SC2Mapster

Hey,

So I'm looking to create a sort of emulated AI through the data editor.

The first thing I want to do is make an SCV automatically gather minerals if there is a patch within range 4 of him. (The SCVs will have a Wander behaviour also so that they walk around and randomly come into contact with mineral patches).

What I have so far:
Behaviour - Buff, Duration: infinite, period: 0.01, period count: -1
Linked to
Search Area - Arc: 360, Maximum Count: -1, Radius: 10, Impact Location: (None), Source Unit
Linked to
Issue Order - SCV - Gather. Target +: Search Area Effect: Target Unit & Unit +: Issue Order Effect: Source Unit

I have tried every combination of Target+ and Unit+ in the fields, I have tried using Harvestable Resource (unnamed) as a validator on the Search Area effect...

Nothing seems to work, the SCVs don't do anything and my experience tells me that I'm missing something really vital, or really obvious, or both.

I do not want to create this using triggers.

Edit: It would be a lot easier if the SCV - Gather ability could be flagged as Auto Cast.

@Nardival: Go

There should actually be a flag on the gather ability that tells the unit to automatically gather nearby resources. I would look for that flag; I know it exists, I just don't remember where I saw it.

@TacoManStan: Go

It seemingly doesnt exist.

Did you check the Show Advanced Fields view option?

And whats with the Stats - Flags field? No matching flag in there?

@Kueken531: Go

Yes, Show Advanced Fields is enabled. All the 'show' boxes at the top are ticked/pressed down.

Stats - Flags field only has one option which is currently ticked: Bypass Resource Queue. I believe it is off by default.

Anyone able to help?

I want the search area to find a mineral patch in a radius around the wandering SCV, and when it does so, I want that SCV to be ordered to gather that mineral patch.

@Nardival: Go

Sorry for the shameless bump. But I've resorted to simply using weapon scan and a hostile unit to act as the mineral fields. I will use this as a placeholder until someone gets back to me on the search area/validation/issue order to gather business.

I am a data editor "fanatic". If I think something can be done via data, I would do it that way.

However this is just downright messy. It's perfectly possible to do this using data, but this is definitely a case of square block/round hole.

I'd recommend using triggers with a periodic check for idle workers.

As for your problem, check the Mule's impact effect. That's a working issue order - gather effect.

@Eiviyn: Go

I'm the same Eiviyn. Triggers are the easy way out :p... If something can be done through the data editor, it should be.

My end-game scenario will involve players 'summoning' lots of workers who will harvest 4 different types of resources (based on combat priority), and each worker gains experience based on how much work he has done...

So, triggers are a definite no no :p

will look at the Mule's example ability :) didn't occur to me that it was an issue order being used there... doh

@DrSuperEvil: Go

Hey, yeah I'm not a complete noob. In fact, that data editor is probably what I'm strongest with in SC2 mapping...

The issue I'm having is that it seems unable to acquire a 'mineral field' through a search area effect. Either that or I'm doing something incredibly wrong and I still cannot get this to work properly. I reconstructed it half through triggers and the 'Issue Order' effect is fine, as long as I explicitly give it the target through triggers. But I can't seem to get the search area to pickup a mineral patch for my SCV to go to.

Solved.

Don't use the search area effect.

Use an (Effect - Target) Ability with auto-cast enabled and use Only Neutral and Resource (Harvestable) as the target filters. Make sure you set Auto-Cast Aquire level to defensive.

Have the ability point toward an 'Issue Order' Effect that points back to the ORIGINAL gather ability.

Using the gather ability as the dummy, you can use the new auto-cast button to harvest manually, without cluttering the command card.

I've done it up quickly on a map to illustrate:

That's an interesting one, I never thought about using autocast like that.

Great solution Shuck :D - can't believe I didn't think of that...

• looks frantically around for how to give you +rep - then remembers this isn't HiveWorkshop* xD

This can be marked solved now :) thx again

@Nardival: Go

No prob man :)

Throw a [Resolved] tag on the end of the threads name, in case people are searching for the same problem in the future!

Quote from ShuckBeam: Go

Solved.

Don't use the search area effect.

Use an (Effect - Target) Ability with auto-cast enabled and use Only Neutral and Resource (Harvestable) as the target filters. Make sure you set Auto-Cast Aquire level to defensive.

Have the ability point toward an 'Issue Order' Effect that points back to the ORIGINAL gather ability.

Using the gather ability as the dummy, you can use the new auto-cast button to harvest manually, without cluttering the command card.

I've done it up quickly on a map to illustrate:

mmh... has anyone tried this lately? i can't get this to work... and even ShuckBeam's "Automine_ability.SC2Map" doesn't seem to work for me... did a patch break this recently?

Nope dont work at all. Its broken. Would also need help with this.