This is a guide on editing a map's units, abilities, upgrades, items, doodads, etc. without a full deprotection of the map. This is typically much faster than deprotecting, recovering the map (Sometimes), and then editing your objects.
Parts of the guide
Part 1- Description of the files we use.
Part 2- Extracting the object data
Part 3- Using SILK to extract the object data
Part 4- Editing and re-importing.
Part 5- Download link for the tools.
Part 6- Advanced error fixing
Specific guides
Guide 1- Editing hero taverns' choices.
Part 1 - Files
There are two types of files that will be used in this guide. One type is the tools we use to edit the map, and one is the files that we edit.
List of files to be edited:
- The map you want to edit (Obviously)
- war3map.w3u - This stores the unit data.
- war3map.w3t - This stores the item data.
- war3map.w3b - This stores destructible data
- war3map.w3d - This stores doodad data.
- war3map.w3a - This stores ability data.
- war3map.w3h - This stores buff/effect data.
- war3map.w3q - This stores upgrade data
List of files we use: (Note: These can be downloaded at part 5, except for world editor.
- MPQMaster - To open the map.
- SILK objects console - To extract the data (Sometimes)
- World Editor - To edit the files we extract.
- A listfile with at least all the war3map.w3* files.
Part 2 - Extracting objects
Note: This section is for maps that do not have a folder called "units" inside them. For maps like that, go to section 3.
There are two different kinds of maps when it comes to editing object data. Those that are widgetized, and those that aren't. The easy way to tell if they are widgetized is to look for the "units" folder inside the MPQ archive.
First open up your map in MPQMaster. If it looks like this (E.G. no units folder) then continue reading part 2.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Make sure to put the files into a folder where you will be able to find them later.
Part 3 - Extracting objects with SILK
Note: This section is for maps that do have a folder called "units" inside them. For maps like don't, go to part 2.
If the map you are editing has a units folder in it, you will have to use an application called SILK Objects Console. Download it from part 5 if you don't have it.
First, open the "units" folder in the MPQ archive.
Then, extract everything in there into the SILK Objects Console -> MAP folder.
Before running, check for any files that are 0KB in size. If you find any like this, delete them.
Run SilkObjects.exe. It will ask you to press enter to continue a bunch, but other than that, it should work fine.
After running SILK, there now should be war3map.w3a,w3u,w3q, etc. files in the SILK Objects Console base folder. Use these files in the rest of the steps of the guide.
Lastly, make sure to delete the units folder in the archive. We will be importing our edited war3map.w3* files later.
Part 4- Editing the files.
So, now that you have the object files, it's time to edit them.
We use World Editor to do this. Open up the Warcraft III World Editor, create a new map with any dimensions that you want, and go to Objects Editor.
Now, go to that tab that you wish to edit. (If you want to edit a specific unit, go to Units tab. If you edit abilities, go to abilities tab. Etc.)
Go to the File menu item, and click Import all unit settings or Import all ability settings or any of the others, depending on which tab you are currently in.
Now navigate to the SILK Objects Console folder, and select the appropriate file (war3map.w3u for units, etc. look at part 1 for reference)
After you import, it should look like this.
Spoiler:
After you edit the files, you need to re-import them into the archive.
Steps:
1- In World Editor, go to File menu and click Export Unit/Ability/Item Settings and save the file to a location you will remember.
2- In MPQ editor, re-open your map that you are editing (If you closed it.)
3- In MPQ editor, click anywhere in the file menu and press "Add File(s)"
Spoiler:
5- Now you can play the edited map.
Part 5- Downloads
These are the necessary files: MPQ Master: http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/tool ... 0-a-62935/
Listfile: http://forum.wc3edit.net/useful-tools-f ... ml#p159072
Part 6- Advanced error fixing
There are certain rare maps that can NOT be recovered by just using silk objects console. If you encounter one of these maps, use the the attached tool. 1)Create a new folder on your C:\ drive, or whatever equivalent you have (NO SPACES. They seem to mess up the program).
2) Copy these 4 files into the folder.
Code: Select all
campaignunitfunc.txt
campaignabilitystrings.txt
itemfunc.txt
NeutralUpgradeStrings.txt4) It should create new files named:
Code: Select all
campaignunitfunc.txt.new.txt
campaignabilitystrings.txt.new.txt
itemfunc.txt.new.txt
NeutralUpgradeStrings.txt.new.txt6) Run SILK objects.
Notes: I'm sorry about the inconveniences of my program. I'm very new to hex editing with VB, so my work is not very good. Ignore the stuff about taking logs, my program does not make logs. I may add this in someday if I feel like it ;p.
Also if it encounters an error, check to make sure there are NO spaces at all in the path name, and if it still does not work, contact me with 1) a screenshot of the application, and 2) the exact path name + file name.
Guide 1- Editing taverns
To edit taverns and put different heroes, do all the above steps and extract the war3map.w3u file.
While in the world editor, find the tavern you wish to edit by using Ctrl + F
Go to the Units Sold field of the tavern. Double click it. It should open up a dialog in which you select the units that you want to add.
Re-import it, and the tavern is edited.