[Aurang]

Hi, I recently dusted off my copy of FS2 and played it again, after downloading the open source improvements and such. It feels like forever ago that I bought the game at the school book fair (occassionally they sold computer games).

Anyways I'm a modeler who does work in 3DS Max, and I have a question.

I'm not very well acquainted with game engines, so what can it handle? Say I used higher poly models and better textures with normal maps... could this cause problems with the engine, or would any additional resource use rest squarely on the user's computer?

I ask because I've been inspired to make a mod where you play the Shivans, and I wanted to put more detail into the geometry and textures of fighters and ships (as well as adjusting their scale, changing movement speeds, etc). Generally a faster paced, more realistic mod.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

Check out the MediaVPs and see.  Then go up from there.  It can take quite a bit just don't get carried away. 

[General Battuta]

Like FUBAR said, the MediaVPs models are fairly high-poly by FS standards and use normal maps. Check them out.

FS models can be challenging to work with due to the vagaries of PCS2, the program that converts models into the POF format. You may want to learn from an existing expert.

You aren't by any chance an R. Scott Bakker fan, are you?

[Aurang]

Haha yes, the best fantasy series I've ever read. Kind of sad that the newest book won't be out until 2011

Ahh okay, well the mediavps models will serve as a pretty good benchmark. Thanks for the help

[Spoon]

FS models can be challenging to work with due to the vagaries of PCS2, the program that converts models into the POF format. You may want to learn from an existing expert.

Last time I checked PCS2 was just for editing .pof, not for converting them 

[The E]

Okay, Spoon, how do YOU get models into the pof format? Last I checked, there were no plugins for Blender, Max, or other modelling programs that could write pofs. You have to use PCS2 to convert from .dae or .cob to pof, do you not?

[Aurang]

The E, after several hours last night I figured out a working method to get .pof files into 3DS Max, but I've yet to try getting them to successfully export into .pof directly or through an intermediary format (e.g .dae).

However I do notice that 3DS Max 2010 can export .dae files by default. I tried to get the collada importer for PCS2 last night, but the .dll download is damaged. I tried opening it with rar and 6z, and both told me to go take a seat.

If anyone who has that .dll could put up a new, working download, it would be very appreciated.

Alternatively, you can use Blender version 2.43 to export and import .cob files. It is the last known version of Blender to have that function. I used it last night and it works fine.

[Spoon]

Okay, Spoon, how do YOU get models into the pof format? Last I checked, there were no plugins for Blender, Max, or other modelling programs that could write pofs. You have to use PCS2 to convert from .dae or .cob to pof, do you not?

When was the last time you checked? 
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=26260.0 Seems like a plugin for max if you ask me. And yes, that's what I've been using all this time. It exports to .pof and I just use pcs2 to edit the details of the .pof. Honestly, I assumed that all other methods worked in a similar fashion.

[The E]

I know. I was being sarcastic in Spoons' general direction, as he seems to have found a method of generating pofs that does not involve PCS2 at all.

Anyway, I have been using this version of PCS2: http://www.mediafire.com/?zzyuma4nnnq
It includes the .dae support.

EDIT: Spoon: Right. A plugin, written for Max 5. From a thread from 2004. Yeah. Sounds like reaaaaaly current info.

[Spoon]

So? It works and is probably by far the easiest way to get models into the .pof format
And there are some posts in that thread that it works up till max 7 (Im using 6). And we are modding for a reaaaaally current game right? We need the latest and the most cutting edge 3d modelling software to create meshes for freespace right?

[The E]

No, but seeing as most other modellers I've seen here use either Blender or Max 9++, I kinda assumed that that was the version you used.

And no, we don't need to use the latest and best tools. Strangely, however, most people seem to do just that anyway...

[Angelus]

The latest "3D tools" aren't needed to build Ships for FS, but you should consider that some of the modelers here, build high poly meshes too, and new versions of 3D software offer usually more features and are more userfriendly.

[Spoon]

The latest "3D tools" aren't needed to build Ships for FS, but you should consider that some of the modelers here, build high poly meshes too, and new versions of 3D software offer usually more features and are more userfriendly.

Really now? You don't say.
Thank you captain obvious.

[Spicious]

I thought the Max exporter had problems producing solid models.

[Droid803]

PCS2 is pretty good at converting models. I simply export the mesh and add all the POF data in PCS2.
That max exporter keeps spitting out crap with collision problems when I use it (and consequently, it is only useful for quick-exporting stuff that won't collide anyway like skyboxes), but Collada+PCS2 has so far been spotless.

[Vasudan Admiral]

So? It works and is probably by far the easiest way to get models into the .pof format

Anyone who's had the kind of trouble I remember people complaining about with the reset x-form thing would probably disagree there. Other than that yes the tool was the easiest method for max users but in light of the twice aforementioned collision issues it caused on almost every model it converted AND the highly impressive stability of the collada -> PCS2 route, you shouldn't use the max exporter anymore.

I had to fix something like 15-20 ships in the MVPs that had unstable collision or shield meshes that in almost every case came from the max exporter. Some you could just resave in PCS2 and that sorted it, others required total reconversion. So overall: it's not worth it now that the collada conversions are superb in terms of speed, ease of use and all round stability. It also makes it much easier for model tech support cos other people can open the DAE file who don't have max.

[Droid803]

I find how reset x-form warps the orientation of my turrets about half the time exceptionally aggravating, that's my only complaint about the Collada -> PCS2 route.

The issue is probably more because I'm a crummy modeller than anything else though.

[Vasudan Admiral]

Oh do you still have to do that with collada? I thought that got nicely left behind. Yuck. :\

I feel obliged by extreme blender fandom to point out that blenders equivillant "Apply scale and rotation" function allows you to keep all rotations and scales of child subobjects if you want.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

Yep max exporter = Swiss cheese collision detection.  Colladamax to dae to pcs2 2.03 to pof is the way to go.  

[Spicious]

Oh do you still have to do that with collada?

Of course; no one has provided an example demonstrating the problem.