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Starforge looks like a complicated Editor. Hope you've been sucsessful. If you havent, keep trying.

The only purpose at all of Starforge is editing mission briefing missions, which is why I have it installed. Everything else, SCMDraft2 can do WAY better.

I prefer StarForge over SCMDraft. Only time I use SCMDraft is to wonder why everyone likes it.

I usually use SCMD2 now, but I seem to prefer using SF for editing text colors & using it's string editor. Seems less complicated to me than SCMD2's

Because it contains close to 0 bugs and doesn't delete parts of a map? Possibly because it has more features (exception: AutoStack) and is actually at least a little bit more polished?

Honestly, you should at least try to use SCMD2 once and actually say why you don't like it, so that maybe SI can take your suggestion for the next version.

Just a thought.

Starforge helped me with tiles for my terrain.

To be honost, I dont really like Starforge. I have a crush on SCMDraft2 though. I suppose its all about personal preference.

I tried SCMD2 and it sucks. All terrain you use from a palette won't be saved. You have to search for it again and use it then go back and use it when SF has a box on the left. When you use custom tile, it adds to that box for easier re-using tiles. The triggers are just plain confusing. You have to memorize trigger commands, etc. I hate the classic trigger editor too. Also, I use SCMDraft ONLY for previewing my map and how would it look in the game and to add sounds to my game.

What version are you using? There's a Classic TrigEdit plugin for SCXE-style triggers. Those are less confusing than TrigEdit's, to say the least.

As for the terrain, you DO know that there's a copy feature right? Meaning, just select the terrain and ctrl-c?

You should really try using the latest version.
Link.

Also, if you only have those 2 complaints, why do you say it "sucks"?

I like the type of terrain you can edit with starforge but it gets me soooooooooooooooooooooooooo angry when i cant edit it on X-tra after I switch. I dont know how.

If you use SCMD2, it's as fully backwards-compatible with SCXE as you can get. Meaning, you can edit all types of terrain (isometrical, subtile, and yes, square which is what you're referring to) and have it work in SCXE (well, square will be a little screwy since the isometrical data won't correspond).

I rarely experience a bug in StarForge. It works 99.99% for me. The only SCMDraft-unique features are pointless. (AutoStacker is what I am making ) What do you mean by "Polished"?

I have tried it before, why do you think I have it open and look at it? And why suggest things for something I will never use?


Why can't you let people have their own opinion as to what editor they like? They will say their opinion and you go "Oh, no. SCMDraft is better".

All SCMDraft is to me is a program that does the same things as Starforge, but it is a easier program to make happy. Can it even edit all the unknowns?

Once again, not a bug within StarForge, rather than the way it's flawed (deletes doodad information, stuff like that). Then, after a while, these bugs manifest into corruption (if you use SCXE before running the map through SCMD2, that is), and you end up blaming SCXE/SCMD2 whereas SF was actually the culprit of the map being corrupted.

I was just saying how you should point out why you don't like it, instead of just saying "I don't like it." I realize you have your opinion, but I'm just curious as towards why people like SF over SCMD2.

The unit "unknowns" in SF are actually all known (except for one value). They're all used by SCXE/SE/SC internally for specific unit data, and the fact that SF shows it up as "unknown" just shows how it's incomplete. Yes, SCMD2 can and does edit all those values correctly, the way they should be used. (If you're going to point out funky things like the 2nd hp value for glowing units: SCMD2 does that too.)

The sprite "unknowns", however, are really unknown since SCXE can't place sprites/they're not meant to be in SC. Therefore, SCMD2 also lets you manually edit those. Also, SCMD2 does more things than SF (feature-wise, this doesn't necessarily mean it's better though), minus the AutoStack. I still can't figure out why the hell AutoStack wasn't implemented.

By the way, I still don't understand why you singled me out as someone who keeps telling people what to like (although I have done that on BlizzForums, but that's another story...). This thread started out as a "how has SF helped you make good maps?" (which is pretty vague), and then Azu came in and said how SCMD2 is so much better blah blah blah. Then, several people stated their preferences, and the only reason I posted here was to clear up some things about SCMD2 (like people not knowhing what it can/can't do, etc).

I go into starforge. I press the "New Map" button. I make a map. I play it in SC. Works 100%.

Mostly just a bias opinion. Also I just like the way it is set up much better than SCMDraft. (I actually got SCMDraft before StarForge).

