In the current Legacy of the Void beta, the editor is currently not present. However, the XML files that are used to describe the editor itself (Layout, organization, and so forth) are present. Based on comparing those files with the current SC2 one, I have determined the changes that are currently in the Void editor. Do understand that since it is beta, everything here is subject to change, however Blizzard has demonstrated that even if they do not use an editor feature or field, they do not remove it.
Each will cover each file change. I will give an overview of what the file describes and then based on the changes, list out what has been added or rearranged. Some things are self explanatory, others will have my speculation on them, based on their usage in both Void and in Heroes of the Storm, which uses the same editor/engine setup.
This is used to describe the toolbar found at the top of the screen, the GUI version of the menus.
The only notable change here is the addition of a toolbar for a Frame Editor in the UI Module/Editor. It has the option to View Frame or View XML, and a Toggle.
This suggest we will be getting akin to a Dreamweaver setup, where one can view the underlying code and then be able to preview how a frame will look, directly in the UI editor, without having to run test map. This should be a boon to people creating custom UI's, speeding up their workflow considerably.
This described the preferences panel. I'll list off the changes to each section, and what sections have been added/removed.
This also includes preferences that are set in each module and are NOT in the general preferences menu.
General Preferences
TextEditSpellCheck - Can now do spell checking when editing text.
Document Preferences
DocsPreserveExtraData - This is in reference to a feature that will be discussed later, and it is connected to a new feature in the data editor.
Test Document Preferences
TestDocMeleeExp - This option has been removed. This was used to select which melee expansion should be used when testing a melee map (so when melee init was run and so forth, it knew which expansion to use). With Void being standalone, it is possible this no longer made sense.
Color Preferences
This section gives away most changes, which will be discussed in detail later, note that some of these are already in the editor, I'm comparing Core to Core, so it does not include changes made in patches to Swarm since its release. Feel free to note which ones are already present and I'll edit them out. The color values are unimportant, the values being present at all reveal something that is in the editor that is subject to color changes.
Some of these colors suggest expanded capabilities in almost all modules. Terrain editor will now have options to paint any kind of pathing. I'm not as familiar with that module, this may already be possible, but the colors suggest you can now view the various kinds of pathing.
Non Preferences Panel Preferences
I'll go through each module here
Terrain Module
TerrainSymmetryEnabled - Enables symmetry for the map. I believe this is already in, but maybe this allows symmetry to be enabled after the fact (post map creation). It may be a convenience, simply easier to access.
Expanded copying capability, allows copying parts of different layers, in addition to the current Textures/Geometry/Water.
Previewer
This isn't a module per se, but is used when you are previewing stuff from anywhere, to see an asset of any kind. Some fields have simply received name updates or default value updates.
PreviewShowGround - Value changed from 0 to 2. This suggest that preview will now by default show the ground level, probably the mesh, to give you an idea of how the model appears in relation to it.
PreviewShowShadows - Value changed from False to True. Shadows will now default to on when previewing a model.
UI Module
UIEditorViewMode - Value changed from 1 to 0. This probably defaults the view mode to XML View, instead of Frame view
UIEditorFrameEditor - Enables/Disables the use of the Frame Editor, defaults to false.
This describes the text menus you find at the top of the editor. Some parts are contextual to the module or current file type, so I'll break it up by context, and list the changes to each Menu and Submenu
General (non contextual)
These are always present, all modules
File
Open Read Only - Allows one to open a file in a read only state. This may be related to the merge/diff capabilities discussed later on.
Toggle Read Only - Changes current file to be a read only one.
Merge - This suggest full blown map file merging. As it currently stands, you must setup sections to merge terrain objects and trigger code. This option suggests one can fully diff an entire map/mod file and merge the changes. Would certainly make working with multiple people far easier.
Script Test (Trigger Module)
DiffTextCM (New Menu)
Copy
SelectAll
DiffHotkeys (New Menu)
Copy
SelectAll
This adds built in diff capability to script testing, so one can diff against 2 different script files. Going back to the read only options earlier, this suggests that one can now lock a file and open a second one and BOTH will be viewable. Currently, one can only view/work on one file at a time, this suggests you can now view 2 or more files, while only working on one (the active document).
Terrain Module
Edit
TerrainPastePositionSymmetrical - You can now copy paste a position symmetrically.
You can now copy the vision/creep/pathing of a position, in addition to the geometry/textures/water.
View
Toggle Vision (new) (has a submenu)
TerrainToggleVision
TerrainToggleVisionPlayer
This also has a listing of players. This appears to be an option to toggle global vision, and then preview the vision each player has with the current elements present in the terrain.
Data
TerrainRotateDialog
Suggests one can define UI frames directly into the Terrain module and rotate them?
Trigger Module
Data
Library
Modify Library - Not entirely sure what this could mean, in terms of modifying a library.
Extra Data suggests we can somehow externally bring in data sources, but how this is accomplished is not entirely understood.
View Usage
This is functionality from the Overview manager, being brought to a more convenient location. Should be helpful when tracking down bugs.
Data Module
Edit
CopyRef - This is useful when one wants the reference, not the actual value (Text fields come to mind, among others).
Include Move
Include Merge
Include Override
Each of these will then list the files they include. This is related to the next items
Data Spaces
Custom Data
Each of these will then list the Data Spaces and Custom Data.
Based on an examination of Heroes of the Storm, my speculation is that this allows (and this has been an often demanded feature) to create wizards for data more or less. It appears you can define a Data Space, which lets you select what fields to include in the space from each possible module (Units, Abilties, Behaviors, etc.). Then one can export such definitions or use them in a Custom Data object.
ValueModifyRelative
Modify a value relative to another?
Cutscene Editor
File
OpenReadOnly
ToggleReadOnly
View
Viewport Sizes
1280x720
1600x900
Object
Add Node
PreviewerAddHaloControllerNode
Animation
Interactive Mode
Menu Bar Changes
These are changes to the main menu bar
Standard Mod - This appears for a standard mod. The place for Map or Mod is dynamica based on the current file type. This indicates a new definition, that doesn't fit the other 2. Standard Mod sounds a great deal like Extension mods, mods that are meant for standard gameplay modification.
