Pilotable Vehicles? Is it possible?

I was wondering, since I never found or ever heard of anything like this before...
Has it been done? Does anyone know of anyway that this could be done without the use of new models for each combination of pilots and vehicle?

I was wondering because in my map I was hoping I could make a few pilot able vehicles. Unfortunately there are so many different possible combinations of unit/vehicle that it would seem too much of a task and probably poor mapmaking form to have that many different models (over 120+ combinations).

It would be greatly appreciated if anyone could offer help in this matter.

hehe don't get me wrong but how about a pilotable KODO ? :D since there is a riderless kodo :P and you can have 2 versions - Normal and Chaos :D
jokes apart you could maybe youse a Siege Tank model and set it to be like a zeppelin :D
if i remember anything else ill add it

I saw it done in StarCraft once... If that ancient game can do it, WarCraft 3 can. In that particular StarCraft map, he used a motionless transforming unit to turn on and off a "vehicle pilot" trigger that checked pilotable units around the main unit every second or so.

You could just select the nearest pilotable unit by having the triggering unit have an ability that says "Pilot a nearby vehicle" that has or does not have a cooldown that causes WC3 to check the nearest pilotable unit around the main unit.

If you have a problem with +120 models, too bad. Use SPFX triggers/abilities, or simply hide the main unit.

My problem isn't the coding part of the issue but I need to know how to get the unit on the other unit, and in some case a sitting position inside the cockpit of the vehicle. Preferably without making a million models of the same unit but with different riders.

Example, If I have a tank and there is a seat up top, I want it to be empty when its not being controlled then filled with the players hero model when used. In essence it looks like the unit really is piloting it.

You could make a single (or only a few) models for the Hero in different kinds of positions (such as standing, kneeling, sitting, etc.). Then put them on specially made reference points of the vehicles, such as a "pilotgoeshere" reference point on the vehicle model, that would be reserved for the pilot model.

He's right, just use Magos to add an attachment point to the mounted area and that should work well, and he wont have a horse tied to his leg (I tried that when i wanted mounted units, he had horse shoes -_-)

Make your vehicles have protected cockpits so you can't see the pilot?

Alternatively, make a custom "sitting" version of each pilot (should be fairly easy to do, take each pilot model, remove all animations, then twist him into a correct position; should take fairly little filesize) and a corresponding attachment point on all vehicles (each vehicle should require the pilot to be in the same position, else you'll need multiple sitting versions of each pilot).

And all this is then possible by triggers? The problem for me is i'm not a modeler, but I just wanted to know the easiest way to do this when the time comes.

Are most experienced modelers able to do this easy?

Custom Mount/Dismount might help. Add an special effect that shows the pilot unit.

Anyone is able to do this easy. I came up with this in Mago's in 15 minutes: A footman driving home after work on a scooter.

Oh okay, that basically is all I needed to know. Without any vehicle models or any heroes yet I can't really do it yet but its good to know I don't have to change the plans I have already set. Thanks alot, hopefully I can have it ready to be implemented with this vehicle system within a month or so. Problem with the way I make maps is slow, I just finished the last bugs on just the arrow key movement system, it works perfect now but the bugs took me about a week or so to solve.

there are some units that have both the vehicle model seperate. Like the knight. There is the model of the knight and the model of the knight's horse (riderless).. Now i haven't seen a knight model without his mount but many other models look like the knight so the difference will be small