• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 05:42
CEST 11:42
KST 18:42
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0TL Team Map Contest #5: Presented by Monster Energy4Code S RO8 Preview: herO, Zoun, Bunny, Classic7Code S RO8 Preview: Rogue, GuMiho, Solar, Maru3BGE Stara Zagora 2025: Info & Preview27
Community News
Classic & herO RO8 Interviews: "I think it’s time to teach [Rogue] a lesson."2Rogue & GuMiho RO8 interviews: "Lifting that trophy would be a testament to all I’ve had to overcome over the years and how far I’ve come on this journey.7Code S RO8 Results + RO4 Bracket (2025 Season 2)14BGE Stara Zagora 2025 - Replay Pack2Weekly Cups (June 2-8): herO doubles down1
StarCraft 2
General
Jim claims he and Firefly were involved in match-fixing Code S RO8 Results + RO4 Bracket (2025 Season 2) Rogue & GuMiho RO8 interviews: "Lifting that trophy would be a testament to all I’ve had to overcome over the years and how far I’ve come on this journey. Classic & herO RO8 Interviews: "I think it’s time to teach [Rogue] a lesson." Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho
Tourneys
[GSL 2025] Code S: Season 2 - Semi Finals & Finals Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament $3,500 WardiTV European League 2025 Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) SOOPer7s Showmatches 2025
Strategy
[G] Darkgrid Layout Simple Questions Simple Answers [G] PvT Cheese: 13 Gate Proxy Robo
Custom Maps
[UMS] Zillion Zerglings
External Content
Mutation # 477 Slow and Steady Mutation # 476 Charnel House Mutation # 475 Hard Target Mutation # 474 Futile Resistance
Brood War
General
BW General Discussion ASL20 Preliminary Maps BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Recent recommended BW games FlaSh Witnesses SCV Pull Off the Impossible vs Shu
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL 2v2] ProLeague Season 3 - Friday 21:00 CET Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL20] ProLeague Bracket Stage - Day 4
Strategy
I am doing this better than progamers do. [G] How to get started on ladder as a new Z player
Other Games
General Games
Path of Exile Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Beyond All Reason What do you want from future RTS games?
Dota 2
Best crypto recovery experts in the world Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine US Politics Mega-thread UK Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Vape Nation Thread
Fan Clubs
Maru Fan Club Serral Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Korean Music Discussion [Manga] One Piece
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion NHL Playoffs 2024 TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
A Better Routine For Progame…
TrAiDoS
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Heero Yuy & the Tax…
KrillinFromwales
I was completely wrong ab…
jameswatts
Need Your Help/Advice
Glider
Trip to the Zoo
micronesia
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 33780 users

[G] Terrain Object Bugs

Forum Index > SC2 Maps & Custom Games
Post a Reply
prodiG
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada2016 Posts
February 14 2011 19:18 GMT
#1
[image loading]


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]

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]
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]
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]

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]


Ultralisks were indeed harmed in the making of this map
[image loading]


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]
ESV Mapmaking Team || http://twitter.com/prodiGsc || Real talk, I don't have time to sugar-coat it for you sir
EatThePath
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
United States3943 Posts
February 14 2011 20:07 GMT
#2
Useful tips. Thanks prodiG.

So that trench somehow got placed 50 times in the same location? Very bizarre.
Comprehensive strategic intention: DNE
prodiG
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada2016 Posts
February 14 2011 20:22 GMT
#3
On February 15 2011 05:07 EatThePath wrote:
Useful tips. Thanks prodiG.

So that trench somehow got placed 50 times in the same location? Very bizarre.

Closer to 2000. I definitely didn't do that on purpose either.
ESV Mapmaking Team || http://twitter.com/prodiGsc || Real talk, I don't have time to sugar-coat it for you sir
dezi
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Germany1536 Posts
February 14 2011 20:40 GMT
#4
Try to don't use those glass objects - it might be hard for a zerg to spread creep correctly and it's also hard to judge whether if there's creep present or not. Using this as deco is good, but maps with those doodad don't count as melee anymore if i recall correct. I also experimented with those objects and had the bug that after changing the maps lightning they were all "lost". They had been removed from the map and there were only holes left. Only chance was to copy the whole map into a new empty one (and place those objects again but obviously don't change lightning).
TPW Member | My Maps @ TL: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=171486 | Search 'dezi' at EU
prodiG
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada2016 Posts
February 14 2011 21:05 GMT
#5
On February 15 2011 05:40 dezi wrote:
Try to don't use those glass objects - it might be hard for a zerg to spread creep correctly and it's also hard to judge whether if there's creep present or not. Using this as deco is good, but maps with those doodad don't count as melee anymore if i recall correct. I also experimented with those objects and had the bug that after changing the maps lightning they were all "lost". They had been removed from the map and there were only holes left. Only chance was to copy the whole map into a new empty one (and place those objects again but obviously don't change lightning).