The changes in here are numerous, because they literally describe the pixel size and position of elements, many things have been adjusted around. I'll leave it to everyone to examine this, since I could not glean any new information from this.
These are listings of all the files the editor uses. This includes all the images one finds throughout the editor, such as the icons on data tabs. In this manner, we can infer new data sections or objects.
MultipleLibraries - Indicates multiple libraries may be packaged together?
DataArtifact
DataArtifactSlot
These are from Storm, the Artifacts, which were out of game things. Can be repurposed for general game alterations at game start, instead of having to use triggers for such things.
DataConfig
Unknown what this does
DataMount
Data related to Mounts, found in Heroes of the Storm, may be only applicable there.
DataSkin
DataStore
Skin and Shop Data, also Storm related. Hopefully not tied to Blizzard systems internally and thus can be repurposed for ready made features in other custom maps.
DataTalent
DataTalentProfile
Storm Talent progressions system. Will be very useful for RPG maps. Will discuss the fields associated with each later in Categories.
DataSoundExclusivity
New data type, related to handling sound overlaps
DataVoiceOver
New data type, for voice overs, used by Storm for player interactions at game start and other events (Specific lines are spoken if a given hero kills another specfici hero, ie Arthas kills Kerrigan -> "King Takes Queen".
TriggerLibraryIncludeOverlay
Overlay suggest triggers can be semi treated as data, in that what a trigger really is, is a combination of varying dependencies definition of the same trigger.
PaletteAspectVision
Terrain editor, probably related to the Vision toggling
PaletteAspectTextureSet
This appears to be an entirely new brush for terrain, given how the file data is formatted for its image
This defines the Editor defaults, among other things. Key thing here is that it fully describes the new layout for the categories in the data editor (Game, Campaign, Actor, etc.) and which data types go into which categories (Abilities, Heroes, Actors, Terrain Types, etc.). I'll start with the miscellaneous stuff first, then move to data module changes
Miscellaneous Changes
No Default Map set. Currently SC2 defines a default setup when creating a new map. In Void currently, no default is defined.
No default Start Location Footprint
Data Categories
Current SC2 has the following
Game
Campaign
Actor
Art and Sound
Terrain
Advanced
Void adds two new ones: Hero and Interface. The new ordering is
Game
Campaign
Actor
Art and Sound
Terrain
Hero
Interface
Advanced
Data Object Types
I'll list each category, indicating a new type or a type moved from another category
Game
No Changes
Campaign
Commander (new) - This is almost certainly related to the Allied Commander mode, which allows player to coop play the campaign.
Heroes, Hero Abilities and Hero Statistics have been moved to Hero category
Actor
No Changes
Art and Sound
Lens Flare Set (new)
Sound Exclusivity (new)
Terrain
Physics Material - Moved from Advanced
Hero
This organizes and is all elements pertaining to data found for Heroes of the Storm. It may be repurposed in Void, useful for RPG like maps.
New category, mostly featuring UI element definitions
Alert - Moved from Advanced
Camera - Moved From Advanced
Cursor - Moved from Advanced
GameUI - Moved from Advanced
Bundle - Unknown.
Ping - Data definition of pings
Advanced
Boost (new) - Unknown
Alert - Moved to Interface
Camera - Moved to Interface
Cursor - Moved to Interface
GameUI - Moved to Interface
Physics Material - Moved to Terrain
This contains all the default hotkeys for all commands that permit it. For the most part it reflects menus, with some things missing (those commands that were not given a default hotkey). Nothing really that I could find, but others may glean something from it.
This section will be VERY long. This data defines EVERY data field and where it belongs, as well as the labels associated with it (Basic label, what kind of field it is, Effect, Command, Combat, etc). From this we can infer all new data fields. I will be taking this one data type at a time (Abilties, Units, Terrain Type, etc.) and then each data object type (Buff Behavior, Effect - Set, etc.). The data types will be in alphabetical ordering for now, I'll see about rearranging it later into the more familiar game categorizations.
General
This is categorization data that is being added. Each field has a field type (Editor, UI, Weapon etc.). Two more are being added
Campaign
Hero
All the Warcraft 3 races are being added for use in the race field. This is important, because many text ID's are automatically appended to with the Unit's race ID to determine the actual string to use (Kill Titles is one of these).
Abilities
All
The following field has been added to the root Ability structure, so all abilities will now have it.
Debug Trace - This suggest a way to somehow debug everything associated with an ability.
Cost
These are changes to the Cost structure, which appears for anything that has a cost (Cooldown, Vitals, Charges)
Charge - Flags - Flags added to Charges, unknown what they control
Cooldown Operation - This suggest that one can have successive cooldowns vary by an amount. In Heroes of the Storm, one unit gains the ability to have successive casts of the same ability have reduced cooldown. I will examine that ability later, to verify my assumption.
Command
These are changes to the Command Strucutre, which appears for anything where you must assign a Button, Requirements, State
Preempt Level - I speculate that this is the opposite of smart command, in that it indicates which command can preempt (execute before) other commands. So an ability with preempt level higher than another can preempt the lower preempt level command.
Attack
Acquire Priority - Almost certainly identical to the field found in Weapons, allowing one to dictate which units among many should be chosen to be automatically engaged.
Flags - Added flags for Attack ability, unknown what they control.
Behavior
Cycle Mode = Possibly behaviors, instead of being an on off setup, can rotate among listed behaviors?
On/Off Cost - Instead of a flat cost field that only applies when activating the behavior, there is now seperate cost fields for toggling the behavior on, or off.
Effect
These fields affect both Effect - Instant and Effect - Target
CastOutroTimeEffect - Effect that executes after the Finish time
CursorRangeMode - This is seen in heroes of the Storm. You can specify that the cursor itself be locked to the range of the ability, so it will never target outside the current castable range.
