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Pav3d's ZH skinning Tutorial


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#1 Pav:3d

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 14:48

Welcome, in this tutorial Ill be showing you some basic skinning tips. This will not cover unwrapping, you can find out about that on my unwrapping for beginners tutorial. You must remember that it is quite difficult to give a step by step, as its just down to what you think suits what and where depending on the model, its something you will try and try again. Your first skins will look like crap there is no doubt about it, you just have to keep trying. LOOK and study other skins to see what they have done and apply their techniques to yours and eventually you should have a good grasp as to what goes where. If any links become broken please let me know and Ill do my best to fix them. You will need: 3ds max or Renx/Gmax - But I would strongly suggest getting 3ds max, you can get a demo version of 3ds max 8 from here Photoshop - This tutorial will assume you are using photoshop, other image creation programs are not covered, but I guess you can still take away some tips from it. W3D Preview or just render in 3ds max - Or anything to preview your skinning, when I started I previewed after every damned edit before I knew what I was doing. You can download the renegade tools which come with w3d viewer from here Always save your skin in .tga in the same folder that your w3d model or .max file is, otherwise it will not show up For this tutorial I shall be using my SkyKnight model. If you have unwrapped your model and have it all set up and just want some skinning tips skip to Step 3 Step 1 Okay first some overlap with 3ds, as this is not covered in screaming crickets tutorial and its an insanely useful thing to use: After you have unwrapped your model in the unwrap window go to tools-> render UV template -> select hight and width to 256x256 or 512x512 or 1024x1024. Posted Image Usually ZH unit models use 256x256 size texture for low detail unit skins, 512x512 for high detail unit skins and 1024x1024 for extra high detailed skins or just buildings. 512x512 is what Id recommend as it gives you plenty of room. Select "Render UV Template" and then select Save (the little floppy disc icon) and save it as .PNG to somewhere you can find it easily. Posted Image Then attach a blank .tga file which is at the size you rendered your template at to your model and export to .w3d (or if you are using 3ds to preview your skin then dont bother exporting) Step 2 Okay thats it for 3ds max onward to actual skinning! Firstly you will need a nice base texture, you can learn how to do that in Bobs skinning tutorial On top of your base texture u will need your template, coz you will need to know exactly where to skin onto. You can do this by zooming out to 10% and dragging your template onto the .tga so it will come up in exactly the right spot Posted Image You are now ready to start skinning, You should have something along the lines of this sitting infront of you now: Posted Image Step 3 So where do you start? Just pick a place and apply these tips. Dodge/Burn This is without a doubt THE most important tool set to use when skinning. Take note of where it is coz you will not stop using it So youve got this rather boring skin infront of you, just plain blank, in order to bring areas up and exagratte them use dodge and burn Posted Image Usually I use dodging for any raised areas, and burning for any lower/darker areas and to create "flow" between different sections Posted Image Also it is wise to dodge onto edges as it will create a smooth joint on sides and ease up on the overall blocky look of the model Benevel/Embossing A fundamental tip to use in ZH skinning, can be used to add loads of detail, u will be suprised just how much its used in other skins. Try it out by making a simple square -> right click the layer-> blending options-> benevel and emboss with these settings: Posted Image and there you have it, a sheet of armour plating or whatever. Try it with just a single pixel with a pencil tool but the emboss set to outer instead and there you have a screw. Do it with a circle instead and you have a hatch. You'll see its used in all ZH skins. Remeber to set the layer FILL (not opacity) to 0% so it will blend with ur base texture. Splatter Burning/Dodging So you want a gritty looking tank, but tanks are not just plain grey or plain green, they need some texture! This can be done like so: Select the Burn tool -> Select a splatter brush or scratches brush or some sort of texture brush, Im use a set of scratches brushes I found eons ago. Here is a set you can try out. And just apply it all over the texture, but not too sparingly and not too much. Again this is something you will need to try and try again to see what suits you. This is just a rough example, but with some splatter dodging thrown in Fading, Damaging Logos/Details These tanks/units/buildings are not from a museum, they are dirty and in a war so logos and paint will get faded and damaged. This simple effect can be achieved very easily Using your scratches brushes or any other texture brushes just start deleting some of the layer so you get sth like this: Posted Image Posted Image Windows Windows and glass in general is quite hard to get right, it relys on a heavy amount of use from the dodge/burn deparetment. Im just going for a basic black/white window here First fill and area with grey. Then start to darken the bottom and most of the middle, while lighten the top and edges. This takes alot of practise Posted Image You can add some depth to your window by simply benevel and embossing the edges Posted Image Lines An obvious tip you might say but you will alwys need lines to represent different sections and split areas up and generally give it a more solid look. Select the line tool and outline an area, sure it wont look like much but when go to, thats right, benevel and motherfucking emboss it will look sunken in and like a gap between two parts. Posted Image Posted Image Try playing around with the embossed lines and you can make handrails, ladders, door handles etc. Sharpening In order to make your skin look more crisp and to show up details more, when u have finished just use this simple tip Open up your .tga (not your .psd) and go to Filter -> Sharpen -> Sharpen. Moving Treads You will need RenX OR change the material type in 3ds to .w3d (which is done by pressing "M" to bring up the materials menu -> "Material" from the toolbar -> "Change Material/Map Type" -> "W3D") Contrary to popular belief the treads in-game dont just move due to naming the tread meshes "TREADS01" or w/e, the actual material needs to be me messed with. You can find out all about that in this tutorial. Remember to follow the UV tiling part at the bottom, its very important! You will need to EITHER make your own tread texture (I recommend about 64x64px in size) OR you can just go ahead and use the NVTREADS.dds texture located inside the generals .bigs (every treaded unit in Zero Hour uses this texture On massively important thing they leave out is that which is left and right, it is always in correspondance to the tank facing you and your left and right, as shown here: Posted Image If theyre double tracked (Overlord style) Then its TREADSL02 and TREADSR02 on the rear ones So thats it, just practise practise. Hopefully your skins will turn out better than this ugly thing but Im not going to spend 3-4 hours making a new skin I aint gunna use style_emoticons/default/tounge.gif This is purely to show tips being applied. If I think of any other tips then Ill add them to it.

