Galaxy Map Editor

The Galaxy Map Editor is the upcoming map editor for StarCraft II. It will be available in the StarCraft II beta but not from the beginning.

The StarCraft II Map Editor will improve upon the World Editor from Warcraft III in every way.

Startools, a proprietary toolset, will be included along with Galaxy. Startools lets modders design and create doodads.

Features
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Files

 * All unit abilities will be data driven, enabling great freedom when designing unit abilities.


 * Every game database file is exposed for modification. The trigger editor features the ability to define custom functions and libraries.


 * Galaxy maps are capable of holding thousands of triggers, locations and doodads. It will make all the triggers in the program available to mapmakers.


 * Map "locking" will be enabled, which ensures that no one will lose credit for creating a map.

Graphics

 * Climate graphical effects will be available in the map editor.


 * The map editor will support text color.


 * Lightning effects can be adjusted.

Terrain

 * A number of tilesets will be available, such as wasteland (Mar Sara), volcanic (Char), twilight (Shakuras), space platforms, jungle and desert. A few new ones will also be available, such as a new Shattered City tileset.


 * Terrain can be mixed and matched; you can define your own tileset in the editor. The terrain textures can be blended, so that a jungle can smoothly transition into a desert. Doodads such as traps can be freely added to any tileset. Maximum map size will be fixed at 256 x 256 and sizes of 32 to 256 are available. Map size can be artificially restricted by controlling the camera, preventing units from entering "off-screen" terrain or building there.


 * Water (and lava) levels are adjustable.

Units

 * Unit coloring and neutral units will be supported in the editor.


 * Many of the units  and abilities that may not end up in the final version of the game, will still be accessible by modders.


 * Some single-player-only units will be in the map editor. The tauren marine will be in the map editor.


 * Units can be "attached" to other units, and units can even be used as special attacks (for instance, modifying spore crawlers to launch banelings as an anti-ground attack).


 * Heroes can carry items in StarCraft II UMS maps through the use of a toggle, and can carry more items than heroes in World of Warcraft.


 * Blizzard will try to ensure that heroes and units can also gain experience in Galaxy, although this ability will likely not be available in the campaign or standard multiplayer games. This will enable map styles such as Defense of the Ancients to be reproduced in StarCraft II.


 * Map makers can define any number of custom attributes for a hero, based on their level. However, the UI can only display three attributes.


 * The footprint of structures can be adjusted to whatever the editor desires (such as "square" buildings).

UI

 * The UI can be customized, but it is not a user-friendly process. The files are externalized, and while they can be edited, there will not be support for that.


 * The map editor is being designed to handle third-person shooting maps. This has not been confirmed to be in the final product.


 * Blizzard was able to design an old-fashioned "Lost Vikings" top-scrolling space shooter game within the editor.


 * The map editor can create new HUDs, quest interfaces and dialogue. It even supports "mouselook", so moving the mouse influences the player's view.

Miscellaneous

 * Upgrades can be extended arbitrarily, and can be modified using triggers.


 * Custom races are supported, even with melee maps.


 * There will be support for one more resource.


 * The AI will be script-driven and completely exposed. It will attempt to analyze data and see what the player is doing without "cheating", instead scouting.


 * The entire zerg reveal trailer was made in the level editor, including the Blizzard logo.


 * "Wrap-around" maps can be made, so that units that walk off one edge will appear on the other side. However, they cannot exchange shots.


 * Story Mode Space is all done in the map. Heroes from Story Mode can appear in-game, and in-game units such as the Thor can appear in Story Mode.


 * Information can be stored in "banks", such as characters, which can be moved from map to maps and games.

Galaxy Language
The editor features a proprietary scripting language called Galaxy based on C, but users will also have access to the more user friendly Trigger Editor which will allow beginner and intermediate map designers to make advanced maps without having to learn the scripting language.

Galaxy will not be object-oriented, but most of the functionality is based on modifying game objects.

Triggers will be able to "communicate" with each other. The editor supports custom function definitions; for instance, a map maker can create their own actions built up from actions (or custom script code) and use them in triggers.

Galaxy features a "garbage collection" system which will prevent memory leaks.