Help with automata modding

DCMetro2834 · March 10, 2010, 03:09:21 PM

Quote from: vester on March 10, 2010, 06:38:15 AM

Not sure about that. I would only change the IIDs and not the TIDs or GIDs. You will need to dig out the TGIs from the simcity dat files.

Oh, so there's a way to get the in game monorail build for a reskin? That would help me a bunch! Is there a tutorial on how to do that?

I am sorry I am asking so many questions.

Thanks a whole bunch,
DCMetro2834

vester · March 11, 2010, 07:42:30 AM

Quote from: DCMetro2834 on March 10, 2010, 03:09:21 PM
Oh, so there's a way to get the in game monorail build for a reskin? That would help me a bunch! Is there a tutorial on how to do that?

I think I gave you a link a couple of times.

Try to find one of the monorail replacement mod and start out from that.
If you just want to replace the monorail, then there is no need for changing the IID.

Take a look at this post from point (4) and on.

DCMetro2834 · March 11, 2010, 08:09:59 PM

Quote from: vester on March 11, 2010, 07:42:30 AM
I think I gave you a link a couple of times.

Try to find one of the monorail replacement mod and start out from that.
If you just want to replace the monorail, then there is no need for changing the IID.

Take a look at this post from point (4) and on.

Thanks a bunch, Vester!

DCMetro2834 · October 21, 2010, 07:01:31 PM

Hi again....

I was following screamingman's tutorial found here: http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=233.0....and all was well along until I got to this step: "Step IIIb, converting the alpha channel to a PNG".

Instead of what is shown in the tutorial, I got this....

Any ideas why? I am pretty sure this tut if foolproof.

DC

vester · October 22, 2010, 01:48:45 AM

Not sure what you were expecting, maybe something with colors ?

if so at the moment its showing the alpha channel.
And yes that can be all white (or partly black), which just means no part of the skin can be seen through.

DCMetro2834 · October 22, 2010, 07:20:25 PM

Quote from: vester on October 22, 2010, 01:48:45 AM
Not sure what you were expecting, maybe something with colors ?

if so at the moment its showing the alpha channel.
And yes that can be all white (or partly black), which just means no part of the skin can be seen through.

I was expecting a black outline of the alpha....where I could fill in the colors of the train. Instead, it is all white, instead of the usual white and black.

Vanilla9823 · November 15, 2010, 01:01:06 AM

Hello

PROBLEM:

Yesterday i create a Airplane model for SMB3, When i open SC4 and plop It.Airport . after it grow
It pauses the game and CTD ( Crash To Desktop )

MODEL
Group ID - BADB57F1
IID - 10950000

vester · November 15, 2010, 09:53:35 AM

Could you attach the files, so somone can a look at it ?

Vanilla9823 · November 15, 2010, 03:47:51 PM

http://www.mediafire.com/?24sbwjt2p1bd87k

vester · November 16, 2010, 08:05:34 AM

The file is set to private !

Vanilla9823 · November 17, 2010, 01:58:49 AM

Try again.

vester · November 17, 2010, 06:29:42 AM

Wow that has a lot of vertexs and triangels. Maybe that is your problem.

I normal try to hold down the number of triangles (indx tab). Most of mine models, if not all, have under 100 triangles.

Your model have 7571 triangles and 21338 vertex (points).

The trick with automatas is to move as much of the details to the textures.

Remove all triangle, that can't be seen from above.

Vanilla9823 · November 17, 2010, 01:57:48 PM

What is the limit number of triangles?

Girafe · November 17, 2010, 02:17:35 PM

I have a question concerning this field. The most complex step in automata modding is to register x,y,z,u,v of each vertex and we do it manually so more we have vertex longer it is. However I asked me if there is no possibility to export directly an array with all these coordinates from 3dsmax and to paste it in the reader ??

vester · November 18, 2010, 01:50:21 AM

Quote from: Vanilla9823 on November 17, 2010, 01:57:48 PM
What is the limit number of triangles?

The smaller number, the better. Remember these are things that moves in the game and there by has to be calculated on all the time.
Don't think anyone has figured out a limit.

Had a look around my HD on automatas. The max numbers is 650.

When you start trying to reduce the number. Remember what you can do with an alpha channel and how big (small) the details you are trying to add is going to be in the game.

Quote from: Girafe on November 17, 2010, 02:17:35 PM
I have a question concerning this field. The most complex step in automata modding is to register x,y,z,u,v of each vertex and we do it manually so more we have vertex longer it is. However I asked me if there is no possibility to export directly an array with all these coordinates from 3dsmax and to paste it in the reader ??

Have copyed from excel to the reader, so it should be possible to do the same from 3ds Max.

Where is that found in max ?

I have copied data from Milkshape3D to the reader. Sometimes over Excel.

MandelSoft · November 18, 2010, 04:17:22 AM

Well, some of my BATs have custom LODs. I got once that a model contained too many vertices, and a part of the LOD just wasn't rendered, probably because of a too large number of vertices.

vester · November 18, 2010, 05:45:50 AM

mrtnrln: Thats is a problem with BAT, not the game.

The details mark with red can as be done with textures

Again the red markings is details that can easy be done with textures.
The blue lines is showing how a simpler model can be done. This way the triangles marked is cut down to 25%: 18 instead of 72 triangles.
The weapons at the bottom, could be place on plane of two triangles.
The green marks one or more triangles missing.

Two groups on the bottom that can't be seen in the game.

By moving the fan [marked 1 in the first picture] (I guees) at the top (60 triangles) , the headlight (48), the weapons on the top [2] (group of 3: 2250 - group of 2 [3]: 72) and those two groupings at the bottom (190), you will remove 2572 triangles.

Then there are all the triangles that is not shown in the game.

Talking about details:

That could be done with textures, cut down:

to 8 triangles. Well in fact, if you know how to use an alpha channel, it could be rut as low as 2 triangles.

Hope this has inspired you how rework your model.

Vanilla9823 · November 19, 2010, 05:19:49 AM

thank you vester.

Question:

can i seperate them using groups ?

vester · November 19, 2010, 07:12:07 AM

Yes you can seperate them in groups.

I use MilkShape3D for the preparation of the model files.

You might run into a small problem when insert the file into the reader. You can read about the problem here, in my Tutorials on Automata Modding.

sir · January 05, 2011, 07:02:05 AM

Dear Vester,
i read your tutorial very carefully and the first steps hadn't be a problem so far. My english isn't the best (I am from Austria) but hopefully you understand me.
I made my model in gmax and exported it to .s3d and opened it with lithunwrap. I tried to make a complete uv-map for lithunwrap and it worked perfectly. My bus looks like a real bus! So far so good.

Then I saved the file and imported it into the reader (I used another bus-automata), there are 6 groups (the main part where the people are, two hoops, a tank on the roof, a little box on the roof and two rear mirrors) - the complete number of triangles is under 500. The first problem was, that the bus was vertical, so the front part was on the top. I chanced the model and now it is normal, but the lower half part of the bus (hoops, ...) have negative y-coordinates - is this a problem?
Then I gave the boxes on the roof top and the mirrors a texture. This was very easy because they only have one colour (grey). Now I want to place the complecate texture for the main passenger-box and the hoops (both hoops have the same texture).

What I have to do now?
What I have to chance at the "Vert" and "Indx"-Tabs?
Your tutorial is very good but it suddenly stops at this point (my opinion).

Probably you can answer my questions. Thanks.
Sir Roland