Multiplayer Campaign Map Linking

[samtre]

hi, i'm kinda new to this forum...
i've been starting up a project for a few months now and my friends wants me to make my campaign multiplayer-able, but there is a few problems and questions:
1) Can warcraft load every player to play on another same map playing together?
1a) If yes, then how do i do it?
1b) If now, now what?
2) I can't link maps added to a campaign to load to another map, help.....
3) Are campaigns playable in multiplayer?

 

[Hero_Lief]

I only understand 3, so...

Campaigns are not playable in multiplayer in warcraft 3 without a new program coming out but is still in development, release date unknown.
Reason they can't be loaded is a map file is w3x (or w3m for RoC), but the campaign extension is different. (I forgot what it's extension is)

 

[madcd]

w3c ^^

 

[ANdROnIQ]

Reason they can't be loaded is a map file is w3x (or w3m for RoC), but the campaign extension is different. (I forgot what it's extension is)

It's .w3n (from campaigN), and they're able to open only through Single Player -> Custom Campaigns. To make a multiplayer campaign, you have to create a sequence of maps, and in the end of each, you must victory all players (otherwise they can't play further). If you want to do something like Rexxar's campaign, it is needed to save the main map each time you leave it.

P. S. I think this thread must be moved to WE help zone or development.

 

[Hero_Lief]

Definitely the help zone.

 

[samtre]

i think i go try what ANdROnIQ said, but after "set the next level", will everybody play in the same map?

 

[ANdROnIQ]

I think it works for the local player, so it must affect everybody (local player is the player on the local computer, on each computer in the net it will be different).

 

[samtre]

ok. thanks for the info, but is there anyway to start a normal map, and then "set next level" to another map inside a campaign?

 

[ANdROnIQ]

• Trigger
  • Events
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Game - Set the next level to Maps\MapName.w3m

 

[samtre]

...................

 

[Vercas]

Yes, you can make a multiplayer campaign only if the players downloaded the map in the specified folder, that's nasty...

 

[DaRealDeal]

Yes, you can make a multiplayer campaign only if the players downloaded the map in the specified folder, that's nasty...

Really?

 

[Vercas]

Yes, it's realy, but ALL players must have the map in the folder you specify in Warcraft III folder. I suggest everybody to download multiplayer campaign maps in a special folder in maps. For example : you use in axtions:
set nextlevel to "maps\StrikheeeeEEErr\StrikheeeeEEErr oRPG - Dungeon 1"
First, you MUST store all the necessary data in a game cache!

 

[Hero_Lief]

Wow... I didn't know that was possible. Rep for showing.

 

[Vercas]

LOL, thanks . I highly suggest everybody wich wants to link maps for a multiplayer campaign to see how do the save/load system works. It is quite complicated...!


I also suggest to make the other maps from a copy of the first, so you don't need to do the work again. If people needs a different tiles sets, then they can change them with the "advanced" tab.

It's easy to make the second map once the first1 is ready!

 

[ANdROnIQ]

True. If we even can copy object data through export/import of .w3o file in Object Editor, and copy trigger data through .w3t file, we can't copy such things as game constants and interface filepaths/text.

 

[samtre]

thanks for the help, finally got it now..............but it's hard to copy all the custom units to another map and another map and another map again, i'm creating a multiplayer campaign, start working as a peasant and onwards to higher jobs of somesort

 

[ANdROnIQ]

samtre, read two posts above.

If you upgrade your object data (custom units+items+spells etc.) on each map, then, on the last map, export your w3o data into a file and import it to all previous maps (or it is some way to build those data into the campaign, but this needs the campaign editor...)

 

[Vercas]

You do NOT have to copy all the custom units, you can copy the original map, rename the copy, then open it in world editor and do the necessary changes!!!

 

[Hero_Lief]

The trouble with that is each time he wants to update he has to update both. However for that, he could just copy over the data.

 

[ANdROnIQ]

samtre, read two posts above.

No, not this.

If you upgrade your object data (custom units+items+spells etc.) on each map, then, on the last map, export your w3o data into a file and import it to all previous maps

Someone read our posts! You do not need to update all maps each time you change the object data. Do it once, in the end.

