Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Krackers87 on October 31, 2003, 03:49:16 pm

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Krackers87 on October 31, 2003, 03:49:16 pm

I have exported many Total Annihilation units. Some have been fixed a little, most not at all.

there is 1 naval ship i finished fixing and is ready for pofing but everything else needs work.

These are not too easy to fix so i will lay down some guidelines and uses.


Guidlines for fixing:

    1. Invert faces - may or may not need to be done. Quite obvious if it does need to be done cuz it looks inside out.

    2. Delete selection box - There is usualy a flat square somewhere on the model sticking out of it. This is the little green outline that appears around a unit when you select it in TA. Delete it as it has 0 use in FS.

    3. Decompose object into smaller objects - Truespace can do this, TA units are made of many unconnected objects ( usually because of animationsa TA uses) but they get exported as 1 single object. It helps to do this so that parts can be manipulated and intersecting faces can be fixed (common with TA units) Boolean glue back to gether any objects that you want after decomposng it as this will remove intersecting faces. Dont glue turrets or subsystems together or to the main hule for obvious reasons. Just making sure everyone knows this even though its standard FS modding rules.

    4. Unfold unit - Some planes or turrets or other units will be exported folded or unfolded ( ie: wings retracted, Turret undeployed etc... ) needed for some units or else they look really stupid flying with retracted wings.  Some stuff may look better unfolded (factorys constructors ) so you dont have to.

    5. Delete unused deployables - certain items ( such as the building arms and pads on factorys or constroctur building arms ) that you dont want deployed or showing should get deleted to prevent intersecting faces. these unwanted objects usually reside inside the object.

    6 Fix holes - many faces on ta units are deleted ( usually kbots, the walkers, tanks or buildings. Why you might ask? Because TA is a top down viewing game meaning many unseen faces are delted to save space. Free Space is NOT topdown so you should re add these faces.

   7 Resize, Texture and pof - duh :rolleyes:




if i think of anything else i will post it here.

Now this is not as hard as it sounds (most of the time) so dont get overwhelmed.

For beginers i sudgest converting planes as these have the least amount of deleted faces and hidden objects.

Also if someone wants the exact names and pictures of a certain unit in action or stats on a unit ( what weapons it carries how much hp it has etc..) or even sounds the unit uses i would be happy to provide these items to spur conversion of these guys.

I can also upload a texture pack of the TA textures for everybody if wanted.


Now for the units i have exported so far:
Core Cointingency Expansion ARM units (http://www.swooh.com/peon/Bubsy87/Mods/Arm%20CC.zip)

yes these files are very small. Theres lots of units in there including 2 creatures from the expansion and two missles.

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: SadisticSid on October 31, 2003, 04:51:24 pm

This begs the question.... why?

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: SKYNET-011 on October 31, 2003, 07:24:24 pm

Why not? I think having a freedom fighter in FS would be awesome.:yes:

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Krackers87 on October 31, 2003, 09:28:50 pm

youll have to wait for original TA units for the Freedom Fighter sorry...

Title: OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Star Dragon on November 02, 2003, 08:00:43 pm

Krackers!!!

   does this mean you can turn sprites into models???

I downloaded the gundam mod but it was useless to em caue I don't have the game and it was simply spirtes...  Were they models to begin  with?

If you have some sort of rosetta stome you hold the key to teh FS2 Gundam mod and a potential HUGE boost to the missing units for the Robotech II mod.???

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Knight Templar on November 02, 2003, 08:06:31 pm

You converted the boats? :wtf:

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Krackers87 on November 02, 2003, 10:44:06 pm

if u mirror them and put one atop the other it looks pretty good.

also if u even out the turrets so it doesent look exactly the same.

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Alikchi on November 20, 2003, 10:16:59 pm

Actually, when NTV was still really running .. if any of you remember the TA mod, the Arm fighter "Gryphon"? We had a place for it - and something else I believe - for some time.. it was too low-poly to really be worth it, though. Still, a TA mod would be excellent for FS2.

I know I'm digging up a dead thread, but I find this interesting enough to comment on. :p

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Knight Templar on November 21, 2003, 12:04:19 am

wow.. he is alive... :p

Title: Total Annihilation Converting
Post by: Alikchi on November 21, 2003, 04:16:40 pm

At least for the weekend. :doubt: