BZ2 mapping and modding FAQ

[Lizard]

Thread Guidelines by Angstromicus:


I should be updating this topic more often, but I probably won't be for quite some time.

I am unlocking the topic for everyone to post in.

When posting, post only content from stickies that have not had any new posts for more than six months, or from non-stickied topics that have useful modding information.

I prefer that you post information in the format of my previous posts, though you may choose any format you want - just please post in an organized, easy-to-read format.

If you post content from a sticky that's more than six months old, send me or any other administrative staff a PM about it.

Any posts not meeting this criteria will likely be deleted from the topic, but don't be afraid to bend the rules if what you're posting is useful to the topic.


end...

Please read this thread before posting any questions , if you ask something that has already been answered in here you won't be thanked for it .


Q) just how moddable is BZ2 ?

A) Very moddable you can change most things , however some aspects of the game are hardcoded and cannot be altered .


Q) is the BZ2 source code available ?

A) No , and it is unlikely to be so in the forseeable future .


Q) can I create new units for the game ?

A) Yes with the right software , for more information on BZ2 modelling visit this site : http://fishdotxsi.bz2md.com/ (anybody got a backup?)


Q) Can I create my own missions for BZ2 ?

A) yes very easily , you'll need to download the BZ2 dll scriptor in order to do so , available here : http://www.planetbattlezone.com/launchpad/


Q) How do I use the BZ2 map editor ?

A) Tutorials covering most aspects of BZ2 map making can be found here : http://zeroangel.overminddl1.com/features/lizard/index.php


Q) What are AIP's and how do I use them ?

A) AIP's are artificial intelligence plan files , they are used to tell the AI what to build and where , what targets to attack etc . For more information on AIP files visit this site : http://www.planetbattlezone.com/nattyscabin/welcome.shtml (requesting an alternate source)


Q) What are ODF's ?

A) ODF's are Object definition files , these control how all game objects such as unit's , buildings and props behave , they are also used for creating weapons and some special effects . You can edit ODF's using notepad and they are pretty self explanatory , you can find some additional information on editing ODF's ( particularly weapons) here : http://www.bzuniverse.com/modifier/


Q) where can I download BZ2 mapping and modding utilities ?

A) This site contains many BZ2 downloads including utilities : http://www.bzscrap.com


Q) Which are the most popular utilities and what do they do ?

A) Ã,  1) the BZ2 DLL Scriptor : probably the most important tool of them all allowing you to easily create your own single player missions for BZ2 .

Ã,  Ã,  Ã, 2) PAKexplorer : another invaluable tool which allows you to explore, extract and even create your own BZ2 PAK archives .

Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  3) AIP editor : take some of the frustration out of creating and editing AIP files with this handy tool .

Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  4) Threed ( also known as BZ2me ) , the bz2 model editing program allows you to create new models for bz2 by cuting and pasting sections from already exisiting XSI files .


Q) I've searched through the PAK files and I can't find the BZ2 .XSI models anywhere , where can I find them ?

A) they aren't included in the game , BZ2 compresses XSI files into .MSH format ( which currently we are unable to edit ) . You can download a zip with all the XSI models used by BZ2 from here : http://www.bzscrap.com ... look for xsi.zip under utilities .


Q) can I use the BZ2 dll scriptor to make Multiplayer missions ?

A) No , for this you'll need to be fluent in C++ I'm afraid , this is the only way of making BZ2 multiplayer DLL's .


Q) are there any other sites that cover BZ2 mod and map making that haven't already been mentioned ?

A) Ã, Yes , http://www.bz2md.com/forum/portal.php is a site dedicated to BZ2 mod development and has forums and useful links amongst other things . Also http://www.timedisruptor.com/ has forums that cover many aspects of BZ2 mod/map making mainly concentrating on the area of multiplayer mod development Ã, .

Q) can I create new Unit/Building/Object/Weapon classes for BZ2 ?

A) No , this type of thing is hardcoded and can't be changed without access to the source code ( which we don't have ) , however creative and resourceful modders can usually find a way to do what they want with a bit of ingenuity .



OK that should be enough to get most people past the basics of BZ2 modding/mapping , if anyone thinks of something I missed PM me and I'll update the thread .


Additional notes on releasing and packaging maps by NoKomment :

Nothing is worse then making an awesome map, packing it up in a zip then telling everyone to download it, then finding out it either doesn't work at all, causes AV's or bad assets.

