Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Blackdream on May 22, 2005, 10:37:55 pm
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BF1942 engines allows seamless transition from capital ship, turret, pilot, and infantry.
I currently plan to port all FS2 model over to BF42 engine, because I don't know if FS2 models are stilll copy-righted, I would not let it go public.
Therefore I need somehelp. First, How may I convert FS2 models into GMAX format?
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Hey Blackdream, welcome to HLP. :)
I know there's a fair few BF1942 players around here. I've posted some news to bring attention to this. Hope you receive the help you need. :nod:
:welcome:
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thank you! I have been a veteran modder in the BF1942 modding theme, but I did not know how to create vehicles at size of FS2's level.
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This might be beyond the capabilities of the 1942 engine... If the capships were to scale wouldn't we have framerate problems?
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Size shouldnt matter, what should is detail.
Despite that, an orion is the size of a large city, to get good detail on that the overall detail would have to be quite high. So best be that BF supports somthing along the lines of subobject LOD's.
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I wouldn't mind a map with a destroyed Orion sitting in the middle. Albeit maybe (IMO) it'd be better to wait for the sequel (and obviously start to make stuff before release), simply because that's probably a bigger target audience there.
Either way, very cool idea. I think Styxx added a Perseus into BF1942 before, didn't he?
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Anything bigger than the fenris would _have_ to be a static object on the map.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/FenrisWIP2.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/FenrisWIP7.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/FenrisWIP8.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/FenrisWIP9.jpg)
These shots, except the first one, are to scale. (apparently the original texturers had a good sense of scale also - the forward full height windows are about the height of a door. ;) )
Anyways, i've always wanted to see a mod like this for battlefield - something like Galactic Conquest, but FS.
Though i'm too busy with Twisted Infinities and final school year to help for now, i can provide you with a solid tank concept (i've built and textured a FS version of it, but not yet a fully detailed BF one - i'll get around to it eventually), some ideas for maps & goals, a number of terran weapon concepts, and a number of what are probably vasudan weapons, (though at the time of drawing i had completely forgotten about the size of a the hands. :\ ). Interested?
Oh, and why not wait for BF2 before beginning modding in earnest? Sci-fi weapon effects are not easy in BF 1942, but i'd imagine would be a lot easier in BF2's engine. :)
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HOLY S***!!!!!
Mightly impressive....
Can't wait to se FS2 fighters..
Oh...about importing to 3DMax.. I think truespace can save cob objects allso as 3ds...and 3DMax can open those..
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:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:
Wow!
This looks great!!!
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Whoa, cool. You could make a battlefield map out of ruined wrecks... like in the opening cutscene of FS2, where there's the wreckage of the Hades.
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Why don't you just scale all the models down?
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yea like some have done when trying to make a starcraft version?
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........
I bet you can have an actual battlefield based on the hull of an Orion or Hecate class destroyer; where the objective is to defuse a jammed warhead on the other side...but with the enemy having to protect it to destroy it.
Either way, serious coolness!
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anyone have a link to my two vasudan models, it would be nice to see them hacking up inferior terran scum finaly.
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personally, I would like to scale down the sathana so it's roughly twice the size of a current battlefield carrier (about 1000meters length roughly)
primarily because when you take out all the reference objects, you lose sense of scale (BF series are not to scale, so to speak), and i would like to put the following ship in
and later i hope i can add internal passage to all ships so you can storm their bridge through fighter bay.
SJ Sathanas and GTVJ Colossous: Juggeranut class, Pilot controls forward beam cannon, four heavy beam cannon seat, one anti-fighter beam cannon seat, and one turret on the fighter bay. they are equivalent to battleships in BF1942, hosts 2 fighters.
they need fighter protection because they are designed to fight capital ships.
GTD Orion class and SD Ravana: has one forward beam cannon (capitain), 2 anti-fighter beam, 2 laser turret, 1 flak, serves as carrier, carrys 4 fighters and 4 bombers (2 squads)
and some corvette class, carrys no fighers, serve as heavy anti-fighter platform.
anyway,Vasudan Admiral, can you pm me the tool you used for porting and how? I am not quiet sure how to convert.
LOD is not a problem at this point I believe, but BF does support LOD.
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I'm kind of against the idea of setting it up as a space battle, myself, because IMO that's sort of reinventing the wheel. Of course, the other side is that if you don't set it up that way, then there's not much you really can use from FS beyond your basic Terran / Vasudan / Shivan player models.
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Heh, it's just a static map object there, nothing spectacular. :nervous:
Originally posted by kietotheworld
Why don't you just scale all the models down?
