Modcraft Tutorial > Start here - 00 - Introducing and index

[Steff]

Introducing

This tutorial is still under development. If you read the first parts of the tutorial, it will really help you out.
Please give feedback if you don't understand some parts of this tutorial.

WoW modding is a challenging and wide area. For this reason, much reading will be necessary to really get into it and avoid many problems you can run into. I will try to give you every important piece of information in this tutorial series you'll need to start your modding work, as briefly as possible. Modding can be hard, but if you really want to get into it, take your time and follow guidelines. It will prevent you from making mistakes and wasting a lot of time in the future.

Please read the formatting hints below the index!

Index:

• 00 - Introducing and index - you are reading it
• 01 - Overview how WoW modding works
• 02 - Setup the tutorial material
• 03 - Setup local Trinity test server
• 04 - Your first island in Noggit
• 05 - Create first MPQ patch and get in game
• 06 - Texturing with the predefined 4 layer system
• 07 - Editing textures with alpha export/import
• 08 - Holes and impassable tools
• 09 - Water script in depth
• 10 - Add a full new map from scratch
• 11 - Add new map tiles to an existing map
• Part 12 coming soon!
• 13 - Ground effects

Text formatting

I will use the following formatting rules in the series. This will organize stuff and help make the tutorial shorter.
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Two spiky brackets at the start of a line mark a user action:
>>  Open your door and get out if the sun is shining
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A path on your hard drive will be written in a single line and formatted bold:
X:WoWModdingToolsDriveLetter
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If you should select an option from an application menu, for example that you should open the File menu
and select New, this is formatted like this.

MENU > File > New
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Technical Information is quoted:

It is dangerous to place your socks on the bed or on couch corners, because there you often find an entrance to the bad sock dimension.
Once the cloth past this border they are lost forever. That's why you always will have single socks in your cupboard. So take care where you place your stuff.

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Code block for XML, LUA or c++ code:

Code: [Select]

function WorldMapFrame_Update()
local mapFileName, textureHeight = GetMapInfo();
if ( not mapFileName ) then
if ( GetCurrentMapContinent() == WORLDMAP_COSMIC_ID ) then
mapFileName = "Cosmic";
OutlandButton:Show();
AzerothButton:Show();
else
-- Temporary Hack (Temporary meaning 2 yrs, haha)
mapFileName = "World";
OutlandButton:Hide();
AzerothButton:Hide();
end

Taken from original Blizzard file. Read the comment ;)

And now lets start the tutorial!

Next > 01 - Overview how WoW modding works