The steps below will guide you through making sure that your map won't have the above problems caused by incorrectly packing your maps.

--------------------------------------------------------

1) Try to make sure you map has a unique filename.

For example, test.bzn will most likely have been used by every second map designer at some point, so the chance that a map under that name already being on a persons machine is very high.

This could lead to bad assets, or players not being able to see your map.

2) Make your filename informative regarding mods.

When a player does not have you map, they will not see the name you give the map in the inf file. Instead, they will see the core map filename, such as dunes.bzn.

Because of this, it is important that the filename is imparts certain information onto those that don't have the map, so that they my have a chance of finding it.

Make sure it also tells them what mod the map is associated with.

If you make a ZST map, try to make sure the map filename includes "ZST". For example, say you have the map called "Bite Me", which is a ZST map, name it something like ZSTBiteMe.bzn or BiteMe-ZST.bzn.

For FE, most maps are preceded by cp. Eg, cpdunes.bzn. Your best option would be to use FE to precede any maps you make. Eg, FEdunes.bzn.

Although using "cp" would be acceptable, by using "FE",
players will know that the map isn't a stock FE map. This is more so important for users who may use older revisions. Also, it reduces the chance you will pick a name already in use.

3) Try to include map type information in the filename aswell.

A dedicated strat player most likely will not be interested in joining an mpi or dm. Take the map Bite Me again, if its a dm, call it dmBiteMe.bzn.

Note: If the map is ZST, it already includes the map type, so don't go doing ZSTstBiteMe.bzn...

4) Make it so when a player unzips to root bz2, it will put all the files in the correct directory.

To make it easy, Below is a correct folder layout that I use(or should use) for my maps. It will help ensure no conflicts or other problems.

Code:

Battlezone II/
*root Ã, dir* |missions/
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  | Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, |mycustom.dll Ã,  Ã,

Battlezone II/
*root Ã, dir* |addon/
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  | Ã,  Ã,  |Missions/
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  | Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, |Multiplayer/
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  | Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, |MyNewMapDir/
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  | Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, |mynewmap.bzn




1. On your system is just a folder you will use to create the zip file. On the users system, it will be their base bz2 directory. By default, C:\Program Files\Battlezone II

2. If you use custom dll's, this is where they go.

3. Obviously, replace NoK with something related to your own nickname. In this directory you will place your maps folder. This way, all your maps are grouped together and easily found.

4. This is only needed if your maps use custom assets. By putting custom assets all in the same directory, it will reduce the chance of duplicate files clogging up players bz2 installs. Duplicate files not only slow load times for bz2 and waste space, they are also the number one cause of bad assets originating from the modder.

It also always for easy updating if needed later on.

5) Select both the missions and addon directory, then zip together.

The resultant zip file can now be unzipped into a players root bz2 directory to install the map.



On a side note, NEVER use the data folder to place your maps. This directory was intended for stock map only.

Not only can placing maps in this folder lead to bad assets and undesirable results in bz2, it has always be "fixed" in 1.3, meaning that any new maps placed in this directory will not function at all.


See the original @
http://www.nz-clan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=379


edited to add corrections posted by TV .

[Lizard]

Originally posted by Avatar :




There are three kinds of collisions in BZ2.

1. Sphere/Box.  The collisionRadius entry defines the radius of a sphere used for collision calculations.  boxCollide will override the sphere and use the bounding box of the object instead.  Note that either one can be smaller, larger, or offset from the actual mesh depending on such things as where the base pivot point of the object is.

This is the only method for vehicles and works for both vehicles and buildings.

2. Collision Object.  The collision__hc object in the mesh defines collisions.  This method only applies to buildings and the building must "own" the terrain it's on, either by having a terrain__h object in the mesh OR by using the ownsTerrain = True entry in the odf.

Only those parts of the collision__hc that are over the owned terrain will be collideable, and it cannot animate.

3. The mesh itself.  BZ2 originally used the mesh itself to define collisions, but the load on the engine is pretty heavy so collision objects were added.  The mesh can still be used for buildings that ownsTerrain and canCollide but don't have a collisionRadius defined or collision__hc part in the mesh.

Also must be entirely inside the owned terrain and cannot be animated.

***

Walls are fairly simple to do, you just don't want to go beyond the owned terrain.  This means no overlapping, and making the mesh is a fairly critical and precise operation.  If the AI is doing something odd make sure you've defined the tunnel information in the ODF to tell them to stay away from the wall.