FireAtMaxRange - This suggests abilities that can be cast in any direction, but the target will lie on the circle that makes up the range. So in effect, range changes from any point up to that range to points ONLY at that range.
Precast - Another stage added for casting?
PrepEffect - Effect that executes after the PrepareTime
SetLastTarget - Makes the ability auto taget the last target of the previous ability use?
ShowProgressEffect - Shows the progress of the various effects (channeling phase)?
Learn
VeterancyBehavior - This selects the veterancy behavior this learn ability should use to determine when it should award points for assignment to abilities. This permits multiple veterancy behaviors to be on the same unit, but still preserve normal skill point leveling up.
Revive
VeterancyBehavior - Sams as in learn, so that the revived unit comes back with the proper level, instead of the summation of all veterancy behaviors on the unit.
Actors
Quad
Decoration (has the following fields)
Actor
SpawnInterval
TravelFunction
TravelFunctionParam
TravelSpeed
Since Quads are used to define a start and end point and fill in between, this suggests a method to make a quad "travel". An example of this may be the range indicator for Gazlowes Lazor Beam in Heroes of the Storm, which is a quad actor that grows over time in length, towards the targeted direction.
Range
Icon Scale - Change the scale of the individual indicators
Sound
Layers - This is an array field with each index having the following fields
Chance - Chance to play this layer
Pitch - Pitch for this layer
PitchSource - Source for this layers pitch
PlayDelay - Delay for this layer to start playing
PlayDelaySource - Source to determine how long to wait to start playing. Probably a timescale thing.
Sound - Sounds for this layer
Volume - Volume of this layer
VolumeSource
Loopcount - Loops this layer should repeat
Playmode
Seems to indicate you can customize sounds in the sound actor to play overlapping sounds. Possible this is moved from the Sound Data Object.
Unit
StatusChargeData
StatusChargeData AbilCmd
StatusChargeData Text
Similar to how harvesters can be displayed over a unit (optimal number of harvesters, current ones). This will allow one to display the current charge count above a unit and link to an abilcmd to derive the current max and current values.
Visible Opacity
VisibleOpacityBlendDuration
How transparent the unit is when it becomes visible.
Behaviors
Buff
Modification - VitalMaxAdditiveMultiplierArray - As it states, an additive multiplier to vital max, so multiple stacks are additive, instead of multiplicative. Before now, 0.5 vital max multiplier stacked twice would give you 1.25x
DamageResponseFlags - Flags field for damage response
DamageValue - Perhaps a damage value that the damage response will respond too?
DamageResponse_ValidatorArray - Finally.... validators for damage responses :)
KillCredit_History - We apparently now have the capability to look at not only the current effect tree, but previous ones on the target.
More additive multiplers. Basically anything that was multiplicative and multiplicative stacked, now has an additive stacking version alongside it.
VitalMaxAdditiveMultiplierArray
Another additive multiplier
VitalRegenMultiplier
Now can multiply regeneration.
ReplaceLocation_History
Another History. Any place where an effect is used in relation with a target to determine the actual target of an effect now has a history field along with it.
VitalRegenVitalsRemain - Regeneration based on vitals remaining
VitalRegenVitalsRemain_AmountMissing - Regeneration based on missing vitals
VitalRegenVitalsRemain_RegenModification - Regeneration modification based on vitals remaining
VitalRegenVitalsRemainPercent - Regen based on percentage of vitals remaining
VitalRegenVitalsRemainPercent_AmountMissing - Regen based on percentage of vitals missing
VitalRegenVitalsRemainPercent_RegenModification - Regeneration modification based on percentage of vitals remaining
Power User
All fields that are modifications fields are included here for each power level modification
Veterancy
All fields that are modifications fields are included here for each veterancy level
Effects
This... is the best part, the juicy part, the craziest part :D:D:D
General
All effects when targeting, in addition to specifying the target and the relative effect, now have an effect history field. It is speculate that you can now look at effect trees prior to the current one.
Create Persistent
RevealArc- Reveal now does arcs, instead of a full circle
RevealFacing - Reveal Arc angle adjusts to facing of unit
Search area also does reveals by itself, no need for persistent. At this time, a persistent is only needed for reveals in an arc.
Iterate Inventory (New Effect)
This effect allows one to now loops over an inventory, in the same way Iterate Transport or Magazine does, and thus more easily, in data, use items and manipulate them.
CheckOuter
Effect - Effect to run on each inventory item
MaxCount - Maximum number of items to iterate over
SearchFilters - Which Item units to check against, filter.
WhichUnit - Standard determine target fields (Value, Effect, Effect History)
Launch Missile
Period Count
Periodic Effect
Periodic Period
Launch Missiles effects now have built in periodic effects, so one no longer needs to have a create persistent or behavior on the missile run to do collision detection or the like.
Modify Entry (New Effect)
This effect is easily the most altering and powerful one of all time.
Yes, this should look familiar to you, for this is identical to the upgrade fields. This effect basically does an upgrade. This permits this effect to alter almost anything, EVERY TIME IT RUNS. Not only does this save on triggers that then apply an upgrade after some dummy or real effect runs, this permits runtime alteration of effect trees.
Consider the following: A set effect that contains 2 effects, Damage Effect A and Modify Entry Effect A. One can have Modify Entry Effect A, as its effect, change the original set effect to now be Damage Effect B and Modify Entry Effect B. So the next time the set effect runs, it will run a totally different damage effect. We then can have the Modify Effect B change the set effect back to its original form. This means the effect will bounce between the 2 damage effects each time it runs. This can of course be expanded to any number of effects.
WhichPlayer_Effect
WhichPlayer_Value
Standard targeting fields, to determine which player this modify effect should be applied to.
This effect also adds the modify unit costs that are found in modify unit
Modify Player
Cooldown_TimeUseOperation - Specfiy how the cooldown modifcation is to be applied. Before this, it was always additive, now it can be multiplication or division.
"Extra Data suggests we can somehow externally bring in data sources, but how this is accomplished is not entirely understood."