Also looking through SCMD it does everything correctly because it actually reads the MPQ files. I'm not sure what exactly StarForge does..

AutoStack was not implemented because people are too lazy to find the "formulas." (I have a Beta AutoStacker that I have been working on. After my current project I will resume it).

Azu only has one post in here; looking through this topic pretty much every other post is yours. (Not really, but it seems like it)

No. You go into SF, you press the "new map" button. You have the ISOM section instantly screwed up, making isometrical terrain editing with other editors impossible (and proper isometrical terrain editing PERIOD impossible since SF can't do it). Then, you make a map. However, you won't have any sounds in the map since importing sounds is broken. You also won't have any proper doodads in there (the best you can do is manually add in a sprite to the terrain, which isn't accurate, and gets deleted should you ever edit the map with SCXE). Say, you want to link a nydus canal, but you can't since SF shows that value up as an "unknown" (which you've highlighted as a "feature"). It's things like that that make it exactly not work "100%". The only part of a map that you can't edit in SCMD2, on the other hand, are the mission briefings (as a counter-example).

Once again, I'm not saying which editor is better (though I'm implying it in the process), I'm just trying to clear up misconceptions about SCMD2/SF.

There's more to SCMD2 than just reading the SC mpq files (but it helps a lot). One big example: reading SC mpq files won't help you with isometrical terrain.

As for the AutoStack, I have no clue what you're trying to say with the "Formulas" comment. Honestly, what are you talking about? SCMD2 can easily get AutoStack, all it takes is an option in the context menu while editing terrain, and a function that adds in x amount of the same unit.

Azu is the person who brought in SCMD2 into this thread was my point. My posts are all over here because a lot of the comments said something that wasn't true, or maybe just weren't clear about preference.

I don't use the ISOM section. All my ISOM terrain is done tile by tile if I don't make the map in SCXE. And I can add sounds with StarForge, and have better compression than even StarEdit (with using other things).
I don't care about doodads. I just add them last with StarEdit, then I add any extras StarEdit deletes with StarForge.
Put the correct value in the Nydus canal, or hexedit.

Oh, by AutoStack do you mean stacking units or text? I am talking about text.


ADDITION:
Can your beloved SCMDraft do this? StarForge can. (That is how I did it)
[attachmentid=17592]

A lot of other people like the convenience of proper isometrical terrain (and the way it looks). I'm not trying to tell you what to like, which is why the fact that you don't use isometrical terrain doesn't come into play here. I was thinking in broader terms,pointing out that SF doesn't exactly work 100% correctly.

Add in 2 external .wav files. Then, open the map in SCXE. Try to open the sound editor. You don't see any of them.

Once again, maybe you don't carea bout doodads but that doesn't mean others don't.

SE doesn't "delete" them for no reason, that's also the cause of SF. It just didn't add them in properly.

...and yet again, others have no idea that an "unknown" corresponds to a unit link, nor do they care about where that value is placed in the .chk.

As I've said before, I'm not comparing SCMD2 and SF, I'm clearing up a few things, blah blah blah. However, about your map: no, it can't, but what's the point? It gives no bonuses, SC isn't affected by this in any way. Also, as you've said, it can be done with hex editing for those that care enough to do it.

HUH!?!?!!?!!??!?!?!? When I tried to Download Nydus thingamagiger it gave me a whole bunch of Gibberish codes.

What do I do?!?!?!!

Thanks to starforge, I can precisely place units by altering their X and Y coordinates. The trigger editor can be faster that Xtra editor, once you get used to it. It also lets me put many cool things like sprites and square tiles. I also love the 2nd hp box that lets me make units with 5/4 and 2/1 hp. I also like making units with 0/1 hp. They're close to invincible.

The only drawback is that I have to add sound files after or with starforge or my maps corrupt. They display the error "Map cannot be opened for writing" when I try to save and starforge keeps telling me "MPQ failed to extract" when I open it even after all sounds are deleted. While it has helped, it's also been a bit annoying.

Overall, it's a good editor and definitely worth using. The extended unites are fun to play around with. Some let units shoot across half the map (but only while attacking that unit). I've also edited triggers to use player 12. The extended players can be very useful, especially for 2x firing rate. Basically its great for trigger editing, some terrain and final touch ups.

I've used starforge mostly to experiment and fix up (or break ) stuff in my maps. The coolest things I've ever done are have two observers owned by the same player that move at different speeds, 2x firing rate and stuff with sprites.

Right click and Save Target As (or whatever it says)