You *could*, but there's nothing quite like standing on the top of that thing and barely being able to see the ground, or jumping off the top and freefalling past it for about 5 seconds. :D
One of the things i personally love about the FS ships is their huge scale. :) My WW2 fighter could only barely get me above the radar!
anyone have a link to my two vasudan models, it would be nice to see them hacking up inferior terran scum finaly.
There were two of them? Errm, i've got one here: http://www.geocities.com/vasudanad/Headz.zip
but i've never seen another.
personally, I would like to scale down the sathana so it's roughly twice the size of a current battlefield carrier (about 1000meters length roughly)
Hmmm, if you're doing that, how will you be integrating all the main aspects though? "BF1942 engines allows seamless transition from capital ship, turret, pilot, and infantry."
I'd reccommend keeping the scales (also means the physics are more real) and only using the sub deimos sized ships as mobile ones. A space fight around a larger capital ship would be possible and probably quite fun, but those things are just too big to be much other than scenery, though the main problem is that that sort of cap to cap fight is usually too slow and ungainly to be much fun. :(
Additionally, Karma is upgrading the big C soon, and it's poly count is likely to be outside BF's scope anyway. Even the fenris, at 5000ish is pushing it. :\
Anyways, the tool i used was the standard gmax plugin, though it's been so long now that i no longer have it or Gmax installed. :\
http://www.planetbattlefield.com/MDT/
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As I recall, the galactic conquest mod did the same thing for the star wars universe. They even had a space battle. In it, there were various capital ships from star wars which were driveable (they were essentially variations on the standard ship) Each ship had turrets and fighterbays. The fighters would go out and shoot things, but people had the option to board enemy vessels. I also recall it being pretty fun. I think a mod for freespace should mirror that, but improve on it.
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Originally posted by Vasudan Admiral
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/FenrisWIP7.jpg)
I've always thought that shot was hilarious :lol:
That guy with his knife vs. the Fenris. And of course the several hundred metre long ladder to nowhere in the BG :D
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If you ask me, don't use the Sath or Collie...they are jsut too big.......
Tehre are so many nice models out there that could fit perfectly..
now here's an incentive to make cruiser-sized vessels and smaller:D
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Wow, I always thought that Fenris is small, but comparing to single man..damn it's big.
Wow2 I have orginal BF1942.
It's only me or those B 17 are making strike at Fenris?? LET THE AAAf SPEAK MWAHAHAHA.
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first, here is my question to vasadian admiral, how do you port .pof (FS2 model files) into GMAX? I know the rest really. I am a coder, and this is my first attempt in converting a model.
I really hope to bring the super-caps into BF42 engine and its awesome multipiler mod, because almost any other aspects have been attempted on that engine.
While you may say sath is too big, I say scale them down, so the texture may even look better. I am looking for a scale that 1/2 of FS2, that is, a sath is probably 1000-2000 meters long (mind you, the max size of map BF42 support is roughly 10000x10000), GTD orion and SD ravana about 500/700 (carrier size?), corvetters 250 (twice as large as a destroyer in 42), and cain class maybe the size of a japanese destroyer.
small caps like the cain class may act like "flying tanks", much tougher than fighters or bombers, but too weak and too slow to go against anything larger. they will be anti-fighter crafts.
I really hope to make a map around the capella sun, where the colossus actually bugged out on that mission (where following the original storyline, it would have been destroyed), and jump to engage the commanding sath (supposely, it's the sath that control all other subspace weapons, so destroying it will pervent capella's destruction), so basically, you have one or two sath in the shivan side, (and an awesome sky box with all the sath in the background), colossus, two GTD orion class, and a number of fighters.
as I said before, the Sath and Colossus will not carry any anti-fighter weapon, so they will be vulnerable without cover.
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Aaah.... getting pof files into a model....
you'd need to get PCS (Pof Constructor Suite; a pof editing program), export the pof into cob format (cob being a format used by the mind-numbingly awful* Caligari Truespace; this wasavailable for free when the first convertors were being written, hence the use of cob format), and then convert that cob to whatever format Gmax can export (3ds, i presume?) using some other file converter such as 3dexploration.
*IMO
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Originally posted by Blackdream
first, here is my question to vasadian admiral, how do you port .pof (FS2 model files) into GMAX? I know the rest really. I am a coder, and this is my first attempt in converting a model.
Oh, that's the easy bit then. I thought you ment the gmax-BF conversion sorry. ;)
Right, to convert a pof, you will need Kazan's PCS from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=26889&package_id=53033&release_id=228607
From there, if you havn't already, extract the original models from the .VPs, or grab the various high detail ones that are available. Open up PCS, and open up the particular model you want to convert. go to conversion > POF to COB and save it somewhere convenient.
Also extract all the textures the ship needs from the same original VP, convert them to BMP or JPG and put them in the same directory.