Finally, if it's critical that AI stay away from your wall make it a reverse MITS mine that only affects vehicles...   



Note the gap the laser is pointing to...  I kept my walls a tiny bit shorter than a terrain square on purpose as it seemed to help with AI issues for them to see them as just a bunch of buildings.  The tunnel info really helps, also, telling the AI to stay away from the wall part...

-Av-

[Angstromicus]

I'm cleaning up the sticky list by removing from it the older topics which see little activity. Some topics will be removed from the sticky list, but I'll post the relevant notes here. However, the full topics can still be found on this board. One topic per post, quotations with additional information will be at the end of each post.

Tutorial: Exporting Gmax Models & Using LithUnwrap Tool

Getting Your Model Ready For Export:
_____________________________________________________________________
1.) Open Gmax.
2.) Load Finished Model.
3.) Click the tab called "Main Toolbar" from the top menu.
4.) Click "Unlink Selection"  (Note: Export Does not support linking).
6.) Select all objects that your model has.
5.) After all objects have been selected Click the "Utilites" button.
     from the right menu (Hint: Hammer Icon).
7.) Now click "Reset XForm" & Reset Selected.
8.) right click the model while all objects are still selected &
     chose Convert To" "Editable Mesh"
9.) now your model is ready for export.




   Exporting Your Model  (Requires Quake 3 Plugin from Tempest Pack)_____________________________________________________________________

1.) Click file -> Export.
2.) Chose the File Location, New File Name, and Quake 3 (*.MD3) for the file type.
     (Note: you may need to install the MD3 plugin from the tempest pack)

3.) Click Save.
4.) Enter the number 0 in "The Following Frames"
5.) Uncheck "Show Warning Dialogs" to avoid getting multiple uv error message.
6.) Click Export Now.




   Importing Your Model Into Ultimate Unwrap3D (Version2.20\Demo2.20)
_____________________________________________________________________
1.) File -> Open -> YourModel.MD3
2.) Click Import from the Quake 3 Importer.

3.) Left click the "+Groups" from the right menu to expand the list of objects.
4.) Right click the -Groups & select the following options "AutoHide" & "AutoSelect".
5.) Left click one of the objects from the group listing to select that object.
6.) Left click the white cube named "Box Mapping" & uncheck the option "Untangle UVs".
7.) Click Apply.
8.) Now Right Click "+Materials & Select "Delete All...).
9.) Right Click "+Materials" again & Select "Add". 
10.) Right click the New Material & choose Rename" to rename the material to "Material #1".
11.) Right click the New Material Named "Material #1" & select Properties.
12.) Click the "Maps" Tab & to the right of the Diffuse select the "Bitmap" option.
13.) Now click the Properties button that is to the right of "Bitmap".
14.) Click Change
15.) Find & Select your texture\image-template that you want to apply to the model.
16.) Click Open
17.) Click Ok to close Diffuse Map Properties.
18.) Click Ok to close the Material Editor for that Material.
19.) Now select the object you want to apply the material to by selecting
     from the group listing.
20.) Right click the Material Named "Material #1" & Select Apply.
21.) Save your Work.





   Importing Your Model Into Ultimate Unwrap3D\Lithunwrap (Free Version)
_____________________________________________________________________
1.) File -> Model -> Open -> YourModel.MD3
2.) Click Import from the Quake 3 Importer.
3.) If you don't have a right Menu Click view -> show Scene Window.
3.) Left click the "+Groups" from the right menu to expand the list of objects.
4.) Right click the -Groups & select the following options "AutoHide" & "AutoSelect".
5.) Left click one of the objects from the group listing to select that object.
6.) click tools -> UV Mapping -> Box.
7.) Click ok.
8.) Now left Click "+Materials to expand the listing.
9.) Right click each material & select the "Delete" option.
10.) Repeat step 9 until all Materials have been deleted.
11.) Right Click "+Materials" & Select "Add". 
12.) Right click the New Material & choose Rename" to rename the material to "Material #1".
13.) Right click the New Material Named "Material #1" & select Properties.
14.) Click the "Maps" Tab & to the right of the Diffusse: Map Type select the "Bitmap" option.
15.) Now click the Properties button that is just below the "Bitmap".
16.) Click Change
17.) Find & Select your texture\image-template that you want to apply to the model.
18.) Click Open
19.) Click Ok to close Diffuse Map Properties.
20.) Click Ok to close the Material Editor for that Material.
21.) Now select the object you want to apply the material to by selecting
     from the group listing.
22.) Right click the Material Named "Material #1" & Select assign.
23.) Save your Work.