Oh, dear Zues please let that be true! That would be so $#@&ingly fantastic. We've been missing any suitable way to import/export data since the begining. I would say it's one of the biggest changes which has always been needed. But I would have been happy with them simply fixing the text box bug. text boxes break when you put too much text in them. If that is fixed then it's an easy way to let people import external data.
Lots of SC2 players NEED simplicity. getting them to mess around with files on their computers directory would be confusing especially considering the SC2 file structure layout is all over the place with different regions/versions/online/offline/etc.
Although if it's a way for us to look at SC2 files for example being able to see a players preference data then that could be handy too.
In the current Legacy of the Void beta, the editor is currently not present. However, the XML files that are used to describe the editor itself (Layout, organization, and so forth) are present. Based on comparing those files with the current SC2 one, I have determined the changes that are currently in the Void editor. Do understand that since it is beta, everything here is subject to change, however Blizzard has demonstrated that even if they do not use an editor feature or field, they do not remove it.
Each will cover each file change. I will give an overview of what the file describes and then based on the changes, list out what has been added or rearranged. Some things are self explanatory, others will have my speculation on them, based on their usage in both Void and in Heroes of the Storm, which uses the same editor/engine setup.
The actual new features are like 20x more than the list. But I had made a list since the alpha stage of the heroes, and the editor is still improving so much since that, so I decided to not waste time to do a new list until the next big patch of the void beta(hopefully with the editor?) or even a 2.5 ptr(will it happen?)
Still, no sever-bank. At least in the current beta client, it's a no.
"Extra Data suggests we can somehow externally bring in data sources, but how this is accomplished is not entirely understood."
Oh, dear Zues please let that be true! That would be so $#@ingly fantastic. We've been missing any suitable way to import/export data since the begining. I would say it's one of the biggest changes which has always been needed. But I would have been happy with them simply fixing the text box bug. text boxes break when you put too much text in them. If that is fixed then it's an easy way to let people import external data.
Lots of SC2 players NEED simplicity. getting them to mess around with files on their computers directory would be confusing especially considering the SC2 file structure layout is all over the place with different regions/versions/online/offline/etc.
Although if it's a way for us to look at SC2 files for example being able to see a players preference data then that could be handy too.
"Extra Data"'s name may misleading, but it‘s actually extra trigger rather than data. Depend on what we have in the beta client, it's some thing you can load other maps' trigger into the current map for copy or directly modify without the need of switching between maps.
Useful for doing maps that requires you modify its mod at the same time.
In another hand, the 'include Mod' feature added since the Heroes alpha is something that could greatly help the data import/export. which allows you to merge/move selected data between maps/mods.
But the bad news is, the feature seem blizzard only, and which they only used in doing heroes offical mod - hope it would get exposed when the editor formally published.
I'll be doing the last 2 sections later today. Categories is the big one, it has all the new data fields.
I'll also post an example of how I think data spaces is supposed to work. Specifically I'll post Zagara.XML, which defines everything for the Zagara hero in Storm. It does use data from outside the space, but the space I think it mean to present an easy to use interface, in that you ONLY need to modify the fields presented.
Edit: Attached is the Zagara.XML. IT may not be fields, but it does seem to be at least a way of doign our own filtering of data objects in a way not bound by dependencies. In essence a namespace for data objects. Certainly would make things faster to work with.
I'll be doing the last 2 sections later today. Categories is the big one, it has all the new data fields.
I'll also post an example of how I think data spaces is supposed to work. Specifically I'll post Zagara.XML, which defines everything for the Zagara hero in Storm. It does use data from outside the space, but the space I think it mean to present an easy to use interface, in that you ONLY need to modify the fields presented.
Edit: Attached is the Zagara.XML. IT may not be fields, but it does seem to be at least a way of doign our own filtering of data objects in a way not bound by dependencies. In essence a namespace for data objects. Certainly would make things faster to work with.
It works just like you thought, though again, it blizzard only right now.
In another hand, the 'include Mod' feature added since the Heroes alpha is something that could greatly help the data import/export. which allows you to merge/move selected data between maps/mods.
That's a shame. I wasn't talking about moving data between mods but importing/exporting data outside of SC2. There is no way to interface between a mod and an external 3rd party tool. The only way is via the edit box which is broken, and bank files, but finding and modifying an xml file on their computer is beyond most peoples ability.
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In the current Legacy of the Void beta, the editor is currently not present. However, the XML files that are used to describe the editor itself (Layout, organization, and so forth) are present. Based on comparing those files with the current SC2 one, I have determined the changes that are currently in the Void editor. Do understand that since it is beta, everything here is subject to change, however Blizzard has demonstrated that even if they do not use an editor feature or field, they do not remove it.
Each will cover each file change. I will give an overview of what the file describes and then based on the changes, list out what has been added or rearranged. Some things are self explanatory, others will have my speculation on them, based on their usage in both Void and in Heroes of the Storm, which uses the same editor/engine setup.
Table of Contents
1) Editor Toolbars
2) Editor Preferences
3) Editor Menus
4) Editor Layout
5) Editor Files
6) Editor Data
7) Editor Commands
8) Editor Categories
Editor Toolbars
This is used to describe the toolbar found at the top of the screen, the GUI version of the menus.
The only notable change here is the addition of a toolbar for a Frame Editor in the UI Module/Editor. It has the option to View Frame or View XML, and a Toggle.
This suggest we will be getting akin to a Dreamweaver setup, where one can view the underlying code and then be able to preview how a frame will look, directly in the UI editor, without having to run test map. This should be a boon to people creating custom UI's, speeding up their workflow considerably.
Editor Preferences
This described the preferences panel. I'll list off the changes to each section, and what sections have been added/removed.
This also includes preferences that are set in each module and are NOT in the general preferences menu.
General Preferences
TextEditSpellCheck - Can now do spell checking when editing text.
Document Preferences
DocsPreserveExtraData - This is in reference to a feature that will be discussed later, and it is connected to a new feature in the data editor.
