Editing Ship Models/Skins

Feuer Frei! · 02-27-13, 06:32 AM

I would like to know what sort of tools the modders here have in their 'tool shed' for skinning ships and working with placement of units or people for instance, putting clothes on them, is there a program that does all these things? Or would i need several programs, depending on what i want to do? Any of these tools freeware?
I noticed iambecomelife's fleet mod for eg. and would like to look at modelling my own ships, or customizing their appearances etc. Uniform mods, U-Boot skins.
Please educate this layman

flakmonkey · 02-27-13, 07:18 AM

While id love to have been the author of the merchant fleet mod it was actaully made by iambecomelife

As for your question, you can use pretty much any 3d app that can export .obj files to make new units. Personally i use maya and 3ds max but these are quite expensive. Try a google search for wings3d, last time i looked it was free and quite fully featured. You will also need something like photoshop to create and edit unit textures (.tga format).

And for importing your work into sh3 you will need s3d, a quick forum search should find it.

Happy modding

Feuer Frei! · 02-27-13, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flakmonkey

While id love to have been the author of the merchant fleet mod it was actaully made by iambecomelife

Well, don't i feel like a goose now, fixed in OP.

Quote:

As for your question, you can use pretty much any 3d app that can export .obj files to make new units. Personally i use maya and 3ds max but these are quite expensive. Try a google search for wings3d, last time i looked it was free and quite fully featured. You will also need something like photoshop to create and edit unit textures (.tga format).
And for importing your work into sh3 you will need s3d, a quick forum search should find it. Happy modding

Fantastic! Just the type of answer i was looking for. Thanks a lot

If anyone else has anything to add to this i'm all ears.

heidelbergensis · 02-27-13, 02:52 PM

You can try also Blender; it´s free and it´s a professional level tool in it´s current revision. Search for Blender.org and download it and try.

Cinema 4D is not for free, but it´s simplest version is enough to 3D modelling, and is cheaper tnan 3dsmax or Maya.

02-27-13, 04:13 PM

Great! Another modder. Good to see new blood.

Feuer Frei! · 02-27-13, 07:09 PM

Thanks guys.
Is there like a step by step guide or something for working with editing models ingame?
I've got Wings 3D, S3D and i just need a free image-editing program i assume.
I've looked at the webpage for wings, but it's only very limited in how to use it.
What i'm asking is, do i export a model(ship, person, u-boot) with s3d first? then save that file onto desktop and open that up with wings 3d? Or how do i do all this?
Sorry for the ignorance, a step by step mini guide would be awesome, doesn't have to be a huge guide, just to get me started.
Thanks again Kaleuns

02-27-13, 08:26 PM

Yep.
Export say the Ship's main Hull with S3D.
Useing any 3D program you adjust the verts to suit your desires.
You'll have to re-do the UV layout after that or you'll get screwed up textures.
They'll be stretched if you don't.

Then once you've saved it, import with S3D.

Now that is the simple 'how-to'.
Actually DOING it?
There's gonna be some learnin' involved.

It does get easier as you go along and clowns like me are always closer then you sometimes wish.
So ask questions if you get flustered.

Feuer Frei! · 02-27-13, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by privateer

Useing any 3D program you adjust the verts to suit your desires.
You'll have to re-do the UV layout after that or you'll get screwed up textures.
They'll be stretched if you don't.

See, you've lost me there already

Verts? Remember Jeff, i've never done this before

Quote:

Then once you've saved it, import with S3D.

So export the .dat file of a ship, we will use Bismarck, (for some reason my pics aren't sticking here, i will use links)
http://i.imgur.com/CgWTl5f.jpg?2
with S3D, save onto desktop, which will be a .tga file, then what? Wings wont open tga files, is that why i need a photo-editing program?

EDIT: If i use Gimp for example, i would be able to open a .tga file and edit the image, then save as .tga over-writing original .tga and then importing that edited file into game again via s3d? Is that the gist of it?