   FAQ
_____________________________________________________________

Question #1:(LithUnwrap\Ultimate Unwrap3D)
How do i open that right menu?'

Answer 1a: (Free Version)
click view -> show Scene Window.

Answer 1b: (Version2.20\Demo)
click Windows -> Scene

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Question #3: (LithUnwrap)
How do i click tools -> UV Mapping -> Box when the button is grayed out ?'

Answer 3: (Free Version)
You cannot apply uvw mapping when you have the option "select by vertex" enabled.
(Fix: See Question 4)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Question #4: (LithUnwrap\Ultimate Unwrap3D)
How do i enable select by face so i can Uv Map the object.

Answer 4a: (Free Version)
Click the button named "Select By Face" look near the preview button for a triangle icon.

Answer 4b: (Version2.20\Demo)
Click the button named "Select By Face" look at the left menu for a white cube icon.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Question #5: (Gmax)
After using Reset Xform my object has turned inside out why & how do i fix this?

Answer 5: (Gmax)
Well this usually happens if you've mirrored another object & you can fix this by applying the "Normals" Modifier & flipping the normals back.
then you should reapply the reset xform again & your object shouldn't flip inside out again. just don't forget to collapse the stack by repeating step 8.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Question #6: (Gmax)
Whats the sense of using Reset XForm & converting my objects to an editable mesh (Step ?

Answer 6: (Gmax)
Well your resetting various information for the export & it will also allow you to link them to any parent object in notepad without them moving or rotating when they are linked properly. basicly it helps you setup your model properly in notepad without your parts moving or rotating.
i've also experenced exporting bugs which can be fixed by using this method of resetting various information. Also make sure you've unlinked any objects you've previously linked because Reset Xform & the Quake 3 Plugin don't support your objects being linked to another objects.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Question #7: (Ultimate Unwrap3D\Lithunwrap)
Ultimate UnWrap wont let me save my work is there any way around this without buying it?


Answer 7: (Ultimate Unwrap3D\Lithunwrap)
I have 2 different instructions in this Tutorial that can be either used for the FREE VERSION or REGISTERED VERSION.   Note: if using the demo &  your not a registered user then you cannot save unless either your using the free version  which is free to download or buy the newer version. I'd suggest buying the newer version because its a whole lot better.


Ultimate UnWrap: ( Pay version maybe found here)
http://www.unwrap3d.com/downloads.aspx


LithUnwrapper:  (Free Version)
http://www.bzuniverse.com/~fish.xsi/download/LithUnwrap.zip

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Convert from GMAX to XSI

Gmax

What reg code? DONT tell me gmax runs out after say a year.....

The Reg Key will only work during a certain date so you'll need to activate gmax within that date.  Once Gmax is activated then you don't have to worry about gmax expiring.  You should write down the date you receive your reg key incase you need to reinstall gmax & reactivate it.  Gmax only needs to be activated once installed & after that you can set your system clock to the proper date without worring about it ever expiring.   My Gmax program was activated afew years ago & still works today.  it may have gained abit of dust since i bought 3ds max 8 but gmax is still installed on my system incase i need to export a model from gmax. 

I have a question, what do i do with the lum file?

If you make a model in litheunwrap, the .lum file should be used to save your work unoptimised, so polys dont get triangulated and make further alterations difficult, or cover your mapping.bmp's in diagonal lines.

[Angstromicus]

Glow textures?

http://www.spiritplumber.tzo.com/BZTron/tronguy1.PNG

how's it look? I'm trying to replicate the tron "glow", but I'm not sure how to use glow textures... what do I do with them exactly? Do I have to "call" them when the msh gets generated?

Please help!

