WC3 Mod Manager v1.1.1

[SadisticLeprechaun]

This looks interesting, will it allow me to use a mpq I made that just has objects like extra shops, merc camps, and heroes (minutes triggers of course) without loading them into each new map? I like playing older standard maps with slight changes.

 

[loktar]

I'm not sure what you mean, but as long as your data overwrites game data there should be no problem. To actually add stuff to maps, you would have to edit the map itself.

But, again, I'm not 100% sure what you mean, so if it worked for you as an MPQ maybe it will work as local files too? Unless you're still on an older patch (before the switch to CASC), you would have to unpack the MPQ though.

Edit: I think what you mean is that you customized maps to use extra models etc. which you put into an MPQ. If you add the custom content of your MPQ as a mod in the mod manager, it should definitely work.

 

[SadisticLeprechaun]

Yes! Great I will try this out later today.

 

[loktar]

Cool, let me know how it goes =)

 

[Chaosy]

This is actually pretty neat. So I take it that the program saves my local assets somewhere else when I disable a mod?

Also what happens if I have 2 mods enabled that use different files but with the same name?

 

[loktar]

In the current version, when you "mount" a mod, the mod's files/assets are moved to the game folder. When you "unmount" a mod, they are moved back to the application's mods folder.
In the next version, symbolic links to the mod's files and folders will be created instead. When "unmounting", these symbolic links will be deleted. This is obviously much more efficient.

Toggling "Allow Local Files" only changes the registry setting which determines whether or not WC3 can read files in the install folder.

At the moment it's not possible to mount/enable more than one mod at a time. In the future I may implement this option. I guess then you should be able to set a priority for each mod.

edit: it's been updated

 

[Tasyen]

Useful and nice.
Also quite easy to use.

 

[Ev3nt]

Nice, but what about patch 1.30?

 

[loktar]

Useful and nice.
Also quite easy to use.

Thanks!

Nice, but what about patch 1.30?

Thanks!
Works with any version that supports local files, which includes the latest patch.

 

[SadisticLeprechaun]

OK I am getting around to trying this, but I am unsure how to take the files out of my map (mostly units, items, abilities, upgrades, and buffs) and put them into the correct folders or whatever... also all my models are just in war3Imported folder, do I need to somehow find folders for like 30+ models?

 

[loktar]

First of all I should make clear that you can't just take object data (the information contained in e.g. the unit editor, the buffs editor, etc.) out of a map and put it into the game. It's possible, but I'm not sure if there are tools that can do this. You may be able to find something here on the hive.

The reason for this is that WC3 uses human-readable files (.txt and .slk files), while maps use an entirely different format. So you would have to convert the map's data to .txt and .slk files, and then merge those files with WC3's .txt and .slk files.
If you want to have a look, you can use MPQ Editor to open maps and CascView to open WC3's data (since patch 1.30).

The resources (models, textures, etc.) you want to put into the game still need to be pointed at by the game/map.
This means you have two options:

• Replace existing resources:
  You can give a resource the same path in your mod as a standard resource.
  For example, if you put a model in a mod in Units\Human\Footman\Footman.mdx, all footmen in WC3 will use your new model
• Play maps that use your custom resources
  If you put a model in the mod in war3Imported\Footman.mdx, any map that uses this path will load your custom model (unless the map has an imported file with the same path).

So let's say you put the mod manager in "C:\W3MM\WC3ModManager.exe":

• You will need to put your mod in the "mods" folder ("C:\W3MM\mods\My Mod")
• The examples above will look like this: "C:\W3MM\mods\My Mod\Units\Human\Footman\Footman.mdx" and "C:\W3MM\mods\My Mod\war3Imported\Footman.mdx".
• Now when you mount "My Mod" and enable Allow Local Files
  • 1) all footman units will use the model at "C:\W3MM\mods\My Mod\Units\Human\Footman\Footman.mdx"
  • 2) all maps that use a custom model located at "war3Imported\Footman.mdx" but do not have an imported file with that path, will load the file from the mod

It would be cool if I could add an automatic map-to-mod converter or something in the future. We'll see.