Test Document Preferences
TestDocMeleeExp - This option has been removed. This was used to select which melee expansion should be used when testing a melee map (so when melee init was run and so forth, it knew which expansion to use). With Void being standalone, it is possible this no longer made sense.
Color Preferences
This section gives away most changes, which will be discussed in detail later, note that some of these are already in the editor, I'm comparing Core to Core, so it does not include changes made in patches to Swarm since its release. Feel free to note which ones are already present and I'll edit them out. The color values are unimportant, the values being present at all reveal something that is in the editor that is subject to color changes.
ColorGeneralUnset
ColorGeneralValid
ColorGeneralInvalid
ColorAutoFixed
ColorMinimapBaseHeight
ColorSymmetryEdge
ColorSymmetryLine
ColorSymmetryTest
ColorTerrainSymmetryEdge
ColorTerrainSymmetryLine
ColorTerrainBaseHeight
ColorPaintedVisionBlocked
ColorPaintedVisionShrub
ColorPaintedVisionUnrevealable
ColorPlacementGridGround
ColorPlacementGridNoBuild
ColorPlacementGridNearResources
ColorPlacementGridCreep
ColorPlacementGridBlockVision
ColorPlacementGridShrubVision
ColorPlacementGridBoostCliff
ColorCutscenePropertyDefault
ColorCutscenePropertyChanged
ColorCutscenePropertyReadOnly
ColorDependencyModifiable
ColorDiffText
ColorDiffFileIdentical
ColorDiffFileChanged
ColorDiffFileAdded
ColorDiffFileRemoved
ColorMergeStatusNoChange
ColorMergeStatusAdded
ColorMergeStatusRemoved
ColorMergeStatusChanged1
ColorMergeStatusChanged2
ColorMergeStatusMerged
ColorTriggerLibraryInclude
ColorTriggerLibraryDepModify
ColorSoundSyncPointBackground
ColorSoundSyncPointTick
ColorSoundSyncPointLabel
ColorSoundSyncPointManual
ColorSoundSyncPointManualSel
ColorSoundSyncPointRange
ColorSoundSyncPointRangeSel
Some of these colors suggest expanded capabilities in almost all modules. Terrain editor will now have options to paint any kind of pathing. I'm not as familiar with that module, this may already be possible, but the colors suggest you can now view the various kinds of pathing.
Non Preferences Panel Preferences
I'll go through each module here
Terrain Module
TerrainSymmetryEnabled - Enables symmetry for the map. I believe this is already in, but maybe this allows symmetry to be enabled after the fact (post map creation). It may be a convenience, simply easier to access.
TerrainCopyOptionPathing
TerrainCopyOptionCreep
TerrainCopyOptionVision
Expanded copying capability, allows copying parts of different layers, in addition to the current Textures/Geometry/Water.
Previewer
This isn't a module per se, but is used when you are previewing stuff from anywhere, to see an asset of any kind. Some fields have simply received name updates or default value updates.
PreviewShowGround - Value changed from 0 to 2. This suggest that preview will now by default show the ground level, probably the mesh, to give you an idea of how the model appears in relation to it.
PreviewShowShadows - Value changed from False to True. Shadows will now default to on when previewing a model.
UI Module
UIEditorViewMode - Value changed from 1 to 0. This probably defaults the view mode to XML View, instead of Frame view
UIEditorFrameEditor - Enables/Disables the use of the Frame Editor, defaults to false.
Editor Menus
This describes the text menus you find at the top of the editor. Some parts are contextual to the module or current file type, so I'll break it up by context, and list the changes to each Menu and Submenu
General (non contextual)
These are always present, all modules
File
Open Read Only - Allows one to open a file in a read only state. This may be related to the merge/diff capabilities discussed later on.
Toggle Read Only - Changes current file to be a read only one.
Merge - This suggest full blown map file merging. As it currently stands, you must setup sections to merge terrain objects and trigger code. This option suggests one can fully diff an entire map/mod file and merge the changes. Would certainly make working with multiple people far easier.
Script Test (Trigger Module)
DiffTextCM (New Menu)
Copy
SelectAll
DiffHotkeys (New Menu)
Copy
SelectAll
This adds built in diff capability to script testing, so one can diff against 2 different script files. Going back to the read only options earlier, this suggests that one can now lock a file and open a second one and BOTH will be viewable. Currently, one can only view/work on one file at a time, this suggests you can now view 2 or more files, while only working on one (the active document).
Terrain Module
Edit
TerrainPastePositionSymmetrical - You can now copy paste a position symmetrically.
Copy Options (under Edit)
TerrainCopyOptionCreep
TerrainCopyOptionPathing
TerrainCopyOptionVision
You can now copy the vision/creep/pathing of a position, in addition to the geometry/textures/water.
View
Toggle Vision (new) (has a submenu)
TerrainToggleVision
TerrainToggleVisionPlayer
This also has a listing of players. This appears to be an option to toggle global vision, and then preview the vision each player has with the current elements present in the terrain.
Data
TerrainRotateDialog
Suggests one can define UI frames directly into the Terrain module and rotate them?
Trigger Module
Data
Library
Modify Library - Not entirely sure what this could mean, in terms of modifying a library.
Extra Data (New Menu)
TriggerDataExOpen
TriggerDataExClose
TriggerDataExCloseAll
TriggerDataExSave
TriggerDataExSaveAll
Extra Data suggests we can somehow externally bring in data sources, but how this is accomplished is not entirely understood.
View Usage
This is functionality from the Overview manager, being brought to a more convenient location. Should be helpful when tracking down bugs.
Data Module
Edit
CopyRef - This is useful when one wants the reference, not the actual value (Text fields come to mind, among others).
Include Move
Include Merge
Include Override
Each of these will then list the files they include. This is related to the next items
Data Spaces
Custom Data
Each of these will then list the Data Spaces and Custom Data.
Based on an examination of Heroes of the Storm, my speculation is that this allows (and this has been an often demanded feature) to create wizards for data more or less. It appears you can define a Data Space, which lets you select what fields to include in the space from each possible module (Units, Abilties, Behaviors, etc.). Then one can export such definitions or use them in a Custom Data object.
