First of all I'd like to say that I'm a very inexperienced map maker and I don't know much about triggering. So anyway, I've been wanting to create a starcraft map for about 4 years now but I've always lacked the knowledge on how to do triggers but more importantly how to actually finish one from creating the terrain to putting the final touches on the map. Do I create everything in sequence? Do I complete certain "systems" before moving onto storyline or actual game play?

Recently I've been browsing the map showcase forum looking for unlocked maps that I could look at to try and help me with my map making issues, but when I looked at the triggers all I saw was what looked to me like a bunch of gibberish. For example, I opened up JaBoK's demo for his game Aerius Dei. What confused me most was all the sets of triggers that included things like "switch x is set, switch x is set, switch x is set, modify death count for player x..." Everything I clicked on had some variation of switches being set/cleared/whatever and/or death counters being modified but I could never actually find a point to all that. Is doing that kind of stuff necessary if you want to have a working, bug free map? Wouldn't it be easier to just get to the point when creating trigger systems, etc? Could someone please explain this to me.

Ya I feel ya. I recently re-installed SC and have been re-living my high school years, lawl
I have used the original StarEdit in the past, but mostly for making melee maps.
Just today I started working on triggers, although nothing advanced like some on these forums, but some basic stuff that's leading me into some cool stuff.
From doing 3d level design and then coming way back into SC mapping it's a whole new ballgame.
What I'm working on now is pretty basic, but still giving me trouble.
4 comps Vs Human, with a computer player in the middle that blocks anyone from rushing, after a certain time 20mins etc, it blows up.
But I also added some simple triggers with sounds, to let you know how much time you have left etc.

My advice is that StarEdit is not that advanced, it has few menus and you should NOT get to lost in it.
Although triggers are a different story, just start out slow, stick to what your doing and read tutorials and post here man, GL HF!

Switches and death counters are basically just a way to use variables in organizing and linking your triggers. Even though some people do use them more often than they should and waste time on it, most of the time it would be a heck of a lot more work or even impossible to create trigger systems without using variables of some sort (which is usually either deaths because it works out so great or switches because you can randomize them). You could have a working, bug-free map without using death counters, switches, or any other type of variable, but you would just be far more limited in what you could do.

For example... without using variables (death counters), you would have to have all of the pre-reqs for a trigger all be able to fit into those Conditions for that trigger, which is limited to being owned by 1 player. With death counters, you can have all different types of conditions add or subtract a certain amount to a death counter, resulting in an action based on all these other conditions. Another example would be that with hyper triggers, you are limited to only running one Wait action at a time; people use death counters by adding 1 every trigger cycle so they can utilize multiple waits at the same time. There really are lots more uses for death counters or switches, but just take my word for it that it's definitely necessary to use variables when creating more complex trigger systems

Awesome thanks for the replies. I wasn't interested in making a super complex map or anything, just want to be able to complete a simple one, but although you clarified the issue of variables you didn't mention anything about how to finish a map (in sequence or in different chunks). Any insight?

What kind of map do you want to make?
A top vs bottom map would be simple enough, heck just make it 1 computer against you.
Put a start location for both of you, some resources, then build what you want for a map around it.
Some bottle necks, paths, ramps etc. Use some doodads, make more resources else where to expand on.

Fritfrat about death counters.
I was working with something like it I guess, just now.

All players Kill so Many Men
Receive this unit etc.

I tried it with Ore and I Preserve Trigger, but my Ore then kept growing.

I was trying to make a Marine Mass Attack Map.
Which for just learning triggers I have gotten most of it to work on a basic level.

Although the problem is, I have the Enginering Bay for Armor and Weapon.
But then I also need the Science Facility. Can't I use use the E-Bay and have it upgrade?

I can only Upgrade to 3 armor/weapon and then that's it? I've played maps with way more ups.
Been trying a bunch of different things with no luck.
Also keeping each upgrade just at 10 ore is tricky also,
Keeps wanting to go up and up in value.

I've messed around in all the Scenario Options with no luck.

Maybe 'cause I'm using the original StarEdit and not a newer Editor? I don't have BW expansion...

Sorry. I'm interested in making a small rpg map.

Crappy it's obvious that you are just starting to learn about this stuff. It's fairly simple, but you still need a helping hand to get you started. PM me, or add me on MSN, I'll find the time to help you and kind of get you started on everything.

A lot of people use switches for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. I find maps like this all the time where they aren't even storing any data, they just throw a bunch of switches together randomly.

The key to finishing a map is to not get bored with it. All to often good concepts are lost to monotonous triggering (you'll know what I mean once you get into it more). I, personally, make everything in a map in the order one would reach it if they were to play the map, i.e. if I were to make an RPG, I would start with the area the player starts in for terrain, unit placement, and locations, and for triggers, I would start with the first spells the player gets. My MSN is thenumber1ninja@hotmail.com, by the way. Send me a message if you have more questions, but please be more specific.
First of all, you'll need a better editor to go into this kind of thing. You really can't do anything about any of those problems (except the upgrade cost, I think you just need to put 8723 into the factor field, the map editor interprets it as 0, but I might be thinking of the wrong number). For once you get a better editor (I'm familiar with SCMDraft II): Yes, the Science Facility is required for the higher upgrades, but you can just disable all of the upgrades that the Science Facility has in the upgrade settings. You can also change the maximum number of upgrades to up to 255 in the upgrade settings. Sorry, the Broodwar editor won't help.

SCMDraft for the beginner? I think X-Tra editor would be a lot better since it has the same looks as the normal StarEdit does. I would start with that. Any map really now-a-days should be using some type of advanced editor but with you being a beginner, I would google StarCraft X-tra Editor and download it. You will find that it looks nothing different to what your used to BUT has a lot more things that it allows you to do. I would save SCMDraft for later times.

for what reason? If he is planning on making advanced maps at any time in the future, would he not be better off in the long run by going straight to scmd?

Why not let HIM decide? IMO ScmD is easy because I look around and try to find out what all these menus are for.
But I've seen other ppl telling me that X-tra is better because ScmD can't stack... O.o
This is completely wrong, but it shows that different ppl have different "understanding skill".

So my suggestion is: First try ScmD. If your overwhelmed, go back to X-tra. If not - perfect.

Well I have used them both in the past, very little. I know I had a copy or a non-legit copy of bw. I currently have SCMDraft and X-tra editor exes on my computer right now. X-tra is nice, I would like to do the whole 12 player mode.
Just a month ago I re-installed SC. I got a good friend back into it again, its a blast! We just went looking for a copy of the original SC. But places like GameStop etc only carry the SC Battle Chest. He has 2 twin boys that are loving it.
But the boys mentioned it would be cool to already have an army in place to command and goto battle with.
So that's why I decided to goof around with the editor some more. Cause when I 1st started sc mapping there was only StarEdit.
But using the newer editors x-tra / scmdraft, its not that complex getting around in them etc. It's triggering that is a whole new ballgame.
Anyways I'm blabbing, thanks for help/advice Rock On!

ps - Anyone know what editor SC2 will be using, I'm sure it's going to be a 3d program of some sort.
Which I'm more used to using, I had some cool ideas for maps already for SC2 from watching the demos.