(that's without the glow texture btw)

(Modified March 14, 2008 9:07:51 PM)
the trick is to use the filenames. For example if your model is referencing a texture called isdf00.pic than the isdfc0.pic will be the glow texture that is overlayed on top of the regular texture.

whatevera0.pic is a glow texture
whateverc0.pic is the auto-colorized teamcolor texture
whatever00_bump.pic is a bumpmap texture

You shouldnt have to modify the ODF or XSI files, simply create a 32-bit image (32-bits means it has transparancy) and save it as whateverc0.pic

For an example, take a look at my ISDF teamcolor update for 1.3 which uses glow textures to mask the 'normal' colors when the ships are recolored in multiplayer.

a0 is what you want

c0 is for multiplayer team colour skins ( basically a white version of the normal skin that a colour overlay can be applied to ) .



a0 and c0 work in conjunction in multiplayer, if an a0 skin is present the alpha channels in the a0 texture are used to override the colouring on the c0 skin to give the effect of selectively applied team colours.


so it goes like this :


myskin00.pic - regular skin

myskinc0.pic - teamcolour skin

myskina0.pic - glowskin

and you can also have

myskin00_bump.pic - regular bump map texture

myskinc0_bump.pic -  multiplayer team colour bump map texture

myskina0_bump.pic - glowskin bump map texture .


in 1.2 you need to specify the glowtexture name in the ODF under [GameObjectClass], for example from the scion scout :

glowTexture = "fvscoua0.pic"


in 1.3 ken fixed it so that the game auto detects glow textures in the same way that it does teamcolour skins, so you no longer have to specify the name in the ODF.


not confusing at all is it .......

So Lizard, are you saying that in 1.3, if I have a model with the texture named "body.pic" for example and the model works and looks good and all that. If I simply add another texture called "bodya0.pic" to the same folder, the game will automatically know to use it for a glow texture? And does this work with other formats like .png and stuff?

Dia

I would use body00.pic.  Then bodya0.pic for the glow texture.

With your setup, boay.pic might be the glow texture.  The next to the last character determines the glowtexture.

Sorry dump typo.

body.pic = Regular Texture
boay.pic = GlowTexture

The placement of that a is very important.  The next to last character before the . must be an a.

Um, do you know how glowtextures are set up?  How to make one?

In case anyone reading this doesn't know...

Glowtextures work with an "alpha channel".  You need a paint program that supports alpha channels, some have been mentioned in other threads.  You also need a texture format that supports alpha channels.  PIC does this, as does TGA.  If you use TGA don't use the compressed version.

Let's say you want everything blue in your texture to glow.  You'd do whatever is necessary to see the channels of your texture, the Red, Green and Blue parts of the texture.  (RGB, see?)  Then you copy the Blue channel and name it "Alpha".  The paint program might name it "Alpha1", that's OK.  It'll also be grey shades, which is OK.

You'll notice the blue areas of the texture are brighter than the rest in the alpha channel, but that you can still see the other colors as greys.  That's because most every color has a little of each in it.  You want to black out everything but the Blue areas in the Alpha channel.  Everything else should be black, so that all you're seeing is a grey version of the blue in the texture.

That's it.  The engine will make anything other than black glow, and it'll glow brighter the whiter the alpha channel area is.  Name the texture XXXXaX.TGA or PIC and you're good to go.

-Av-

The parts you want to glow should be shown as white in the alpha channel.  The brighter the white the brighter they'll glow.  So, grey on the alpha channel will glow a little, and pure white will glow a lot.

-Av-

The other way to make glowing bits on models.
Requires the emmisive option (In threed) to be set for a whole frame, like the earlights on my avatar pic.
This can be done without threed, by simply adding __e to the end of the frame/mesh name (in notepad)

[Angstromicus]

terrain pb4 request

NOTE: This topic discusses the properties of chrome (i.e. reflection3.pic) in BZII.

There's nothing reflective about reflection3.pic. It's just a environment map applied to a chrome-ish material.

Making things truly reflective is not trivial. To do it properly, you'd need to switch over to raytracing. Or do some massive rewrites of the graphics code. Feature request denied.

-- GSH

careful there easter slug...

Actually, He's right. The game hardcodes to make reflection3.pic reflective, and only on chrome things.

Chrome is scion building in progress thing, and is assigned to scrap.

Making this into a terrain texture is...well, impossible?

Here's an idea, make a flat or slightly bumpy square of ground like a baseplate, make it kinda like the scrap model, as far as textues go, and then just cover ur map with it.

You can define the texture "reflected by chrome" in the console for each map.
chrome.texture mymap.pic
It looks crap on flat surfaces.
To look ok it is best to warp a screen shot of terrain and sky so that the terrain ends up in the middle surrounded by sky, this puts the terrain at the edge of the scrap and the sky in the middle.

