EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/74i4S.png)
Hello everyone, I'm prodiG - leader of the iCCup Mapmaking Team. As some of you may know, I like to experiment with the editor and see how far I can push it to make my maps not only as interesting to play as possible, but as aesthetically pleasing as well. This has, on many occasions, left me dealing with some very abstract and ridiculous bugs, one of which I'm going to guide you through how to fix today in case this ever happens to you as if left unfixed will render the map unplayable.
My latest efforts to make my maps gorgeous have had me playing with Terrain Objects. These are essentially "super-doodads" that modify the terrain that they affect directly. These are sometimes used in combination with other doodads to create interesting structures.
How to add Terrain Objects
+ Show Spoiler [Add Terrain Objects] +
Simply go File>Dependencies, click "Add Standard" and check Liberty Campaign
NOTE: Adding Liberty Story will add the campaign units, and break basic mechanics such as nexuses having energy or command centers being able to morph into orbitals. DO NOT DO THIS ON A MELEE MAP!
Once you've added the dependency, you'll be able to finally make use of the "Terrain Objects" screen on the Terrain Layer.
Before we move forward...
DISCLAIMER ABOUT TERRAIN OBJECTS - MUST READ
Terrain Objects are incredibly buggy - hence why I am writing this post. Adding terrain objects will break your undo function in certain (almost random) scenarios. However, they are still usable and can create very unique aesthetics in-game.
Some ways to circumvent these bugs
-Create a blank map, add the dependency and play around with the Terrain Objects. Some of them go fine by themselves, some of them are intended for use with a doodad on top of them, and some of them will scream "I am bugged out!" (ie: zz Test Chasm).
-Adding terrain objects as one of the very last steps of map creation.
-Disable auto-saving (to avoid saving a potentially broken map), save manually every time you have placed something successfully and mirrored it on all other sides of the map as needed
Finally, I'm going to run through some of the solutions I've had for the bugs I've ran into when using Terrain Objects. You may run into these as well and knowing exactly how to fix them will save you a ton of time.
Terrain object names showing on my overview pictures
+ Show Spoiler [Names on overview pics] +
These show up even on Data > Export Map Image
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/EMaRW.jpg)
This one is a pretty easy fix. To get rid of the names, select the Terrain Object, delete it, and then undo. The name should no longer be there, however you may have to redo any rotation you applied to the terrain object.
Map runs at 1fps in certain areas
+ Show Spoiler [Unplayable performance] +
This is the bug that inspired me to write this guide, as it's a pretty abstract one. Shoutouts to the guys at #sc2mapster on irc.freenode.net for helping me figure it out.
What the area was intended to look like
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/DuSFr.jpg)
Cool, right?
At first I thought that I had simply pushed the game too hard once again, but I had mirrored this doodad layout elsewhere on the map it ran fine. After about half an hour of dragging around (the editor runs INCREDIBLY SLOWLY at 2fps) I eventually found this, under the cliff I had put there.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/EdsrI.jpg)
This is a trench terrain object. DO NOT USE THESE.
Naturally, you'd think "just delete them!" but by some act of valentines day kindness, the editor wouldn't let me. Thankfully, the guys at #sc2mapster suggested that I open my map with an .mpq Editor as maps are simply .mpq archives, so that is exactly what I did. (Close your map in the editor before opening it with the .mpq Editor)
Inside the .mpq you'll find a file called t3Terrain.xml. Double click, and you'll open it up in notepad or something - any generic text editor will do. When you do this, the .mpq Editor will tell you that it's waiting for a program to close - this is the text editor that is open. It's waiting for you to finish the changes so it can append the file back to the archive.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wIbZG.png)
Notice the "<cliffDoodad name="TerrainObjectTrenchDiagonal2" pos="53.000000 53.000000 2.000000 " rot="0"/>" This is repeated about two thousand times in a row, and what was causing the issue. Simply scan through your .xml file for any repetitive lines like that and delete them, then save and close the text editor.
Voila! Problem solved.
Check out what you can do with properly used terrain objects ;D
+ Show Spoiler [Terrain Object pics] +
Campaign doodads are badass.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vKgvt.jpg)
Ultralisks were indeed harmed in the making of this map
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/YoNmd.jpg)
Someone in the stream pointed out that geysers on top of glass should have pipes under them so the gas doesn't look like it's magically appearing from nowhere. I agree!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JMfZb.jpg)
thank you