 

[SadisticLeprechaun]

Interesting. How about new units? Just make custom paths?

Also, I just checked those text files... wow how does anyone make a new unit with all that stuff fragmented all over the place? TBH opening a map and importing all object data... its slow but I could do like 100+ maps before I got all my custom units done in those text files!

 

[loktar]

Yup, you will be able to use anything in e.g. "C:\W3MM\mods\My Mod\" using the identical path after that.

Yeah doing that manually is definitely a lot of work. If done, though, you can use your new object data in both the game and the editor as if it was always there.

I know there is a custom object editor tool which can open maps and export object data to .slk, and there's also an SLK editor which can open, modify and save SLK files (maybe some other stuff like merge them, but I don't remember).
So the SLK side of things should be pretty doable semi-automatically, but I don't know if that object editor tool or any other tool handles the TXT files.
If you're gonna try anything, you should be careful about editing SLK files with an Exell-like Office program, they could save it in a way that WC3 can't read them anymore. I think MS Office is ok, but open and/or libre office aren't. You can also edit them with notepad but that's definitely not recommended

You might also want to see if you can find any tools which can export/import object data (maybe the one I mentioned). It might be faster than doing it with the world editor.

Maybe one of these links could be useful: SLK Edit - Object Editor - W3x2Lni

 

[Michael Peppers]

I know there is a custom object editor tool which can open maps and export object data to .slk, and there's also an SLK editor which can open, modify and save SLK files (maybe some other stuff like merge them, but I don't remember).
So the SLK side of things should be pretty doable semi-automatically, but I don't know if that object editor tool or any other tool handles the TXT files.
If you're gonna try anything, you should be careful about editing SLK files with an Exell-like Office program, they could save it in a way that WC3 can't read them anymore. I think MS Office is ok, but open and/or libre office aren't. You can also edit them with notepad but that's definitely not recommended

You might also want to see if you can find any tools which can export/import object data (maybe the one I mentioned). It might be faster than doing it with the world editor.

Late response, but Widgetizer does both SLK and TXT from object data with no hassle (if it still works, but why shouldn't it).

About this tool here, it's pretty nice, good job

 

[loktar]

Right, I forgot about that one. Too bad the source isn't available, I'd really like to add some import/convert tools at some point.

Thanks!
I'm working on an update but it's taking a lot longer than expected

 

[Michael Peppers]

Right, I forgot about that one. Too bad the source isn't available, I'd really like to add some import/convert tools at some point.

Yeah, that's a shame, that thing could break at any time and there would be no fix, if you ever make a replacement I'd be glad to try it out.

Thanks!
I'm working on an update but it's taking a lot longer than expected

If I had just a nitpick on how your mod manager works is that the main folder of Wc3 gets full of symlinks, which is whatever as long as it works, but I was wondering why you weren't using the "war3mod.mpq" folder instead.

 

[loktar]

Yeah I was thinking of making the symlinks hidden (optionally), maybe some sort of clean tool in case something goes wrong.

I didn't know about this war3mod.mpq though.
So if I create a folder with that name the game will read those files regardless of the registry setting?
That would be cool, then maybe you really just need to create one symlink with that name to the mod's folder.

Edit: Wow, thanks, that works That makes things way simpler and even faster (though kinda makes this tool somewhat less useful, and part of the update ive been working on is obsolete ).
Can't believe I never knew about this.

 

[Michael Peppers]

Glad to help

 

[loktar]

I'm almost done working this way of "mounting" mods into the update. I'm going to add the old way (creating symlinks in the game's root folder) back in as a secondary/complementary way later too.

 

[Barade]

Finally, someone made this tool!

edit: Btw. why do I have to copy/move every folder to the mods folder? Doesn't it work with a symbolic link?

 

[loktar]

Glad it's useful!

