Custom Pathing for a destructable bridge

05-05-2006, 02:42 AM	#1
SuperDuperGuy	I have a bridge that needs to be destroyed, but when its destroyed, it blocks land units and sea units. What color would i make the dead pathing map for the bridge to make it swimable? I'm thinking its not possible, cause deep water pathing starts as red blocking, looks like water pathing happens outside of my influence.

05-05-2006, 02:57 AM

Immoralis

We love infrane!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Infrane

Pathing Maps
By iNfraNe
Level: Novice/Average

Index:
1. What are pathing maps
2. Creating a pathing map
3. Final words

1. What are pathing maps
Pathing maps are basic .tga images made up of basic colors. They are used to tell Warcraft where a unit/building can go/be placed and where not. Pathing maps can be used on:
• Buildings
• Doodads
• Destructibles
The beauty of them is the fact that you can give them any shape you like, and make a precise pathing map for a custom model.
2. Creating a pathing map
To create a pathing map, you will need an image editor which handles .tga files. Paint shop pro, Photoshop or anything else will do. Each basic color in the tga file represents a behaviour to pathing. The link to colors and behaviour is listed below:
Color Walkable? Flyable? Buildable? Red Green Blue
White No No No 255 255 255
Red No Yes Yes 255 0 0
Green Yes No Yes 0 255 0
Blue Yes Yes No 0 0 255
Yellow No No Yes 255 255 0
Teal Yes No No 0 255 255
Magenta No Yes No 255 0 255
Black Yes Yes Yes 0 0 0

As we can see here:
• The red channel is used for walkability.
• The Green channel is used for flyability.
• The Blue channel is used for Buildability
• A full channel (255) means the object will be denied.
• An empty channel (0) means the object will be granted
Next thing to know is that 1 pixel in the image will represent 32 gridunits in the world editor. 32 Grid units in the editor is exactly 1 grey gridsquare (hit “G” 3 times in the editor to see it).
When you’re done making the image, save it as .tga and import it in the editor. After that, simply change the pathing map of the doodad/destructible/building you want to change and restart the editor to see the effects. A usefull tip to check the pathing in the editor, hit “P”.

3. Final words
Creating a pathing map is easy to do and will give you amazing results. Blizzard usually uses a square pathing map for round objects (like a orc barracks). You can make the pathing maps of a barracks alot better by making it abit more round. This will enhance gameplay alot in some situations and “Pathing size” of units will really come in handy.

05-05-2006, 03:08 AM	#3
Vuen	None of that is any use dude, he's talking about water pathing. Only way I can think of fixing it is making a different bridge destroyed doodad out of something that has no collision, and replacing the dead bridge with it. Anyone else have a better idea?

05-05-2006, 04:05 AM	#4
paidan_fain	The only way, as Vuen said, is 0 collision doodad. This is because Wc3 doesn't allow multiple levels (units can never go under anything persay). Even when destroyed animation, the doodad is still there so nothing can go through.

05-05-2006, 05:09 AM	#5
SuperDuperGuy	Yes, but i dont care about units going under bridges, I want when there is no bridge, for water units to pass (i got it so when the bridge is up, sea units will simply get out of the water and walk when on the bridge. i took out the blocking sides) the problem is when the bridge goes down, water units cant swim there even.

05-05-2006, 05:20 AM	#6
paidan_fain	Its the same principles. When it is up, that is walkable. When it is down, its not. Its as simple as that.

05-05-2006, 05:43 AM	#7
SuperDuperGuy	This is fun, I nearly got something that works. I have a doodad that has no pathing map, and when it is created, it uses the Environment trigger and makes that area unfloatable, and walkable. When it goes down, it does the opposite. Everything works except land units don't seem to be able to do pathfinding taking the bridge, but they are capable of walking there. Strange stuff...