[Kernal]

How do you port models from other games to FS. If I can don`t expect anything from me any time soon. 
Also is this legal? 

[Mars]

Both questions depend on the game in question.

[Getter Robo G]

I'll take this one.


Modding 101:

All mods are technically illegal and have been for the last 15 or so years since it began.

Franchises like Paramount and Lucas understand the benefits of both exposure and profit growth the fan-base brings to them so they don't press the issue.

IF this is for your own personal use on your computer you can basicly do what you want.  However, if you are planning on making a "public mod" that will be hosted on the net then there are some rules you need to follow.   I won't bore you with the details unless you indicate this is what you are planning.


As for the main part of your question, HOW: I will go the long free program route describing what I do (I do NOT have 3ds max)

You need a program to convert your target model into .cob format (I use a veraity of programs to do so from .lwo, .obj, .3ds, .vrml, and otehr general formats.

If this was a game specific model you need tools for those games (like PEO converter for Homeworld1&2, OPT23DS for X-Wing and alliance series, ect...

Once you have the model oriented to the left (  <----- ) you are ready to add turrets anf a shield , if it has any, with a 3d modling program (I use TS 3.2)...

Next you have to have 16 or less textures. The increased poly count of FSOpen comes at a high price, many of the 30-40+ texture conversions I made for Retail Fs2 will not work in FSOpen beacuse of this.

I had hundreds of models that would not run cause of poly limits in retail but the textures were not a problem, now it;s reversed they would run but have too many textures lol!!!

Once you model is finished with turrets, shields, textures, you are ready to use Pof Constructor Suite (or PCS), or a program called Modelview (high poly limits) to turn your model from .cob format into game .pof format so you can use it.

There is a CAD based program called "high-level cob2pof" and I highly urge you not to try it as it often makes unstable models. It will make MOST models into .pof format but when you try to edit them in PCS/modelview or run in game they crash and cause errors...

You put the custom model in the (models) folder and the textures in the (maps) folder. Remember to see the maps you must make them 8bit PCX files!!!

Last thing you need to do is open the ships table file in the (tables) folder and make a ship entry. I recomend just copying an appropriate ship for general testing and tweak it later. Like a fighter, or a capship (I usually use a cruiser).

Once you made a generic mission in FRED (the Freespace Mission Editor) placign your new ship in a mission (if it doesn't crash at this point), runthe missiona nd shoot your new ship. Then destroy it. these are the points that your model miay crash when it is first hit, or about to be destroyed. If you do not crash then all is well congratulations!!!

If at some point it crashed then there is a problem with the model (go ask a modler to look at it). Might be bad geometry.

Once a ship is tested out you can then worry about custom load-outs for weapons and all that jazz...


Hope this helped you (and any other new people wh o though about it, but didn't ask yet.)



"We're off to outer space... YA-MA-TO!!!!"  Model by Antivyrus, with permission for FS2 Trek

[karajorma]

All mods are technically illegal and have been for the last 15 or so years since it began.

Just to clarify that. Taking a ship from one game and putting it into another with permission of the people who own the game is tecnically illegal. Making mods based on another universe without the permission of the owner is technically illegal.

Making mods with your own ships and textures which don't use anything from the original game or anyone elses however is perfectly legal.

[Getter Robo G]

Very true... I was approaching this from the personal use catagory.

Also the steps I listed were the ones I use. If he has 3DSmax, he can use the plugin and skip a lot of "problems".

Of course if he is making a "true mod" and intends on having others use it (or post it on the web) then you must track down any owners of the originals works. Listing of original Game copyright holders is USUALLY sufficient.

To my knowledge only TWO mods have ever been "shut down": The DBZ Mod and the more recent Stargate (I believe both were fighting games?). The first cause there was a VERY similar game being produced at the time and they were afraid of the competition. The second, well that's anyone's guess, but I think Fox(?) was just Paranoid.

Know if you use any fan creatd material , unless they have an "openuse" policy you should find teh autho;s email and send them a note introducing yourself and what you would liek with his or her works.

Im my experiencce I had ever been denied use only ONCE because thsoe particular type of meshes are slated for Bridge Commander 2. Raven Night now owns BC2 rights if I am correct.