Now, you can open the model in Truespace, Lithunwrap or 3D Exploration, and convert it to a 3ds. From there you should be able to import it into g-max, but remember to delete or separate all the debris and LOD objects from the model before converting to .SM format, or you'll end up with a horribly jumbled mass in game. ;)
Edit: Ah, Aldo beat me to it. :sigh:
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Now that's what FS should look like. Proper perspective and sense of scale. :yes: Even a Fenris is awe-inspiring. Imagine an Orion or a Demon heaving out of the clouds like that...
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...and seconds later becoming a large crater in the ground.
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ok, now can anyone write an instruction on how to get the texture in? I got the colossus model in BF engine now, about twice the size of a US carrier.
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1) Extract the following textures from Lightspeeds ShineLT pack due to the superior quality: http://www.penguinbomb.com/lightspeed/ShineLT-build20.0.zip
- TSoupTile01a
- TSoupTile02a
- TSoupLightTilea
- TSoupEngineA
- TSoupTile05a
2) Apply them in G-max one by one to the right parts (the parts should still be separated from each other by material used, it's just a matter of telling each of these parts which bitmap it is to use in it's material.)
3) Export the model again, and put the textures in the propper folder in BF. :)
Since the ShineLT textures are all already in dds format, they should be able to go straight in game.
BTW, if any of this doesn't work - it's probably because i havn't done this in nearly half a year. :\
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Wow, I can't believe I ignored this for so long without replying. As the resident self-appointed BF nut around here I simply must put in my 2 cents :)
Given the obvious problems with ship size and scale it might be an idea to ask yourself which way you want this mod to go. Is it just a case of porting ships into BF1942 as static objects? Making them flyable? Making the capships flyable? Are you planning to mod the infantry classes with more futuristic weaponry and what have you.. including a Shivan model or a Vasudan model?
All of these questions will go a long way to determining what the end thing is going to look like. Personally, I think it'd be great fun to rip the physics of the Mig out of Desert Combat and chuck it straight into this mod and use it with a Perseus or whatever... but then in what context would it be used? Against ground targets by reworking the default maps.. or for new space based maps?
Anyhow, best of luck whatever you choose - the first port looks really very impressive. Good luck sorting out the scale problem though ;)
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I thought you'd find this eventually, Kal. ;)
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Cool map ideas:
1) A giant space battle, where an Orion (NTF) and a Hecate (GTVA) are duking it out. You can launch fighters or Elysum crew transports from either ship, and attack the other ship. As a soldier, you can walk across the decks of the ships and find openings, jump across the chasm to cross the distance, or simply hitch a ride on an Elysum and get stuck right onto the enemy ship.
2) A land battle, where you are fighting around a crashed capital ship. The one side (the crew), must fight against the attackers, which launch from a capital ship flying high above, then must ivade the enemy. The only way to get down is with troop transports, which land, disgorge their cargo, and the players must fight their way into the enemy capital ship and destroy it's fusion reactors, thus melting it down. The objective for the defending team is the same, and they can use the fighters from the crashed capital ship's hangar as their vehicles.
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1337.
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may have to wait for BF2 on this one, as it get locking feature (bf2 out on june 27 this year)
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Locking?
Anyhow, BF2 does look quite simply more classy. The graphics engine has been given a massive overhaul and according to some reports of beta testers it feels pretty much like a "real" firefight. Of course they would say that and I doubt they've ever seen combat themselves, but you know... The attention to detail seems good. A helicopter hovering over a tank will not only cause dust to be kicked up around the tank, but also it'll case a real time shadow over the tank as well... water looks fantastic and the engine is apparently as good as Half Life 2s. Graphically we're in for a treat ;)
Personally, I think that transferring the FS2 ships into the engine, and then going for a space battles setting might be best. As UT suggested, an Orion and a Hecate duking it out with fighters launching from both would probably be best. This would be a very "Coral Sea" type affair, with no way for players to reach eachothers carrier other than bailing. This could be fixed however by removing parachutes from the players kit - and that'd be pretty realistic considering it's a space game anyhow.
I'm quite tempted to draw up some concept shots for this actually.. it's rather got my imagination running. Do keep us apraised of how things are going Blackdream :)
Edit: Oh, and I took the liberty of pimping your work over at Faust and Turdys CTF server forum: http://www.faustandturdys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=81935#81935
Edit 2: And here's the first, basic, concept map for it. Based on Coral Sea obviously and built using FRED2 since it was so darn simple. 2 Destroyers, wings of fighters/bombers launch from them. Dogfight in the middle. The first to "sink" the opponents destroyer is the winner.
(http://www.zen8740.zen.co.uk/pics/fs2_battle.jpg)
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Originally posted by Kalfireth
Edit: Oh, and I took the liberty of pimping your work over at Faust and Turdys CTF server forum: http://www.faustandturdys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=81935#81935
Register to view boards are retarded. Register to view boards where the admins have to validate each and every member, doubly so.