ValueModifyRelative
Modify a value relative to another?
Cutscene Editor
File
OpenReadOnly
ToggleReadOnly
View
Viewport Sizes
1280x720
1600x900
Object
Add Node
PreviewerAddHaloControllerNode
Animation
Interactive Mode
Menu Bar Changes
These are changes to the main menu bar
Standard Mod - This appears for a standard mod. The place for Map or Mod is dynamica based on the current file type. This indicates a new definition, that doesn't fit the other 2. Standard Mod sounds a great deal like Extension mods, mods that are meant for standard gameplay modification.
Editor Layout
The changes in here are numerous, because they literally describe the pixel size and position of elements, many things have been adjusted around. I'll leave it to everyone to examine this, since I could not glean any new information from this.
Editor Files
These are listings of all the files the editor uses. This includes all the images one finds throughout the editor, such as the icons on data tabs. In this manner, we can infer new data sections or objects.
MultipleLibraries - Indicates multiple libraries may be packaged together?
DataArtifact
DataArtifactSlot
These are from Storm, the Artifacts, which were out of game things. Can be repurposed for general game alterations at game start, instead of having to use triggers for such things.
DataConfig
Unknown what this does
DataMount
Data related to Mounts, found in Heroes of the Storm, may be only applicable there.
DataSkin
DataStore
Skin and Shop Data, also Storm related. Hopefully not tied to Blizzard systems internally and thus can be repurposed for ready made features in other custom maps.
DataTalent
DataTalentProfile
Storm Talent progressions system. Will be very useful for RPG maps. Will discuss the fields associated with each later in Categories.
DataSoundExclusivity
New data type, related to handling sound overlaps
DataVoiceOver
New data type, for voice overs, used by Storm for player interactions at game start and other events (Specific lines are spoken if a given hero kills another specfici hero, ie Arthas kills Kerrigan -> "King Takes Queen".
TriggerLibraryIncludeOverlay
Overlay suggest triggers can be semi treated as data, in that what a trigger really is, is a combination of varying dependencies definition of the same trigger.
PaletteAspectVision
Terrain editor, probably related to the Vision toggling
PaletteAspectTextureSet
This appears to be an entirely new brush for terrain, given how the file data is formatted for its image
PaletteCreepFillAdd
PaletteCreepFillDisallow
Adds two new options to the creep Brush
PaletteVisionBlock
PaletteVisionShrub
PaletteVisionUnrevealable
PaletteVisionClear
PaletteVisionFillBlock
PaletteVisionFillShrub
PaletteVisionFillUnrevealable
The 3 fills at the end are added to the dynamic pathing fill brush. The others are found in the normal pathing brush
PalettePathingFill
This option seems to be added to the Paited Pathing brush
PaletteTextureSetApply
Again with the Texture Set Apply, its own brush.
PublishPending
PublishActive
PublishComplete
PublishFailure
Icons added for publishing status.
Editor Data
This defines the Editor defaults, among other things. Key thing here is that it fully describes the new layout for the categories in the data editor (Game, Campaign, Actor, etc.) and which data types go into which categories (Abilities, Heroes, Actors, Terrain Types, etc.). I'll start with the miscellaneous stuff first, then move to data module changes
Miscellaneous Changes
No Default Map set. Currently SC2 defines a default setup when creating a new map. In Void currently, no default is defined.
No default Start Location Footprint
Data Categories
Current SC2 has the following
Game
Campaign
Actor
Art and Sound
Terrain
Advanced
Void adds two new ones: Hero and Interface. The new ordering is
Game
Campaign
Actor
Art and Sound
Terrain
Hero
Interface
Advanced
Data Object Types
I'll list each category, indicating a new type or a type moved from another category
Game
No Changes
Campaign
Commander (new) - This is almost certainly related to the Allied Commander mode, which allows player to coop play the campaign.
Heroes, Hero Abilities and Hero Statistics have been moved to Hero category
Actor
No Changes
Art and Sound
Lens Flare Set (new)
Sound Exclusivity (new)
Terrain
Physics Material - Moved from Advanced
Hero
This organizes and is all elements pertaining to data found for Heroes of the Storm. It may be repurposed in Void, useful for RPG like maps.
Artifact
ArtifactSlot
Config
Heroes
Hero Abilties
Mount
Skin
Talent
Talent Profile
Voiceover
Interface
New category, mostly featuring UI element definitions
Alert - Moved from Advanced
Camera - Moved From Advanced
Cursor - Moved from Advanced
GameUI - Moved from Advanced
Bundle - Unknown.
Ping - Data definition of pings
Advanced
Boost (new) - Unknown
Alert - Moved to Interface
Camera - Moved to Interface
Cursor - Moved to Interface
GameUI - Moved to Interface
Physics Material - Moved to Terrain
Editor Commands
This contains all the default hotkeys for all commands that permit it. For the most part it reflects menus, with some things missing (those commands that were not given a default hotkey). Nothing really that I could find, but others may glean something from it.
Editor Categories
This section will be VERY long. This data defines EVERY data field and where it belongs, as well as the labels associated with it (Basic label, what kind of field it is, Effect, Command, Combat, etc). From this we can infer all new data fields. I will be taking this one data type at a time (Abilties, Units, Terrain Type, etc.) and then each data object type (Buff Behavior, Effect - Set, etc.). The data types will be in alphabetical ordering for now, I'll see about rearranging it later into the more familiar game categorizations.
General
This is categorization data that is being added. Each field has a field type (Editor, UI, Weapon etc.). Two more are being added
Campaign
Hero
All the Warcraft 3 races are being added for use in the race field. This is important, because many text ID's are automatically appended to with the Unit's race ID to determine the actual string to use (Kill Titles is one of these).
Abilities
All
The following field has been added to the root Ability structure, so all abilities will now have it.
Debug Trace - This suggest a way to somehow debug everything associated with an ability.
