Hi,
I got two questions, how could I add a texture to a custom ship? I did it using 3dsmax but after launching the game, the ship appears black. Do I have to add the .dds texture in the .dds folder, that way I can add different .dds like _light, _diff and so on? If so, then how could I edit the files to be like that?
Also, I'm trying to add a cockpit to the ship but I don't have a clue on how to. I tried creating a separate model of only the cockpit with the camera dummy but it didn't worked, it still used the camera from the original model and in that view it doesn't look right it looks like it is too small for the cockpit. Is there any good step by step tutorial on how to do this?
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Cockpits and textures
Moderators: Moderators for English X Forum, Scripting / Modding Moderators
-
kuruptx3
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Wed, 25. Mar 09, 00:09
texture vary alot depends on whether your changing the colour or applying a new texture altogether in either case your new texture should be .dds and in the dds folder in your mods cat and dat file, unless your not running it as a mod in which case you should be ok to put it in dds folder in the last cat file in your games main folder, you mention them turning black i had this problem when doing it in x3r all i did was find make an xsp using the ship creator adding the texture to the xsp then install it via the plugin manager seems to get the texture working
as for cockpits im trying to sort one out for my new mod if i figure out how i'll let you know
as for cockpits im trying to sort one out for my new mod if i figure out how i'll let you know
-
doubleshadow
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Fri, 12. Mar 04, 08:14
DDS textures can be created using nVidia DDS plugin for Photoshop. Or you can go with Gimp and use some other whatever_to_dds converter. There's plenty of them.
Here's How to build a (TS) ship tutorial from DeadlyDa.
There should be something here in the stickies as well.
You made your own cockpit - have you changed the "cockpit scene" in the TShips?
If you are running X3TC (not Reunion), you don't have to make any mods/catalogs. Just create the structure you see in the catalogs in the main game directory and copy/save the required files there:
[x3tc]\types\TShips.txt
[x3tc]\objects\[your name]\ships\[your ship.bod]
[x3tc]\types\TShips.txt
[x3tc]\dds\[your textures]
The game will use these files instead of any others. In the old days, modders usually unpacked the whole game to achieve this.
Here's How to build a (TS) ship tutorial from DeadlyDa.
There should be something here in the stickies as well.
You made your own cockpit - have you changed the "cockpit scene" in the TShips?
If you are running X3TC (not Reunion), you don't have to make any mods/catalogs. Just create the structure you see in the catalogs in the main game directory and copy/save the required files there:
[x3tc]\types\TShips.txt
[x3tc]\objects\[your name]\ships\[your ship.bod]
[x3tc]\types\TShips.txt
[x3tc]\dds\[your textures]
The game will use these files instead of any others. In the old days, modders usually unpacked the whole game to achieve this.
-
razgrizpr
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri, 27. Feb 09, 21:09
@ kuruptx3
-yes I'm trying to apply a new texture.
-I know how to add the .dss files, but how do I make the game knows what texture belongs to the ship? Do I have to name the texture with the same name has the ship?
-could you explain more about the xsp? How do I make one?
@ doubleshadow
-Yes, I used the nVidia plugin.
-Yes I changed the cockpit scene in the Tships, thats why I dont have any idea of what to do next.
-I'm using X3TC, I did it creating a "fake patch", just to make sure everything works fine in case I messed it up, it could be easily fixed.
About the textures, how could I make them, let me explain, for example the "_bump.dss" has a blue and purple like color, thats for making parts of the ship look with volume. How could I make that in PS?
About the cockpit, what type of camera do I have to use for it? The usual "camera dummy"?
Thanks a lot for your help, I'll keep researching in the mean time.
-yes I'm trying to apply a new texture.
-I know how to add the .dss files, but how do I make the game knows what texture belongs to the ship? Do I have to name the texture with the same name has the ship?
-could you explain more about the xsp? How do I make one?
@ doubleshadow
-Yes, I used the nVidia plugin.
-Yes I changed the cockpit scene in the Tships, thats why I dont have any idea of what to do next.
-I'm using X3TC, I did it creating a "fake patch", just to make sure everything works fine in case I messed it up, it could be easily fixed.
About the textures, how could I make them, let me explain, for example the "_bump.dss" has a blue and purple like color, thats for making parts of the ship look with volume. How could I make that in PS?
