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What's Pointer?

From chosen coordinates, Pointer moves a location to any direction by any no. of grids. For example, if you want to move a location to (x+3, y) then Pointer will move a location to (x+3, y). Very simple, isn't it?


Pointer Vs. Mobile Unit Grids

Advantages

- Pointer can cover wider area than MUG.
- Pointer never lags game.
- Pointer is user friendly.

Disadvantages

- Pointer consumes many locations. (map width/2 + map height/2)
- Pointer requires 'Micro Scan'
- Pointer can be much slower than MUG.


Applications

Heart Beat Sensor?

If you have played 'Rainbow Six' series, you would know what HBS is. It detects nearby enemies' heart beat and display their position, so that player can know where the enemies are without having to see them visually.





== Update News ==



The beta version of Pointer has been released and it contains these new features.

- Player can now have more than 1 unit on the map. A unit that has a token(defiler hero) will be the one who uses Pointer.

- Minor bugs have been fixed.

- Additional comments have been added.

- 4 examples(spell effects) have been added.

- Now it supports up to 20 different commands.


This version of Pointer can be directly implemented in your project. So if you haven't started your project yet, then now is a good time to build up your project based on this version of Pointer.





== FAQs ==



Q: What is Pointer?

A: Pointer is simply a technique that is used for moving location from its origin(usually unit's coordinates) to anywhere by any no. of "grids".


Q: How does Pointer work?

A: Micro Scan, also called as Grid Scan, finds a certain unit and passes its coordinates to Pointer then received coordinates gets modified according to requests and finally Pointer moves a location to destination.


Q: How do I use Pointer?

A: Pointer uses 5 variables. Pointer_StackX, Pointer_StackY, Pointer_CoordX, Pointer_CoordY, Pointer_Save.

Each variables store different values.

Pointer_StackX: When there are pattern you can use this variable to repeat a same request as many times as you want. For example, if you want to perform a request such as (X-1) for 7 times then you can add 1 to Pointer_StackX each time (X-1) is performed, so when it hits 8 you can move onto next request.

Pointer_StackY: Same as Pointer_StackY.

Pointer_CoordX: Initial value for this variable will be a X coordinate of a unit that has token. And later on this variable will be modified by requests.

Pointer_CoordY: Same as Pointer_CoordX except it takes Y coordinate as an initial value.

Pointer_Save: This variable saves the procedure. For example, let's say you want to make a spell that draws a rectangle around your character.

________________
|..............................|
|..............................|
|..............................|
|..............X..............|
|..............................|
|..............................|
|_______________|

Note: X represents a unit with token.

The red side will be drawn first. At this point, Pointer_Save will be 0. But after red side has been finished, Pointer_Save will be 1 and Pointer will draw blue side. So basically, you can use Pointer_Save as a save point for the requests.

Q: Can Pointer work without Micro Scan?
A: No.

Q: Is there any other system that has similar function as Pointer?
A: Yes there is. It is called Mobile Unit Grid.



Download Link
http://www.staredit.net/index.php?download=4398

[ORANGE]OH[ORANGE] [NEGRO]REALLY?!??!?![NEGRO]
okay. if it's that much slower, I don't think this would be a very fast-paced unorganized game ppl like.

o_o
and how would "pointer technology" work?
like what triggers?

Very similar to Micro Scan. Pointer accepts one request per one trigger cycle.


Here is the steps

1. Micro Scan uses scan coordinate to scan.
2. Coordinate Detection converts scan coordinate to map coordinate.
3. Pointer receives map coordinate, and sets it as its origin.
4. Request will modify origin.
5. Modified origin coordinate gets converted to scan coordinate, and location will be moved according to scan coordinate.


What is Scan coordinate?

Scan coordinate is special coordinate that only Micro Scan uses. (To be more specific, it is used for placing Y coordinate locations and X coordinate locations in the right place.)

Why does Micro Scan use Scan coordinate?

If Micro Scan uses Map coordinate instead, then there will be 4 times as many triggers than now. Since it's not important as to which unit gets scanned first, Micro Scan recycles same triggers to be used for all 4 map sections.

Since you said pointer will be much slower than MUG, MUG moves 1 coordinate every trigger cycle (in most cases). So you are saying that pointer will be even slower?

How are you planning on moving the pointer to an exact coordinate? I can think of a way to do it that would only require 4 locations (x and y axis + side locations for unit giving) but it would be extremely slow because it'd need to make a unit move (order) to a certain location.

