[TUTORIAL] Editing Terran Conflict - The Very Basics

enenra · Post by **enenra** » Tue, 9. Jun 09, 13:19

Of course, no problem as long as you mention the source.

The thing is that imho it wouldn't be that helpful to translate many modding guides to other languages because to do modding properly, there is no way around understanding English. That's one of the reasons I haven't translated it to German (and didn't write it in german in the first place).

But of course you are free to do so if you want.

someone else · Post by **someone else** » Tue, 9. Jun 09, 13:34

thanks enenra!

my collegues will have more chances this way than trying to read english tutorials... (that cannot understand)

i think that you are too lazy to translate...

Anyways, during my voyages I found this fantastic Tool to convert bob in bod.
I think it is a lot more intuitive and noob-friendly than doubleshadow's

it opens the bob and creates automatically a bod

it opens the bod and clicking on compile it creates a bob

maybe you can add it to your manual!

link here

ezra-r · Post by **ezra-r** » Tue, 9. Jun 09, 19:54

great contribution

checked it out, it is a very good starting point.

SS_T · Post by **SS_T** » Tue, 9. Jun 09, 22:05

someone else wrote:
Anyways, during my voyages I found this fantastic Tool to convert bob in bod.
I think it is a lot more intuitive and noob-friendly than doubleshadow's

it opens the bob and creates automatically a bod

it opens the bod and clicking on compile it creates a bob

maybe you can add it to your manual!
link here

yeah I have been using it for a while, no problems and makes it so much easier

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Sun, 13. Dec 09, 10:05

Hey guys,

I have everything installed, and am running Gmax.

I have a problem though. When I go into Gmax, and go to import a ship, I click on the DBOX2 in the Maxscripts slot and nothing shows up. No sub-menu appears. The 'DBOX2' shows up in the slot, but no sub menus, nothing to expand, nada...

I tried installing the Patch for Gmax users and it didnt install, stating I had version 1.1, unsupported. But, I do have Version 1.2. Thats the odd thing.

I noted that the DBOX2 folder and start file scripts are in the Scripts folders in Gmax.

Any ideas why I cannot get into the DBOX2 import/export menu?

Many thanks for any advice.

LH

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Sun, 13. Dec 09, 21:48

My apologies. I found out why I couldnt get the DBX2 window to show up.

I had to click on it a second time right below it. I was clicking on the one on top.

I now have the Argon M5 on Gmax.

wooo hooooo......

Bill

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Sun, 13. Dec 09, 22:28

One little question.

My Gmax didnt create DDS textures when it imported the model. The DDS textures are all named TXT format. I 'could' go in and rename them all, (2,500 of them), but might take me a few days, but after that, reconvert them to JPG (second set of files) so that Gmax could see them (it doesnt see DDS formats as well as TXT).

What do the masters do in such instances?

Bill

enenra · Post by **enenra** » Sun, 13. Dec 09, 22:37

Aragon Speed posted a bat file to convert the DDS files some time ago. You might find it linked in one of the stickies here in the forum.

GMax isn't able to show the textures without a plugin / other change however. Not sure what you have to do to get them to show up ingame, tho.

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Mon, 14. Dec 09, 01:44

Hey Enenra,

Just found out how:

. COpy all 2500 txt files to an easy to find folder C:\DDS

2. Open a command window, change directory to c:\DDS

3. Type at the prompt: rename *.txt *.dds

4. type at the prompt: quit

5. go to your folder management system and copy the now dds files back to where you need them.

It converted all 2,500 in less then a second. That is speed...

I then used the batch texture convertor; 'convimx.exe' (freeware) to convert the package to BMP for Gmax and for PS handling. That took a while. ConvimX.exe is by Martin Wright, a big name in the Flight Sim community.

My goodness man. I cannot believe how many textures and how much work went into this game. It is pretty darn awesome.... Seeing all the Occulars, Speculars, and Bump maps along with all the graphics and amazing art pretty much had me amazed, watching them all fly past in the batch texture convertor..

Some awesome work Team X3...

Bill

JaySuS · Post by **JaySuS** » Mon, 14. Dec 09, 02:03

mmh, the x editor by doubleshadow lets me extract files uncompressed, hence txt becomes dds on extraction automaticly

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Mon, 14. Dec 09, 02:04

I wonder if someone has created a cross reference naming list for the models to match with their game names, like a Split Iguanna Vanguard, Paranid Nemesis, etc.

That would help out tracking texture types.

I feel like a little kid with a giant box of Lego's... arrgh..