BZ2 reflections in water are a trick...  the objects are actually recreated, mirrored, under the water.  That's what was causing Ice Rhinos to rise up from underwater when you dumped them through the ice in "Thin Ice".  Notice also that objects like Palm Trees are only reflected if they're completely out of the water...  Notice also that reflections disappear completely if you're looking through something that is itself reflecting or transparent, such as a Nav Beacon or the edges of grass or the canopy of a palm tree.

So reflections are already buggy, and here you want a whole map covered with them?  brrrrrrrr.....

-Av-

The "reflection" on biometal is a quick hack that works only because the object is really small. It's not a true reflection at all. To do proper reflections, you'd need to raytrace the entire scene, which is *not* cheap, and *not* done by any current game.

As a wise(?) man once said, "Now go away, or I will taunt you a second time." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071853/quotes .

-- GSH

Nah, just been stressed out with this English essay. I was doing daily routines of checking message boards and I was in a rush. Was feeling a bit inactive around the site (not just mod powers wise, but participation wise). But anyway, I made a model with a lot of chrome in it:




As you can see, chrome on .xsi's supports transparency, and can be quite large.

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

As an alternative way of  getting a model into BZII using Truespace version 7.6 used to make, UV map, and output the finished model via it's X exporter to Threed and converted to BZII XSI is fairly simple. FYI, this version of Truespace is actually 2 versions of TS in one application. It also includes version 6.6 along with version 7.6. We will be using version 6.6 for this modeling exercise. Therefore, when TS starts up we will be clicking on the Truespace 6.6 menu button to load the 6.6 version in the modeling workspace. Version 6.6 also supports the X version we want to output to Threed later on.

Make your model in TS 7.6. Then UV map it and output the map as TGA to your favorite paint program.
Paint the model as you like it and save the file again. Now return to TS and the map should appear already plastered onto you model. Remember that every object of your model needs to be attached together as one piece. In TS this is done easily by clicking on the scene editor icon which open up to a list box showing all the parts of your model; one under another. To attach the parts together left click and drag them one by one to the first object say the models main body and release the object and it will be placed under the first object; now do the same thing with all the other objects until everyone of them are attached together. Note: some objects like turrets, tracks and specific parts need to placed in smaller groups and then attached to the main body. This is required by the game engine to use the model parts correctly. Examples of this are tractor_l needs to go under tread_l, turret_x needs to go under turret_y; there are quite a few other parts like weapons, eyepoints, com points, etc. that need to be placed specifically for the game engine. Check existing model pack units to see where parts need to be placed. That said let's move on to getting a finished model out of TS and to the next level.

Select your model to be high lited in the workspace and click> TS 6 files, save as, object, and in the lower selection box select save as type Direct X as the export format. Clicking on setting and select export geometry, triangulate faces, export textures, inline material and then click OK. Now name the file and set the save in option designation to your BZII addon folder and then click save. Now open your model file in Threed and edit the object names to eliminate the -0, -1, etc. that the TS X exporter adds to the end of the objects file name; not doing this will result in hp_points that don't work or can even crash the game. An easier way to prep a model for Threed is to use the TS scene editor to add z to the end of the model part name, then open the file in MS Notepad and use the global replace tool to find z and replace them all with a simple space character; it only takes a few seconds but once this is done/saved then when you open the model in Threed all you have to do is hit save as XSI and the model is now ready for the next step.

We need to copy and rename an existing ODF file and edit the geometryName = with our new model XSI name; also I  would delete the LOD1 and LOD2 entries out as this will confuse us later when the model is loaded into the BZII map editor. Up close the model will look fine, but if we move away from it then the LOD settings will cause us to see the original LOD model listed in the ODF file. Our new ODF file should be named with our models name.odf as both the XSI and ODF file are used together by the BZII game engine. On to the final step.

Now start MM5, with the edit option enabled, and map selected we can open up the map editor type in our models name in the configuration box and load our model up for basic testing. If the model parts are all named correctly then the model should load just fine and be fully operational. Be sure to select team 1 if you want to command the unit, or team 2 or higher if you want it to attack you. This tutorial should include enough information to get you started, but feel free to let me know if you have problems or questions that I didn't have time to include. BNG.

[hosolon]

where do i find the FISHdotXSI file?

[bigbadbogie]

http://www.bz2md.com/fishdotxsi/

[Red Devil]

Using /initialcamera 7 in your BZ2edit shortcut will put you straight into Path Edit mode.