StarCraft II CC FAQ - Your questions

[Lavarinth]

Alright kids, I'm going to keep this very simple: If Campaign Creations was able to ask a few select question relating modding that have not been asked and are not obvious (like "can i mak SCV shoot supah yamato lazer??/") and are rather informative, what would you ask. If you think you know the answer to a question being asked, feel free to debate and answer the question. Trying to make this list unique.

[wibod]

Will the game support variable textures for a single unit or will they need to be separate units like WC3

[Ricky_Honejasi]

Q :What will be the maximum map file size transferable over Battle.net for SC2 maps?
Note : it is currently 4 megs for WC3 maps

Q: Will Starcraft 2 support data cache for multiplayer?
Note : data cache being the files to carry on heroes, various data and such from map to map, usually used in campaigns, only singleplayer is truly supposed for WC3, basically only campaigns.

Q: What will be the maximum variable array size?
Note : in war3, it is 8192 or so.

Q: What will be the specific features of the map protection feature in StarEdit2?
Note : as far I remember, SC2 will feature map protection instead of having to use 3rd party programs to do it but didn't specify much about it.

Q: Will it be easier to make custom models for Starcraft 2?
Note : War3 had Arts Tools for some hard-to-get version of some modeling program andt often you had to end up fiddling around with costy programs without being sure of being able to import it right into SC2.

EDIT : Okay, I didn't read the modding part but anyway.

[Xenon]

How customizable is the interface? Does it allow adding custom numerical indicators, gauges, and menus? Can the total number of buttons (15) in the command card be changed, and can clickable buttons be added to the status bar or areas otherwise not in the command card?

(I'd also like to know if the Havok physics can be used for gameplay-related stuff like pushing living units around, but I seem to remember them dodging a question like this by saying something like "The physics will generally not affect gameplay", which says nothing about modding.  )

[Maglok]

Q: In batch 42 it was said we could use the same cinematic style in the maps that is used in the 'story space', so we can show a small cutscene on a map with the higher resolution models then go back to the normal ones for gameplay?

Q: Campaigns can be developed by creating it all in one go and then releasing it. Most campaigns that actually get done though release on a map by map basis (at least with Starcraft 1 they did). With this new galaxy map feature, is it possible to create a galaxy map that keeps in mind the subsequent episode releases? What can the galaxy map do for us anyways?

Q: In a recent screenshot we see civilians of different genders and with different facial features. Are we going to get some kind of randomize your own cilivian thing there? Choose a haircut, choose a skin color, the likes?

Q: How will custom campaigns be handled. In Starcraft you had to mod the entire game to make a custom campaign show up in the campaign selection screen, which is, let's face it, so much more awesome then launching a map from the custom menu.

Q: Is there any chance we get SumEdit before SC2 comes out? Several dedicated campaign creators from the days of Starcraft 1 are already planning and can't wait to get their hands on it.

Q: Editing a story mode space, is it at all possible? If we want to create a command center interior instead of the battlecruiser shown in the single player demonstration, can we do it? Model wise we would probably need to go to a tool like 3dmax and then import it, but there will also need to be code to make it all work, can we do that from within ScumEdit?

That's all from the top of my head.

[Marco]

Q: Is there any chance we get SumEdit before SC2 comes out? Several dedicated campaign creators from the days of Starcraft 1 are already planning and can't wait to get their hands on it.

I know they already answered this one with a firm 'maybe'.

[Maglok]

Doesn't hurt to ask again.

[Jadefang]

1.) It was mentioned that all units from SC1 and those considered yet discarded during the development phase of SC2 will be part of the editor. Does this mean that these units (medics, minotaurs) will be buildable and usable (ai scripts) by computer players, or that they will just be hero-like units without these abilities.

2.) For the old SC1 units, will there be some kind of makeover to have them fit into the SC2 design?

3.) A previous batch had a question to non-latin letters like "ü" etc and the answer was yes. I want to clarify, does this mean all foreign languages typesets? How about cyrillic letters пожалуйста?

4.) When creating a storyline in a campaign, is it possible to make custom cinematics during the briefing by the means of the standard editor like we could see them for the campaign demo?

5.) The SC1 map edior was sometimes, shall we say long winded. Will the panoply of trigger options be expanded, and could you share some examples?

[Lavarinth]

Q :What will be the maximum map file size transferable over Battle.net for SC2 maps?
Note : it is currently 4 megs for WC3 maps

Ok.