I'm not sure, but I think it should work with a symbolic link.
Next version will include the option to add a mod as a symlink (so you can choose between move, copy and symlink).

In the future I may add the possibility to add a mod in any location without copying/moving/symlinking at all (by saving the path somewhere), but I'm not sure if it's necessary.
I will probably add it once I need to store any meta data for mods. Then it's just a matter of also storing the path in the meta data.

 

[yoosk]

Would love to see possibility to mount multiple mods at same time, as i would use it to manage my interface mods.

 

[yxq1122]

This tool is a light weighted, favorable and delicious solution for making wc3 mods. Good work!

I'm wondering what's the difference between this tool and Ev3nt's MM Engine.

 

[Honk]

The difference is that this one works with 1.30+ and I can even use it on battle.net. I am making Czech language pack right now, based on the 1.26 version and it works great.

 

[eejin]

Approved! Tool works quickly and easily. Very useful for when you want to swap out mods quickly.

 

[Barade]

Can you adapt this tool to the latest version of Warcraft III? The folder of the World Editor is now "C:\Program Files\Warcraft III\x86_64" for me.
Btw. where do I have to place my files when using "Allow Local Files"? In the directory "C:\Program Files\Warcraft III\x86_64" it does not seem to work.

 

[loktar]

Can you adapt this tool to the latest version of Warcraft III? The folder of the World Editor is now "C:\Program Files\Warcraft III\x86_64" for me.
Btw. where do I have to place my files when using "Allow Local Files"? In the directory "C:\Program Files\Warcraft III\x86_64" it does not seem to work.

I'd like to update this at some point, but don't know if/when I will.

 

[Kyrbi0]

Bit of a necro-post, but does anyone know if the new "CASC" structures (replacing the old "MPQ" data structures) that are used by Reforged mess this tool up at all?

 

[loktar]

Shouldn't be a problem I think, but the new folder structure (the x86/x64 folders) may be a problem, not sure though.

 

[Kyrbi0]

Should we try it & let you know?

 

[BogdanW3]

The new paths, required since 32.6 are: Warcraft III\_retail_\ and Warcraft III\_ptr_\

Also CASC has been in use since 1.30.0, not only since reforged; it makes no difference as local files are still mostly the same.

This path change is instead caused by the Container system announced with 1.32.6 PTR

 

[Vibe]

The Allowlocalfile is an important technology, which should be widely used.

I think this will be a great tool in the future, but unfortunately it can't work now.

I will continue to pay attention to this tool. Looking forward to your update.

 

[aeman]

im actually a bit boomer here, but how to test this thing?

 

[Michael Peppers]

If anybody's interested in using this tool but wonders if it works on a specific version worry not, this is still a fine tool that works on every version of Warcraft III because it creates links of the mounted mod's files/folders into Warcraft III's base directory and it's the game itself that looks for files it can load in that folder, although the actual base directory and the tool's functionalities might change depending on the game version it's used for.

Quick explanation on how to use this tool to mount mods with all versions of Warcraft III:

• Versions that use MPQs: "Warcraft III Folder" in "Settings" = base game folder, game and World Editor can be started directly from WC3 Mod Manager's dedicated buttons.
• Pre-Reforged CASC versions: "Warcraft III Folder" in "Settings" = base game folder (the one with "Warcraft III Launcher.exe", NOT the "x86" or "x86_64" folders), WC3 Mod Manager cannot however run the game or World Editor by itself because the binaries were moved in these versions
• Reforged Retail: "Warcraft III Folder" in "Settings" = base game folder\_retail_, as above WC3 Mod Manager cannot run the executables by itself
• Reforged PTR: "Warcraft III Folder" in "Settings" = base game folder\_ptr_, as above WC3 Mod Manager cannot run the executables by itself

Ah, and don't forget to always have "Allow Local Files" active in the tool itself, depending on the version and on how your install is set up it might not actually be necessary but it doesn't hurt to have that active either way.