Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Cyph3r on January 20, 2016, 05:32:52 am
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Hi All,
I'm a fairly proficient 3d modeler of 6/7 years now. I absolutely love FS2 and have done since it's release. I wish to delve into some modelling for FS2 but I was wondering how I can extract the models from FSO? (Or even the default FS models) that I load up in 3DSMax to easily get a feel for the proportions/scale.
Thanks
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To extract FS models, you will need two tools. First, a VP extractor to pull files out of the archives FS2 uses (I am partial to vpgui (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=83920.0)). Second, you'll need PCS2 (https://googledrive.com/host/0B_qLK7VGhoIydUY1RFlzOVNMdGc/pcs2.7z) to open the model files FS uses. You can then use PCS2 to convert them to Collada format.
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To extract FS models, you will need two tools. First, a VP extractor to pull files out of the archives FS2 uses (I am partial to vpgui (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=83920.0)). Second, you'll need PCS2 (https://googledrive.com/host/0B_qLK7VGhoIydUY1RFlzOVNMdGc/pcs2.7z) to open the model files FS uses. You can then use PCS2 to convert them to Collada format.
Thanks The E! Awesomely quick reply :)
Hopefully I'll be able to show off some models to the community soon.
While I have this topic as well, can you tell me what "HTL" means?
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Hardware Textures & Lighting, "The HLP community" have tended to use HTL to mean a 'high poly count' model which isn't really correct ;)
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Hardware Textures & Lighting, "The HLP community" have tended to use HTL to mean a 'high poly count' model which isn't really correct ;)
Hardware Transform and Lighting, actually.
To explain somewhat more fully, Cyph3r, the "misuse" of the term is a historical quirk of FreeSpace Open development. Originally, the engine used software rendering; when hardware rendering was added, it became possible to render more detailed ships with less of a performance impact: in other words, really high quality ships were only viable when rendering on the hardware, which was possible once HTL was added to the engine. As a result, the term "HTL" started being associated with models too detailed for software rendering.
Since this applies to just about every model nowadays, and since the term is confusing to anyone who doesn't know the history, most people have just stopped using it.
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Hardware Textures & Lighting, "The HLP community" have tended to use HTL to mean a 'high poly count' model which isn't really correct ;)
Hardware Transform and Lighting, actually.
To explain somewhat more fully, Cyph3r, the "misuse" of the term is a historical quirk of FreeSpace Open development. Originally, the engine used software rendering; when hardware rendering was added, it became possible to render more detailed ships with less of a performance impact: in other words, really high quality ships were only viable when rendering on the hardware, which was possible once HTL was added to the engine. As a result, the term "HTL" started being associated with models too detailed for software rendering.
Since this applies to just about every model nowadays, and since the term is confusing to anyone who doesn't know the history, most people have just stopped using it.
Ah! I did assume it meant Hardware Transform and Lighting but I was confused as to how the term was relevant. Now makes complete sense, thanks for clearing that up.
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:welcome:
I'd recommend reading some of the articles on the FS Wiki to get you started! Here's the link to the Modding Portal (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Portal:Modding).
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You will also need to download the open collada.dll for 3ds max, to be able to open and export the models in 3ds max. The DLL doesnt work with any 3ds max after 2012. I have 3ds max 2014 and 15 and the plugin doesnt work with any of those. The link for the collada plugin should be somewhere in the freesoace wiki, i cant rem the link offhand
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You will also need to download the open collada.dll for 3ds max, to be able to open and export the models in 3ds max. The DLL doesnt work with any 3ds max after 2012. I have 3ds max 2014 and 15 and the plugin doesnt work with any of those. The link for the collada plugin should be somewhere in the freesoace wiki, i cant rem the link offhand
No, just google for it. As of right now, OpenCollada claims to work with all Max versions 2011-2016.
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The .dae's went straight into 3DSMax 2015 with no issue for me :)
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Really wow, they refuse to work for me in 2015 hmm....
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Really wow, they refuse to work for me in 2015 hmm....
Time for a repair install of 2015?