I haven't found any tutorials or explanations on how mods work in SC2. I've seen posts of people talking about some of the vague benefits, such as being able to share resources between maps.
Could someone explain what exactly a mod is in SC2, how it's useful, and how to make one. Or point me to a tutorial on them.
A mod is just a dependency which can be included by maps. A mod can not be played by itself, it needs a map to work.
Mods can contain everything but terrain, so for example you can put models, sounds or even script in the mod and make it possible to share all this data over multiple maps.
A good example of using a mod would be a RPG game which has multiple maps representing different parts. Each map could include the same "core" mod, containing all the script and data. The advantage of this is that you can add new features/fix bugs directly in the mod, influencing all maps. It also saves lots of upload space since the data is not uploaded multiple times.
Mods can decrease your workload when you update your map:
- Scenario 1: you can edit and update the mod and your 10 maps are all updated along with it. You won't have to updatie all of your 10 maps manually.
- Scenario 2: you put everything that is big and won't change in near future into a mod. Then you update the map and the users won't have to download your big mod again with every update you publish.
I'm using scenario 2, but other people use scenario 1 like GameHeart or every other project that have multiple maps in a project.
Mods are loaded before a map, so you can always override the mod's data inside your map to fix small problems in the mod. Then you won't have to upload a fixed version of the mod. It's working like using Blizzard's mods: Core, Campaign, Story and Multi.
- Scenario 1: you can edit and update the mod and your 10 maps are all updated along with it. You won't have to updatie all of your 10 maps manually.
Are you talking about online updating or just offline for your local files?
When I tested some stuff with mods some time ago I had the issue that when I had a map uploaded that used an uploaded mod, I could upload a new version of the mod, but the map still referred to the old version of the mod (AKA I couldn't tell the map to use the latest bnet version of the mod just like it does for the blizzard mods). Has that been fixed by now / is there a way to do this?
Are you talking about online updating or just offline for your local files? When I tested some stuff with mods some time ago I had the issue that when I had a map uploaded that used an uploaded mod, I could upload a new version of the mod, but the map still referred to the old version of the mod (AKA I couldn't tell the map to use the latest bnet version of the mod just like it does for the blizzard mods). Has that been fixed by now / is there a way to do this?
The map needs to have to have checked the "use newest version" option.
When I create a mod from scratch I may need some dependencies in it, dont I? (eg for hots dependencies for some sound references etc) So when I include this mod in my map is there the possibility of failures because eg hots dependencies are linked in the map and the mod?
And also: When I create new content can I say in which mod this content will be saved or do I have to edit the mod separately?
@Freddy2287: Go A mod doesnt require dependencies. As one good example: if you're using a mod file only to hold assets, like models and textures, you can leave it without any dependencies, making it faster to load, and avoiding issues with the depednencies found in the map or other mods.
But when your mod already uses dependencies you dont need to add them again to your map. So your map could use your mod and nothing else. I use both systems for my melee mod. I have a mod for the assets without any dependencies, and another one for the data that uses all the dependencies I need, including the assets mod, so my maps need the data mod and nothing else.
Working with mods is just like working with maps, so when you want to add changes to a mod you need to open it and make the changes. You can't simply make changes in the editor and then select a previous mod to save them, although it is possible to move changes to different files later making them in the mod you want them to be is faster.
Hm okay but all objects that need dependencies from other mods (eg actors with sounds from the hots campain) have to be created in a mod that has the respective dependencies - right?
@Freddy2287: Go They can be created in the mod that has the dependencies or in the map itself, because the map loads the dependencies from the mods it uses. The same applies to mods that use other mods.
So is it a viable way to create content for a map without having the original map file? (when several people work on one map - I guess you know the problem :) )
@Freddy2287: Go Yes it is. If more than one member is going to work nonstop creating things for the map each member could work on a separate mod file, then apply all mods to the map in order to test everything together. This is a good way to keep track of things, if you're the only person that is going to work on the data you created, as you don't risk changing things made by other team members.
But be sure to plan the name of the data entries each member creates, maybe add your name to them or something like that, so there is no risk of using the exact same names, which would cause problems.
Okay great. Thanks for your guidance. Just to be shure: The different mod-files have to be uploaded to the battlenet separately!? So I upload the mod to BN, add it as a dependency in the map and link all things together, right!?
I guess its not possible to share things between the mods (graphics, sounds, inventory items) or is it?
@Freddy2287: Go Yes, if you want to publish the map on battlenet then you need to publish all mods it uses. There is no need to publish if you're going to test the map offline.
It is possible to share things if you add the mods as dependencies for other mods, but things may get complicated. One option is to add mods to a "main mod" and make the map use this main mod. All changes made to the other mods would be available in the main mod and in the map.
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Curse PremiumI haven't found any tutorials or explanations on how mods work in SC2. I've seen posts of people talking about some of the vague benefits, such as being able to share resources between maps.
