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Placing Lightwave models into EoC?
Shane
Trainee
Hello everyone. :)
I've created a new ship model which I'd like to offer for use in an EoC mod (Epic and others... (making ships is fun!)), but do not quite understand how to get it into 'Flux-format'. :D
I've managed to learn my way around LW Modeler, but some of the directions in the Graphics SDK Avatar Creation totally lost me. Layout is not really my strongest point... yet! :D
From the SDK: "Since navigation lights and engine flares are required on all LOD’s of a ship, it makes sense to create one master lighting setup scene for LOD0. Using this master scene it is possible to simply replace the LOD0 object with the subsequent LOD’s ensuring to save out a scene for each LOD."
Does this mean I:
1.) load the model itself into Layout,
2.) create a null named LOD0
3.) position the beginning engine flares keyframe 1,
4.) position the end engine flares on keyframe 2,
5.) parent everything to the LOD null (the model also?),
6.) and then save it (as what? The ship's name?)?
Or do I remove the model after placing the lights and flares, but before saving it?
The ship itself has no animation channels other than nav lights and engine flares (no moving parts).
I'd really appreciate any advice. I've read the SDK at least 15 times, loaded up EoC ship avatar scenes, but still can't make heads or tails of this.
P. S. It's my first ship (and my first LW effort), so it's not up to the standards this group has, but you can see it here if you like: [url]http://i-war2.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1249[/url]
The pictures on page two are most accurate... it evolved over time.
Thanks.
-Shane
I've created a new ship model which I'd like to offer for use in an EoC mod (Epic and others... (making ships is fun!)), but do not quite understand how to get it into 'Flux-format'. :D
I've managed to learn my way around LW Modeler, but some of the directions in the Graphics SDK Avatar Creation totally lost me. Layout is not really my strongest point... yet! :D
From the SDK: "Since navigation lights and engine flares are required on all LOD’s of a ship, it makes sense to create one master lighting setup scene for LOD0. Using this master scene it is possible to simply replace the LOD0 object with the subsequent LOD’s ensuring to save out a scene for each LOD."
Does this mean I:
1.) load the model itself into Layout,
2.) create a null named LOD0
3.) position the beginning engine flares keyframe 1,
4.) position the end engine flares on keyframe 2,
5.) parent everything to the LOD null (the model also?),
6.) and then save it (as what? The ship's name?)?
Or do I remove the model after placing the lights and flares, but before saving it?
The ship itself has no animation channels other than nav lights and engine flares (no moving parts).
I'd really appreciate any advice. I've read the SDK at least 15 times, loaded up EoC ship avatar scenes, but still can't make heads or tails of this.
P. S. It's my first ship (and my first LW effort), so it's not up to the standards this group has, but you can see it here if you like: [url]http://i-war2.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1249[/url]
The pictures on page two are most accurate... it evolved over time.
Thanks.
-Shane
Comments
From SDK: [I]Engine Flares and Animation Channels[/I]
"Engine flares are made in exactly the same way as navigation lights. However, the engine flares have to be parented to a null with a special name in order to link the light to the ships LZ+ thrusters channel.
These control nulls require two keyframes, one at frame zero and one at frame one. Frame zero represents the engine state of off and frame one represents the engine state of maximum thrust. [B]The null should be scaled to 0, 0, 0 on frame zero [/B] so that the engine flare will start off with zero visibility. The engine flare will display the effect of growing in size as thrust increases.
What does it mean by 'the null should be scaled to 0,0,0'? How do I 'scale' a null? What do I scale it to? Are they talking about X, Y, Z coordiantes?
I'm sooooo lost.... :confused: Any help greatly, [I]greatly[/I] appreciated.
-Shane
One quick question: When I run my model through the converter, it produces the .pso object fine, but does not create any texture files. What could cause this? Should my textures be in some specific format or size before converting (they are currently JPG)? I tend to work in Lightwave 7.0, but export to 5.6, then open in 5.6 and save. Could this be causing the problem?
Thanks in advance for any help.
