Art Assets in Civilization 6: A Modding Guide

[Deliverator]

For 3D Leader Art you should use Blender And Deliverators Civ Nexus 6

@sukritact also uses the paid-for tools ZBrush and Substance painter I believe. He talks about his process about in this episode of Modcast:
http://civcomm.civfanatics.com/polycast/modcast/season9/episode73.mp3

@ChimpanG describes his process for making 2D Leaders by making a 3D model:
"I use quite a few. Daz Studio to pull a base model to work with, zBrush or Hex (mostly hex recently because I'm crap with the zBrush interface, and I like to edit vertices directly) to manipulate the mesh, create new meshes for attires and have them conform to the base, patterns and stuff in vector format in Adobe Illustrator and then into Photoshop to create texture maps (diffuse, metallicty, bumps, normals etc etc), then pull it all together, pose, set up a lighting rig and then render in 4k"

"just find a method that works for you. They all have their ups and downs. Some things are easier one way and harder another, and vice versa. I only started doing it this way because I'm atrocious in Photoshop, certainly nowhere near the level that others here can produce. If you're more comfortable with a brush in your hand, then photoshopping will probably be the better method for you."

For 2D leader Art you should use Gimp, Paint net or photoshop

You will need the .dds plugins for Gimp 2 and Photoshop to open save textures. Paint.NET can open some .dds textures but not all.

 

[Windflier]

I need some help

I export a civ6 building model via CivNexus6, then I import it into blender via script, to there it's all fine
After that I import my mesh (.fbx) into the scene, join it to the Civ6 mesh, delete the vertices of the Civ6 mesh, reassign the vertex group, bone weight, uv map and material.
Then I export it to .cn6 file, but a error comes up like the image shows, and the .cn6 file is not useable. I don't know why that happen, please give some advises.

 

[Deliverator]

I need some help
View attachment 483003
I export a civ6 building model via CivNexus6, then I import it into blender via script, to there it's all fine
After that I import my mesh (.fbx) into the scene, join it to the Civ6 mesh, delete the vertices of the Civ6 mesh, reassign the vertex group, bone weight, uv map and material.
Then I export it to .cn6 file, but a error comes up like the image shows, and the .cn6 file is not useable. I don't know why that happen, please give some advises.

You need to apply a Triangulate modifier to ensure your new mesh is only composed of Triangles and not Quads. The Civ 6 import process only accepts triangular faces.

 

[BlanecWH]

Hello Deliverator, I have a learn more about your tutorial and Sukritact one (like a texture guide) which I have successful to make more model since that after first my problem about the leader model so today, I have a new serious problem with my model again.....



My problem was the Wonder is show their texture in entirely white for strange reason, I have make a Wonder test which I will not use in mod to soon, I have 3 UV to make them work like a wonder, but I see as entirely white, as well as Output didn't loading Material and Texture at all even I have did to make it appear, it still entirely white, I don't sure what cause is, unlike most of other people may not have ask this problem, also I have take Sukritact's Wat Arun to compare what this Wonder are missing. There are nothing wrong with materials, just Wonder appear in white texture.

I use 3ds Max to make a model before export into .obj and import into Blender and import an export .cn6 file, rigging and export into cn6 file and using CivNexus6. All of utility tool are up to date which I will never miss anything.

My step is always:
- 1: Export a fgx model into cn6
- 2: Export a model as .obj from 3ds max
- 3: Make a model in blender and export as cn6.
- 4: Set UV import (If Unit or Leader, set to 1. If Improvement, Building or Wonder, set to 2 or 3, but I prefer 3 since they will came with Emissive) and Overwrite a model.
- 5: Edit ast file with Notepad++ (I always prefer with unit and leader model, but I have problem with Improvement and Building which I will always using AssetEditor if is too long).
- 6: Open AssetEditor to check out...

I don't sure if there are something problem with it.... also that I will using same step to every model that I make, like this Leader model....

A Unit that I make.....

And even Improvement....

These Model were work fine except Wonder, I don't know what cause is since this improvement still appear a texture, but Wonder is not so I have ask Deliverator to find out why Wonder's Texture didn't appear properly. I still not yet make a Building model since Building ArtDefs is lacking of logic which I will prefer blank model.

 

[Magil]

I believe something did change with all custom building mods with the Fall patch. I think p0kiehl had to resolve these issues for his Religion Expanded mod.