Cost
These are changes to the Cost structure, which appears for anything that has a cost (Cooldown, Vitals, Charges)
Charge - Flags - Flags added to Charges, unknown what they control
Cooldown Operation - This suggest that one can have successive cooldowns vary by an amount. In Heroes of the Storm, one unit gains the ability to have successive casts of the same ability have reduced cooldown. I will examine that ability later, to verify my assumption.
Command
These are changes to the Command Strucutre, which appears for anything where you must assign a Button, Requirements, State
Preempt Level - I speculate that this is the opposite of smart command, in that it indicates which command can preempt (execute before) other commands. So an ability with preempt level higher than another can preempt the lower preempt level command.
Attack
Acquire Priority - Almost certainly identical to the field found in Weapons, allowing one to dictate which units among many should be chosen to be automatically engaged.
Flags - Added flags for Attack ability, unknown what they control.
Behavior
Cycle Mode = Possibly behaviors, instead of being an on off setup, can rotate among listed behaviors?
On/Off Cost - Instead of a flat cost field that only applies when activating the behavior, there is now seperate cost fields for toggling the behavior on, or off.
Effect
These fields affect both Effect - Instant and Effect - Target
CastOutroTimeEffect - Effect that executes after the Finish time
CursorRangeMode - This is seen in heroes of the Storm. You can specify that the cursor itself be locked to the range of the ability, so it will never target outside the current castable range.
FireAtMaxRange - This suggests abilities that can be cast in any direction, but the target will lie on the circle that makes up the range. So in effect, range changes from any point up to that range to points ONLY at that range.
Precast - Another stage added for casting?
PrepEffect - Effect that executes after the PrepareTime
SetLastTarget - Makes the ability auto taget the last target of the previous ability use?
ShowProgressEffect - Shows the progress of the various effects (channeling phase)?
Learn
VeterancyBehavior - This selects the veterancy behavior this learn ability should use to determine when it should award points for assignment to abilities. This permits multiple veterancy behaviors to be on the same unit, but still preserve normal skill point leveling up.
Revive
VeterancyBehavior - Sams as in learn, so that the revived unit comes back with the proper level, instead of the summation of all veterancy behaviors on the unit.
Actors
Quad
Decoration (has the following fields)
Actor
SpawnInterval
TravelFunction
TravelFunctionParam
TravelSpeed
Since Quads are used to define a start and end point and fill in between, this suggests a method to make a quad "travel". An example of this may be the range indicator for Gazlowes Lazor Beam in Heroes of the Storm, which is a quad actor that grows over time in length, towards the targeted direction.
Range
Icon Scale - Change the scale of the individual indicators
Sound
Layers - This is an array field with each index having the following fields
Chance - Chance to play this layer
Pitch - Pitch for this layer
PitchSource - Source for this layers pitch
PlayDelay - Delay for this layer to start playing
PlayDelaySource - Source to determine how long to wait to start playing. Probably a timescale thing.
Sound - Sounds for this layer
Volume - Volume of this layer
VolumeSource
Loopcount - Loops this layer should repeat
Playmode
Seems to indicate you can customize sounds in the sound actor to play overlapping sounds. Possible this is moved from the Sound Data Object.
Unit
StatusChargeData
StatusChargeData AbilCmd
StatusChargeData Text
Similar to how harvesters can be displayed over a unit (optimal number of harvesters, current ones). This will allow one to display the current charge count above a unit and link to an abilcmd to derive the current max and current values.
Visible Opacity
VisibleOpacityBlendDuration
How transparent the unit is when it becomes visible.
Behaviors
Buff
Modification - VitalMaxAdditiveMultiplierArray - As it states, an additive multiplier to vital max, so multiple stacks are additive, instead of multiplicative. Before now, 0.5 vital max multiplier stacked twice would give you 1.25x
DamageResponseFlags - Flags field for damage response
DamageValue - Perhaps a damage value that the damage response will respond too?
DamageResponse_ValidatorArray - Finally.... validators for damage responses :)
KillCredit_History - We apparently now have the capability to look at not only the current effect tree, but previous ones on the target.
Modification_AdditiveAttackSpeedFactor Modification_AdditiveMoveSpeedFactor
Pretty self explanatory, additive multipliers for attack and move speed
Modification_DamageTotalMultiplier - Multiplier after everything else has been calculated, quite useful for balancing.
Modification_HealDealtAdditiveMultiplier Modification_HealTakenAdditiveMultiplier
More additive multiplers. Basically anything that was multiplicative and multiplicative stacked, now has an additive stacking version alongside it.
VitalMaxAdditiveMultiplierArray
Another additive multiplier
VitalRegenMultiplier
Now can multiply regeneration.
ReplaceLocation_History
Another History. Any place where an effect is used in relation with a target to determine the actual target of an effect now has a history field along with it.
VitalRegenVitalsRemain - Regeneration based on vitals remaining
VitalRegenVitalsRemain_AmountMissing - Regeneration based on missing vitals
VitalRegenVitalsRemain_RegenModification - Regeneration modification based on vitals remaining
VitalRegenVitalsRemainPercent - Regen based on percentage of vitals remaining
VitalRegenVitalsRemainPercent_AmountMissing - Regen based on percentage of vitals missing
VitalRegenVitalsRemainPercent_RegenModification - Regeneration modification based on percentage of vitals remaining
Power User
All fields that are modifications fields are included here for each power level modification
Veterancy
All fields that are modifications fields are included here for each veterancy level
Effects
This... is the best part, the juicy part, the craziest part :D :D :D
General
All effects when targeting, in addition to specifying the target and the relative effect, now have an effect history field. It is speculate that you can now look at effect trees prior to the current one.
Create Persistent
RevealArc- Reveal now does arcs, instead of a full circle
RevealFacing - Reveal Arc angle adjusts to facing of unit
RevealRectangleHeight
RevealRectangleWidth
Reveal in rectangles
Damage
AreaArray_RectangleHeight
AreaArray_RectangleWidth
Damage in rectangle AOE
RevealerParams (Array field, following fields are under it)
DetectFilters
Duration
HeightMap
RadarFilters
RevealFlags
ShapeExpansion
Damage now can do its own reveal as part of the same effect. Shape expansion may permit the reveal to be a different shape then the area damage
VitalBonusRandom
VitalFractionCurrentRandom
VitalFractionMaxRandom
Warcraft 3 additions, random additions to the damage for all vital types.
