Where to start for map dev?

[cons013]

I really want to make a fun custom map, but don't know anything about the map editor. I have sc2 aswell so it would also help with that.

Where do I start? Thanks!

 

[Veritas 117]

A good place to start might be to open up some of Blizzard's original campaign maps and see how they went about things. It can give you an idea about how to use the editor including the trigger editor, object editor, and terrain.

It honestly took me a long time messing around with it and checking out some tutorials here on the hive before things really started making sense. Once you have a basic idea, however, the only limitation becomes your imagination.

I would also strongly suggest when you do decide upon a type of map to make. Make one that you would enjoy playing rather than what you think others would like.

Good luck mate

 

[Radicool]

Are you making a Warcraft 3 custom map or a Starcraft 2 custom map?

For either editor, you need to start off small. I made the worst and lamest maps when I first started (and I still am). With each map I made, I learn't something new. There is lots that goes into a map. Terrain, unit data, triggers, game design, balance, creativity, etc.

Where to Start:
- Start by simply opening the editor and looking inside. For your first map aim really small. Just put a couple of units on the map for each player and have fun moving them around
- Next I suggest you edit the unit's damage, armor and hit points. Test the map and have fun killing units when you have 10000 damage.
- Next try making a unit pop up on the map every 5 seconds. Test the map and camp the spawn zone with your 10000 damage mega unit and kill them.

You aren't really trying to make a proper full fledged game at that stage. Have fun learning new things in the editor, then tackle making a game. Remember your first few games will probably be crap but practice makes perfect.

 

[Chaosy]

If you want to develop a ok map you need to learn triggering, most people prefer GUI unless you know any existing programming language, in that case you might want to learn JASS instead.

 

[BloodDrunk]

You should firstly learn every aspect of WE and how it works.
When you get comfortable with it, then move to map modding to avoid stupid mistakes like leaving leaks, making triggers unefficient etc...

 

[Radicool]

If you want to develop a ok map you need to learn triggering, most people prefer GUI unless you know any existing programming language, in that case you might want to learn JASS instead.

You should firstly learn every aspect of WE and how it works.
When you get comfortable with it, then move to map modding to avoid stupid mistakes like leaving leaks, making triggers unefficient etc...

No offence but this information isn't really all that useful for someone who wants to start map making and shows no knowledge of coding. When explaining a concept to somebody with no background experience, you cannot use jargon. Words like GUI, JASS, programming language, etc is all Chinese to somebody who has never touched coding or modding before.

 

[WaterKnight]

Play the game actively, experiment with the editor on yourself, take a look into other maps, try one of the beginner tutorials like for a TD, read forum posts.

 

[jonhysone]

You first learn how to map, then you can map.

 

[Boris_Spider]

Open up all of the open-source maps you can find (on THW they typically specify whether they are on the map description). You can look through the trigger editor to see all of the custom triggers the user has present. You can look in the object editor for anything highlighted in pink (this indicates custom values have been set) - this goes for units, abilities, upgrades, & buffs.

Then, start changing things to figure out how they behave; this will help determine some initial questions you can pose to others or look online for (like how does modifying the hero experience gained formula in the gameplay constants control hero leveling?).

The hard part will be finding open-source maps.
All of my maps are open source
KoTH & Erebus

Wa666r's maps are open source (the Forsaken one is for sure)

However, the most important thing you can start with is deciding what kind(s) of genre(s) do you want present in your game?

//\\oo//\\

 

[Dr Super Good]

I would advise skipping WC3 and going for SC2. By the time you even near completion of any reasonable project WC3 will be more dead than it currently is so you will probably have wasted your effort.

SC2 might appear harder from the start but it is a lot more logical to learn. It does not have all the hidden hacks that WC3 editing has that most people do not know about until they run into problems. Leaks are practically no issue in SC2 as an example.

 

[jonhysone]

I would advise skipping WC3 and going for SC2. By the time you even near completion of any reasonable project WC3 will be more dead than it currently is so you will probably have wasted your effort.

SC2 might appear harder from the start but it is a lot more logical to learn. It does not have all the hidden hacks that WC3 editing has that most people do not know about until they run into problems. Leaks are practically no issue in SC2 as an example.

But it has less popularity, I guess people like that thing called 'hax'

 

[Statharas]

But it has less popularity, I guess people like that thing called 'hax'

If you are going on a popularity game, yes, adbots do prefer WC3.

 

[Vinz]

- Next try making a unit pop up on the map every 5 seconds.

That requires basic trigger knowledge. o.o