Q: Will Starcraft 2 support data cache for multiplayer?
Note : data cache being the files to carry on heroes, various data and such from map to map, usually used in campaigns, only singleplayer is truly supposed for WC3, basically only campaigns.

I think a more detailed option such as SECURE data cache as data cache will instantly trigger "hacking it" to various users which I'm sure Blizzard would NOT let occur.

Q: What will be the maximum variable array size?
Note : in war3, it is 8192 or so.

Ok- But, is this a valuable question or just an informative question? I'm not sure what arrays are used for (never understood variables too well).

Q: What will be the specific features of the map protection feature in StarEdit2?
Note : as far I remember, SC2 will feature map protection instead of having to use 3rd party programs to do it but didn't specify much about it.

Ok- But likely answer will be "we can't go into that at the moment," so second priority over more important questions.

Q: Will it be easier to make custom models for Starcraft 2?
Note : War3 had Arts Tools for some hard-to-get version of some modeling program andt often you had to end up fiddling around with costy programs without being sure of being able to import it right into SC2.

Ok.

How customizable is the interface? Does it allow adding custom numerical indicators, gauges, and menus? Can the total number of buttons (15) in the command card be changed, and can clickable buttons be added to the status bar or areas otherwise not in the command card?

Ok- But, keep it specific, we've seen Blizzard trail off an important question by picking the lesser portion of the question, so keep it to "Does it allow..." not the command card area, instead if clickable buttons can be adding on the screen elsewhere.

(I'd also like to know if the Havok physics can be used for gameplay-related stuff like pushing living units around, but I seem to remember them dodging a question like this by saying something like "The physics will generally not affect gameplay", which says nothing about modding.  )

Interesting, but, skip for now. Each passing day less and less physics are into play, go figure.

Q: In batch 42 it was said we could use the same cinematic style in the maps that is used in the 'story space', so we can show a small cutscene on a map with the higher resolution models then go back to the normal ones for gameplay?

This is possible via triggers, I think the bigger question would be if such intriquite movements as seen in the Battlecruiser are possible in game.

Q: Campaigns can be developed by creating it all in one go and then releasing it. Most campaigns that actually get done though release on a map by map basis (at least with Starcraft 1 they did). With this new galaxy map feature, is it possible to create a galaxy map that keeps in mind the subsequent episode releases? What can the galaxy map do for us anyways?

I understand this question, but I think it might be too open-ended for a specific answer from them, need something more direct.

Q: In a recent screenshot we see civilians of different genders and with different facial features. Are we going to get some kind of randomize your own cilivian thing there? Choose a haircut, choose a skin color, the likes?

Ok. Best to add "Can we also ADD to the selection via additional textures or color hue adjustment on specific parts of models."

Q: How will custom campaigns be handled. In Starcraft you had to mod the entire game to make a custom campaign show up in the campaign selection screen, which is, let's face it, so much more awesome then launching a map from the custom menu.

Ok, but likely already "can be replaced with your project" as I believe there's a "mod selector" before launching the game.

Q: Is there any chance we get SumEdit before SC2 comes out? Several dedicated campaign creators from the days of Starcraft 1 are already planning and can't wait to get their hands on it.

Ok- But secondary to direct modding questions.

Q: Editing a story mode space, is it at all possible? If we want to create a command center interior instead of the battlecruiser shown in the single player demonstration, can we do it? Model wise we would probably need to go to a tool like 3dmax and then import it, but there will also need to be code to make it all work, can we do that from within ScumEdit?

Ok but I believe dimming it down to "Is it possible to create our own interactive environment like the Battlecruiser via the editor (likely using preset objects/rooms), and/or possible to import new ones and trigger locations to perform actions like the Galaxy Map selection?

1.) It was mentioned that all units from SC1 and those considered yet discarded during the development phase of SC2 will be part of the editor. Does this mean that these units (medics, minotaurs) will be buildable and usable (ai scripts) by computer players, or that they will just be hero-like units without these abilities.

I would assume not, we'll keep this secondary.

2.) For the old SC1 units, will there be some kind of makeover to have them fit into the SC2 design?

Interesting, but not directly related to modding, more of just an interest question. Likely answer would be yes.

3.) A previous batch had a question to non-latin letters like "ü" etc and the answer was yes. I want to clarify, does this mean all foreign languages typesets? How about cyrillic letters пожалуйста?

Not as modding related as other possible questions and not as much interest to the mass public as other questions.