Search Area
AreaArray_RectangleHeight
AreaArray_RectangleWidth
Search area now also does rectangles
RevealerParams (Array field, following fields are under it)
DetectFilters
Duration
HeightMap
RadarFilters
RevealFlags
ShapeExpansion
Search area also does reveals by itself, no need for persistent. At this time, a persistent is only needed for reveals in an arc.
Iterate Inventory (New Effect)
This effect allows one to now loops over an inventory, in the same way Iterate Transport or Magazine does, and thus more easily, in data, use items and manipulate them.
CheckOuter
Effect - Effect to run on each inventory item
MaxCount - Maximum number of items to iterate over
SearchFilters - Which Item units to check against, filter.
WhichUnit - Standard determine target fields (Value, Effect, Effect History)
Launch Missile
Period Count
Periodic Effect
Periodic Period
Launch Missiles effects now have built in periodic effects, so one no longer needs to have a create persistent or behavior on the missile run to do collision detection or the like.
Modify Entry (New Effect)
This effect is easily the most altering and powerful one of all time.
EffectArray
EffectArray_Operation
EffectArray_Reference
EffectArray_Value
Yes, this should look familiar to you, for this is identical to the upgrade fields. This effect basically does an upgrade. This permits this effect to alter almost anything, EVERY TIME IT RUNS. Not only does this save on triggers that then apply an upgrade after some dummy or real effect runs, this permits runtime alteration of effect trees.
Consider the following: A set effect that contains 2 effects, Damage Effect A and Modify Entry Effect A. One can have Modify Entry Effect A, as its effect, change the original set effect to now be Damage Effect B and Modify Entry Effect B. So the next time the set effect runs, it will run a totally different damage effect. We then can have the Modify Effect B change the set effect back to its original form. This means the effect will bounce between the 2 damage effects each time it runs. This can of course be expanded to any number of effects.
WhichPlayer_Effect
WhichPlayer_Value
Standard targeting fields, to determine which player this modify effect should be applied to.
This effect also adds the modify unit costs that are found in modify unit
Modify Player
Cooldown_TimeUseOperation - Specfiy how the cooldown modifcation is to be applied. Before this, it was always additive, now it can be multiplication or division.
EffectArray
EffectArray_Operation
EffectArray_Reference
EffectArray_Value
Modify Player can now also modify effects. How this is different then Modify Entry, or if this is simply covenience, is unknown.
Upgrades_Count
Upgrades_Upgrade
Now modify player can directly modify upgrades in data, specifying the upgrade and how many it should apply.
Modify Turret (New Effect)
Action
AimCompleteEffect
Flags
Owner (Standard Owner/Targeting fields, Effect, Effect History, Value) Target (Standard Target fields, Effect, Effect History, Value Turret
So it appears we can add or change how the turrets work on units on the fly.
Modify Unit
Vetererancy Behavior - Indicate which veterancy behavior should receive the Modify XP values.
I only scanned through the list but
"Extra Data suggests we can somehow externally bring in data sources, but how this is accomplished is not entirely understood."
Oh, dear Zues please let that be true! That would be so $#@&ingly fantastic. We've been missing any suitable way to import/export data since the begining. I would say it's one of the biggest changes which has always been needed. But I would have been happy with them simply fixing the text box bug. text boxes break when you put too much text in them. If that is fixed then it's an easy way to let people import external data.
Lots of SC2 players NEED simplicity. getting them to mess around with files on their computers directory would be confusing especially considering the SC2 file structure layout is all over the place with different regions/versions/online/offline/etc.
Although if it's a way for us to look at SC2 files for example being able to see a players preference data then that could be handy too.
Nothing about server-side bank :(
The actual new features are like 20x more than the list. But I had made a list since the alpha stage of the heroes, and the editor is still improving so much since that, so I decided to not waste time to do a new list until the next big patch of the void beta(hopefully with the editor?) or even a 2.5 ptr(will it happen?)
Still, no sever-bank. At least in the current beta client, it's a no.
"Extra Data"'s name may misleading, but it‘s actually extra trigger rather than data. Depend on what we have in the beta client, it's some thing you can load other maps' trigger into the current map for copy or directly modify without the need of switching between maps.
Useful for doing maps that requires you modify its mod at the same time.
In another hand, the 'include Mod' feature added since the Heroes alpha is something that could greatly help the data import/export. which allows you to merge/move selected data between maps/mods.
But the bad news is, the feature seem blizzard only, and which they only used in doing heroes offical mod - hope it would get exposed when the editor formally published.
The merge tool sounds useful. Will save people like me having to write custom merger programs for use with SVN or GIT software.
@ImperialGood: Go interesting, i havent had any issue when it comes to svn merging gamedata files.
Go play Antioch Chronicles Remastered!
Also, coming soon, Antioch Episode 3: Thoughts in Chaos!
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I'll be doing the last 2 sections later today. Categories is the big one, it has all the new data fields.
I'll also post an example of how I think data spaces is supposed to work. Specifically I'll post Zagara.XML, which defines everything for the Zagara hero in Storm. It does use data from outside the space, but the space I think it mean to present an easy to use interface, in that you ONLY need to modify the fields presented.
Edit: Attached is the Zagara.XML. IT may not be fields, but it does seem to be at least a way of doign our own filtering of data objects in a way not bound by dependencies. In essence a namespace for data objects. Certainly would make things faster to work with.
This tool still nees external compare tools.
It works just like you thought, though again, it blizzard only right now.
That's a shame. I wasn't talking about moving data between mods but importing/exporting data outside of SC2. There is no way to interface between a mod and an external 3rd party tool. The only way is via the edit box which is broken, and bank files, but finding and modifying an xml file on their computer is beyond most peoples ability.