New Cityset Model Created - Conversion to .nif and texture help needed

[Matsuda123]

Its awesome your creating stuff Matsuda. I'd definitely find a use for anything you create in my mod thats for sure.

I'm glad to hear that. I also have plans for some ethnic wonders. No longer will you have to build The Oracle, and see a greco roman building throwing off the aesthetics of your city. I've made this so far, but it doesn't match the time period for which the oracle would be built. So instead, I will still create this particular image, and make it into the Mongol culture groups medieval version of the oracle.

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Flavor wonders? That is a really cool idea actually...

I often do get annoyed seeing a building that just doesn't match the cityset, especially wonders.

 

[LunarMongoose]

There's certainly a lot of ethnic variety on normal buildings (Forge, Jail, etc) that already exists, and I'm all for that, but I'm hesitant about ethnic Wonders only b/c it risks making them not instantly recognizable, where they may blend into the rest of the ethnic structures instead of jumping out at you (oh, there's the Parthenon in China!). I'm not saying "absolutely definitely not" on me ever using them, too early to tell, but it's a case where I feel I would have to take gameplay into consideration as well.

 

[Matsuda123]

Flavor wonders? That is a really cool idea actually...

I often do get annoyed seeing a building that just doesn't match the cityset, especially wonders.

Exactly. My mods will be all about aesthetics. If I can make RFC Japan, I plan on not having models for most city buildings, so that the city set is the focus instead, and the environment around it as well. The buildings that will appear however, are unique buildings, walls, wonders, harbors, lighthouses, palaces, and religious structures. Nothing more, so as to keep the city clean and appealing to the eye.

There's certainly a lot of ethnic variety on normal buildings (Forge, Jail, etc) that already exists, and I'm all for that, but I'm hesitant about ethnic Wonders only b/c it risks making them not instantly recognizable, where they may blend into the rest of the ethnic structures instead of jumping out at you (oh, there's the Parthenon in China!). I'm not saying "absolutely definitely not" on me ever using them, too early to tell, but it's a case where I feel I would have to take gameplay into consideration as well.

Yes, you are correct about that, a legitimate worry for sure. I figure though, that most mod users and makers are so familiar with mods, that they will most likely be able to recognize it. I will also keep the general appearance of the wonder, such as with the round pavilion shape of the Oracle, so that it won't be too confusing. But also coupled with appearances that would make it look more in place with the culture group that creates it.

 

[Matsuda123]

Alright. So I finally found a way to get it to be a .nif file. But, it looks like this now. :/ Will texturing it fix this? Or is it damaged?

 

[LunarMongoose]

Alright. So I finally found a way to get it to be a .nif file. But, it looks like this now. :/ Will texturing it fix this? Or is it damaged?

That is what models look like in NIFSkope when they don't have a texture file associated with them.

You can verify this quite easily by opening any .nif file from official vanilla Civ4 (they're in the .pak files which you have to get the free PakBuild utility to work with), or any .nif from any download on the site here, in NifSkope; see that it looks normal; then change any string entry (in the NifSkope property list on the left) that points to a texture file. Whichever model in the scene was using that texture file should change to solid white like that.

 

[Matsuda123]

That is what models look like in NIFSkope when they don't have a texture file associated with them.

You can verify this quite easily by opening any .nif file from official vanilla Civ4 (they're in the .pak files which you have to get the free PakBuild utility to work with), or any .nif from any download on the site here, in NifSkope; see that it looks normal; then change any string entry (in the NifSkope property list on the left) that points to a texture file. Whichever model in the scene was using that texture file should change to solid white like that.

Alright, I will try this out as soon as I can. Studying for tests still, college takes a lot of time unfortunately. Should be getting closer by the weekend.

Can i associate nodes with the original string entries too? Like, i can see in my model that terms like 1x1 and 3x1 are not present, and I know they need to be.

EDIT: Unfortunately, there aren't any texture strings. I think it is probably because I did not texture these models before exporting them to .nif. I didn't do that whole uv wrapping thing...

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Nodes and textures, you figure those out, you have pefected how to create citysets. After that, its merely creating models that you will have to contend with. Be prepared because there are surely many cultures I think that could use their own graphics, I will help you as much as I can if I can. I know you can also recolor existing sets fairly easily if you figure out how to recolor existing textures for those sets.

 

[Matsuda123]

Nodes and textures, you figure those out, you have pefected how to create citysets. After that, its merely creating models that you will have to contend with. Be prepared because there are surely many cultures I think that could use their own graphics, I will help you as much as I can if I can. I know you can also recolor existing sets fairly easily if you figure out how to recolor existing textures for those sets.

I will definitely try to figure that out... Good lord is it confusing though. Thank you for your assistance as well. While I am unable to figure out how to attach the nodes and textures just yet, I am still making citysets in the meantime. I have a Chinese fantasy city set nearly complete too. See pictures for details.