 

[samtre]

haiz...........i'll listen to some of each said........i get what you mean a bit........ and it's kinda easier if i just load the original map, change the terrain to what i want, then cancel everything.............

 

[DaRealDeal]

You can use the import/export things in WEU

 

[Vercas]

/!\DANGER/!\
This thing with set next level doesn't works in any map excepting campaigns!
Better save in a game cache the required data for every player when it wins. So, the player can play the other map anytime ^_^
/!\Again/!\
Set next level works ONLY in normal campaigns!

 

[Martin Barbov]

/!\Again/!\
Set next level works ONLY in normal campaigns!

Are you sure as I think it works in single player not only in campaigns. Like Mathias early versions.

 

[Vercas]

In the function's comment says that is for chosing the next map in campaigns...
However... Try it...

 

[ANdROnIQ]

Now, I have a similar question. On my map, I save heroes through game cache (to load, you have to restart the map). It works in single player, but how can I make the same thing for multiplayer? Is it some kind of Multiplayer cache? Do I need to sync the cached data?

 

[Vercas]

Do you want a good save system for heroes? Just store the units in the category heroes and label [name of owner] :|

 

[ANdROnIQ]

It's all ok, but cache exists in each player profile (it is stored in campaigns.w3v). Save\Multiplayer folder has no Campaigns.w3v.

 

[Vercas]

No, you can make your own cache like i did, just by trigger function

 

[ANdROnIQ]

give me the code please.

I mean, when playing through net, the function SaveGameCache does not work properly. Nothing is stored on the disk (as far as I investigated by checking the size of the Save folder). I want the cache to be available after you restart the map.

 

[Vercas]

But the folder of the map? :O

 

[ANdROnIQ]

cache is saved in wc3\Save\Profile#\Campaigns.w3v. Nothing must be saved with the map... But I'll check. Anyway, in net game, SaveGameCache returns false, so it fails.

 

[Steel_Stallion]

You could always size down things to like 0.4, make a 512x512 map, and then use set camera bounds..

Its basicly as big as 8 epic sized maps now. If you're willing to put the effort in

 

[ANdROnIQ]

Steel_Stallion, the thread is not about size. It is about using cache in multiplayer.

P. S. I make a save/load system, not map linking. And, in multiplayer, map size cannot overcome 4MB (it denies to launch such a big map on net), so the huge map is also not the best idea for multiplayer.

 

[Vercas]

I am using game cache and works for all 10 human players good and well :/
No bug... I am using 4 game caches so far in my map... Multiplayer tests worked very good so far.
I realy don't know what is happending to your game cache, but i am using my own and simple save system that saves only 1 character per hero .

 

[ANdROnIQ]

I also save only 1 char per player. Do you use syncStored functions?

P. S. Do you save the cache BETWEEN different launches of the map, or only within one launch?

 

[Vercas]

No...
I use units... ONLY units for booleans, reals and any kind of variables, ONLY units!

 

[ANdROnIQ]

I meant SyncStoredUnit(...) function. You didn't answer on whether the launches of the map are different.

 

[Vercas]

What do that does? :|

 

[ANdROnIQ]

nvm on Sync. Did you save data in cache only during a game (what works in my map also) or you stored, restarted and restored?

 

[Vercas]

I just store :/
I'm annoying about game cache!

 

[ANdROnIQ]

You don't understand the question? DID YOU RESTART MAP OR YOU STORED JUST WITHIN A SINGLE GAME???!!!

 

[Vercas]

At the test? I used the saming save more times :/

GTG i play city of drugs with my brother

 

[ANdROnIQ]

let's chat. Ok? enter the chatroom now

[vercas offlined]

Ok, give me your map, I'll try to get with it.

 

[Vercas]

Sorry, sorry, i gone to play warcrat with my brother in that night
And no
I won't give you my map, if you want, i better give you screenshoots of my triggers!

 

[ANdROnIQ]

What's the matter? I'm not going to steal your map. Dr Super Good said that net cache exists only in op memory and cannot be stored on disk. Either you meant save code (entered in the chat line), or your save works only as "super custom value", i.e. saves data only inside a game, not between games.

 

[Vercas]

i don't use save codes, just 1 save at a time per name is allowed in my map due to character spam in my tests

 

[ANdROnIQ]

Show me the map if you can't explain that in words.