Edited by Pav:3d, 28 October 2011 - 14:33.


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#2 BeefJeRKy

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 20:35

Wow this seems like quite the comprehensive tutorial! Hopefully it can usher in more skinners as they seem to be in low supply.
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#3 CJ

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 20:43

I love this tutorial ! It's so clear, and it completes Screaming Cricket's one perfectly =)
Thanks a lot, this is going to be useful for me :D

View PostChyros, on 11 November 2013 - 18:21, said:

I bet I could program an internet


#4 Dutchygamer

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Posted 09 May 2009 - 10:11

Good one Pav3d! This will surely be helpful :D
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#5 Dauth

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Posted 09 May 2009 - 10:23

Excellent tutorial Pav3d.

#6 Wi-Ta

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Posted 09 May 2009 - 10:53

Excellent just Excellent

#7 Mbob61

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Posted 09 May 2009 - 12:47

Nice tutorial :D
Should help a lot of people out..

Mike
Thanks to Pav3d for the awesome sigs
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#8 Pav:3d

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Posted 09 May 2009 - 21:34

Im glad you guys like it :/ Im thinking of making a tutorial with common problems that skinners face (IE: Alpha channels, Moving treads, and other little bits) if there are any you would like to see answered just let me knw

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#9 Nem

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Posted 13 May 2009 - 05:46

I would like to Officially Welcome you to Club Productive.. Mr. Productive.
One Gripe with the tutorial, anything above 512 cannot be used in Generals, this is because they get oddly sharp and distorted. If you really need the extra res use two separate 512 textures.

#10 Dutchygamer

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Posted 13 May 2009 - 09:45

View PostPav3d, on 9 May 2009, 22:34, said:

Im glad you guys like it :P Im thinking of making a tutorial with common problems that skinners face (IE: Alpha channels, Moving treads, and other little bits) if there are any you would like to see answered just let me knw

Please, do make a moving threads one. I still dunno how those buggers work.
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#11 Pav:3d

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Posted 13 May 2009 - 12:07

View PostNem, on 13 May 2009, 6:46, said:

I would like to Officially Welcome you to Club Productive.. Mr. Productive.
One Gripe with the tutorial, anything above 512 cannot be used in Generals, this is because they get oddly sharp and distorted. If you really need the extra res use two separate 512 textures.


