Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: achtung on April 19, 2005, 06:16:05 pm

Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 19, 2005, 06:16:05 pm
Im a total newbie that needs to know where to start in freespace modding:D :confused:
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Blitzerland on April 19, 2005, 07:12:51 pm
Karajorma has a tutorial in his sig.

Here it is. It'll teach you to build a very basic ship with one turret,  to show you the basics. :)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/freespace/old/shipmods.html
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Night Hammer on April 19, 2005, 07:21:08 pm
Karajoma is a her? You sure about that? Nope
Title: thanks
Post by: achtung on April 19, 2005, 07:43:40 pm
Thanks for the help, also do you have any places i can get extra info on tables because the wiki is pretty scarce on that.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Unknown Target on April 19, 2005, 07:50:38 pm
Pst...Kara's a guy, Blitz :p

Tables are easy. Just open them with notepad and most everything is self-explanatory :)
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 19, 2005, 07:51:16 pm
I've encountered a slight problem.  Truespace which the turorial uses sort of costs roughly $400.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Unknown Target on April 19, 2005, 07:59:56 pm
There's the free version of TS 3.1, in one of the sticky threads (if you don't want to "aquire" it :) And you can use any other modeling app. I personally use Milkshape 3D, run it through 3D exploration to get it to a COB, then use TS to orientate it.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 19, 2005, 08:02:15 pm
You wouldn't happen to know which stikcy would ya?
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 19, 2005, 08:47:12 pm
Nevermind i found it.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Blitzerland on April 19, 2005, 09:42:01 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Unknown Target
Pst...Kara's a guy, Blitz :p
 


I'm never gonna live this down. :eek2:

*cyanide'd*
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Night Hammer on April 19, 2005, 09:48:42 pm
ah wouldnt that be nice
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Blitzerland on April 19, 2005, 09:51:58 pm
*detecting bad attitude, advising additional sleep ASAP*

*now reading grudge in the general area, origin unknown*

Anyways, full apologies to Karajorma. Simply a mistype, it means nothing.

Swantz, keep us updated. I think I speak for all of us when I say new modeler's are always welcome. I mean, the community isn't getting any larger, or anything. Good luck! :yes:
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Night Hammer on April 19, 2005, 10:00:47 pm
no grudge,  just general disdain
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 20, 2005, 08:52:29 am
It's an easy enough mistake to make. I'm male but my username is indeed female.

Basically I needed a UN that was unique once so I used the name of a female NPC from a role playing game I ran and it kind of stuck :)

At least I don't get stuck explaining this one half as often as Miburo did back when he was called Lady Rose back on VWBB :D
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: phreak on April 20, 2005, 11:36:06 am
well if you do masquerade as a female on an internet forum, then you wouldn't be flamed like everyone else is.  but then again it does validate the acronym "Guy In Real Life"


and if you want to start modding, mess around with the game tables.  this will allow you to modify information about ships and weapons such as damage, refire rate and hitpoints.  A good tutorial is here: http://www.3dactionplanet.com/hlp/hosted/fsurp/help/ge/vptut.html
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: aldo_14 on April 20, 2005, 11:56:26 am
Quote
Originally posted by karajorma
It's an easy enough mistake to make. I'm male but my username is indeed female.

Basically I needed a UN that was unique once so I used the name of a female NPC from a role playing game I ran and it kind of stuck :)

At least I don't get stuck explaining this one half as often as Miburo did back when he was called Lady Rose back on VWBB :D


I always got Su-thep mixed up being a with 'Sue', myself........
Title: Re: Little Help Please?
Post by: Col. Fishguts on April 20, 2005, 12:30:47 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Swantz
Im a total newbie that needs to know where to start in freespace modding:D :confused:


IPAndrews' Freespace 2 Ship Creation Guide(tm) (http://underworld.fortunecity.com/pacman/106/fs2mods/shipcreationguide/) may help.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 20, 2005, 04:21:00 pm
That's one of my favourites. I linked to it in my FAQ but it might be an idea to put that one at the top of the list since Bobs PCS tutorial is AWOL at the moment (and cause  PCS is something comes later on in the process anyway).
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 20, 2005, 09:45:49 pm
It's kinda funny how a post about modding can form into a conversation about usernames.  Ive got a lot to learn about the HLPBB.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Taristin on April 20, 2005, 09:50:28 pm
HLP is sort of a mob-rule freudian lovefest. :p
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 20, 2005, 09:52:48 pm
hmmmm... sounds very interesting, but could someone give me suggestions on some good affordable or maybe even *FREE* modeling software?
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Taristin on April 20, 2005, 10:00:25 pm
GMax.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 20, 2005, 10:38:17 pm
Thanks that should be some help:)

NO sarcasm
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Taristin on April 20, 2005, 10:50:40 pm
I can't tell if that was sarcasm in disguise, so the link to GMax is on this page. http://www.discreet.com
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 21, 2005, 02:33:43 am
Quote
Originally posted by Swantz
hmmmm... sounds very interesting, but could someone give me suggestions on some good affordable or maybe even *FREE* modeling software?


My FAQ should have working links to a whole bunch of free and cheap modelling programs in the modding section. If a link is broken just tell me.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 21, 2005, 04:15:45 pm
The truespace link doesnt work because download.com doesnt have the file anymore.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: StratComm on April 21, 2005, 05:07:36 pm
Didn't they release a free version of 4 recently?
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 21, 2005, 05:43:42 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Swantz
The truespace link doesnt work because download.com doesnt have the file anymore.