-Shane
[B]
From the SDK: "Since navigation lights and engine flares are required on all LOD’s of a ship, it makes sense to create one master lighting setup scene for LOD0. Using this master scene it is possible to simply replace the LOD0 object with the subsequent LOD’s ensuring to save out a scene for each LOD."
Does this mean I:
1.) load the model itself into Layout,
2.) create a null named LOD0
3.) position the beginning engine flares keyframe 1,
4.) position the end engine flares on keyframe 2,
5.) parent everything to the LOD null (the model also?),
6.) and then save it (as what? The ship's name?)?
Or do I remove the model after placing the lights and flares, but before saving it?
The ship itself has no animation channels other than nav lights and engine flares (no moving parts).
[/B][/QUOTE]
First open layout and load the default avatar setup scene that comes with the graphical SDK. Load in your model and parent it to LOD0, add your lights either parented directly to LOD0 or a Light null parented to LOD0. make sure your lights are in an acceptable format for EOC. Load in your object again (or LOD1 version) and parent it to LOD1, ditto for LOD2. Export it as a 5.6 scene, name it anything you like.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shane [/i]
[B]Oops. Sorry. One other question.
From SDK: [I]Engine Flares and Animation Channels[/I]
"Engine flares are made in exactly the same way as navigation lights. However, the engine flares have to be parented to a null with a special name in order to link the light to the ships LZ+ thrusters channel.
These control nulls require two keyframes, one at frame zero and one at frame one. Frame zero represents the engine state of off and frame one represents the engine state of maximum thrust. [B]The null should be scaled to 0, 0, 0 on frame zero [/B] so that the engine flare will start off with zero visibility. The engine flare will display the effect of growing in size as thrust increases.
What does it mean by 'the null should be scaled to 0,0,0'? How do I 'scale' a null? What do I scale it to? Are they talking about X, Y, Z coordiantes?
I'm sooooo lost.... :confused: Any help greatly, [I]greatly[/I] appreciated.
[/B][/QUOTE]
scaling is the same as sizing, click the size button (key H) and set it to 0,0,0 for the frame 0 and 1,1,1 (or whatever) for frame 1. as it says, frame 0 is what it will look like at 0 thrust, frame 1 is what it will look like at max thrust.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shane [/i]
[B]Ok. I believe I've figured out the avatar setup issues. Just took a little (well... a lot :D ) of trial and error.
One quick question: When I run my model through the converter, it produces the .pso object fine, but does not create any texture files. What could cause this? Should my textures be in some specific format or size before converting (they are currently JPG)? I tend to work in Lightwave 7.0, but export to 5.6, then open in 5.6 and save. Could this be causing the problem?[/B][/QUOTE]
textures have to be in .iff format in multiples of 64x64 pixels (i.e. 128x128, 256x256) with a maximum of 512x512 pixels.
Additional:
Make sure your model has no more than 800 polygons per section, if it does, EOC won't display it.
EOC does not support repeating texture patterns (i.e. if the texture has to repeat itself on a surface, it won't display properly)
Your model cannot contain any non-planar, interior angle, or 1 or 2 verticies polygons.
you must also setup a SimSetup scene for your model, to tell EOC where hardpoints on your model are (see graphical SDK)
You must also create an .ini file for your ship, where u will direct it to the avatar setup you created (the one u named whatever u liked), the sim setup u created, and your collision hull.
Collision hull is a dumbed down, non-textured version of your model in PLAIN lightwave 5.6 format. don't convert the collision hull. While there is no perceivable limit to polygons in a collision hull, the farther over a few hundred poly's u go, the slower the game will run.
you must also create .ini files and avatar setups for any custom weapons used by your model. textures for weapons follow the same rules as for models. weapon sounds are pointed to in the weapon avatar setup, and must have a corrisponding sound .ini file. sounds must be in .wav format, uncompressed.
the directories you put your files in be4 zipping up the mod must be the correct directories you are to place items in (see graphical SDK)
Great info and a [I]huge[/I] help. Would it be okay if I posted this information (or a link) at Soup's I-War2 forum? The Graphics SDK and Converter are not what I would call 'user friendly' to the Lightwave novice. :D
Either way, thanks again.
-Shane