Using a Custom MPQ for multiple maps.

[syc]

I was working on 3 or more projects that all involve a lot of textures and meshes, not to mension sounds. I would like to build a custom MPQ for these projects, this would be arround 10-20 megs. Once done I would like to see if i could refference it without using it to patch WC3.mpq. This would allow me to distribute it without damaging any players installs.

1. A Battlestar Galactica Total conversion.

• Start as Colonials or Cylons and attack the others civilizations (pre miniseries)
• start on the run and settle planets to expand your new empire
• Start in a alternate reality where the war was not quick and was maintained
• You are the Battlestar Aries (a prototype with experamental FTL and weapons) and you survived the holocost, but you wandered too far from known space and meet some famous enemies of other space fame.

2. A Startrek Conversion.
Mele style maps:

• Federation
• Klingon
• Romulan
• Borg (creeps)
• Dominion & Cardasian (auto populating creeps)
• Pirates (cylon raiders) (auto populating creeps)
• Ferengi (neutral merchants selling upgrades)

3. Star Wars vs Star Trak vs BSG, Ballanced mele map


I have tones of models and sounds for all of them and would like to release what I have, however this is my major hurdle.
Problems:
a. models & textures take up a lot of room
b. importng 3 megs of models and textures to all maps is tedious
c. I can't have all the models from my set in one map unless i reduce the textures to a terribly crappy resolution

 

[Zack1996]

Only way: Create it as a campaign.
Why? Because that's the only way for maps to share Object Editor, Import Manager etc. data. Otherwise, there is no known way.
Also, 10 megabyte in file size would mean forever to download on battle.net. So the only way is to make them a single player campaign, just use the campaign editor and create a new campaign file. Then just import everything and edit the stuff inside the campaign editor.
If you want it to be multiplayer. There's a simple solution. Don't use imports.
I know its sad but 10mb just takes too long to download...

 

[syc]

Well there is a 4 or 5 meg limit on the map size. So its not about the time it takes to DL but about the limit. My question is less about maps (as i know the constraints very well) its more about using MPQ files. Or creating a exe that will use that mpq file. I have heard of a macintosh app that lets you do that.

The whole point of the mod is to create a new game within this very fun game engine. Not using imports is not an option. I don't plan on using steam tanks as Battlestars and peasents as the enterprise. I have comparitively scaled models with animations and effects. A shield and upgrade system for Star Trek and Viper launch and Tie Fighter launch (oops gave away too much there) system for those units. I have planets of different types and the ability to colonise them.

So any Ideas?

 

[Zack1996]

Warcraft 3 maps already use MPQs. If they did not, the file size would be twice as large (roughly). Anyway, I doubt there is any way to MPQ an MPQ, so its impossible to use MPQ files on Warcraft maps as they are already MPQed when you save it (thank Blizzard for using MPQs, it helps filesize greatly!)

 

[redscores]

zack, please... don't tell untrue things, you can use custom MPQs, but you have to install them on a special way, they will then replace your real mpq, just check tales of ravignon as a example.

You can "install" a new custom MPQ, which replaces the original wc3 mpq, of course that mpq will be larger, because you will have to use a copy of the real wc3 mpq (else you wont have access to the normal wc3 models).

Just check some forums like this (under tutorials) or wc3campaigns for tutorials about a custom mpq.

 

[syc]

zack, please... don't tell untrue things, you can use custom MPQs, but you have to install them on a special way, they will then replace your real mpq, just check tales of ravignon as a example.

You can "install" a new custom MPQ, which replaces the original wc3 mpq, of course that mpq will be larger, because you will have to use a copy of the real wc3 mpq (else you wont have access to the normal wc3 models).

Just check some forums like this (under tutorials) or wc3campaigns for tutorials about a custom mpq.

Thanks. I was aware of everything you guys mentioned, except that people have been makeing campaigns like this.