About the cockpit, what type of camera do I have to use for it? The usual "camera dummy"?
Thanks a lot for your help, I'll keep researching in the mean time.
-
doubleshadow
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Fri, 12. Mar 04, 08:14
The normal map (aka bump map) is originally grayscale map where the lighter the color (close to white) the "higher" it is.razgrizpr wrote:About the textures, how could I make them, let me explain, for example the "_bump.dss" has a blue and purple like color, thats for making parts of the ship look with volume. How could I make that in PS?
About the cockpit, what type of camera do I have to use for it? The usual "camera dummy"?
So just make another layer on top of your texture and paint it [somehow].
Disclaimer - I've just make this out of my head, better ask on CGTalk or DevianArt.
About the camera/cockpit - so can you see the cockpit or not? Or it's just the camera being wrong? Because the camera dummies are no longer directly used since X3R. You must add new record for your cockpit mesh in types\Components.txt. See DBOX help. The file just lists camera posision for every "cockpit" mesh.
Edit: Here is what uncle Google says about "normal map tutorial": http://www.bencloward.com/tutorials_normal_maps2.shtml
It also proves that I was wrong. I'm getting used to it.
-
razgrizpr
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri, 27. Feb 09, 21:09
Thanks for the site, it really helped me. Now I understand how to do it, so its just a matter of time and patience to do the textures, but I have a doubt.
Like I said before, how can I fix the problem of the ship looking "black" whenever I apply a texture? I researched about the xsp. but it appears that it is for X3R, and I never heard of that method. Also do I need to make a reference of those .dds in any place, that way they can attach it to the ship?
About the cockpit, I always get the view from the camera dummy that is in the ship scene file, not in the separate cockpit scene even after it is stated in the Tships. I read about the Components.txt file, but I'm not quite sure what to do in there, add an idx number or something similar?
I really appreciate your help, thanks for your patience.
Like I said before, how can I fix the problem of the ship looking "black" whenever I apply a texture? I researched about the xsp. but it appears that it is for X3R, and I never heard of that method. Also do I need to make a reference of those .dds in any place, that way they can attach it to the ship?
About the cockpit, I always get the view from the camera dummy that is in the ship scene file, not in the separate cockpit scene even after it is stated in the Tships. I read about the Components.txt file, but I'm not quite sure what to do in there, add an idx number or something similar?
I really appreciate your help, thanks for your patience.
-
doubleshadow
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Fri, 12. Mar 04, 08:14
You should ask on TheXUniverse about the texture. All the best modders lurks there. Except DeadlyDa maybe.
If you are making new model from scratch, you will have your material wrong. You should use X3Material, but if you just create new one, it won't probably work, because all the various properties which are later fed to shader are missing.
The trick is to export your model to bod, then open some existing working model and copy the material definition from it. Then just reimport the now fixed bod and continue on your work.
Open objects/ships/argon/argon_M3.bod in notepad. You'll see 4 materials on the top. You just need to replace entries generated by dbox with those. You can adjust the textures later in DBOX or here in the notepad.
If you are making new model from scratch, you will have your material wrong. You should use X3Material, but if you just create new one, it won't probably work, because all the various properties which are later fed to shader are missing.
The trick is to export your model to bod, then open some existing working model and copy the material definition from it. Then just reimport the now fixed bod and continue on your work.
Open objects/ships/argon/argon_M3.bod in notepad. You'll see 4 materials on the top. You just need to replace entries generated by dbox with those. You can adjust the textures later in DBOX or here in the notepad.
-
razgrizpr
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri, 27. Feb 09, 21:09
Thanks! I managed to obtain the material, I opened it in notepad like you said, copied and pasted in my ship, and it worked!
Now I just have to worry about creating some good textures, after I'm done with all this, I'll then start with the cockpit, thanks again!
*Edit: Any idea of a cockpit tutorial, I have no idea how to add it to the components folder, i tried in DBOX but it says that there are no component parts found. Should I add a camera dummy to it also?
Now I just have to worry about creating some good textures, after I'm done with all this, I'll then start with the cockpit, thanks again!
*Edit: Any idea of a cockpit tutorial, I have no idea how to add it to the components folder, i tried in DBOX but it says that there are no component parts found. Should I add a camera dummy to it also?