Modelling Organisation
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Manos1981: What a great effort, sorry you had to use a pretty old set of LODs - - I posted to your Phantom thread with a few tidbits. I would be willing to help you on the project to get this Phantom package fixed up. As posted on the other thread, I do have the old PSDs for all the phantoms … so making alternate skins is pretty easy.
I am surprised there was any confusion about permits to use these models and skins. I thought my permit to BMS for everything I did, was pretty clear. BTW, this model was given to me by Thoarek. CCC and WaveyDave had their hands on this as well. I gave this model to Stamatos “Deathdealer” at EMF to use in their project many years ago in return they gave me a great commemorative skin for the Greek Phantom.
Here is a pic of one of the missing LODs - the RF-4
Ranger822 : https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?22949-PHANTOM-PHOR-EVER-LODS-))
Therefore with no time cause of personal work and projects in general its a bit dead… I hope from mid september ill find some time to start working again on it -
Didn’t that RF-4C make into the ITO? I recall fighting for days to get the asymmetric HP’s to work properly. Way cool model.
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I’m looking to learn 3DS a little as I’d love to build some models for F4. Couple of questions:
- Can anyone recommend a good source for detailed, accurate blueprints for aircraft
- which models are needing work that aren’t too complex for a beginner to learn with? Any particular buildings, units, or weapons that need doing but aren’t insanely difficult for a newbie?
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https://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/modernplanes/
for 2) take a look at current ones in Falcon… pick one and go. Oh also and the first post on this thread.
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Any that are free?
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Any that are free?
Free blueprints?
Most of them are, just create an account.
and as a help u can use vector magic to convert them to vectors… then to autocad and it will come in 3dsmax nicely as vector and u can then form it.
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Free blueprints?
Most of them are, just create an account.
and as a help u can use vector magic to convert them to vectors… then to autocad and it will come in 3dsmax nicely as vector and u can then form it.
Ah sweet. Wasn’t aware of such a tool. I’ll do my best to learn, just don’t expect an A-10C over night
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So! is it ready? where is the download link? :lol:
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Just a little point.
Do not trust too much blueprints. Most of them are wrong.
Before starting a project, always take inspiration first by watching during one day or two, it depends on you, as much pictures as you can of the bird you want to recreate. You will then instantly identify which points of blueprint are not accurate. It is really important to have different sources before starting modelling.
Just my little 100 yens!
Kind regards,
Radium
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Hi guys.
Just joined the forum yesterday and I’m interested in doing some modelling but noticed that the 1st post in this thread hasn’t been edited since Nov 2015…… Is the information in the 1st post up to date with the latest version of Falcon 4 BMS 4.33 U3?
The quoted model triangle limit seems very low for modern game models: 30,000 tri’s = 15,000 poly’s: does that include any cockpit model too?
Also I work with Maya 2016; are there any F4BMS exporters and tools specifically designed for Maya(I haven’t found any in my search)? Although I presume I could export any work in Maya via FBX to 3dsMax and export into F4BMS that way.
The 3dsMax version I would have available to me for F4BMS model export procedures would be “3dsMax 2010X64”, would there be any problems with the exporters using this version?
As a new member here I’m just trying to get a feel for what works for the current F4BMS modding procedures and what doesn’t as there is a lot of old, I presume outdated, information(and maybe some outdated mod-tools too?) on the forum that won’t be relevant anymore?
Thanks guys!:D
Hawk.
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Hi guys.
Just joined the forum yesterday and I’m interested in doing some modelling but noticed that the 1st post hasn’t been edited since Nov 2015…… Just wondering if the information in the 1st post up to date with the latest version of Falcon 4 BMS 4.33 U3?
I noticed the quoted model triangle limit seems very low for modern game models: 30,000 tri’s = 15,000 poly’s: does that include any cockpit model too?
Also I work with Maya 2016; are there any F4BMS exporters and tools specifically designed for Maya too anywhere(I haven’t found any in my search)? Although I presume I could export any work in Maya via FBX to 3dsMax and export into F4BMS that way.
The 3dsMax version I would have available to me for F4BMS model export procedures would be “3dsMax 2010X64”, would there be any problems with the exporters using this version?
As a new member here I’m just trying to get a feel for what works for the current F4BMS modding procedures and what doesn’t as there is a lot of old, I presume outdated, information(and maybe certain mod-tools) on the forum that won’t be relevant anymore?
Thanks guys!:D
Hawk.
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Is this thread still being updated?
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Sorry If I Ask on the wrong thread…
I would like some guidance on how to proceed on a model to meet the BMS specs and not trouble if changes need to be made on it.
There must be provided LOD’s like 4 LOD’s for normal and 4 for Destroyed for ground vehicles. Those must be 8 different max files. Right?
About the DOF’s those must be the last thing to do? or can be done before texturing it or before the LOD’s?
About the texturing 4 models must fit in a 2048^2 texture with damaged textures. this means the texture area for one model is 512^2. Right? So i divide a texture in 8 segments and use 2 of them for my model? One for model and one for damaged?
(As a side comment for this I believe this is very low… leaving small space for details.)For export the best thing is to end up to clear polygon (meaning before export convert all shapes to polygons)? Right now I have modifiers on top of basic shapes like cylinders boxes etc. Should I provide 2 different files? One with basic shapes and modifiers or the last polygon converted is sufficient?
I ask of this cause I believe the basic shapes could greatly help on some cases instead of a polygon manipulation.If I miss something please say so.