[EDIT] Also, if all you're doing is taking out caps in fighters, couldn't you just, err... play FS2? It'd be better to have the fights taking place on each destroyer - with the aim being to grab ahold of the beam turrets on each destroyer and fire at the other guys destroyer. If you want to get over to the other guys destroyer, hop a fighter and fly over there. If you manage to take out their beam turret, then a new one respawns somewhere else on their ship, but, of course, they have to go get to it. That at lleast uses the FPS/Turret gunning/Flying model that makes BF such a cool engine to use for this...
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Oh yeah, I forgot they had that in place. Still, it keeps the retards out... and considering they're adminning a First Person Shooter community, that's a damn good idea. You'd be suprised how many people get kicked/banned from that server every day for being stupid.
Anyhow, since I doubt anyones going to bother registering just to view the topic - it's basically a plug for this place, pointing people over here and linking to the images. If anything interesting happens over there, I'll paste it up here.
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meh, posted it there, so why not here?
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/BringItOn.jpg)
oh, umm, ignore the landing gear. :p
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Originally posted by Kalfireth
Locking?
Lock-on / seeking missiles, I think.
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Originally posted by Vasudan Admiral
meh, posted it there, so why not here?
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Battlefield/BringItOn.jpg)
oh, umm, ignore the landing gear. :p
Wow, great, I want more shots!
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:nervous:
these shots are all months old. i havn't touched anything about it since.
*hides*
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*Forms an angry mob and runs after Vasudan Admiral*
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Originally posted by aldo_14
Lock-on / seeking missiles, I think.
Good point :) It also features countermeasures... which would add a bit of fun to the game as well.
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Just to throw an idea out...the UT2k4 engine seems like it'd be a lot easier to use for space-stuff, considering they've already got a space level...
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Here's an idea: talk to that fellow who was making a FS FPS for UT2k4 a while back, and move over to that particular engine and program all that ship-flying ****e in. I have no idea how well that would work, because I don't program, but eh... worth a shot.
Credits to Anaz for making me think of the UT2k4 engine.
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actually, UT2k4 is a lot more work-intense engine, and its space combat is not to scale at all.
search for the bf mod called galatic conquest, and check out the capital ship, fighter, turret, and boarding battles in there.
I already put the GTVA colossus's model in a map of theirs.
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Hmmm, there's a miriad of game types that could be done in the FreeSpace universe, i mean, we've got Hostile Boarding, and... Space Battles...and...uh....what about...no...uh...
...okay, so there aren't many scenarios you could create, but you could recreate Boarding Sequences or internal fights from FreeSpace and FreeSpace 2, you could even have little scripted firefights going on outside in Space that you can watch through a window. C'mon, how sweet would it be to be gunning around inside the Trinity (before it got blown up of course) subduing the crew through "hostile negotiations", only to look outside and see good ol' Alpha 1 shooting down Shivan Fighters left and right...
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And you could reenact the boarding cutscene on freespace where that team encounters the shivans now that would be sweet.
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Originally posted by aldo_14
I wouldn't mind a map with a destroyed Orion sitting in the middle. Albeit maybe (IMO) it'd be better to wait for the sequel (and obviously start to make stuff before release), simply because that's probably a bigger target audience there.
Not necessarily.
Check with the Galactic Conquest team to get tips on how they added their Cap ships to the game.
However, I agree that waiting for BF2 might work better for this since it supports larger map sizes and has a much better graphics engine.
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Has anyone seen screen shots of Star Wars Battlefront 2? This would work perfectly in it. The engine for that game is designed specifically to be able to seamlessly enter and exit a ship in fighters or on foot inside. I'd wait for that to do this if I were you.
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:jaw: :jaw: super images. It's looks like interesting :cool:
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I was thinking why dont we modify the internal parts of the capships, add corridors that lead to the fighter bays, bridge and gunnery controls, and maybe a couple of respawn points (cafaferia, sleeping quatars and rec-room/bars) that way you can avoid the problem with the space battles where someone wants to change possition instead of falling outta the ship. and you can have boarding parties battling it out for control of the ship. Imagine two enemy transport crash land in your hangerbay and bunch of assault troops exit and start attacking, while their transport ships provide fire support.
Desert Combat does show us this in the way the Hercules and the Sea King where made, but they were just one small room, i dont know how this would work on larger scales.
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What we really need in a game is a breakdown of the barriers between land and space warfare. For example, how about a mission where you could shoot enemy soldiers on the ground, strap into a spacefighter, fly into orbit, and engage in a massive space battle?
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The closest thing to that would be something like Tribes, I think. Or Universal Combat.... :shaking:
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Breed also tried but failed at it.