Thank you, production in the club will begin... immediatley. :P
Ooh okay, comes up fine in .W3D viewer, odd.

@Dutchygamer:
Ive added a section on tread movement :P

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#12 Dutchygamer

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Posted 13 May 2009 - 13:16

I thank you very much Pav3d :P
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#13 Dr. Knickers

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Posted 13 May 2009 - 13:39

Wow, I was never aware of the render UV tool; I always used Texporter. So we all learned something new then :P
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#14 Pav:3d

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Posted 13 May 2009 - 19:11

Yeah! I was print screening like an idiot until I stumbled across it :P

No probs dutchy 8|

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#15 Stalker

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Posted 26 July 2009 - 08:14

Nice tutorial, I hope I'll make some decent skins now :-)

Sorry for necro, but I have a question:


View PostPav3d, on 8 May 2009, 16:48, said:

Firstly you will need a nice base texture, you can learn how to do that in Bobs skinning tutorial


The link is dead, does anyone have this tutorial?

View PostPav3d, on 8 May 2009, 16:48, said:

Moving Treads

You will need RenX for this since AFAIK its not possible in 3ds max (and if it is its still 100 times easier to do in RenX Im sure)


This does work in 3ds just the same as in RenX.
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#16 JJ

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Posted 26 July 2009 - 08:21

View PostStalker, on 26 Jul 2009, 16:14, said:

View PostPav3d, on 8 May 2009, 16:48, said:

Firstly you will need a nice base texture, you can learn how to do that in Bobs skinning tutorial


The link is dead, does anyone have this tutorial?

Here. FS changed its domain name remember? So most dead links are actually still around.


View PostStalker, on 26 Jul 2009, 16:14, said:

View PostPav3d, on 8 May 2009, 16:48, said:

Moving Treads

You will need RenX for this since AFAIK its not possible in 3ds max (and if it is its still 100 times easier to do in RenX Im sure)


This does work in 3ds just the same as in RenX.

Indeed, works in the same manner.

#17 Pav:3d

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Posted 26 July 2009 - 13:35

Thanks, link is fixed and how do you do it in 3ds?

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#18 Stalker

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Posted 26 July 2009 - 14:37

Thanks for the link.

Well it works axactly the same. In material editor in the Vertex Material tab select "Linear Offset" in the 'Stage 0 Mapping' box
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#19 Zeke

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Posted 26 July 2009 - 14:40

View PostPav3d, on 26 Jul 2009, 21:35, said:

Thanks, link is fixed and how do you do it in 3ds?


exactly the same as with RenX??

#20 Gen.Kenobi

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Posted 31 July 2009 - 15:32

I don't install...i'm trying to install 3ds max 8...but without any sucess...

It says: "Please wait while the installer determines your disk spaces requirement" and don't move...any ideas?
"The entire ocean. The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is... what Tidal Wars really is... is freedom."
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kudos to Pasidon for this awesome avvy and siggy!

#21 Pav:3d

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Posted 31 July 2009 - 15:42

Are you sure u have any space left? :P Sometimes it takes a while for 3ds to install.

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#22 Gen.Kenobi

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Posted 31 July 2009 - 16:31

Well, if 329 GB aren't enought....
"The entire ocean. The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is... what Tidal Wars really is... is freedom."
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kudos to Pasidon for this awesome avvy and siggy!

#23 CJ

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Posted 31 July 2009 - 18:15

What a shame, you just need 333GB :likey:

Seriously, 3ds Max 2009 took me about 1h30 to install, and it was stuck at the disk space thingie also, so I think you should leave it more time, or maybe it's your installation file corrupt :P

View PostChyros, on 11 November 2013 - 18:21, said:

I bet I could program an internet


#24 Gen.Kenobi

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Posted 31 July 2009 - 18:24

Ok i'll leave it on the entire day/night if necessary!
"The entire ocean. The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is... what Tidal Wars really is... is freedom."
Posted Image

kudos to Pasidon for this awesome avvy and siggy!

#25 Madin

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Posted 02 August 2009 - 14:19

Very good tutorial thanks!



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