I guess I don't need any of the models or textures etc from the origional game... but I wonder if I can replace one of the smaller MPQs instead of the largest one. I would have preferred to see where WC3 stores the mpq list of hierarchy and just add my 10 meg mpq as the last update .

 

[redscores]

Thats not possible, because a update manipulates the already created MPQs, the old ones, and adds information.

If that MPQ is full (at the limit of the size which blizzard always uses), they create a new MPQ, but for that you need the update program of blizzard.

 

[bboy-tiger-]

Sure its possible. I was just hacking wc3, and I am able to use additional .mpq files now. I will post more info when I get stable version. With this I cracked 4mb limit (tho you cant get those files over bnet i think, maybe is possible to fix this with pvpgn bnets).
Now with further hacking I can make standalone "wc3" mod with size of ~300MB .

 

[syc]

Sure its possible. I was just hacking wc3, and I am able to use additional .mpq files now. I will post more info when I get stable version. With this I cracked 4mb limit (tho you cant get those files over bnet i think, maybe is possible to fix this with pvpgn bnets).
Now with further hacking I can make standalone "wc3" mod with size of ~300MB .

Thats awesome! is it an exe hack(by running a hacked version of the exe it load the extra mpq) or some kind of config change?

 

[syc]

Here are come clips of what i have working...
Fedoration VS BSG Colonials

Federation VS Dominion

 

[-ALPHA-]

I guess I don't need any of the models or textures etc from the origional game... but I wonder if I can replace one of the smaller MPQs instead of the largest one. I would have preferred to see where WC3 stores the mpq list of hierarchy and just add my 10 meg mpq as the last update .

The Dawn of Chaos mod replaces the war3patch.mpq which Blizzard uses to apply patches to the game. Their zipped version is like 120 MB with a ton of models, skins, music, dialogue, etc. I don't know if this is what you meant...

Sounds great, but your vids don't work...

 

[syc]

Sounds great, but your vids don't work...

LOL The format I uploaded still wasn't processed after 24 hours so I reuploaded them.

Here are two clips of some battles.

Fedoration VS BSG Colonials
Federation VS Dominion

 

[huntere15]

ISn't there a thing called custom object data? Just import it in object editor.

 

[The_Grapist]

Ya the fact that only campaign editor can have more then 1 map and that the limit for battle.net is 4mb are all true...


This are all cold facts...No one can changed it...
Only the Blizzard itself can do it.


Thanks,
The_Grapist

 

[bboy-tiger-]

There are 2 or 3 ways to do it by yourself... but none of them aren't battlenet compatible. (only if other clients download info from "map website")


BTW nice work on the map sync but maybe make camera more further.

 

[syc]

huntere15: The whole point of this thread was at the top. To overcome the 4 meg limit.

I actually am debating between shrinking the units another 30% or jut keeping the camera at 2800 distance.

I plan on makeing this more for lan gaming anyway. And it is possible to play on B-net but you would have to create private games so noobs without the mod don't come in and crash their Game.

 

[syc]

A HUGE!!!! Thanks to bboy-tiger- for putting me on the right track. I believe in a few days ill have figured out the nuts and bolts of how to use local files. This means no messing up MPQ fles, easy updating and customization.

If i distribute my files but you just want to use my smaller texture or lower polly model you can just replace a file in the mod and it shows up the next time you play my map. That sounds pretty sweet doesn't it?

Once thats done Ill be able to release a mod that is a 2 step mod.

1. unzip the mod to your root WC3 folder
2. Run the reg file released by the DOTA team that enables local files

Once those two steps are done my modded maps should work perfectly.

http://www.sourcepeek.com/wiki/Warcraft_3_Files

 

[bboy-tiger-]

There should be some rules inside mpq files, and instead there could be some installers, like installer that puts your files(in a folder named by you or your mod) inside local mpq. So everyone who wants to make a mod should have his installer(in our case installer should be more complex having opinion to choose what files you want to install by what name). Its llike putting you map under maps/download/map.w3x or maps/download/tiger_cro/map.w3x , spcialy if 2 maps have same name(we talk here about 1 mpq file).

