Battle.net

With Patch 1.4.0, modders can now use actor cheats to create and manipulate actors on the fly while running a test map from the editor. This is useful for quickly testing ideas without having to set up data or execute triggers.

The cheats can also be used to modify and inspect almost any actor while a test map is running, which can be useful for debugging run time actor issues.

The cheats can be used to send several newly-enabled dump messages, such as AnimDumpDB, AttachDump, HostedPropDump, RefDump and TextureDump. These messages enable modders to inspect some internal aspects of certain actors while the game is running, which can be helpful as an additional debugging aid.

How do I use these dump messages and where do I even type it out?

hmmmm.... interesting. I have not yet heard about this. post back here if you find out what it's all about?

I don't really understand the information in this link introducing Actor Cheats. Could you try to simplify it for me?

Here's The Link (SEA): http://sea.battle.net/sc2/en/game/maps-and-mods/tutorials/actor/

If you're not SEA:

1. Go to battle.net and click on Starcraft II.

2. Click on the tab 'Game Guide'.

3. Scroll down and find 'Maps and Mods' and click on it.

4. Click on 'Actor Cheats'.

Thanks

Lets put it this way. If you do not already know your way around the data editor then this article will not be of use to you. I barely know how to use the data editor enough to have an idea about what the article is saying.

If you are interested in creating basic custom units then there is a good tutorial on the map making tutorial page http://sea.battle.net/sc2/en/game/maps-and-mods/tutorials/data/ This should be enough to get started creating a custom unit.

The actor cheats will only be useful if you are creating even more complex custom units, otherwise you can safely ignore them.

Basically they are an easier way to test out actors while in game.

Actors are a part of the data editor which are used to create animations, play sounds, create effects etc.

Take for example the roach attack. The roach has an actor which links its animations, models, unit stats etcetc. When it performs an attack it creates another actor which links the animation of the attack (the green slime it spits out), it creates the sound of the attack and performs the damage on the target of the attack.

These actor cheats provide an easier way to experiment and debug actors if you are creating custom attack animations, custom units etcetc. For example testing out the roach attack without having to build a roach first.

create a new map, click the "test" button and type this into chat

ActorCreateAtCursor Model Drone

It will create a model of a drone at the location of the cursor in game.


EDIT:
I haven't created many complex custom units or animations. I believe mGGThoth actually knows what he is talking about when it comes to the data editor. He would probably know more