Is it easy?

I'm wondering, as it would be a great source of things like terrain improvements if so.

Not to mention all the units.

Related question: Does the Celtic Mod use some Civ 4 graphics? If so, then we can assume that importing is possible (and maybe easy).

In one of the many interviews before the release, I read that the devs were looking forward for the modders to start importing civ4 stuff into civ5. So I believe it is highly likey they use the same model & animation coding for example.

Would really importing units be possible? Afterall now you have hexes, not squares, which means that two directions are not existant, and the rest have to be reworked heavily, or they will look awkward.

It's 3d, not 2d like civ3. The game can rotate 3d models any way it wants to.

indeed, its not like there's separate models for each direction a unit faces. The game does that for us. Did in civ4 as well.

Oh, excuse my civ3ism then ;)

In one of the many interviews before the release, I read that the devs were looking forward for the modders to start importing civ4 stuff into civ5. So I believe it is highly likey they use the same model & animation coding for example.

They were talking about maps.

Yes, you will be able to import Civ4 models into Civ5. You'd have to export an FBX file from blemder then use Nexus to convert it to a gr2

From the looks of it though civ 5 units are infinitely better modelled than civ4 ones. So importing civ4 units will downgrade the game.

Buildings should look ok i guess, since civ5 did not advance at all in that direction..

but civ5 is at a smaller scale so it shouldnt be too bad

From the looks of it though civ 5 units are infinitely better modelled than civ4 ones. So importing civ4 units will downgrade the game.

Buildings should look ok i guess, since civ5 did not advance at all in that direction..

First I'd like to compare polygon sizes from civ4 and civ5 models.

Forget units... lets get the terrain features from civ4 into civ5! especially the ones with animation. :) first lets make the game look good.

From the looks of it though civ 5 units are infinitely better modelled than civ4 ones. So importing civ4 units will downgrade the game.

Buildings should look ok i guess, since civ5 did not advance at all in that direction..
Hey, they'd be excellent placeholder graphics until improved artists can get to them and make them Civ V'ed :)

fyi some leaderscenes have over 1000 bonesm so i've been told

Yes, you will be able to import Civ4 models into Civ5. You'd have to export an FBX file from blemder then use Nexus to convert it to a gr2

That sounds like more steps than I care for, but I suppose doable. I hope it's not too hard, 3D modeling is not my forte.

you might want to start practicing with civ4 leaderheads or atleast with blender

Yes, you will be able to import Civ4 models into Civ5. You'd have to export an FBX file from blemder then use Nexus to convert it to a gr2

What does this mean for animations? I can imagine exporting the meshes and skeletons from Blender to some new format, but wouldn't animations have to be converted individually from the KF files?

but civ5 is at a smaller scale so it shouldnt be too bad

Agreed. Even at maximum zoom the detail in the new models doesn't really make a massive difference. I think if it is possible to convert units they'll look OK.

I don't think we can import. There is no model file to be found in Civ 5 folder.

Cause they're packed (in .fpk files) ;)

And unfortunately the fpk unpackers used for civ4 will not work for civ5

What does this mean for animations? I can imagine exporting the meshes and skeletons from Blender to some new format, but wouldn't animations have to be converted individually from the KF files?



you import the kf with the nif and the fbx will generate the animation file/ you may have to do it a few times but you will be able to get the animations in.


you wil be able to extract the files with nexus but the dds have a header that (AFAIK) prevents it from being opened in blender. you wont be able to import the civ5 leaderheads into blender (AFAIK)

you import the kf with the nif and the fbx will generate the animation file/ you may have to do it a few times but you will be able to get the animations in.

Sounds like it could be tedious, but I guess if it just involves importing and exporting from Blender then even people with zero Blender modelling/rigging/animation skills could potentially do it.

fbx if I remember well was the format of that Motionbuilder software, and had import/export plugins for evey major 3d software. I remember using it on XSi Mod Tool and it had the best support I saw for animation and kinematics, it could keep every bit of information flawlessly!

I guess Firaxis chose it because its already mature stage of development and portability. I hope this gr2 format (I don't know nothing about it, can anyone point me at some link(s)?) and civ5 engine can handle skinning nicely, some engines have the worst ways to make that animation you did in-software all buggy in-game :(