Could someone explain what exactly a mod is in SC2, how it's useful, and how to make one. Or point me to a tutorial on them.
A mod is just a dependency which can be included by maps. A mod can not be played by itself, it needs a map to work.
Mods can contain everything but terrain, so for example you can put models, sounds or even script in the mod and make it possible to share all this data over multiple maps.
A good example of using a mod would be a RPG game which has multiple maps representing different parts. Each map could include the same "core" mod, containing all the script and data. The advantage of this is that you can add new features/fix bugs directly in the mod, influencing all maps. It also saves lots of upload space since the data is not uploaded multiple times.
it also helps with the save/archiving
serves to organize shrewdly your end result: players click on the one map (and need not concern themselves with mods)
you can have all your core gameplay data in one, another for map specific triggers/data .. etc .. can make some accessible and others not
you need a map for the terrain layer of the game .. (this will be the platform for your publishing)
if you are doing melee maps it might not be useful
if you are doing anything else, it is.. this is the only way to have more data/models/serial ..on your map..
since each map is capped in size
(this allows for maps to house more /melee mods applicable to serial maps .. etc)
(a map: global project / end result : map + all required mods)
edit: you have mods that are downloaded by default.. sc2 has the hots last updated data (dependencies)
dependencies/mods are called for when one activates any map (melee ladder standard is in the default slot) to play them or to edit ...
Mods can decrease your workload when you update your map:
- Scenario 1: you can edit and update the mod and your 10 maps are all updated along with it. You won't have to updatie all of your 10 maps manually.
- Scenario 2: you put everything that is big and won't change in near future into a mod. Then you update the map and the users won't have to download your big mod again with every update you publish.
I'm using scenario 2, but other people use scenario 1 like GameHeart or every other project that have multiple maps in a project.
Mods are loaded before a map, so you can always override the mod's data inside your map to fix small problems in the mod. Then you won't have to upload a fixed version of the mod. It's working like using Blizzard's mods: Core, Campaign, Story and Multi.
Are you talking about online updating or just offline for your local files? When I tested some stuff with mods some time ago I had the issue that when I had a map uploaded that used an uploaded mod, I could upload a new version of the mod, but the map still referred to the old version of the mod (AKA I couldn't tell the map to use the latest bnet version of the mod just like it does for the blizzard mods). Has that been fixed by now / is there a way to do this?
The map needs to have to have checked the "use newest version" option.
Hm I'm also wondering how mods exactly work.
When I create a mod from scratch I may need some dependencies in it, dont I? (eg for hots dependencies for some sound references etc) So when I include this mod in my map is there the possibility of failures because eg hots dependencies are linked in the map and the mod?
And also: When I create new content can I say in which mod this content will be saved or do I have to edit the mod separately?
@Freddy2287: Go A mod doesnt require dependencies. As one good example: if you're using a mod file only to hold assets, like models and textures, you can leave it without any dependencies, making it faster to load, and avoiding issues with the depednencies found in the map or other mods.
But when your mod already uses dependencies you dont need to add them again to your map. So your map could use your mod and nothing else. I use both systems for my melee mod. I have a mod for the assets without any dependencies, and another one for the data that uses all the dependencies I need, including the assets mod, so my maps need the data mod and nothing else.
Working with mods is just like working with maps, so when you want to add changes to a mod you need to open it and make the changes. You can't simply make changes in the editor and then select a previous mod to save them, although it is possible to move changes to different files later making them in the mod you want them to be is faster.
Hm okay but all objects that need dependencies from other mods (eg actors with sounds from the hots campain) have to be created in a mod that has the respective dependencies - right?
@Freddy2287: Go They can be created in the mod that has the dependencies or in the map itself, because the map loads the dependencies from the mods it uses. The same applies to mods that use other mods.
@SoulFilcher: Go
So is it a viable way to create content for a map without having the original map file? (when several people work on one map - I guess you know the problem :) )
@Freddy2287: Go Yes it is. If more than one member is going to work nonstop creating things for the map each member could work on a separate mod file, then apply all mods to the map in order to test everything together. This is a good way to keep track of things, if you're the only person that is going to work on the data you created, as you don't risk changing things made by other team members.
But be sure to plan the name of the data entries each member creates, maybe add your name to them or something like that, so there is no risk of using the exact same names, which would cause problems.
@SoulFilcher: Go
Okay great. Thanks for your guidance. Just to be shure: The different mod-files have to be uploaded to the battlenet separately!? So I upload the mod to BN, add it as a dependency in the map and link all things together, right!?
I guess its not possible to share things between the mods (graphics, sounds, inventory items) or is it?
@Freddy2287: Go Yes, if you want to publish the map on battlenet then you need to publish all mods it uses. There is no need to publish if you're going to test the map offline.
It is possible to share things if you add the mods as dependencies for other mods, but things may get complicated. One option is to add mods to a "main mod" and make the map use this main mod. All changes made to the other mods would be available in the main mod and in the map.