Campaign Creations

We can create batch files to load maps without having the user drag-and-drop maps onto the sc2 shortcut.

example:
set CURRENTDIR=%CD%
"..\..\StarCraft II.exe " "%CURRENTDIR%\MissionSelection.sc2map"

All we need is an deployment wizard that creates a deployment package to install our maps and this batch file into the starcraft II\maps folder along with creating a link on the user's desktop for the batch file.

The user will only need to:

1. select his/her maps folder during install, then
2. double click the link on his/her desktop. And finally,
3. Profit! <-- (always wanted to type that)

That's actually quite ingenious. So you need an installer or extractor that would ask the player to select the Maps directory... Someone get Q back onto the forum.

I use install creator freeware. Is there another one out there that has no limits?

What's Q or Who is Q?

GnaReffotsirk wrote:I use install creator freeware. Is there another one out there that has no limits?

What's Q or Who is Q?

Quantam. He made a few SC1 editting tools, notably MPQDraft which was capable of creating SEMPQs (Self-executing MPQ files), which made it a lot easier to make/distribute mods.

This has potential. I like.

*writes some stuff in his little greasy white book*

*Cha-Ching!*

Now this I like.

One Question: Does this mean we don't have to conform to that silly "Map Publishing limit" thing with storage allowance and number of maps?

Theia, yes this is right, but dropping any map over a shortcut or exe for SC2 does not need to be published, and will load linked maps also not published.

cool idea, I think I could probably make a loader app that could manage/install multiple maps/campaigns and launch maps in SC2, but I'm not sure if I should make such a harmless program because there's a lot of vague stuff in the EULA and Blizzard are dicks

Make it private and they can't do anything about it. ;P

There are sc2 replay managers that do this and AFAIK nothing has happened to them yet.

been investigating further and just realised a simple fix could be to change your file associatons so that when you doubleclick a SC2Map file in Windows Explorer (assuming Windows use here) it plays in SC2 rather than opening in the editor (but could instead be opened in the editor with right click -> Edit). This could be set up with a simple registry patch however would need to be altered depending on the user's SC2 install directory.

Also in the installer scenario listed above, it wouldn't even need to be a batch file - it could just be a simple Windows shortcut. And the installer program wouldn't even need to prompt the user for their SC2 install directory if it can read that automatically from the registry (not sure if that last bit's practical with whatever the hell extra security stuff Vista/7 have??)

I still like this launcher idea though, because it could be set up to list the individual maps in a campaign and not need a "lobby" map, and other cool stuff like that.

No problems making a launcher as long as it doesn't modify anything or hack anything. If we just automate drag-and-dropping it shouldn't be a problem.

a

This concept I like, a lot. Very interesting.

We don't have other ways to properly do it do we?

Not yet at least. I'm too lazy to setup VB and make this one. Maybe someone would/could/should.

I might check it out if nothing has come up when we are ready to release an episode.