11 replies to this topic

[Jordan]

I'm finally figuring out how to mod this game, but the 3d aspect is coming slowly to me. With all these new changes, I can't get much of this to work correctly.

But, I got the 3d model in-game, which is a good start. I'm using my personal modified version of the China Overlord tank since it had rounder barrels:



And this is where I could use some help. I'm having quite a few issues. The muzzle flashes aren't an issue though, I just have to remove those outright and the problem is solved.

Problems:
----------------
1.) Housecolor doesn't work. It just stays white. I have meshes called housecolor01, 02, etc. but that doesn't seem to work for RA3. Anyone know how to do this in RA3?

2.) Brightness - What shader am I supposed to use, because this one obviously didn't work, as you can tell from the pale white color everywhere. (Used the simple.fx shader) Or do I have to set certain settings on the texture?

3.) No Shadows. I'm clueless here. There's nothing at all.

4.) Treads don't animate properly. How do I get these to work, because they don't work like they did generals. All I got them to do was slowly spin backwards.

5.) Scale - Anyone know how to get a 3d model out of the game so I can scale it up to another tank? I don't have a W3X importer either, did they release one yet?

Sorry to bombard you with all these questions, but this is the very beginning of RA3 modding.

-Jordan

[Sgt. Rho]

In RA3, the blue channel on the specular map, or the alpha channel of the housecolor texture, if there is one useable does the housecolor.


Use the BasicW3D shader.


No idea, could be caused by the shader.


Take a look at other tanks, a tank seems to have 4 different threads, overlaying each other: Moving, Stopped, Turning Left, Turning Right. They are unhidden, or hidden, depending on whats happening.


30x30 is one build grid square.


Edit: Btw, it was that way in CnC3 already.

Edited by Sgt. Rho, 16 April 2009 - 07:43.

[Golan]

Jordan, on 16 Apr 2009, 3:33, said:

1.) Housecolor doesn't work. It just stays white. I have meshes called housecolor01, 02, etc. but that doesn't seem to work for RA3. Anyone know how to do this in RA3?

Housecolor is handled by separate texture. Depending on the type of shader you are using, it's handled as a combination of the HC-Map Alpha and Intensity (grayscale) or deduced from the blue color channel of the Specular Map. See the TW SDK Documentation for further information (was cut for RA3 SDK Docu)

Jordan, on 16 Apr 2009, 3:33, said:

2.) Brightness - What shader am I supposed to use, because this one obviously didn't work, as you can tell from the pale white color everywhere. (Used the simple.fx shader) Or do I have to set certain settings on the texture?

Tone down Emmissive Material Color.

Jordan, on 16 Apr 2009, 3:33, said:

3.) No Shadows. I'm clueless here. There's nothing at all.

Use another shader.

Jordan, on 16 Apr 2009, 3:33, said:

4.) Treads don't animate properly. How do I get these to work, because they don't work like they did generals. All I got them to do was slowly spin backwards.

What more do you want? Animating them with a fixed speed in one direction is all you can do. See the TW Sample Art Pack 1 for an example on how to setup the model so that you can switch the animated treads properly.

Jordan, on 16 Apr 2009, 3:33, said:

5.) Scale - Anyone know how to get a 3d model out of the game so I can scale it up to another tank? I don't have a W3X importer either, did they release one yet?

Use 3D Ripper DX.

[Slye_Fox]

Get the RA3 shaders here

[Jordan]

Now the housecolor and shadows are working, the tank has been scaled appropriately (I just guessed), and the brightness has been toned down a bit, but not as much as it needs to be. Maybe that will be fixed when normal and specular maps are applied. The CNC3 Mod SDK tutorials helped out a lot with this.

I'm using the basic w3d shader for the tank right now, and the infantry shader for the housecolor, though that will need to change since that shader doesn't support normal maps. The housecolor texture had a new alpha layer applied which was completely white, but it allowed the housecolor to finally work.

Also, all the voices and weapon sounds work now.



All that is left is to figure out how to fix the treads, export the damaged model, add the cameo picture, and get the radar animation to work in-game.

Oh, and I need to make a special ability to add a gattling cannon on top.

-Jordan

[Camille]

are you gonna create RA3: zh? =P

[BeefJeRKy]

ka1000., on 16 Apr 2009, 15:08, said:

are you gonna create RA3: zh? =P

There's already a ZH:RA3

[Golan]

Jordan, on 16 Apr 2009, 20:02, said:

I'm using the basic w3d shader for the tank right now, and the infantry shader for the housecolor, though that will need to change since that shader doesn't support normal maps. The housecolor texture had a new alpha layer applied which was completely white, but it allowed the housecolor to finally work.

You shouldn't use that many sepearate meshes. An average tank should have about 6 draw calls, even a very big unit should have no more than 12.

[R3ven]

thats epic jordan!

[MR.Kim]

Now, that is so cool

[Jordan]

After putting a little more work into it, I finished the bump maps and specular maps for the Overlord tank. If you look at the green holograph on the right, you can see the bump mapped texture's effects quite clearly. Everything has a bump map, even the treads. It definitely makes the tank fit in more with RA3's standards.



But the treads still don't work. I tried the CNC3 method of making them, but it didn't work. And the new shader I'm using doesn't seem to have an option to make the texture move. (objectssoviet)

I saw some code in the xml which seemed to deal with treads, but I'm not sure what kind of object they are looking for here:

				<TreadScrollingMap
					LeftTrack=&#34;Bone_Tread_Front_Left&#34;
					RightTrack=&#34;Bone_Tread_Front_Right&#34;
					SpeedMultiplier=&#34;-0.06&#34;
					TreadDriveSpeedFraction=&#34;10%&#34;/>

				<TreadScrollingMap
					LeftTrack=&#34;Bone_Tread_Back_Left&#34;
					RightTrack=&#34;Bone_Tread_Back_Right&#34;
					SpeedMultiplier=&#34;-0.06&#34;
					TreadDriveSpeedFraction=&#34;10%&#34;/>

Any help would be appreciated.

-Jordan

Edited by Jordan, 16 April 2009 - 22:01.

[Sgt. Rho]

Quote

<TreadScrollingMap
LeftTrack="Bone_Tread_Front_Left" <-Front left tread
RightTrack="Bone_Tread_Front_Right" <-Front right tread
SpeedMultiplier="-0.06"
TreadDriveSpeedFraction="10%"/>

<TreadScrollingMap
LeftTrack="Bone_Tread_Back_Left" <- Back left tread
RightTrack="Bone_Tread_Back_Right" <-Back right tread
SpeedMultiplier="-0.06"
TreadDriveSpeedFraction="10%"/>

Those are in the model, the track objects.

Edited by Sgt. Rho, 19 April 2009 - 18:18.