What sort of cultures are you thinking of?

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Those look like solid buildings, they just need the texture to go with them. You could ask one of the unit makers on one of the other forums, including the civ5 forums or just anyone in the civ4 forums specifically how to make and map textures. The similiar process used in unit skins would probably be close with buildings I imagine.

Other cultures? Well Southeast Asia has some wonderful arcatexture, there is a southeast asian set already, but it mostly reflects Thai building styles.

Here is what I mean:









I should add that I believe you can atach existing building models to nodes, altering and using the Khmer Baray for example, for just the temple part.

You may find that helpful for other city styles you make.

 

[Matsuda123]

Those look like solid buildings, they just need the texture to go with them. You could ask one of the unit makers on one of the other forums, including the civ5 forums or just anyone in the civ4 forums specifically how to make and map textures. The similiar process used in unit skins would probably be close with buildings I imagine.

Other cultures? Well Southeast Asia has some wonderful arcatexture, there is a southeast asian set already, but it mostly reflects Thai building styles.

Here is what I mean:









I should add that I believe you can atach existing building models to nodes, altering and using the Khmer Baray for example, for just the temple part.

You may find that helpful for other city styles you make.

I will see what I can do. It may take a little bit, but I will figure it out. Soon the community will have an even larger range of sets. I also have an idea I'll try one day. I will make historically accurate industrial and modern structures and units for Asia, yes, but I also have another plan too. The idea to create Asian cities and units in the Industrial and Modern (maybe Future) eras, but without historical European influence. I want to see what the cities and units of these cultures would look like if they had developed within their culture groups, with little outside influence. I'm working on drawings for an Asian early fighter plane and tank as I write. It'll be great.

Ah like that. Yes I have plans for that too. Southeast Asia needs more citysets. At least enough to cover up to the Modern Era as well. All in good time. I'll update the list of things I have planned on the main page.

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Thats what was done by Geomodder with Mesoamerican city graphics, same idea, instead of the Aztecs becoming Mexican and changing to Spanish colonial graphics, they look like what they could be if they continued to develop on their own path.

I did the same with Ancient Egypt in my mod too, though they have clear middle eastern influence later in the game.

I like how you think Matsuda. I hope you figure out what you need to and remember the trick of using existing building or wonder graphics if you need to in your city sets. It may prove useful to you.

 

[Matsuda123]

Thats what was done by Geomodder with Mesoamerican city graphics, same idea, instead of the Aztecs becoming Mexican and changing to Spanish colonial graphics, they look like what they could be if they continued to develop on their own path.

I did the same with Ancient Egypt in my mod too, though they have clear middle eastern influence later in the game.

I like how you think Matsuda. I hope you figure out what you need to and remember the trick of using existing building or wonder graphics if you need to in your city sets. It may prove useful to you.

A good idea for sure. I just want to pursue it even further, with units as well.

Thank you. I hope so too... I'm going to attempt to install windows 7 on my mac, so i have two OS, and see if i can run my programs in it... I hope.

 

[Matsuda123]

New city set that just needs the same process as the other two. This time, a Tibetan Medieval city set. The models are complete.

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

That set looks really nice. You know you might be able to ask the people up in the Civ5 or Civ6 forums how to do the texture mapping and such, if some of the old city makers were still around it would be easier. If only it were possible to contact them...

 

[hrochland]

Hi. What is output from Maya. May be it .obj?

 

[AbsintheRed]

Nice work Matsuda, really nice to see plans for these new citysets
Hopefully hrochland will be able to help you!

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

I look forward to your cities being completed and whatever projects you have in mind will definitely have a home in my mod. Don't give up Matsuda. The texture thing is a hurdle, but I am sure it is one you can overcome.

 

[Matsuda123]

Hi. What is output from Maya. May be it .obj?

Hello Hrochland, I was hoping to see you again. You know a lot about this stuff... The output from Maya is OBJ. I have been able to convert the file to .NIF with 3dsmax, but it is useless, because then the nodes are removed. I do not know how to restore the nodes... Would you like for me to post the .OBJ files and the broken .NIF files?

Nice work Matsuda, really nice to see plans for these new citysets
Hopefully hrochland will be able to help you!

Thank you very much. The Tibetan Medieval, Sino Medieval Fantasy, and Sino Classical Era sets models are complete (Although the Classical set needs to be fixed in some areas). The Sino Medieval set, Japanese Industrial with western influence and without western influence, and Japanese Future era set are all under construction.

I look forward to your cities being completed and whatever projects you have in mind will definitely have a home in my mod. Don't give up Matsuda. The texture thing is a hurdle, but I am sure it is one you can overcome.

I am very happy to hear that. I hope that we will soon all have these sets. The texture thing is a hurdle, but the bigger hurdle is the nodes.

 

[hrochland]

Hi Send me Your nif or obj. I will try make for you texture layer in parts as soon as I have time.