02-27-13, 10:28 PM

Ahh. If your only going to work the skins export the .tga
Them use Gimp or the free Photoshop CS2 posted here at SubSim.
(I highly suggest you grap a copy of that!)
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=201285
Download and install. It works fine on this Win 7 system I travel with so ignore the warnings.

Edit that (the tga file) and use S3D to import it.
The verts stuff only applies if your doing an adjustment to the 3D model of anything.

Verts are the 'dots' you'd see in a 3D program that changes the shape of the object you are working on.

Now watch me juggle these Chain Saws while blind drunk.

See? I told you I was a Clown!

02-27-13, 06:32 AM	#1
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	Editing Ship Models/Skins I would like to know what sort of tools the modders here have in their 'tool shed' for skinning ships and working with placement of units or people for instance, putting clothes on them, is there a program that does all these things? Or would i need several programs, depending on what i want to do? Any of these tools freeware? I noticed iambecomelife's fleet mod for eg. and would like to look at modelling my own ships, or customizing their appearances etc. Uniform mods, U-Boot skins. Please educate this layman __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS Last edited by Feuer Frei!; 02-27-13 at 07:46 AM. Reason: for crediting the right modder

02-27-13, 07:18 AM	#2
flakmonkey Grey Wolf Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Staffordshire, Uk Posts: 944 Downloads: 78 Uploads: 0	While id love to have been the author of the merchant fleet mod it was actaully made by iambecomelife As for your question, you can use pretty much any 3d app that can export .obj files to make new units. Personally i use maya and 3ds max but these are quite expensive. Try a google search for wings3d, last time i looked it was free and quite fully featured. You will also need something like photoshop to create and edit unit textures (.tga format). And for importing your work into sh3 you will need s3d, a quick forum search should find it. Happy modding __________________

02-27-13, 07:09 PM	#6
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	Thanks guys. Is there like a step by step guide or something for working with editing models ingame? I've got Wings 3D, S3D and i just need a free image-editing program i assume. I've looked at the webpage for wings, but it's only very limited in how to use it. What i'm asking is, do i export a model(ship, person, u-boot) with s3d first? then save that file onto desktop and open that up with wings 3d? Or how do i do all this? Sorry for the ignorance, a step by step mini guide would be awesome, doesn't have to be a huge guide, just to get me started. Thanks again Kaleuns __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS

02-27-13, 02:52 PM	#4
heidelbergensis Watch Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Spain Posts: 28 Downloads: 118 Uploads: 2	You can try also Blender; it´s free and it´s a professional level tool in it´s current revision. Search for Blender.org and download it and try. Cinema 4D is not for free, but it´s simplest version is enough to 3D modelling, and is cheaper tnan 3dsmax or Maya.

02-27-13, 04:13 PM	#5
machiavelli Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Great! Another modder. Good to see new blood.

02-27-13, 08:26 PM	#7
Madox58 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Yep. Export say the Ship's main Hull with S3D. Useing any 3D program you adjust the verts to suit your desires. You'll have to re-do the UV layout after that or you'll get screwed up textures. They'll be stretched if you don't. Then once you've saved it, import with S3D. Now that is the simple 'how-to'. Actually DOING it? There's gonna be some learnin' involved. It does get easier as you go along and clowns like me are always closer then you sometimes wish. So ask questions if you get flustered.

02-27-13, 10:28 PM	#9
Madox58 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Ahh. If your only going to work the skins export the .tga Them use Gimp or the free Photoshop CS2 posted here at SubSim. (I highly suggest you grap a copy of that!) http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=201285 Download and install. It works fine on this Win 7 system I travel with so ignore the warnings. Edit that (the tga file) and use S3D to import it. The verts stuff only applies if your doing an adjustment to the 3D model of anything. Verts are the 'dots' you'd see in a 3D program that changes the shape of the object you are working on. Now watch me juggle these Chain Saws while blind drunk. See? I told you I was a Clown!