I would suggest checking out all the projects here at HLP or Game Warden and seeign if they have anything to offer you'd be interested in (especially if you haveany kind of skill you canoffer to them!). If you are doing something more original, then we are all looking forward to seeing it someday!.

So good luck with your eforts!

[aldo_14]

The Stargate mod that was shut down was a HL2 mod and there was a Stargate (now cancelled) FPS game in development at the time.  It's MGM that owns Stargate, incidentally.

[Kernal]

The game well um,
This is a little embarrassing.
It was by barking dog productions. Same guys that made one of the homeword games.
Well it is called,um......


































Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon
I liked it when I was younger.
Screenshots



Don`t laugh at me. *hides*

[Kernal]

I can`t get the pictures to work!!!!
Link: http://www.game-over.net/reviews.php?page=reviews&id=785
It got an Ok review: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/treasureplanetbattleap/index.html?q=Battle%20at%20procyon
Edit:Just figured out screen shots.

[karajorma]

What tools are available for this game. If you can get the ships out of the game in any model format a 3D convertion program could understand then you're in with a chance.

You are aware that there is a sailing ship in FS2 already I presume?

[Unknown Target]

I'm pretty sure that that game (Treasure Planet) is most likely closed source; Disney isn't in the habit of letting their games be modded. If you don't see anything except some basic files and the exe, it's probably all in there. Check for some tools, and if there are none, you have no chance.

[Kernal]

I'm pretty sure that that game (Treasure Planet) is most likely closed source; Disney isn't in the habit of letting their games be modded. If you don't see anything except some basic files and the exe, it's probably all in there. Check for some tools, and if there are none, you have no chance.

A couple months ago I found a site that where the Ceo or head of the team that did Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon was explaining how the game came to be. At one part he wasn`t sure if he should add tools for making mods in the game or not. Disney was very hesitant about it because this was probably their first game that could actually get some money out of it unlike those other crappy games they produce.
They said no tools at the end which got me ticked.

I look inside all the folders and find no tools. The actual models seem to be in the wordobjects folder and they are ".wot" files. The texture files are either .tga or .dds
Other file types are .msb, .fft , .eft, and .ret. The actual game maps are called .twt.

Do you guys recognize these files at all. 

I going to be gone for the next couple of days so excuse my lack of posts. 
I`ll be back so if you have any ideas post!! 
     

[Mars]

Most of those files sound proprietary to me.

[NGTM-1R]

You can try running a search on the extensions on a site that archives these things, but I wouldn't be too hopeful on that.

The basic texture files are standard stuff. A copy of GIMP (and presumably Photoshop) could open them.

[Getter Robo G]

.tga and .dds textures are not a problem, as for the models that's a problem...

[Ferret]

The models could be renames of existing ones.

[Col. Fishguts]

The Stargate mod that was shut down was a HL2 mod and there was a Stargate (now cancelled) FPS game in development at the time.  It's MGM that owns Stargate, incidentally.

For the record: There once was a very promising looking Starcraft MOD for UT 2003 (or 2004 ?) in the works, which was swiftly put down by Blizzard.

[Ferret]

The Stargate mod that was shut down was a HL2 mod and there was a Stargate (now cancelled) FPS game in development at the time.  It's MGM that owns Stargate, incidentally.

For the record: There once was a very promising looking Starcraft MOD for UT 2003 (or 2004 ?) in the works, which was swiftly put down by Blizzard.

What do Blizzard have to do with that?

[Col. Fishguts]

What, with Kernal's idea ? Nothing. I was just giving another example that big companies sometimes do shut down non-profit Mods.

[Ferret]

No I me-.... Wait wait... *Reads*

The hell... I read your Starcraft as Stargate the first time around. Am I going insane? Must be this cold I have.

[Kernal]

Before I got home I got horridly sick sorry 

Since their seemed to be a lack of explorer type campaigns I thought it would be cool if I made one about acouple scientists and some GTVA guarding them going through a unknown jumpnode and finding a very upsidedown part of the universe. They jump into a middle of a war between races that still use wood for most of their ships and....

All heck I can`t type today and I don`t know how to word the next part.
Until I get better. Farewell!