Its just a suggestion.

 

[syc]

Well thanks to MPQ master and using War3Patch.mpq I have a 44meg file but my maps are down to 1.5meg now. I am now continuing to add content so that my conversion is worth while. I should have...

- 5 or 6 main races
- each race will have 3-5 buildings
- 5 or more units
- Tech tree
- Balance between races


If any one wants a ship list please let me know.

 

[bboy-tiger-]

More like 10 buildings, 15 units each race.
1 ultimate unit ?

 

[Michael Peppers]

Just to say, you all forgot MPQDraft

 

[bboy-tiger-]

Just to say, you all forgot MPQDraft

And what will you do with that ?

 

[Michael Peppers]

Picks your MPQ and makes a self-executing MPQ out of it.

Your mpq becomes an exe file that is used to start Warcraft III with the custom files loaded in it at max priority.

 

[syc]

Very Cool Concept. I will look into using this with my final draft. Once all untis are created ballanced etc.

It will be very hard to find 10 units for the Romulans. The Klingons and Federation have tones of ship models to choose from, but the romulans have only ever shown like 4-5 ship models.

Der'dex (hero)
Valdore (hero)
Bird of prey <borrowed from klingons TNG>
D7 <borrowed from klingons TOS>
Early Warbird

They arn't the most origional bunch are they.

 

[syc]

Here is what I have for Startrek so far

Ships:

1. Constitution
2. Meranda
3. Defiant
4. Galaxy (hero)
5. Sovereign (hero)

Possible aditions: Akira*, Constilation, Ambasider, Nebula*, Hodges, Excelsior*, Steamrunner, Intrepid

Buildings:

1. Space Station (research)
2. Star Base (build ships, but upgrades)

Possible aditions: Planetary Defenses, Dry Dock

Ships:

1. D7
2. K't'inga
3. K'Vort (bird of prey)
4. Vor'cha (hero)
5. Negh'Var (hero)

Possible aditions: Dra'Tec, Kahlesste kaase, D-37 K'Vek, D-18 "Maveq", C-9A Kahless tIq vo', Suvwl'wovmoHwI
(or Kitbashes between Negh'Var, Vor'cha and BOP*)

Buildings:

1. Space Station (research)
2. Star Base (build ships, but upgrades)

Possible aditions: Planetary Defenses, Dry Dock

Ships:

1. Early Bird of Prey
2. D7
3. B'rel (bird of prey)
4. Valdore (hero)
5. D'deridex (hero)

Possible aditions: Scimitar, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant, V'Dorak*
(or Kitbashes between D'deridex, Valdore and BOP*)

Buildings:

1. Space Station (research)
2. Star Base (build ships, but upgrades)

Possible aditions: Planetary Defenses, Dry Dock

1. Borg Cube
2. Cardasian Galore
3. Ferengi Merauder
4. Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser
5. Jem'Hadar Fighter
6. BSG Galactica
7. BSG Pegasus
8. BSG Viper MKII
9. BSG Viper MKVII
10. BSG Raptor
11. BSG Cylon Basestar
12. BCG Cylon Raider
13. BSG Cylon Heavy Raider
14. BSG Colonial One

 

[bboy-tiger-]

Not bad syc .

Btw what .dll files is using this .exe file created with mpqdraft. I mean I cant see in hex codes any data drain from game.dll for example. And if I place it on desktop and run it still it will work. I know that war3.exe is using game.dll for major systems. But hows this .exe file really working ?

 

[Michael Peppers]

Not bad syc .

Btw what .dll files is using this .exe file created with mpqdraft. I mean I cant see in hex codes any data drain from game.dll for example. And if I place it on desktop and run it still it will work. I know that war3.exe is using game.dll for major systems. But hows this .exe file really working ?

I don't know, I only know that it should read the register files of the system to know where war3.exe is on every computer.

However, this is slightly off-topic, maybe having a new thread or this discussion would be better