Hm, do you know how the problem was solved?

 

[Deliverator]

My problem was the Wonder is show their texture in entirely white for strange reason, I have make a Wonder test which I will not use in mod to soon, I have 3 UV to make them work like a wonder, but I see as entirely white, as well as Output didn't loading Material and Texture at all even I have did to make it appear, it still entirely white, I don't sure what cause is, unlike most of other people may not have ask this problem, also I have take Sukritact's Wat Arun to compare what this Wonder are missing. There are nothing wrong with materials, just Wonder appear in white texture.

I'm not sure what the issue might be without looking at your files. If you upload your project somewhere and I send me a link I could take a look and see if I can spot anything.

 

[BlanecWH]

Hello Deliverator, I Honestly found a Serious Bug with CivNexus6 and I solve a problem why my Wonder can't display a texture properly which that cause by CivNexus6.


I took for hour to fix this Wonder which now this Wonder have now work properly because I have edit some .geo file and I found this...

(Note that this Wonder is make for test which I will aim my skill to make more model in future model which I will not use this wonder into a workshop.)


I have compare My Wonder Model Test (below) and Sukritact's Wat Arun (above), I found that My Wonder Geo file is using "WonderMovieCamera" instead of "WonderMovieModel" which why the wonder don't display a texture. I have check to every file but nothing work except this image.

But why "CivNexus6" Bug is relation to Wonder issue?

I found out that Geo setting of CivNexus6 have only "WonderMovieCamera" and there are no "WonderMovieModel" which why My Wonder Test can't work properly and in that time, I was very confuse what this is true or false since I can't find out, the Output didn't show error at all until I find this. It was last time as my first help about Leader model because they didn't have .wip file because of Geo file, this is also same as first my problem have talk to Deliverator so if you see this, go and fix CivNexus6.

 

[Deliverator]

I found out that Geo setting of CivNexus6 have only "WonderMovieCamera" and there are no "WonderMovieModel" which why My Wonder Test can't work properly and in that time, I was very confuse what this is true or false since I can't find out, the Output didn't show error at all until I find this. It was last time as my first help about Leader model because they didn't have .wip file because of Geo file, this is also same as first my problem have talk to Deliverator so if you see this, go and fix CivNexus6.

I will look to replace WonderMovieCamera with WonderMovieModel in the next CivNexus6 release as well as adding .wig references to the Leader .geo files.

 

[FurionHuang]

I will look to replace WonderMovieCamera with WonderMovieModel in the next CivNexus6 release as well as adding .wig references to the Leader .geo files.

Hey Deliverator. Since you guys are talking about WonderMovieModel, I wonder if you ever figure out how to associate an fgx animation assigned to Reveal animation with the "buildProgress" parameter in WonderMovie asset? I believe this is how the build progress is shown both on the map when you are building the wonder and in the fancy completion view.

 

[FurionHuang]

@BlanecWH @sukritact mention you guys because you've done the leader already.

Spoiler Spoiler :

I'm still painting my textures but the weird red shade on the face, shoulder and sigil wasn't me. I checked UV, normals and all seems fine. The only thing I can guess now is the Barbarossa wig that I used for a place holder in geo file because otherwise AssetEditor insists it be an error. Do you guys know if that's the case, or had similar issue?

 

[BlanecWH]

@FurionHuang I don't sure if there are something wrong with your leader model, if my reason are correct, look at number 1: you may need to look your material file that use for leader to make sure there are no other texture more than your texture attach to your material like BaseColor, Normal, AO, and various PBR texture, look here (also that not all texture will be need if you don't want to add such as AO, Gloss, Normal etc unless you want a realistic leader render but All Texture will always need BaseColor and must have classname as "Leader" or other "Leaders" like Leader_Cloth for example), if this not was your cause, look at number 2: If CivNexus6 have make your model, you need to check material tab and replaced with your texture (such as Head model is need Head Texture for example) if your material link to model is not take from vanilla material (such as take a material from Barbarossa for example) also have to build geo file set to "Leaders" (and attach wig file as well) and xml file for asset file, copy text from xml file that export and paste into asset file to section that they want to replaced (also need a camera). I believed that your leader model is wrong with number 2 by have model fill with material that not as your material and fact that you still make a texture for this model (if not yet complete). So good luck to fix. If not, you have to post what your leader model look like before render into AssetEditor or Game itself. Like this...

