Game Variants
Game Variants are necessary settings in your map that allow it to be published. From the Game Variants, you can modify the player properties, set up teams, and even modify the lobby delay timer.
To access this window from the editor, go to "Map > Game Variants...."
In the bottom right of the window that popped up, uncheck "Use Default Variants." If you want to make a melee map, the "Default Variants" cleverly created various modes for you to choose from based on the amount of "Users" set in the "Player Properties." Since this is most likely a custom map, however, you will want to keep that unchecked.
To add a variant, simply click "Add" in the bottom right. Conversely you can delete a variant by clicking "Delete." Yes, really! Right-click the new "Untitled Variant" and choose "Default."
General
Under the "General" tab, you can set the name of your variant as well as a brief description. It seems like the description isn't actually seen anywhere in game, so writing something there is optional.
Game Type
Under the "Game Type" tab, you can categorize your map for the Battle.net map list, and you set the "mode" associated with this variant.
- "Category: Unless you are making a "Tower Defense" or "Tug of War" map, this should remain at custom.
- "Name: Here you would name the category of your map. If you are making an assault map, simply type in "Assault," or if you are making an arena map, you can put "Arena."
- "Description:" Here you would briefly describe the category you named.
- "Mode: Keep this as "Custom" (which as of patch 1.1.3 is the only available option).
- "Name: Here you would name the category of your map. If you are making an assault map, simply type in "Assault," or if you are making an arena map, you can put "Arena."
- "Description:" Here you would briefly describe the category you named.
- "Max Team Size:" This value can remain at 12. This value represents the maximum number of players on each team, but since teams are defined in the "Attributes" tab, this won't affect you much.
Attributes
Under the "Attributes" tab, you can finally modify the details regarding this variant.
(Game)
- Game Mode: This lets you set the default game mode from 3 choices: "Public," "Private," and "Automated Match Making." By default, "Public" should be set unless you're doing private testing. Generally you can leave this at (None).
- Game Speed: This lets you set the default value for the game's speed. You can also force players to play at a certain speed if you wish.
- Lobby Delay: This lets you set the timer for your lobby delay. Keep in mind that ultimately 3 seconds are added to this number for the final countdown.
- Locked Alliances: This option will force players to stick to their alliances so they cannot unally in game, based on your choice of "Yes" or "No."
- Premade Game: Unknown.
- Rules: The only option is "Default," but there may be a way to add custom rules that can be selected.
- Teams: This is where you can set the base amount of teams that will be shown in the lobby. If this is unlocked, players can add more teams than the amount you choose. Commonly people choose "Custom Teams" to build their own.
- Teams [Premade]: Creates premade teams based on the value you choose.
(Player)
- Color: This allows you to set and lock specific colors to players.
- Controller: This allows you to set the controller of each "Player."
- Difficulty: This allows you to set the AI difficulty for each "Player."
- Handicap: This allows you to set the value of the handicap of each "Player," and lock it if need be.
- Observer Type: This allows you to set the "Observer Type" of a "Player" between "Spectator" and "Referee." This doesn't have much effect on custom games unless you need one of these roles.
- Participant Role: This allows you to set the "Participant Role" of a "Player" between "Participant" and "Watcher." This doesn't have much effect on custom games unless you need one of these roles.
- Race: This allows you to set the starting race of each "Player."
- Team: These "Team" attributes let you choose which "Players" fall into which default teams. If you use a predefined setup like "2 Teams," you can only put "Players" into one of two teams. If you choose "Custom Teams," you can put "Players" onto any team you'd like with any combination of teams.
- When placing players on custom teams, you will notice a number in brackets next to the team number (for example "Team 1[1]" or "Team 2[4]"). Essentially the bracketed number refers to the specific place on that team that you want that player to be. You can put all your players from team 1 into "Team 1[1]" and they won't be in a specific order. Or you could put one of them in Team 1[4] because you really need that person in the fourth slot. As far as I can tell this is mostly for aesthetic purposes.
Warning!
Often players have issues publishing maps due to Game Variant conflicts. This is because they have set up options in the "Player Properties" as well as Game Variants. Unfortunately in order to publish your map and have Game Variants set, you can only set the player "Control" in the Player Properties. The rest has to be done through the Game Variants.