I have started replaying Starcraft Remastered for the second time in 3 years, and I actually want to play a proper version of the hidden mission Biting the Bullet (and the other hidden mission Operation: Silent Scream).
As far as I know it takes effort to extract these hidden levels from the main program, so I decided to play them as custom missions with downloading files from the internet.
There are several problems though:
First, there are at least two different versions of the map found on the net. One that is found on sc.nibbits dot com is a pretty basic one with Duke and Raynor as rescuable, but you got only a few SCVs and the vespene field is very far away. Also this version is random on colours.
The other is a version from staredit dot net looks to have a more complete starting field, more units and structures, more resources, and proper red+white starting colours, but white (or green in the editor) looks like an active terran next to you you can’t capture. They are labelled as “computer” in the editor. Without capturing the white they are just filling the space, and doesn’t make sense.
The other problem is that the map said to have some bugs with the triggers and Tassadar’s part is broken. I’m not sure if these were fixed in the versions above or how to diy fix it. I honestly want a complete experience, and do my best to edit the map manually. I definitely want to edit the staredit version though.
It was to my understanding from the staredit version’s decription that the map is intended for co-op that uses a friendly A.I. that shares the same base as yours. When I edited the map, I was able to change this by going to “Scenario >> Map Properties” and switching Player 7’s “Computer” state into a “Rescueable” one(you can change it’s color there also by switching “Green” out with “White”).
I wasn’t however able to find a bug with any of the triggers when I played through the map both normally and with cheats on(Idk the mapmakers’ intended purposes or whatever or not I got lucky). It’s possible that this version might’ve had them removed.
Hi! Thanks for the tip, I tried it. However the trigger is buggy. I destroyed the hive, and suddenly the screen was locked into Duke, but no speech came, no Protoss, and many zerg forces suddenly attacked me and probably they killed one of my heroes, because the fail message appeared.
It also looks like a hacked version, and I don’t really care for hacked version. Was the original is the level with the 4 SCVs and the 2 heroes only? Then, why can’t they get their respective colour in the game?
Also, the map is much harder than the likes of Trump card, so it might be unfinished.
Hmm… I’m not sure what happened with the trigger, but I’ll try to play it again to attempt to see what happened. However iirc, the version with the two Command Centers was an edited verison and the original was the one with the 4 SCVs and 2 Heroes(the original might also have a bug with the triggers).
I’m not sure what you mean by the factions not having their proper colors. If you’re asking why they were never added in then my guess would be because it was never meant to be that way because the map was never added in the official campaign. If you mean why they can’t be changed to have their colors in the game, I think it’s because the map was only able to be edited on the orignal StarEdit map editor(vers. 1.00) at the time that it was found and there wasn’t an easy way to download it(I’m not sure if there’s another editor now that can change it or if the original StarEdit has an easier download now). If you can get an editor that can open the map, you can try changing the factions to their proper colors with “Map Properties” and going to “Scenario >> Forces” and unchecking the boxes that say “Randomize Start Location”, but I’m not entirely sure that this will work.
I agree on the hand though that this map was pretty hard compared to some of the stuff later in the game(the Ultralisks and surprise attack were a tough challenge to deal with).
Kk, I just looked at the map again and saw that the triggers were set to play the Raynor and Duke transmission twice(once while Duke is in siege mode and again while in tank mode).
I don’t know the mapmaker’s intended purpose for this was or if it was the cause of the bug, but you can try to get the transmission to play just once by going to “Triggers >> Classic Map Triggers >> Force 1” and deleting 1 of the Raynor/Duke transmisson triggers and then deleting the “Switch 9 is Set/Cleared” Condition on the other one.
Yeah, with my absolutely noobish editor skills, I think the problem was caused by the siege mode, tank mode difference. I think the two switch 9 triggers can be deleted too. Why was it necessary when there is a command that player is defeated when Duke is killed?
EDIT:
Since I can’t double-post, here is an edit of my verdict:
Now, I decided to fix this map for personal use, removed the double trigger, all the switch 9 triggers and commands, added some resources (300+300), and extra vespene geyser with default 5000 value, 4 marines, a firebat, 2 missile turrets and a barracks.
While this mission could have been totally awesome, it’s still flawed. I think there are some unexpected zerg ambushes you are not supposed to prepare for, ultralisks are at full force, and while the protoss fleet was awesome, it couldn’t handle the zerg forces without massive help, and strenous play. It’s a mission which has a difficulty of Hammer Falls (probably worse with the all over the place guardians, ultras), not something like The Trump Card.
So overall, this still needs rework to properly fit in the campaign.
I’m not sure about Silent Scream. Is that buggy as well? AFAIK it’s a commando mission, which is nice, but the psi emitter had been already used earlier, so I’m not sure if it fits in the chronological order.
I agree with the difficulty being kinda spiked on this mission(imo the Zerg ambushes could’ve given a countdown timer as well as a map ping after the Hive was destroyed to let the player to be able to prepare for them properly).
Afaik Silent Scream has no bugs(aside from 1 version of the map having Mengsk’s portait as a Battlecruiser at the ending transmission), but iirc the Psi Emitters were orignally suppose to be activated in this mission as oppose to The Big Push one if it had actually been included(hence the “Silent Scream”).
I’ve downloaded a ModDB version of the maps, and the Silent Scream mission was perfect, and honestly it’s a grand shame it didn’t make into the final game because it plays very differently than any other levels including the installation missions. I like Big Push as well, it’s “harder” than Silent Scream, but not by that much (they are both pretty easy). Removing the final conversation in one of them (maybe in Big Push) would make sense for canonic timeline, but the mission is a great fit in the episode.
As for Biting the Bullet, I don’t know, but maybe the zerg ambush should stop after the protoss arrival, also guardians and ultras should be removed, because they have no business in the game at this point. I don’t know how to fix it, help is appreciated.
Unfortunatly, I don’t think there is a way to remove the Guardians and Ultralisks with just the base editor. Afaik, these units are written into the A.I. script that the Computer uses to function and the only way to change it is by using mods or tools which would then alter how the game is runned(could use another person to explain this more accurately).
Edit: Found a link to a thread that might help(I haven’t tried this myself yet). Hope that this is what you’re looking for.
Kk, I’m not sure if my pc is able to get the method in the thread to work, but I was able to remove the Ultralisks and Guardians in the map by using some triggers in the editor(although I’m not sure how this will effect the A.I. in the long run). You can try removing the units by going to “Triggers >> Classic Map Triggers >> New” and writing the triggers:
Players:
Player 1
Conditions:
Foes commands at least 1 Ultralisk/Gaurdian
Actions:
Remove all Ultralisk/Gaurdian for Foes
Preserve trigger
(Remember to have the Ultralisk and Gaurdian written in individual triggers).
I think the map is clearly broken and unfinished, despite the fantastic conversation between Tassadar and Raynor in the middle.
Maybe the guardians and ultralisks can be removed one by one instead of writing exception triggers which already enhance the map’s broken-ness.
I think the map should have worked well if the protoss fleet were able to wipe out both bases and honestly, it should have been controlled by the computer to not expose these units this early.
Yeah, it seems the map might’ve not been completed due to how some mechanics and systems work even though I think it would’ve fit perfectly in the story regardless.
From what I’ve heard, some of the main campaign A.I. scripts need certain units to be on the map when it starts running in order for the A.I. to function correctly otherwise the A.I. could break and stop working(not to mention that the A.I. might also continuously try to build them anyways even when they’re not there if their script calls for them to be used).