[WickedZombie45]

You probably don't know me, but if some of you frequent the Starfleet Command forums and sites, you might recognize me as one of the 'veteran' modders there. Someone mentioned to me that Freespace was moddable and an interesting game-I've moved away from SFC and figure I need something to do, heh. If it's not much, I figured I'd ask a few questions on modding Freespace 2:

1) What's the maximum polygon count (if there is one) for the game? IE how much detail and polys can a ship have without killing the game?

2) Can one make a ship for Freespace in another program, convert it to .cob format, and then convert it to the Freespace 2 ship format? IE say I build my ship in Lightwave, use 3d Exploration to convert it to .cob and go from there-would that work out? I'm most skilled at Lightwave and don't have the patience to learn yet another modeling program, heh

3) Are there any hardpoints/weapon points, damage models, or other types of 'additionals' that Freespace ships need to be 'fully fuctional'? For SFC, ships needed hardpoints so the weapons would fire from the right spots, damage models for when the ship gets destroyed, and texture files had to be certain sizes and dimensions to work properly.

That's pretty much it, and I hope the modders here can answer my questions-I have a crap load of models I could slide over to this game if the answers to my questions work out.

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Starship Engineer
Shipyard Director

Omega Sector Fleetyards

[This message has been edited by WickedZombie45 (edited 09-18-2001).]

[Nico]

hi   let's go straight to the answers:
1) for a fighter, the lower is the better, the very highest polycount you could allo is 800. for a capship, you can have up to 3000 (including turrets)
2) Yes it will, but you still have to edit the hierarchy in Truespace.
3) yes, but that's quite easy to do, with modelview for about everything (WYSYWIG interface, very cool), and PCS for what Mview can't do (viewpoint, engine glows, docking points)

[WraithHost]

1) max count for 1 sub object is about 800, although most fighters are below 500 faces.
also a vertex must have less than 20 edges from it. Capital ships have turrets etc. as seperate subobjects so the limit is higher.
Don't know what the upper limit is for a group of subobjects.

2) yes. I work in 3dstudio as .3ds files have uv mappings imported into truespace. this makes texturing a lot easier. I don't know much about light wave but if it can export as .3ds it should be fine. The other option is to export as .dxf format, this loses the uv mapping info however.

3)ships tend to have the following models
1. Hull LOD0 (most detailed)
2. Hull LOD1
3. Hull LOD2
4. Hull LOD3 (least detailed)
5. shield mesh (untextured)
6. debris (can have a few of these )
7. thruster flames (again can have many)
8. Turrets (1 or 2 piece turrets, capital ships have many of these)
9. other physical sub systems (ie radar dishes)

firing point info, thruster glow points, docking paths etc are added later in a porgram by Kazan called pof conversion suite, or PCS for short.

hope this helps. Search in the older threads as most of this has already been covered & I wouldn't want to bore people.

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Phil.
  Trust In Me &
  Fall As-well

[CptWhite]

there is so much for someone new to freespace 2 modding.  the limit is 800 poly per sub object, freespace 2 is dependant on strict model hierarchy.  you can convert to cob (then you must correct the model) then continue to pof (freespace 2 model file)  convert with PCS (pof constructor suite).  ive never heard of a lightwave file being converted to freespace 2 but that doesnt mean its not possible.  blender and 3d studio max can definately be used. truespace is best, and work with cob's in the first place. freepsace also has lod's.  (grab a copy or VPview (vp file extractor) and look at volitions own models.  the texture res is set at 256x256 max but in the last 2 weeks we have found a way to increase to the max res of the users video card by adding keys in the registry.  the added info is referred too as the "pof extended data" and i dont know much about this i think fs2mm can be used to set this up...and pcs...i suggest using pcs as i know its almost perfect now.  you have to texture in truespace as far ads i am aware , or use an unwrapper such as lithunwrap.  a truespace tutorial (use version 4.2 this is very important) on texturing you can download from the "guidelines" section in my sig. good luck.......further help people  

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[Nico]

heh no, he can map in LW, 3Dexploration should converts the UV mapping well.

[Admiral Kirk]

WZ, man its good to see you made it here!

Guys, this man can make some models, Star wars , Star trek you name it.........

Welcome to the forum!

The Admiral

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The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one!

[Setekh]

Welcome to HLP, WZ! Enjoy your stay. I think you'll find FS - very good.  

Seems like most of your questions have been answered - top work, HLPers  

[Raven2001]

Welcome to HLP man  

Glad to see some new people here  

Well, there were some questions unaswered:
- the max model(and sub-objects allthogeter) is 5000 polys
- the max "main body" polycount is 2000 polys

I expect to se some of your talents soon  

[Sandwich]

First of all: Exits are to the rear and left. In case of an emergency, shotguns are located under the seats. Welcome aboard.  

Second: Have you played the game(s)?

Third: Do you know Rhino? I'll be coming out with a tutorial for it anytime now...

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America, stand assured that Israel truly understands what you are going through.

"He who laughs last thinks slowest."
"Just becase you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."
"To err is human; to really screw up you need a computer."
Creator of the Sandvich Bar, the CapShip Turret Upgrade, the Complete FS2 Ship List and the System Backgrounds List (all available from the site)

[Darkage]

 

Originally posted by sandwich:
First of all: Exits are to the rear and left. In case of an emergency, shotguns are located under the seats. Welcome aboard.  

Second: Have you played the game(s)?

Third: Do you know Rhino? I'll be coming out with a tutorial for it anytime now...

You litle P!mper


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