Karune just released
Q&A 52, this time focusing on the StarCraft II map maker. It tells us what we already know: that it will be better in every way than WC3's World
Editor, and the scripting will be similar to C (but of course in more specific details that I'm sure are very interesting to those planning to code SC2 maps). And a little something we didn't know: The scripting language will be called Galaxy.
Karune wrote:StarCraft II Q&A Batch 52 : Map Maker Series
1. Does it still use the JASS language, or perhaps an upgraded version of JASS?
StarCraft II uses an entirely new scripting language, which we’ve called Galaxy. This language is very similar to C, and anyone familiar with programming in C will have no trouble picking it up.
2. Is the language event-driven or object-oriented?
The language itself is not object-oriented, although most of the native functionality is based around operating on game objects.
3. In comparison to the Warcraft III Editor, how much more, if any, can the GUI of the game be edited (it was extremely limited in Warcraft III)?
The in-game UI layout is externalized in data files to a large extent, however there is no editor support for working with these files. So it will be possible to customize the game UI, it just won't be a user-friendly process.
4. Are there new noteworthy functionalities in the Starcraft II Editor, or will the new editor just have general improvements?
I can’t think of a single editor feature from WarCraft III, large or small, which has not been improved in at least some way for StarCraft II.
5. Will the ability to communicate among triggers, for instance via actions or conditions, be improved in the new language?
One significant new feature of the Trigger Editor is support for custom function definitions, including actions and conditions. This means you can create your own actions that are built up from other actions (or custom script code), then use those in triggers just as you would any other action.
6. How does "Hero" support differ from the Warcraft III Editor? Or is it practically identical?
We’ve been working hard to create a hero system that is even more flexible than WarCraft III’s. For example, map makers will have the ability to define any number of custom attributes that modify a hero based on its level.
7. Will there be a public API for the programming language?
As with WarCraft III, there is a large set of “native” functions representing game functionality that can be accessed through scripts. If this is what you mean by “public API”, then yes.
8. Will there be improvements on the "Garbage Collector" for the new language? For example, in JASS all local variables need to be set to null at the end of their use, and certain data-types need to be removed from the game (such as Locations) at the end of their use to avoid memory leaks.
Galaxy features a robust garbage collection system for all native types, which is a huge improvement over WarCraft III (which technically did not have a garbage collection system at all). The script memory leak issues from WarCraft III will be a thing of the past.
---End of Transmission---
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12 comments
#1 Tiger0211
I mean, I like how the flexibility ought to let people make some good maps, but I'd rather have more info about the game (particularly campaign and b.net 2.0, subject which they've been quite quiet about) at this point.
#2 Tomer
#3 Undifty
Sure the new features and recent changes is always interesting, but as the game is still probably changing a lot I rather have information that doesn't get out of date the next couple of weeks. Q&A's that goes like how much damage Y does and X takes are kind of lame, as numbers will probably change/be adjusted..
And as a map maker I liked this Q&A.
#4 Brandonsc2
All i want to do is make maps like Sunken defense but my own version and i want it to be easy in sc2.
#5 begebies13
#6 Brandonsc2
Yeah thats a nice thing to hear. The coded ones were like, OK IF I KNEW HOW TO DO THESE ADVANCED CODES I WOULD MAKE MY OWN MOTHER f****** GAME!!!!!
#7 Undifty
War3 had actually pretty decent GUI for making triggers, but even if it only was decent, it's the best one I've seen this far.
#8 inverted
Wow, all of you that are saying that the WC3 engine was hard to make triggers your IQ must be suffering. GUI was the easiest thing i have ever used to make a game, and if you wanted more functionality you would code in JASS. The SC2 editor is going to be more difficult to master because of more options, i can guarentee that. I can also guarentee there wont be gay ass drag and drop coding like you said, there will be GUI and thats about as close as you get to it. If you can't even do GUI you don't deserve to be making maps, simple as that.
#9 Undifty
true post dat, +5
#10 Tomer
Wait... Can you explain that more douchely?
#11 Undifty
Just add more cusses, so yes.
#12 begebies13
You can "guarentee" that? Wouldn't Blizzard want to make it as easy as possible for new users to create maps, and so add drop-in actions? I personally have plenty of experience coding, so I don't have much trouble creating complicated triggers, but I would think the editor would be designed to be accessible as possible. If that isn't going to be the case, like you said, then I'd feel bad for less experienced users, who despite the fact that their "IQ must be suffering", would still probably have something creative to contribute.