[TEC] Adding crew members to ships

LukeFF · 12-01-07, 01:11 AM

How hard is this to do? It looks really odd to sea almost all the warships in the game with those empty crow's nests. It'd be nice to spruce up this up a bit.

tater · 12-01-07, 01:19 AM

Not too hard.

When the new S3D comes out, I think even easier.

Right now, you open the dat in question. Find a P node. Export it and the linked node inside. Import it, and change the ID, change the "parent ID" pointer on the part that is supposed to sit inside, and rename it following the P node pattern. You can then move the node around. Y is vertical I think. Repeat as required.

kapitan_zur_see · 12-01-07, 09:20 AM

yep, that's exactly how i added new bubbles flows in my underwater bubbles FX mods that is now in ROW.
You can find the X Y Z coordinates in S3D for every nodes. To be sure of exact position and not to fiddle loads of time trying to tweak values blindly by changing values, launching SH4 and see where it has moved then do the process again, and again, and again untill exact position, i recommend the following if you have an important amount of objects to add ( and you will with crew members!):

Export 3d model of the ship using Pack3d (a tool wich was designed for SH3 but the export function still somewhat works for SH4)
import model into 3dsmax preferably or any 3d software (gmax wich is a free 3dsmax light version focused on game development), you'll have to do some rotation and recenter it to get 3dsmax coordinates to match those in SH4.
creates little spheres or boxes and place them where you want new crew members to appear and take notes of their 3d coordinates as a reference
use these coordinates in S3D

That's how i did and saved hours of work. This allows you to accuratly place loads of objects on the fly in just a single attempt because launching SH4 everytime you change a single value to see what it does is a pain in the ass and takes too much times. I even wouldn't have done it without this trick.

Having done it, i'd say the whole thing is quite easy if you are used to work in 3d space and accustom to work with 3d softwares. If you don't see what i meant at all, i might do a little tutorial for you should i find the time to.
Be aware that in 3D software, X usually stands for left/right, Y up and down and Z far/near but it's relative to a point of view wich means that it may not always be the case in a game rendering engine.
In SH4, if i'm not mistaken, X still stands for left/right while Y stands for + values= near the bow and - values near the stern instead of up & down wich is Z. That means in a 3dsoftware, you'll have to rotate the model so the X Y Z reflect this.
Also, i recall that in 3dsmax, the zero point (X=0, y=0 and z=0) wich should be the exact center of the model was not. I had to correct thing a bit by moving the model to some extent on the X axis i think. that means the zero point in SH4 was actually something like X=0.57 Y=0 Z=0 in 3dsmax. You have to fiddle and do trials and errors to get these values, but i will tell you the exact amount of rotation and xyz values to apply to an imported model to accuratly place it into your 3d software if you need to.

Don't hesitate to send me PM if you have any questions

Here's an example of how i worked in 3dsmax:

Here's how it is changed into S3D (be aware that this is just an example,coordinate don't match because it's not the same sphere/marker, it's just to show you where you change values):

DeepIron · 12-01-07, 10:03 AM

Quote:

gmax wich is a free 3dsmax light version focused on game development

A bit off-topic, but I need to ask, what model format are you exporting from GMAX?

kapitan_zur_see · 12-01-07, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepIron

Quote:

gmax wich is a free 3dsmax light version focused on game development

A bit off-topic, but I need to ask, what model format are you exporting from GMAX?

I don't know if Gmax reads them (hope so, but probably), but pack3d export SH models into wavefront's .obj format
I don't know why you want to export from gmax though. Importing back into SH4? Be aware that what i explained above is not meant to be imported back into SH4. It's just a trick to quickly and accurately get XYZ coordinates.

If it's because you want to model something, refine SH4 models or so for example, pack3d has an import feature but i don't really get it to work, since it was made for SH3. UV mapping will be all messed up and textures will go crazy/not showing properly.

anyway, it's .obj format you're looking for

12-01-07, 01:11 AM	#1
LukeFF Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Riverside, California Posts: 3,610 Downloads: 41 Uploads: 5	[TEC] Adding crew members to ships How hard is this to do? It looks really odd to sea almost all the warships in the game with those empty crow's nests. It'd be nice to spruce up this up a bit.

12-01-07, 09:20 AM	#3
kapitan_zur_see Commodore Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: France Posts: 614 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	yep, that's exactly how i added new bubbles flows in my underwater bubbles FX mods that is now in ROW. You can find the X Y Z coordinates in S3D for every nodes. To be sure of exact position and not to fiddle loads of time trying to tweak values blindly by changing values, launching SH4 and see where it has moved then do the process again, and again, and again untill exact position, i recommend the following if you have an important amount of objects to add ( and you will with crew members!): Export 3d model of the ship using Pack3d (a tool wich was designed for SH3 but the export function still somewhat works for SH4) import model into 3dsmax preferably or any 3d software (gmax wich is a free 3dsmax light version focused on game development), you'll have to do some rotation and recenter it to get 3dsmax coordinates to match those in SH4. creates little spheres or boxes and place them where you want new crew members to appear and take notes of their 3d coordinates as a reference use these coordinates in S3D That's how i did and saved hours of work. This allows you to accuratly place loads of objects on the fly in just a single attempt because launching SH4 everytime you change a single value to see what it does is a pain in the ass and takes too much times. I even wouldn't have done it without this trick. Having done it, i'd say the whole thing is quite easy if you are used to work in 3d space and accustom to work with 3d softwares. If you don't see what i meant at all, i might do a little tutorial for you should i find the time to. Be aware that in 3D software, X usually stands for left/right, Y up and down and Z far/near but it's relative to a point of view wich means that it may not always be the case in a game rendering engine. In SH4, if i'm not mistaken, X still stands for left/right while Y stands for + values= near the bow and - values near the stern instead of up & down wich is Z. That means in a 3dsoftware, you'll have to rotate the model so the X Y Z reflect this. Also, i recall that in 3dsmax, the zero point (X=0, y=0 and z=0) wich should be the exact center of the model was not. I had to correct thing a bit by moving the model to some extent on the X axis i think. that means the zero point in SH4 was actually something like X=0.57 Y=0 Z=0 in 3dsmax. You have to fiddle and do trials and errors to get these values, but i will tell you the exact amount of rotation and xyz values to apply to an imported model to accuratly place it into your 3d software if you need to. Don't hesitate to send me PM if you have any questions Here's an example of how i worked in 3dsmax: Here's how it is changed into S3D (be aware that this is just an example,coordinate don't match because it's not the same sphere/marker, it's just to show you where you change values): __________________ Last edited by kapitan_zur_see; 12-01-07 at 11:17 AM.

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12-01-07, 01:19 AM	#2
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	Not too hard. When the new S3D comes out, I think even easier. Right now, you open the dat in question. Find a P node. Export it and the linked node inside. Import it, and change the ID, change the "parent ID" pointer on the part that is supposed to sit inside, and rename it following the P node pattern. You can then move the node around. Y is vertical I think. Repeat as required.