I made a decent generic 3d cockpit named ivunit_cockpit.xsi. The parts list is viewz for the cockpit part and hp_eyepoint_1, but when I use the cockpit it never centers up right with the weapons sight. Why?
It looks right in my 3d modeler, but on an actual ship it's always off-center? Does the cockpit reference of the eyepoint hp which is named hp_eyepoint on the actual model? Kind of has me stumped as to what to adjust to get the 3d cockpit lined up right. Tanks BNG. PS: Would renaming the model eyepoint to hp_eyepoint_1 correct the issue?
(https://peq8dw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pAFLqAUu_6UeRKw70fpSwPVykv_XrAKUgHXrxAatzelSujOAtb_fuXJtwNbYhSchUMU9GZhvhMDNJuCgDRRqBgrWqQ0Zp4UQi/unitcockpit.GIF)
I figured out that my eyepoint aline was really off, so I merged the end vertices to a point and then moved the eyepoint forward to line up better and wala it was centered much better. Can the _2g thingy be used to further make the cockpit more transparent? Any ways it looks much better now. The whole cockpit is basically just 4 swept surfaces. I'd like to add a bit more detail, but still keep the 3d view clean and uncluttered. Can anyone suggest some visual elements I might add to make the cockpit a bit more complete? Tanks, BNG.
(https://peq8dw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1px3JhgARSh2ZXUqO4wfwUEa502oEaNrNK6Ll-WogPkIfXhWhZRsWx9IeEMdFi5uMjeJl9e1Hau79G0z0oJM6XvaLduIQh7ln0/cockpitreline.GIF)
you could add a cool looking control panel to the bottom there.. :-)
QuoteCan the _2g thingy be used to further make the cockpit more transparent?
Not well, I would not use transparency's at all on a cockpit (from the inside). It will interfere with the appearance of other game elements too much.
just a simple framework of solid material and a cool looking dashboard is all that is really needed. I experimented with transparent textures to try and make a Dalek "Cockpit" , the view from an eyestalk! They all looked awful and the transparency just ruined the graphic clarity for the rest of the game content. A subtle movement animation for the cockpit is a very good idea though.
Quote from: BNG Da BZ Fool on August 14, 2009, 12:34:11 AMCan anyone suggest some visual elements I might add to make the cockpit a bit more complete? Tanks, BNG.
A texture :-D
The texture sounds good, but a control just clutters the otherwise open design. Perhaps I could place control panel elements on the texture instead.
Well you could put in some minimal textured panels that only surround, say, the radar and weapon selection/health bar so that those elements look like they are built into the cockpit. Done right, it would only obscure some small areas in the bottom left and right corners.
Not bad...only bummer would be that they wouldn't move with the cockpit piece, but a simple flat floating panel somewhere within the open area might look good. From what I've done so far shows me that 3d cockpits are basically simple 2d objects that enhance an otherwise bland open area with only the weapon sight usually visible. I've really started focusing on refining my models a bit more with standard elements like unit icons, wire frame images and simple 3d cockpits. I'll reward the first person that can teach me how to texture models the easy way? The reward would be a box of delicious melt-in your-mouth Karma Bars? Please excuse the pun, but I couldn't resist; seriously, I really need some help making sense of painting 2d stuff on a 3d surface. 2d to 2d I get, but applying textures to a 3d model makes my brain ache. BNG.
If you were using 3DS, I would tell you to just unwrap UVW (uwv??/hehh...), throw some images in the matedit, and have at it. That's the easy way to me anyway, and the only way I know. Seems to be much harder than I make it out to be seeing as how much fear it strikes into some.
TS, has a similar UV unwrap utility, but I've never been able to get away with a single texture map as the result of a UV texture map exported to an external paint program. I may have to do it with multiple textures rather then a single file. What I've done with some fair results is create/apply textures to individual model parts rather then a single file for the whole model itself.
I guess if I'm going to have to figure it out for myself then this seems like the most practical solution for getting textures on my model. Can BZ handle more then one texture per model? A single file may be preferable, but some of us may never truly figure out how to do it all on one silly texture file especially considering that just about every 3d modeler typically supports multiple textures and layers as well. BNG.
You just uvmap the object, and then rearrange the shapes to fit on the texture, then you make the texture using the exported uv texture as a guide.
Quote from: mrtwosheds on August 19, 2009, 10:07:22 PM
You just uvmap the object, and then rearrange the shapes to fit on the texture, then you make the texture using the exported uv texture as a guide.
+1
QuoteCan BZ handle more then one texture per model?
well, i've used 8 different textures on some models.
like:
the cockpit, the main body, secondary geometry, misc, flames.... etc...
i believe it does slow down the computer the more textures you have though, but i haven't noticed anything yet really.
There must be 1 pass per texture. And the effect is not that noticeable unless you get ridiculous.
And if your smart, those multiple textures are also used on many other objects, bringing the overall load down.
That's what I was thinking too. I remember a while back when I textured quite a few models with the same camo texture, only when I exported the model to the addon folder a new name was added effectively copying the same texture dozens of times with different names like procmap1, procmap2, etc. It was horrible and jacked the addon file size astronomically.
I understand the process of breaking the UV map into sections for painting onto them later in a paint program, but the painted sections never really seem to apply correctly back onto the model afterwords. Talk about utter frustration when one realizes that all the time it took to do all of this was more or less a waste of time. Hell, I could probably do a better custom texture by drawing out and coloring one on a piece of paper, scanning it and then converting it to a graphics format.
The multiple texture option makes the best sense to me due to my lack of texturing know how. It seems likes if your stuck with a basket of lemons then lemonade is much better then a pitcher of sour grapes.
Utilizing pre-existing textures almost exclusively to make new ones for your model brings overall download size down, reduces load (because the textures are being loaded for other models like sabre, warrior, etc.), and guarantees everyone with a stock install can already view it without running into problems of texture loading and such.
I did that on my bz1 rocket tower, using the rocket tank skin and name so it would be ready for anyone who wished to use it and a smaller package to distribute.
Oh and of course, after you have UV mapped the model and made the texture, you will probably need to flip the texture vertically before converting it to dxtbz2 and importing into bz2, or it wont fit, for some reason .xsi likes them to be upsidedown.
Does BZII reference the 3d cocpit eyepoint thingy using the eyepoint on the actual unit eyepoint? I moved the eyepoint around several times and no matter where I move it on _cockpit.xsi the view in ship is always the same no matter what I do. Tanks, BNG.
the hp_eyepoint on your ship is used as to where you will "look out" of the model, and where the sniper light will be.
the eyepoint in the cockpit model just determines how you see your cockpit model.
It sounds like using multiple textures aren't really all that bad. If that's the case then I'll try to design a few custom textures and see if I can figure out how to break apart the UV thingy to get them to fit the way I want them. Placing a texture on an actual model is very simple with any 3d modeler. Placing it correctly though requires some more careful thought be applied to get it positioned right. I think that part of my problem all along was confounded when I tried to replicate posted methods, but got frustrated due to my lack of understanding them.
Like other modeling applications TS 7.6 can do the job easily, and I personally prefer using it to the other methods discussed. I like the fact that Lithunwrap can also generate an X model from other formats too.
Quotef that's the case then I'll try to design a few custom textures and see if I can figure out how to break apart the UV thingy to get them to fit the way I want them.
That is the wrong way round, you will probably wind up with stretched and odd looking textures.
just layout your UV's to fill the mapping square, then design the texture to fit it.