Author Topic: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes  (Read 12156 times)

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Offline bigchunk1

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Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
This is a tutorial video series on the topic of freespace modding. The general topics covered include file management, tabling and pcs2. Specific topics covered for each video are listed under the link for that video.

Note: This series avoids covering FRED, however it is recommended that every FSO modder take time to learn FRED as well.

File Management:

Freespace File Management Overview
  • Different file types in a freespace2 folder.
  • Builds VS. data
  • Contents of a mod folder.
  • Opening/Editing files using notepad.
  • clarification of previous points.
  • .VP files.


How to create a mod folder
  • why mod folders are important
  • creating a mod.ini
  • creating a logo
  • mod file priority and hierarchy


Tabling:

Introduction to Tabling
  • What's in your mod folder by default.
  • importing a table file into your mod folder.
  • editing numerical values the weapons.tbl


Adding Table Entries
  • Creating new lines of data in a table
  • the weapons.tbl wiki
  • Optional subentries e.g. +SwarmWait:
  • ;; commenting in tables


Importing Mod Assets
  • Introduction to the ships.tbl
  • Mod asset content
  • .tbm files
  • organizing data for assets
  • Selecting mods using the launcher for FRED


Adding new weapons, Flags, and general weapons.tbl format
  • general format of the weapons.tbl
  • creating a weapon in a tbl file
  • weapon flags
  • creating a weapon in a tbm file


nocreate and choosing effects to draw
  • +nocreate table feature
  • TBM priority over TBL
  • How to add or modify effects


PCS2:

Intro to .pof files
  • Information contained in a .pof
  • How table entries relate to their referenced .pof file
  • types of .pof files:  capital ships, fighters, cruisers, skyboxes, missiles


Creating .pof files
  • pitch for blender
  • pre-export checklist
  • getting and using a .dae exporter
  • what is a .dae file?
  • converting .dae to .pof
  • recommended format for maps
  • changing the .pof reference in tables


Rigging fighters using pcs2

 (part1):
  • overview of rigging a ship
  • pcs2 general user interface
  • Scaling models in pcs2
  • placing eyepoints in pcs2
  • setting weapon banks and weapon points in pcs2

 (part2):
  • how weapon banks impact the ships.tbl
  • setting thruster points in pcs2

 (part3):
  • loading docking points from other models
  • loading docking paths from other models
  • loading shield meshes from other models

Subsystems and turreting of capital ships

 (part1):
  • Adding subsystems in pcs2
  • subsystems in the wiki
  • Adding subsystems to the tables
  • generating paths for subsystems
  • turret hierarchy and 'children'
  • removing subobjects
  • loading geometry from other objects
  • Adding turrets to a model

(part2):
  • Positioning turrets
  • turrets and levels of detail
  • things to check before testing .pof files
  • final thoughts: modding and debugging
« Last Edit: July 12, 2012, 08:48:53 am by bigchunk1 »
BP Multi
The Antagonist
Zacam: Uh. No, using an effect is okay. But you are literally using the TECHROOM ani as the weapon effect.

 

Offline Legate Damar

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
You should make one on modeling

 

Offline Droid803

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
You should make one on modeling

There are tons of those, for every single modelling app you could ever dream of.
Lern 2 google.

Modelling is not specific to FSO, rigging is, but rigging for FSO is trivial, and 90% of it can be done in PCS2 even -> there's a video (planned) for it right there.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2012, 05:17:14 pm by Droid803 »
(´・ω・`)
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Offline Legate Damar

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Well maybe some tips specifically for making a model that will work well in FSO

 
Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Erm, basically, any model that works well in a last-generation video game?  There are tons of general tips on the wiki. 

 

Offline Droid803

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Don't need a video for that, read this. It's stickied for a reason.
(´・ω・`)
=============================================================

 
Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
The PCS2 part is what I'm going to be glad to see. Rigging a ship and getting it ingame remains a mystery to me. Thanks for this. :yes:
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Offline yuezhi

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
@bigchunk1 if i was some higher-up guy around here i'd award you a gold star for this.
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Offline Beskargam

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Sounds like a great idea, and I am sure I will find this useful

 

Offline wookieejedi

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes

I'll keep uploading videoes as I come up with them. Let me know if you like the idea or if there is something you feel ought to be covered. 

I very much like the idea.

 

Offline Al-Rik

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes

I'll keep uploading videoes as I come up with them. Let me know if you like the idea or if there is something you feel ought to be covered. 

I very much like the idea.

I like it too, thx  :yes:

 

Offline karajorma

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Nice work Bigchunk.
Karajorma's Freespace FAQ. It's almost like asking me yourself.

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Offline bigchunk1

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
The second topic is up. Next video is where the fun starts. 
BP Multi
The Antagonist
Zacam: Uh. No, using an effect is okay. But you are literally using the TECHROOM ani as the weapon effect.

 

Offline Rodo

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Very usefull for new people to modding, keep going please :yes:
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Offline mjn.mixael

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
A suggestion:

It might be useful to have a more detailed bullet point list in your post with what your videos are about. The idea is that later forum searches would pick up those keywords and lead people to this thread.
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Offline bigchunk1

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Introduction to tabling video is up. More tabling videoes to come. Any advice on what aspects of tabling should be covered is welcome at this point.
BP Multi
The Antagonist
Zacam: Uh. No, using an effect is okay. But you are literally using the TECHROOM ani as the weapon effect.

 

Offline Black Wolf

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
As we were discussing on IRC, made a wiki page for these so they don't get lost if the topic slides down the page. :)
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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
pin

 

Offline Black Wolf

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
pin

Did think about it, but the modding board is very crowded with sticky topics - I'm hoping Herra or Snail might clean it up at some point in the not too distant, and we can reconsider what gets stuck up there. In the meantime, I've linked them from the pinned tutorial topic.
TWISTED INFINITIES · SECTORGAME· FRONTLINES
Rarely Updated P3D.
Burn the heretic who killed F2S! Burn him, burn him!!- GalEmp

 

Offline bigchunk1

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Re: Freespace Modding Tutorial Videoes
Next video is up. Sorry, it does not cover the ships.tbl  The next one will in a big way.
BP Multi
The Antagonist
Zacam: Uh. No, using an effect is okay. But you are literally using the TECHROOM ani as the weapon effect.