Edit: I forgot about textures. PSD files or DDS only? UVmappings? I’m not good with PS, I use Corel draw mostly and Substance painter and then I use PS mostly for conversion to DDS. I can export from Corel to PS but some times fubars the layers… or transparencies and effects between layers.
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There must be provided LOD’s like 4 LOD’s for normal and 4 for Destroyed for ground vehicles. Those must be 8 different max files. Right?
Not necessarily 8 3dsMax files. All the Lod’s can be in one file if you use layers/selection sets wisely. Also, keep in mind that each succeeding Lod level should roughly halve the number of triangles from the previous.
About the DOF’s those must be the last thing to do? or can be done before texturing it or before the LOD’s?
I’m not sure of your question, but Dof’s and texturing can be done in whatever order you wish.
About the texturing 4 models must fit in a 2048^2 texture with damaged textures. this means the texture area for one model is 512^2. Right? So i divide a texture in 8 segments and use 2 of them for my model? One for model and one for damaged?
(As a side comment for this I believe this is very low… leaving small space for details.)Damaged models may not need as much space as the model itself leaving more room for details. Also, you can supply a larger texture that goes into the HiRes folder for those who choose that option.
For export the best thing is to end up to clear polygon (meaning before export convert all shapes to polygons)? Right now I have modifiers on top of basic shapes like cylinders boxes etc. Should I provide 2 different files? One with basic shapes and modifiers or the last polygon converted is sufficient?
I ask of this cause I believe the basic shapes could greatly help on some cases instead of a polygon manipulation.WaveyDave’s LodExporter automatically converts shapes into triangles. 3dsMax can give you the total number of triangles/polygons in your modeling view using stats.
Edit: I forgot about textures. PSD files or DDS only?
PSD and 3dsMax files are necessary for possible further modifications. Lod and dds are required for incorporation.
UVmappings? I’m not good with PS, I use Corel draw mostly and Substance painter and then I use PS mostly for conversion to DDS. I can export from Corel to PS but some times fubars the layers… or transparencies and effects between layers
PSD is preferred, but anything that can be read by PS with the minimum of errors is best.
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About the texturing 4 models must fit in a 2048^2 texture with damaged textures. this means the texture area for one model is 512^2. Right? So i divide a texture in 8 segments and use 2 of them for my model? One for model and one for damaged?
(As a side comment for this I believe this is very low… leaving small space for details.)Ground vehicles not require damaged models. Normal and destroyed required.
It is important that vehicles of one battalion will use the same texture, if possible. It doesn’t matter how much space you want to use for each model on texture, don’t need to split into regular squares. You should consider which vehicles will be on this texture and how much space each one needs. One more thing, if any vehicle is launcher (e.g. SA-17, Patriot…etc…), the missile should also be on this texture.
So I recommend to working with four vehicles in the same time. It is much easier to organize your work. -
On Switch behalf:
That’s actually not true.
To get damaged models, models of normal parents need two texture sets, the second one being same that first one but with damages on the textures (burnt spots, ….). Then, you use same parents for normal and damaged.
That’s something that should be actually mandatory but it seems people forgot about that.
Cheers,
Switch
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On Switch behalf:
I said bullshit!
Fok my life … this is only valid for Features.
Gonna eat tomato and cucumbers.
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Ground vehicles not require damaged models. Normal and destroyed required.
It is important that vehicles of one battalion will use the same texture, if possible. It doesn’t matter how much space you want to use for each model on texture, don’t need to split into regular squares. You should consider which vehicles will be on this texture and how much space each one needs. One more thing, if any vehicle is launcher (e.g. SA-17, Patriot…etc…), the missile should also be on this texture.
So I recommend to working with four vehicles in the same time. It is much easier to organize your work.The following Q’s are addressed to anyone that knows not just to Eghi.
1st: This thing with the same battalion let’s clear it out.
Example the M109.
To find the battalion it is in I go to Class Table TAB in Falcon Editor. Locate the M109 and double click.
On Class Data Pointer at Data: I click Open.
This opens Unit Data window.
Name is SP Guns and flagged as Battalion.
At the bottom of this window I see the ranks of first vehicle in the slot…
and in there are
M109
HMMWV
K200-AD
M997
Fuel Truck
M998Am I at the correct point? are those the battalion elements?
So I must group those 6 vehicles to 4-2 or 3-3 and if are old I must recreate them and use the sharing texture thing.
K200-AD looks old also and is on the list.Now in campaign in MC I found a battalion where M113 are there also but not in the previous list.
2nd: This thing with the asterisk and the “Parent numbers listed with a * share a parent with another object.”
example M113 has it so same parent is used for another object records and those are:
M113 (29)
M901 (30)
M113A3 (544)
AVLM/MS (553)
VTT-323 (748 )
ACRV (755)
WZ-551 (756)
YW-531 (792)
M106 (832)
M992 (3368 )
so it must be generic to look alike those sharing objects? or I just opened the pandora box and I must do all of them so to be separated and unique records each?
Or the team wants them as is and will not make them unique for optimization reasons?
If it’s because those models don’t exist to replace them then they should be on the modeling organization list and I - we should start building them. Right?
Or they are not priority? -
Hi Arty!
I am not a big guru of that kind of stuff yet, I am still learning … but I can tell you that a big cleanup and purge has been done in the database to suppress doubloons, old models and unused vehicles … parent has also been deeply reorganized following the cleanup … so the best IMO, would be to send the files (source files if possible) plus LOD and textures to Eghi or me, and we will transfer them to Switch for proper DB integration with good parents … etc …
Too bad that Switch is not on PPL forum anymore coz I would probably be able to answer your questions.