I haven't made a decision on the glass yet. As for the map counting as melee, if you are still using default game variants the map will appear as melee and function accordingly.

As for the lighting... good to know
ESV Mapmaking Team || http://twitter.com/prodiGsc || Real talk, I don't have time to sugar-coat it for you sir
dezi
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Germany1536 Posts
February 14 2011 22:10 GMT
#6
Still counts as melee? That's fine - go ahead :D
TPW Member | My Maps @ TL: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=171486 | Search 'dezi' at EU
adso
Profile Joined March 2011
718 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-05 00:44:49
March 04 2011 21:11 GMT
#7
Only Barrin would be pugnacious enough to class all doodads and Terrain Objects as "melee" or not?

i do think you can tweak some in the editor once placed on the map ... but it does take long testing for sometimes an average enhancement... like you said, if copying "new" doodads means you have 3x extra work to delete/fry ze bug... seems hard/painful

In any case, no back and forth with doodads and other higher ups features
(+1 you have to have practiced your bo before on a ghost map)

Any back and forth is bad on galaxy.

As for any change/experiments, i think it does often get you a custom tag... and it should do it more shrewdly.

The term melee should guarantee gameplay only up to a point...
changing resource nod/destructibles hp counts i get, because players need to know that they can count on the data... but for textures and lightnings this line could have been blurred more by blizz, i feel... and to apply it to doodads/derivatives is a big step they took from w3 editor no?

By the way, i can never recall w3 editor's name, does that mean something?

thank you very much for sharing... never noticed this thread.. mmmm!?! thank you

edit: "Ultralisks were indeed harmed in the making of this map"


edit2: epiphany or bull? : could the names be a history referencing tooltip displayed... got to look into it!
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
GSL Code S
08:00
Semi-Finals & Finals
Classic vs GuMihoLIVE!
Rogue vs TBD
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Hui .137
StarCraft: Brood War
Pusan 780
Larva 765
Killer 375
BeSt 145
Leta 109
Mind 104
Bisu 93
Mini 78
Hyun 71
Barracks 59
[ Show more ]
Shinee 51
Aegong 44
sSak 40
hero 35
NotJumperer 29
ToSsGirL 22
Movie 19
JulyZerg 10
HiyA 9
ivOry 7
Noble 6
eros_byul 2
Dota 2
XaKoH 518
XcaliburYe508
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K2538
flusha436
Super Smash Bros
C9.Mang0431
Mew2King128
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor226
Other Games
singsing743
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream8320
PGL Dota 2 - Secondary Stream7004
Other Games
gamesdonequick656
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 35
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• LUISG 38
• Adnapsc2 10
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota2153
League of Legends
• Stunt591
Upcoming Events
Sparkling Tuna Cup
18m
WardiTV Qualifier
6h 18m
BSL: ProLeague
8h 18m
Bonyth vs Dewalt
Cross vs Doodle
MadiNho vs Dragon
Replay Cast
14h 18m
Wardi Open
1d 1h
Replay Cast
1d 14h
Replay Cast
2 days
RSL Revival
2 days
Cure vs Percival
ByuN vs Spirit
RSL Revival
3 days
herO vs sOs
Zoun vs Clem
Replay Cast
3 days
[ Show More ]
The PondCast
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
Serral vs SHIN
Solar vs Cham
Replay Cast
4 days
RSL Revival
5 days
Reynor vs Scarlett
ShoWTimE vs Classic
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
5 days
SC Evo League
6 days
Circuito Brasileiro de…
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2025-06-11
BGE Stara Zagora 2025
Heroes 10 EU

Ongoing

JPL Season 2
BSL 2v2 Season 3
BSL Season 20
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 2
NPSL S3
Rose Open S1
CSL 17: 2025 SUMMER
2025 GSL S2
Murky Cup #2
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters
CCT Season 2 Global Finals
IEM Melbourne 2025
YaLLa Compass Qatar 2025
PGL Bucharest 2025

Upcoming

Copa Latinoamericana 4
CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
K-Championship
SEL Season 2 Championship
Esports World Cup 2025
HSC XXVII
Championship of Russia 2025
BLAST Open Fall 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.