumulated over several years of work.
The stuff pack is organized by relevance, from current prototypes and systems to older unfinished experiments, for reference and exploration.
Final Notes:
This concept has been with me for years, something I explored whenever I had the time, often limited by university and real life.
Now that I’ve finished university, I’m also closing this chapter and moving on to a new stage.
The goal was never just to make a single map.
It was about laying the groundwork for a different way of playing Warcraft III: a third-person role-playing strategy with parties, exploration, dungeons, and strong environmental identity.
What I’m sharing here is free to use.
I’ve put down the foundations so others can build something bigger if they want.
If you want to use the camera system, take it.
If you want to create your own map, go for it.
If you want to continue this idea and turn it into something greater, make it yours.
I won’t be developing this further myself, but I hope someone out there does.
Thanks for taking the time to check it out.
See you around, and best of luck to anyone who decides to take these ideas further.
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