Q: How to edit a protected map and make it playable/savable?

[Vegas]

I've translated a protected map and edited many others. Didn't seem like there was much interest in this before.

There's been many requests over the years to translate maps. I've tried to help a little bit with some but never got any feedback as to whether or not they tried or succeeded, so I don't know how useful my information was.

[humbleman]

Thanks, Vegas and Owner123!

I posted the map I want to translate.

If possible, I'd like to know how to translate + continue working on a protected map.

I've been trying to do research myself but I could only find guides teaching how to insert cheat/deprotection.



TL;DR : My interest is in working on an abandoned protected map and continue updating it. If there is a guide/walkthrough video about it, I'd really appreciate it.

oh, and you guys are awesome

[null]

Thanks, Vegas and Owner123!

I posted the map I want to translate.

If possible, I'd like to know how to translate + continue working on a protected map.

I've been trying to do research myself but I could only find guides teaching how to insert cheat/deprotection.



TL;DR : My interest is in working on an abandoned protected map and continue updating it. If there is a guide/walkthrough video about it, I'd really appreciate it.

oh, and you guys are awesome

Edited w3a, w3t and w3u - all three worked. Are you sure you did the steps correctly?

1. Open the map with MPQ Editor
2. Extract w3u
3. Open Object Editor in World Editor, go into Unit tab and File -> Import Unit Settings
4. CTRL + F, search for Crew Member, change it to whatever
5. File -> Export Unit Settings
6. Open the map with MPQ Editor again (if you closed it from step 1)
7. Import the w3u (I do everything by drag and drop)
8. In MPQ Editor, go to Tools, W3X Name Scanner and use the Live Game Scanner. Alternatively, just move the map into your maps folder and test it that way.

PS: One reason you can't see the map anymore is because you never closed the MPQ. Remember to always close it after you're done using it before testing.

[humbleman]

Thanks for the reply, null!

when I try to import the files to mpq editor, sometimes I get the message saying


"You can't do that to read-only file"

Is there any solution to this?

[owner123]

Uhh this might sound a little silly - but are you opening the MPQ in read only mode or Force 1.0 mode? If so don't do that.
I can open and import fine, there does not appear to be any corruption on that MPQ.

I'll make an in-depth tutorial when I get time.

(edit)
Totally forgot - I wrote this tutorial almost 4 years ago... http://www.learnvjass.com/lessons/bypas ... ction.html
It's not the greatest, but it exists.

[humbleman]

Thanks to null and owner123,

I managed to translate objects ( w3u, w3t, w3b, w3d, w3a, w3h, w3q)

But I can't still translate triggers, scripts and w3i.

Apparently those files cannot be edited using World Editor. (please correct me if I'm wrong)

If there are any ways to translate/edit these files, please let me know. (preferably using World Editor)


Thank you again. You guys rock!

[null]

Open the script file (.j) with any editor you prefer to use (jc, vsc, n++, etc).

[humbleman]

Thanks, null! Thanks to you, now I can finally translate the map!

One last question (hopefully) :

how do you edit 1. w3i file and 2. loading screen? (I couldn't edit it on World Editor nor notepad++)

[owner123]

W3I: Look up a spec and use a hex editor. No one made a tool for modifying them (as far as I know). The translateable sections should be in plaintext, so you *might* be able to use a text editor like notepad++. Don't use standard notepad, it might mess up special characters.

Loading screen: It's an image or model file in the archive. Maybe it's LoadingScreen.mdx or FullScreen.blp. Just look around in the image files for one with a standard-looking name.

[Vegas]

Yes, Notepad++ can do it without screwing up the formatting. I've also copy/pasted lengths of the text into Google translate and it works fine.