Bill

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Mon, 14. Dec 09, 06:55

I found a site that lists the ships by M class. This will allow one to figure out which ships are which models.

http://roguey.freewha.com/gaming/pc/x3t ... hp?inMod=0

Pretty well done website.

Bill

enenra · Post by **enenra** » Mon, 14. Dec 09, 11:44

@JaySuS

Yes, there seems to be an error in the guide. I seem to have forgotten to mention changing the file conversion before extracting the DDS textures. I'll correct that eventually.

@lionheart_001

Look into the TShips with DS's Editor.

The scene files are referenced there. The same with the stations in the TFactories and TDocks. It's the file from which the game draws its informations and thus more accurate than any list.

Furthermore there's exogenesis' 3DModelViewer which lets you import models from either the T-files (where you simply select the ship's name) or from the file directly. In both cases, the Viewer will be able to show you which texture files are being used by the model.

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Mon, 14. Dec 09, 23:39

enenra wrote: @lionheart_001

Look into the TShips with DS's Editor. The scene files are referenced there. The same with the stations in the TFactories and TDocks. It's the file from which the game draws its informations and thus more accurate than any list.

Furthermore there's exogenesis' 3DModelViewer which lets you import models from either the T-files (where you simply select the ship's name) or from the file directly. In both cases, the Viewer will be able to show you which texture files are being used by the model.

Many thanks Enenra.

Bill

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Wed, 16. Dec 09, 11:04

Enenra,

I have a slight problem. When I go to export, the popup window does not appear. I have parts selected, I click Export All (to create a scene file) and nothing happens. When I click on the second Grabber Export button, it says only one Hierarchy node can be selected.

I am using Gmax.

Could I have a wrong parts installation perhaps? I believe I have the latest build of the Gmax / Max tools.

Maybe I am missing something basic..

Amazingly, it imports quite well.

Many thanks for any advice.

Bill

enenra · Post by **enenra** » Thu, 17. Dec 09, 12:45

lionheart_001 wrote:Enenra,

I have a slight problem. When I go to export, the popup window does not appear. I have parts selected, I click Export All (to create a scene file) and nothing happens. When I click on the second Grabber Export button, it says only one Hierarchy node can be selected.

I am using Gmax.

Could I have a wrong parts installation perhaps? I believe I have the latest build of the Gmax / Max tools.

Maybe I am missing something basic..

Amazingly, it imports quite well.

Many thanks for any advice.

Bill

Sorry but I can't help you there. Haven't been using GMax for years.

Anyone else able to give lionheart some advice?

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Fri, 18. Dec 09, 05:14

When I click on Export, the right screen goes blank like a lot of RAM is in use, then nothing.

I expected the GRAB screen or another program to take over and begin compiling the BOB model. I think perhaps it is a link to the compiler perhaps?

What I am making first is a simple test model. I love the looks of the Terran Drone, so I am making a version of it as a Terran Personal Launch, similar to a car (personal civillian transport) or a scout. I have added two lasers and some atmospheric flight foils.

Some pics..

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/siteb ... 22x654.jpg

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/siteb ... 23x655.jpg

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/siteb ... 23x655.jpg

Thanks for any help in diagnosing the issue on exporting a file from Gmax.

LH

doubleshadow · Post by **doubleshadow** » Fri, 18. Dec 09, 08:10

lionheart_001 wrote:When I click on Export, the right screen goes blank like a lot of RAM is in use, then nothing.

I didn't follow your discussion in full, but I understand you cannot export stuff from gmax with DBOX? Do you have YAGG installed? (Any other grabber for gmax will work as well).
Scripts running in gmax cannot write to files. They can only output text to the MaxScript Listener window.

Once you have YAGG installed, the easiest will be to re-install DBOX and set output method and path to YAGG through the installer. It can be done manually as well - see help files for both programs.

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Fri, 18. Dec 09, 09:08

DoubleShadow,

Bare with me. I am not very experienced at this. Would I run the grabber and 'then' run the Exporter totally serperately?

I'll get YAGG right now. What I presently have is GMaxSLGRAB (from the tutorial).

Thanks for the input and advice.

LH

lionheart_001 · Post by **lionheart_001** » Fri, 18. Dec 09, 09:23

DoubleShadow,

Many thanks for creating YAGG. I installed it and reinstalled DBOX2 and reset parameters and it now exports beautifully.

A thousand thanks.

LH

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

[TUTORIAL] Editing Terran Conflict - The Very Basics