I'm thinking about creating a unit for my self (or at least trying to), but I need help. I have a 3D model that I want to use, but I need to know what program(s) to use to give it life.

Any and all help is greatly appreicated!

Computerdude113

There appears to be some info on programs used in 3d unit creation in the following thread--

Civ3-creation & customization>Tutorials, Refrences & Guides>What"s Your 3d Unit Technique?

Good luck

I am looking for some advice on units modification....

I have created some simple units, but seem to be having a problem. The game runs flawlessly with these new units: I can build them, I can fight with them, Civilipedia entries are correct, everything appears to be perfect. However (there's always a "however"), when I try to load a saved game, I get the following error window:

DataIO operation system error: UNIT

The next window displayed is titled "Load Error", and simply displays the path of the saved game file.

Has anyone else experienced this or a similar problem?!? I'd love do something more than just start a new game--it's a bit much to expect to play a game from beginning to end in one sitting, even for a civfanatic like myself!

Anyone who can give me any advice, suggestions, or additional questions would be most appreciated!

What i think your problem is, you odviously added your new units in the civ editor, well you may have chnaged some civ text, or some units name or something that a previous saved game will relly on, so in a sense you will never be able to play existing games if you dont know what you changed.

Oh, computerdude113, for unit creation, you need a program called flicster. You can get it in the utility programs forum. It basically changes you images to the flc file used in the game.

Thanks Dragon King

I'll do that right now

Traveller,

I'm not sure what your probem is. I've never experiemced anything similar. Have you modified your units between when you first used the and when you tried to laod the saved game?

Traveller,

Does your error look anything like this:

Dragon King, I downloaded FLICster, but I can't load my BMP or GIF files into it to turn them into flics for the game.:confused: Did I misunderstand you when you replied, because I though that's what you meant.

download Paint Shop Pro from ZDNet.com also.
Then open your bmp's in PSP and cut and paste to the stroyboard created by flicster.

Neomega, I got my image to work in FLICSTer, I cahnged it to a .flc file, but now I can't understand what FLICSTer is doing, my image became text!:confused:
Also, I would do that, but I CAN"T SEE A STORYBOARD IN FLICSTER!
If you could help, thanks.

Well, first start flicster, choose a unit anim from civ3 to load.

Lets say you want to creat another tank, then load the Panzer or Modern Armour anim into flicster. Next step is to turn this anim into a storyboard via flicster´s export function (consult the readme file of the programme if you have trouble here).

Once flicster created the storyboard (you can´t view it in flicster directly), load it into a graphics software like PSP, Photopaint, or Photoshop. Here you can edit the storyboards like normal pics. There are a lot of different methods, if you use 3d models, you have to render the anim first in your 3d software, then open the anim in the graphics software you use for for editing the storyboards and paste the frames into these storyboards. Finally, load the (changed) storyboard into flicster, and create a flc unit anim for Civ3 from it.

AFAIK, some 3d programmes allow you to render flc anims, I guess they can be loaded into flicster directly, without editing storyboards (not sure here)

Thats basically flictser explanied in a nutshell. As you no doubt have figured out flictser is a bit confusing, even i find it conusing. I only edit existing units. If you do have dificulty you could paste your pictures onto an existing unit pcx file.

Thanks for your help everyone

Just out of interest, what unit are you planning to make?

I have a bunch of 3D pics I got from 3D Cafe. I'm fairly good at working pictures with a computer, so my problem was in actually making the animation.

If you want, I'll post a couple of the pics.

Yeah sure, go ahead.

I thought I would make this unit. It seems farily simple. It could be an upgrade to what I see as the absolutly useless Scout/Explorer unit. It would be a fast moving-lightly armored land-type hover craft.

I have a bunch of more fairly advanced units that I'll try to get aroud to doing when I've gotten better at unit creation

Ah should be good, look forward to seeing them when they are done:)

thanks
i'll get on them ASAP

Took a long weekend. Thanks for all the input.

Nemesis Rex--To answer your first question, no modifications were made before loading the saved game. I created a new scenerio with a new unit, and then begin the scenerio. Everything runs fine until I exit the game. The game will load without errors only until the new unit becomes available. Once the new unit becomes available, saved games no longer load.

To your second question--mostly yes. The first error I get is a "Windows" window (not one displayed by CivIII) which states: "DATAIO operation system ERROR: UNIT". Upon closing that window a second replaces it looking like the one you showed, except that the path indicated is the path of the saved games folder, not the art\units folder as you have shown.

Dragon King, I have another question. I have the SW and SE views for the unit, but how do I do the NW and NE views? I got the image off 3D Cafe, so I didn't make it.

Dragon King, I have another question. I have the SW and SE views for the unit, but how do I do the NW and NE views? I got the image off 3D Cafe, so I didn't make it.

Well, i'm not very good with 3d unit creation, i use the cut and paste method. I think if its a 3d program of the unit you got maybe you should be able to turn the unit. Otherwise for me i have to draw my units by hand. Maybe someone who makes there units with 3d programs could help you i really dont know.

Thanks