4.) When creating a storyline in a campaign, is it possible to make custom cinematics during the briefing by the means of the standard editor like we could see them for the campaign demo?

Same question asked different elsewhere, combine both to a more direct question.

5.) The SC1 map edior was sometimes, shall we say long winded. Will the panoply of trigger options be expanded, and could you share some examples?

And I quote: "Can the edito-" "Yes, it can." They likely wont share examples.

[chris]

can i mak SCV shoot supah yamato lazer??

Nice idea. *starts fiddeling with datedit*

[Lavarinth]

can i mak SCV shoot supah yamato lazer??

Nice idea. *starts fiddeling with datedit*

If you can mess with DatEdit you'll love the next contest. [/hint][/offtopic]

[AA7Dragoon]

Are our questions being featured in an upcoming batch, Lav?

[IskatuMesk]

1.)

In previous Blizzard titles, the artificial intelligence for computer players remained largely hardcoded in DLL files unavailable to modders, leaving only build orders to be tinkered with. Does Blizzard intend to encourage modding by softcoding AI actions such as building placement, spell and ability management, attack and defense control, and scouting-related stuff, micromanagement, or will we still be largely restricted in operating the computer player's actions?

2.)

Does Starcraft 2 support Hardpoints? In games such as Supreme Commander, Hardpoints allow a modder to place a large number of unique weapons on a unit each with their own individual animation and code settings, place effects, or special code, or even attach units together.

3.)

How does the Mod Loader function? Is it similar to Supreme Commander, where you activate a modification in a Starcraft 2 editor-supported archive format through an ingame menu, or can you create your own launcher? Will these loader mods be able to modify the entirety of the game or will there still be elements that force users to use external third-party applications? (Warcraft 3's campaign system had such limits).

4.)

We have heard that the game only supports 8 players at this time. Will it be possible, either through a map, or through a mod, to introduce more player slots? On the same style, Blizzard has said that the game is currently restricted to 256x256 map sizes. Is this an engine limit, or an arbitrary limit put in place due to the desire for low-end system requirements? Will modders be able to step past this limit, in the knowledge it will make the map more demanding resource-wise?

5.)

Can unit engagement AI (Think carrier interceptors) be programmed to work in very specific ways? Let's take, for example, a Terran Battlecruiser. Let's say I want to it to circle a target of a certain size or classification, and fire while it's circling, but remain the way it is now when engaging ground units, or opt for an alternate weapon system against small, fast-moving air units.

6.)

In the original Starcraft, modders were able to script extremely diverse and advanced randomized attack sequences through usage of the iscript.bin. This was allowed by the iscript.bin's ability to control how a unit animated, when it attacked, what it attacked with, and what special events or effects were associated with it. In warcraft 3, this was virtually impossible without an extremely excessive and inefficient amount of JASS. In SC2, will we be able to tell a unit how to attack, and what to attack with, randomize it, produce multiple attacks in a single animation (Think the Zealot hitting twice, like in the original starcraft, instead of animating to hit twice but only hitting once, while at other times performing a "critical hit" with a special animation), and call animations unique to each randomized attack through the unit editor, or will such a thing still be a thing of dreams?

7.)

Does Starcraft 2 still support the loading of multiple materials and textures per unit, like in warcraft 3?

8.)

What differences are there between the Warcraft 3 model design and the Starcraft 2 model design in 3ds max? Obviously there is the implimentation of Havok and IK, but what other differences are there that would stand in the way of an individual using 3ds max as a means to bring his warcraft 3 models into Starcraft 2.

9.)

In Neverwinter Nights 2, Bioware allowed their editor to support DLL plugins created by end-users to do everything from rearrange the interface to provide entirely new editors in the game. The result is a very open-source, diverse network of add-ons for the editor that provide modders and mappers with a variety of tools maintained by individuals with more time and commitment than the company to improve specific features. Does Blizzard plan to support the community by introducing such a feature into SCUMEdit?

10.)

Will Startools contain a model importer in addition to the exporter, for 3ds max? The warcraft 3 tools lacked such a plugin, forcing end-users to create their own importer that to this date still does not function correctly.

[Lavarinth]

Are our questions being featured in an upcoming batch, Lav?

Our questions are simply questions that I hope will be featured, AA7.

I'm getting in touch with Karune about a few things soon, again.

[AA7Dragoon]

MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, LORD OF THE HOLY PIE, GOD OF THE TEN CIRCLES, DESTROYER OF THE HERETICS, EATER OF MAILMEN is back!  *fuzzy inside*