I have make 3D Leader model for Kasami Hiiragi to using in Blanec's Lowee Empire mod (as well as Ultradimension Noire in Lastation Civilization mod), this model is taking from Hyperdimension Neptunia Re,Birth3 with 2048x2048 texture, as this model is fix version as I fix on left shoulder. I also add her texture with various PBR texture to look more realistic one (and love to touch her) although I didn't using this 3D leader model as for 2D Leader Texture. I didn't make other model more than this and I not strong in Facial weight which mean all model face will not move their eye or mouth.

 

[Deliverator]

I'm still painting my textures but the weird red shade on the face, shoulder and sigil wasn't me. I checked UV, normals and all seems fine. The only thing I can guess now is the Barbarossa wig that I used for a place holder in geo file because otherwise AssetEditor insists it be an error. Do you guys know if that's the case, or had similar issue?

That's probably the Light Rig. Some of the vanilla leaders will have a pinkish glow coming from one side if you look. I think you can switch between different vanilla Light Rigs but I don't think we can create new ones. You can see the different Light Rigs in the pantry/LightRigs folder.

 

[FurionHuang]

That's probably the Light Rig. Some of the vanilla leaders will have a pinkish glow coming from one side if you look. I think you can switch between different vanilla Light Rigs but I don't think we can create new ones. You can see the different Light Rigs in the pantry/LightRigs folder.

Tried looking at that but not really helping. One thing I discovered was if I have only 1 mesh there's not problem at all. So I combined all meshes together (and well yes had to re-layout all the texture per combined UV) and seems it's working.

Yet still the vanilla Leader geo has 2-3 meshes without that problem. Makes me wonder if the Leader_Cloth and Leader_Skin material difference was the reason. I had more than 2 meshes need to apply Leader_Cloth class material. Maybe that was what messed the render up.
Let you know when I test it again. And @BlanecWH thank you so much for your detailed reply!

 

[FurionHuang]

So I think I was right about Leader_Cloth and Leader_Skin. I split my meshes into different vertex groups and used Cloth to shade the armor and Skin the shade face. Now you see my Robert below:

Also updated animation, so he's now looking at the player and is able to nod/shake head if you meet him as AI and try to make deals with him.

 

[FurionHuang]

Now a little back to material and texture. @Deliverator @sukritact the armor for Robert now looks like marble instead of metal. What is the correct settings for diffuse/glossiness (and for cloth type of material there's no metalness option, or actually not cloth type but something else?) to make it look like Barbarossa metal?

 

[BlanecWH]

@FurionHuang Material Class name "Leader" and "Leader_Skin" have this metalness option to used which is correct setting for mesh that using metalness, I recommend to use Material class name "Leader" since they have a lot of option to put on more than "Leader_Skin", also if your armor that need to paint a texture is attach to other texture like cloth or skin, you may to spread their mesh section to their own or using this method if you read Sukritact's PBR guide.

Also that Metalness Texture is black and white color, white color is representative of metalness while black color is not, you may fill with opacity white to make them less metal, I think that your armor is set as Cloth texture, you may need to spread them or using like this image since this body texture that I use have both cloth, skin and metalness (since this texture is not recommend for realistic texture as they are cartoon texture). Like I mentioned before, not all texture will be need for material, you can leave any texture section that you don't want to add except with "BaseColor" or they will not show anything.

 

[kingchris20]

Close but not quite there with importing custom animations. Rotation problems...

View attachment 467384

Hey, is this Dragon unit available for Civ VI?

 

[Deliverator]

Hey, is this Dragon unit available for Civ VI?

No. I haven't yet completed that conversion. If there is interest I can look at doing it sometime.

 

[kingchris20]

No. I haven't yet completed that conversion. If there is interest I can look at doing it sometime.

Yes, the Dragon would be very interesting!

I am working on my Elder Scrolls mod and looking for "fantasy" type units. There were many for civ 5, but I know that civ 6 is an entirely different beast and much more complicated.

I've already been able to pull in your tiger model to use for the Elsweyr civ, thanks for that it works beautifully.

So just anytime you get around to it, and know that it will be used and very much appreciated.

 

[Carlos Augusto Marcovicz]

I'm new to this, and I followed this guide to try my hand at changing a civ 6 unit model through Blender. However, when i tried to run the importing script on Blender, this message appeared:

Any ideas on how i can fix this and manage to import de nb2 file?