I fixed that and now they've removed it completely from the site as far as I can figure. I'll have to do a search for a copy of the program (or put it up for download myself!)
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Taristin on April 21, 2005, 06:49:57 pm
Well, if you find the link, post it in this forum, and I'll replace the old sticky with the a new one. :)

*checks to see if he is actually a moderator in this forum*
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Axem on April 21, 2005, 06:58:11 pm
Caligari decided to go and hide the download form for some reason. This should work...

http://forms.caligari.com/forms/ts3all_free.html

Just fill out the info so they can send you the serial number to the email address you provide. Then beware of all the spam they send you afterwards.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 21, 2005, 07:02:15 pm
I had a link to the form. It's the download itself that's moved (again!).

Quick search on Google turned up these though

http://www.alnini.com/download/dl-6472.html

http://www.zdnetindia.com/downloads/info/10293700.html

http://www.activeworlds.com/products/truespace.asp

If someone tries them do tell me if they work/which is the best site to use.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Axem on April 21, 2005, 07:04:56 pm
Works for me... I'm downloading it right now.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 21, 2005, 07:07:31 pm
Ah. I see. You fill in the form then get a download link :)

Prefered the download.com way but this will work too :)
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Taristin on April 21, 2005, 07:13:56 pm
Well. Anyone wanna update the other thread? Or make a new one, and I'll sticky it. :)
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Axem on April 21, 2005, 07:36:38 pm
Well, I got my working link from that thread. It's on the second page though, so I'm not sure how many people would actually see it. :p

But a new thread with links to any free modding resources might be nice.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 21, 2005, 07:38:14 pm
Sweet I'll get to downloading it and start trying to make my first model.

Oh yeah and one other thing, why is it that when i call in the bravos in fs open 3.6.5 its always a shivan comm node?


 And does truespace contain any adware or spyware?:nervous:
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 21, 2005, 08:22:44 pm
The tutorial says to make a light and says there is a light bulb icon but I don't see it anywhere.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 22, 2005, 01:58:44 am
The icons hide under other icons sometimes. It's hiding under the icon for one of the other lights. If you've got tooltips turned on you'll have no trouble finding it.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 22, 2005, 06:50:20 pm
To be honest i don't see anything that looks like a light or has the word light in it on truespace 3.2.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Blitzerland on April 22, 2005, 06:58:56 pm
Truespace 3.2 is easily the most challenging modelling program availible.

If at all possible, use Gmax or Blender instead. Both are free, and you can eventually export any files you create to .pof.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 22, 2005, 07:11:43 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Blitzerland
Truespace 3.2 is easily the most challenging modelling program availible.

If at all possible, use Gmax or Blender instead. Both are free, and you can eventually export any files you create to .pof.


Thats not exactly what everyone else has said so far.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: StratComm on April 23, 2005, 01:05:52 am
I'll second Blitzerland on this one.  Truespace 3.2 is the most abominable piece of junk in the modeling world, but it works if you're desperate.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Carl on April 23, 2005, 01:35:52 am
don't listen to them. truespace is the easiest program to learn and use that i've ever used.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 23, 2005, 03:51:33 am
Whether or not to use Truespace is contentious issue in the community. Some people hate it and some people love it. I say try it, GMax and while you're at it Wings3D and see which one you like best.

As for the light I'm a little surprised you can't find it. It's on the main toolbar.

IP Andrew's tutorial has a nice pic of the icons on it. http://underworld.fortunecity.com/pacman/106/fs2mods/shipcreationguide/creatingyourmodelusingts.html

Ah. It's probably hiding under the camera icon not one of the other lights (It does that in TrueSpace 6.6 which is what I use). :D

Look at the 3rd row on that page and the 4th icon up. That's the one you're looking for.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 23, 2005, 09:49:05 am
Thanks I found the light now I can get moving with everthing.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 23, 2005, 10:10:49 am
Now all I need is programs to convert it to .pof.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 23, 2005, 10:23:24 am
You want PCS (https://sourceforge.net/projects/alliance/) for that
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 26, 2005, 06:30:52 pm
Does the description in the oracle modding guide still work well for the newer version of pcs?
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: vyper on April 26, 2005, 08:29:27 pm
Quote
Originally posted by aldo_14


I always got Su-thep mixed up being a with 'Sue', myself........


Whatever happened to him?
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Black Wolf on April 26, 2005, 10:04:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by vyper


Whatever happened to him?


He went Lawyer.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 27, 2005, 03:35:10 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Swantz
Does the description in the oracle modding guide still work well for the newer version of pcs?


As far as I know the version in there was with the latest version of PCS :D

It's been a while since Kazan made any major changes to the interface for PCS.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 27, 2005, 03:49:20 pm
It does look sorta different. The latest version is 1.3.42 I guess.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 27, 2005, 07:37:35 pm
Wait, the link you provided took me to download the POF constructor suite not the other thing.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 28, 2005, 01:29:46 pm
PCS is the Pof Constructor Suite. what are you after? Modelview?
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: Cobra on April 28, 2005, 02:58:20 pm
use blender. it's easy to use, and it's free. Blender (http://www.blender3d.com)
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 28, 2005, 03:30:33 pm
The file i downloaded says pof constructor suite but the screenshots don't match up the modelveiw one looks like pof constructor suite.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 29, 2005, 04:44:34 am
PCS and Modelview are seperate programs. Most people use both (as I do in the tutorial).

When I took a look at the tuorial again I've noticed that there is a shot of PCS in the modelview section. I think I'll have to edit that one out cause I that's what confused you :) When it says your screen should look like the screen below it was actually referring to the picture of modelview below that one :)
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: achtung on April 29, 2005, 04:29:04 pm
Thanks and how about a link to get  pcs that would be nice.
Title: Little Help Please?
Post by: karajorma on April 30, 2005, 03:28:04 am
There should be one in the What You'll Need section of the turretting tutorial :)