Anybody figure out how to skin team color?

I've been trying to export objects from 3ds max so that they support team color, but even following their "tutorial" (which is actually not 100% clear on the issue) I've had no luck. Anybody tried it, and maybe figured it out?

From what I understand the alpha channel is used to represent the team team colors in skins. I remember having this discussion with Zuul when he was making the Animals for his animal mod. Basically it was how to get a sabre tooth without having to change the model, i had suggested that he just use the alpha channel in the skin, but he pointed out that alpha is used for team colors.

That's the thing, it's not exactly how it works. From what I've been able to understand, if you have a unit (or more appropriately a piece of equipment) that doesn't use team colors then the alpha channel on the texture will create a regular transparency. However, for those models that do use team color the alpha channel will "reveal" the team color. I say "reveal" because from my understanding that's exactly what happens - the object (unit) with team color has two skins, one that is one single (team) color, and on top of that the regular skin, and when part of the regular skin is transparent the team color skin shows through.

Of course, if part of a unit (be default) has something transparent then it's been set up in such a way that transparency work's correctly (at least for a part of it) and can be modified. (and that's why you can remove the swordsman's shield by making it transparent, it doesn't have team color on it on the other hand that trick won't work with the knight's shield)

Anyway, in their documentation they do talk about setting up the team color skin but the instructions aren't detailed and the screenshots that accompany them make things even more confusing. I tried following them to the letter and also tried couple of variations but with no success.

I believe you are right white rabbit.

Long ago the graphics got buggy, and all the units were pure civ color, from their I deduced civ color is like the first layer of paint on the models.

I didn't really discovered anything, I just looked at the example files and tried to reproduce it. It worked.

Here's how you set up team color in 3dsmax:
- you need a texture with alpha channel. Black is invisible and will show as team color
- in 3dsmax pick CivilizationIV shader
- for the Base map choose TeamColor.bmp which is in YourCivFolder\Assets\Art\Shared\TeamColor.bmp. If it's not there just copy any .bmp file, rename and point to it. It doesn't matter it's not the one because you will be exporting with the option Original Images, just don't forget to remove it afterwards.
- for the Decal map choose your main texture

Screenshot

The downside is that you can't use alpha channel for team color and transparency at the same time for the same shader. I don't think we can do anything about it.

Did you try to apply the TCiv4Skinning shader to the material?


You probably didn't, cause that's what I did, per instructions in the documentaion and it didn't work. Once again I am foiled by the simplicity of the thing

Anyway, thanks for your help sharick.

Edit: Yep, just tried it and it worked beautifully.