Two advanced map editing questions

Ok, so straight to the point, here they are:

1) Is it possible to change the font set of a specific map? Or is the font hard-coded into war3. What would I want to change it for? I want to use floating text to create images that float up from units' heads, such as a yellow smiley face (to denote an increase in happiness) or a red frowny face (to denote a decrease)

2) Is there any way to change the base-order id's of abilities? "Channel" is out of the question, because the ability needs to be based out of one of the "Place Mini-Farm" type abilities, where your cursor shows the building outline which you are placing. There are in fact 8 "Place Mini-Something" abilities, but they all use the same base-order (a unit with all 8 abilities who is ordered to cast one of the abilities will always instead cast the ability in the upper left). I have heard that this is possible. If so, how?

You can't change the base ID of abilities, but you might be able to use 6 different dummy skills that add the correct skill to the unit and order it to use it.

You can only change the font-set for mods, since they are loaded when Wc3 starts up.
Try making a model of billboarded plane/particle with a smily-face texture, that should work without problem.

I don't have any model editing program such as 3dsmax, is it possible to make such a simple model without one of those programs? I'm a complete noob to model editing.

Yes, use Magos' Wc3 model editor.

Is there some basic tutorial which would help with creating 2D texture models, or is it simple enough that you could explain how to do it? I downloaded the model editor and theres so many options I have no idea how I would start.

You could use PitzerMike's TextSplat Library, modify it a bit, and use it to display smilies.


Maybe.

I checked that out, and it doesn't use any models at all. It uses textures which it displays as images on the ground using the native. Is there anyone out there with some model-making experience who would be able to make me an upright 2D square model, and show me how to interchange textures on the model?