(btw total copy pasteing this ^_^)


What does this "Theme Manager" do?
The Theme Manager allows you using different terrainsets in DotA without using a different map. This works by replacing the textures/models in your MPQs - WC3's Data files - itself. It will not only change DotA's Terrain (where it has no glitches), but also other maps. In other maps, it will look quite bad, so this is more useful for DotA.
While it strongly changes the appearance of the map, it does not change anything of the gameplay - the changes are of PURE visual nature and the process is easily reversible.

The Theme Manager is completely compatible with every platform/hosting program (b.net/GGC/DC/LC/Hamachi/...).
Most of this discussion is old ("Beachpack" and belongs to versions where it was not compatible and worked in other ways.
The "real" discussion begins somewhere at page 11.

What's in?
Beach Theme:
-Beachterrain everywhere
-"Pandaren" UI for both sides
Hell Theme:
-"Hell"-terrain everywhere
-"Demon" UI for both sides

How to use it?
Of course, DotA is Icefrog´s map, and I would not do something like this without his explicit permission....
Ice gave me specific permission to do that as long as it is done in conjuction with the beta team and is beta tested and screened by IceFrog and his Betatesters.

Beachpack in action - in "End Game"!

Have fun!
Infrisios

Spoiler - what will come in the future
As the preview screenshots show, the long awaited Snow Theme is close to being finished.

After that, I have a bunch of different basic ideas:
Themes:
-Barrens - that's what should come after snowpack.
-City Park - no idea how it could look like, due to the weird models of scourge trees, I might break that plan
-Dungeon - dunno, this could be a very dark version of the snow theme or something...I will again have a problem with trees... Sad
Others - these are purely hypothetic
Special functions in the GUI (again, only basic ideas):
-custom user interfaces for each race (with checkboxes or something you can select the Interfaces you'd like)
-custom models, again with checkboxes
-special icons (or do you like the Song of the Siren icon?)

DL-links, FAQ, Credits, Changelog, Screenshots, sig etc

Downloads: *.rar - you can only unpack these when you have winrar, but they are much smaller.
DL 1 - Megaupload
DL 2 - Rapidshare
DL 3 - Sendspace

Downloads: *.zip - bigger, but everyone can unpack them
DL 1 - Rapidshare

If any of these links is broken and you recognise it, please inform me. I will fix the problem asap, then.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
(or rather: questions ppl keep asking even though they are answered)
Q:Can this be made as a command like -ts?
A: No, because the cliffs can not be changed ingame.

Q: How does this pack work?
A: It replaces the textures of terrain and trees in the MPQ.

Q: Can you add a theme-fitting minimap?
A: After trying this in several different ways, I came to the conclusion that it is not possible to do that at all.


Credits go to:
-Infrisios, idea and developement
-Yak, for HUGE support. Wouldn´t have worked at all without him. He also made the blight texture for the Beach Theme
-laku_0o for the GUI
-4nTr4xX for sending me the english War3Patch.mpq (not important anymore with the Theme Manager)
-ereskigal, murdoc_rocks, Revil0, the ones above (stability tests)
-Unwirklich, for the Panda (Beach) and Demon (Hell) UIs (User Interfaces)
-Betatesters for supporting it and kinda reviving the idea of a custom DotA

Want to sig the Theme Manager?
Just use this as your signature:
I am happy about everyone sigging this to help me spread the information around. Thanks in advance!
Code:

Maybe I will create a better sig, but you can use this for the start.

Edits:
-Added Demon UI Preview Screenshot
-Update - solved the multiplayer bug. The beachpack works in a totally different way now.
-Added English version
-Added UI-Only version
-Added Hell Theme Alpha Preview Screenshots
-Added GUI with Hell Theme Beta. Works in the same way, but is made differently. Does not need specific language versions anymore Wink
-Added Snow Theme Beta preview screenshots [photobucket only]

Ropey<3