I mean, if you want to move a location to every coordinates within (0,0) and (12,12) then MUG is much faster because each MUG trigger moves a location to specific position. For example, if you create 1 scourge at center and create 1 Kakaru and 1 observer then observer will be at (X,Y-1).

But Pointer can not accept 2 requests in one trigger cycle. Because triggers that move a location according to scan coordinate can only be executed once in a trigger cycle. So there will be 0.1 sec delay between each request.




This is how actually Pointer moves a location refer to scan coordinate.

Let's assume that

Scan Coordinate X = 12
Scan Coordinate Y = 16
Scan Section = 0

Since Scan Section equals 0, move a main location to top-Left corner(where scan starts first), and move every Y coordinate locations to main location. And since Scan Coordinate Y equals 16, move main location to location "Y_16", and move every X coordinate locations to main location. And finally, Scan Coordinate X equals 12, so move main location to location "X_12".

Uhh.. If it uses that many locations then it can't even be used..



In a 64x64 map that would be 2048 locations apparently...

ok, i dont get much of anything yur saying fishgold, if you would put it as a trigger i can understand much better, like:

Trigger

Description:

OOOH A TRIGGER!

Players:

¤ 1337

Conditions:

¤ SOEMTIHNG HAPPENZZ!!!11

Actions:

¤ SOEMTIHGN DOES SOMETIHNG!!!!11ONE

Too many triggers to list even if I summarise them.. So it would be better if you download Micro Scan and see how triggers work.

Here is a link
http://www.staredit.net/index.php?download=4121

Wow, the direction finding, speed detection, and the grid amounts were rather slow and have been done before. But I was amazed at the speed it was able to find every unit out there. (The zergling part blew me away)

I admire and respect your hardwork and dedication, but I don't have much interest for such a system However, I would like to see what types of maps can be made from this, especially good ones. So keep up the good work.

hmmm *strokes beard*

Oh, I can not believe I made that kind of terrible mistake! Thank you for noticing. I've corrected my mistake now.

Why are you creating useless systems?? If there is a need for It people will make it or ask for help in the Assistance thread. Mapping in starcraft has gotten slower and slower. Even the koreans are playing starcraft less. Sad to say starcraft is dieing and wasting your time on things that wont be used isnt such a smart idea.

Hardly...
This has given me an idea for a better mobile grid.

... Wtf is that.

You might as well tell every mapmaker why do they make maps? Why do they make systems?

Why the hell do you think he's making this system? It's obvious he has at least some use for it.

And it doesn't matter if it's going to be used a lot or not, the point of mapmaking is to ENJOY IT AND HAVE FUN. Most people who make good maps don't give a blam if it gets popular or not or if people play it.

I doubt that map makers give a damn if nobody plays it. Why would you spend hours apun hours on a prodject not to get recognition. There are a few like that but not most of them. They make a map to be played for fun.

Also, no i see no practical use in this. If you can prove it to me that he does than ill say ok w/e. Otherwise its pretty useless since nobody else will use it since its so complicated and unnessesary for the most part.

The point of making maps is not to get recognition or to have everyone play it. Only noobs make maps for that reason.

Does it matter if you see no practical use for it? No, so stop saying it. You aren't doing anything for this topic.


And if you haven't noticed, it doesn't even matter if no one else will use it, he is using it for himself. He's just sharing what he's doing with us.



Exactly, they don't give a damn if nobody plays it.



Exactly, they don't make maps just to get recognition. If they think the map is fun then they've already accomplished enough.



Speak for yourself. Just because you can't see any use for it doesn't mean someone else can't get something from this. This is already an example of it:

[invert]Perhaps you are right. I should give this all up, and get a life. Why am I wasting my time on useless creation that nobody will use? I was such a fool. Thank you for your advice. [/invert]

ah no you guys got it all wrong

we play starcraft for fun well atleast i do and a lot of other ppl do i bet

so if you do spend like 100 hrs on sc and stuff get a life
and if you just enjoy it and like making maps once in a while i will tell you to keep going unless you getting stressed over it...

thats why i never do long project maps
but i think of how to make good fun short maps

This would be awesome if I knew how to implement it, or if I understood it....

actually a grid doesn't have to take up locations at all, you can have a burrowed unit in a certain section and use that as a location, my good friend kenoli found that out somehow.

That's right. I thought it would be easy to use, but it was damn complicated, especially when there are more than 1 request to be done.

Ok, I was away for the weekend, and now accepted the map:

http://www.staredit.net/index.php?download=4398