[General] Transition from SC2 editor - Couple of questions

[Demtrod]

With the release of Reforged, I'm planning on returning to the Wc3 editor, after a long time only working with the Sc2 editor. I worked with the Wc3 editor severel years ago, bt now I'm accustomed with the Sc2 editor, so there's a couple of features I have to figure out how to use / not use. I hope someone will be able to help me figure it out.

Custom abilities
I remember having to use triggers to create any abilities outside the standard abilities, using dummy units and abilities. Is this still the case?

Custom UI
In the Sc2 editor, you are able to use dialog items, to create custom UI items, such as item shops, hero selection, scoreboards and character sheets. Has there been made anything to replicate this is any way?

I was kinda hoping to be able to create some kind of talent tree, with a custom UI (something like this: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MV7ETOHxUuI/maxresdefault.jpg)

Variables - Local and Global
In Sc2 it's super easy to create local and global variables, in Wc3 is it only possible to do with Jass (custom script)?

Jass
I've never dealt in coding or any kind of custom script for that matter. Is it suggested to learn it if I wanna do anything beyond simple systems or can most things be made with GUI?

 

[Pyrogasm]

Whether or not you need to trigger an ability is entirely dependent on what you want it to do. Many surprising things can be made with only OE data; @Kyrbi0 has made it his mission to do so as much as possible. That’s the best answer I can give to the question I think you’re asking.

You can learn JASS if you want, but just going straight to Lua would be best, since it’s much more flexible and powerful. While yes basically anything can be done in GUI it’s generally going to be done in an inferior way, might take a bit of imagination, and can be a pain in the butt. Some things are only accessible using JASS/Lua. Writing code directly will always be more efficient than GUI and in my opinion it’s also much quicker to do and intuitive.

Locals can be made anywhere you can put a custom script, e.g. not conditions. Some things (like unit group loops) in GUI are in separate functions so accessing local variables there can be a pain. Lua gets away with this entirely by allowing you to embed function definitions within other code so it can see all ‘parent’ locals.

Custom UI stuff is all available now. Check out the many threads and resources submitted by @Tasyen. @Quilnez also has a package called UI Utils.

 

[Dr Super Good]

In the Sc2 editor, you are able to use dialog items, to create custom UI items, such as item shops, hero selection, scoreboards and character sheets. Has there been made anything to replicate this is any way?

I was kinda hoping to be able to create some kind of talent tree, with a custom UI (something like this: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MV7ETOHxUuI/maxresdefault.jpg)

Yes but it is pretty much JASS/Lua only at the moment.

In Sc2 it's super easy to create local and global variables, in Wc3 is it only possible to do with Jass (custom script)?

JASS/Lua directly only at the moment.

I've never dealt in coding or any kind of custom script for that matter. Is it suggested to learn it if I wanna do anything beyond simple systems or can most things be made with GUI?

Yes you will either have to learn JASS, or Lua. Warcraft III can be made to use Lua now.

 

[Uncle]

I recommend learning Lua!

How I got started:
Download Visual Studio Code then follow the instructions in this thread:
Lua VSCode Integration

Just know that by default you can't use Lua and Jass together. However, this might fix that problem although I don't use it myself:
JNGP Lua Edition - Combining JASS/vJass/Lua