Art Assets in Civilization 6: A Modding Guide

[Reliquary]

@pokiehl It sounds like you imported the asset directly from the pantry. I don't know if it's the same for anyone else, but for me, the pantry files are read-only and can only be opened, not edited in the AE. Try going into the folder manually and copying the .ast file to your modbuddy project folder and import it from there. Once you hit save it should keep everything you changed intact.

You'll still want to open the .ast file in modbuddy and make sure everything is right, just in case you need to change/add something manually.

 

[esosorcdc]

That's because Blender isn't designed for PBR (yet, there should be a realtime PBR rendering engine coming in with version 2.9 I think). You won't be able to get a truly accurate representation of what the material looks like in game, best way to see what things look like is to just a stuff it into the Asset Editor.

tl;dr the Blender Cycles renderer's basic shaders DON'T have inputs that correlate properly to metalness + glossiness.

Ok thanks, I will just push on then and start attempting to actually add my 3D model to the game.

Also, I ran across a video on youtube talking about blender getting a new shader called Principled BSDF that can do every type of shader in one. Looks interesting, and something that novice users could use and get good results easier. It is in 2.79 or later.

Spoiler Principled BSDF :

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

hey i am back for now...after uploading my Japanese Unit Art Pack, i will try to make some japanese World Wonders and started with Itsukushima Shrine to Keep it simple for the first try and of Course....i got a Problem. i exported the model and in fgx Viewer the model is inside a red box...thats not that good i am right ?

only Problem i can see so far is the UV3 is the same as UV1 and UV2...got no idea how to make the UV3 all empty...other than that i have no idea what is wrong here...please take a look file is attached

 

[Deliverator]

hey i am back for now...after uploading my Japanese Unit Art Pack, i will try to make some japanese World Wonders and started with Itsukushima Shrine to Keep it simple for the first try and of Course....i got a Problem. i exported the model and in fgx Viewer the model is inside a red box...thats not that good i am right ?

only Problem i can see so far is the UV3 is the same as UV1 and UV2...got no idea how to make the UV3 all empty...other than that i have no idea what is wrong here...please take a look file is attached

I think this is happening because you have two materials for the mesh but the entire mesh is only using one of them. After import this results in your Triangle Groups going weird (Triangle Group 0 is from triangles 0 to -1 and Triangle Group 1 is from triangle 0 to 2119). My advice would be to delete the unused Material in Blender before exporting to .cn6 - making sure there is only one material in the .cn6 file before importing in CivNexus6.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

thanks Deliverator...now i deleted the second unused material...exported it but still there is a red box in Nexus...

 

[Deliverator]

thanks Deliverator...now i deleted the second unused material...exported it but still there is a red box in Nexus...

Do your Triangle Groups now look sensible in CivNexus6?

It could just be because of the scale. See if you can get it working in Asset Previewer. The red box isn't necessarily a problem.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

Dont Know what was the Problem , but now i have it Exported without Red box in Nexus. But now i am really confused how to set the Asset file and what to Do with the created geometryset.xml. I have Sent sukritact a Message, hopefully he will help me a bit
Ps:
Because itsukushima shrine Is on the Coast water...i Used the Colossus as a base

 

[FurionHuang]

Dont Know what was the Problem , but now i have it Exported without Red box in Nexus. But now i am really confused how to set the Asset file and what to Do with the created geometryset.xml. I have Sent sukritact a Message, hopefully he will help me a bit
Ps:
Because itsukushima shrine Is on the Coast water...i Used the Colossus as a base

Red box is because of too big of scale, so it will be great you have an official fgx imported as a reference for size.
If you did match the size of your model to the official model, make sure you "freeze transformation" (Maya term, forgot what it called in Blender) by selecting your object, hit ctrl+A and choose "location", do it again and this time choose "rotation and scale". Then your import into Nexus should preview normal.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

Red box is because of too big of scale, so it will be great you have an official fgx imported as a reference for size.
If you did match the size of your model to the official model, make sure you "freeze transformation" (Maya term, forgot what it called in Blender) by selecting your object, hit ctrl+A and choose "location", do it again and this time choose "rotation and scale". Then your import into Nexus should preview normal.

Ah ok...thanks FurionHuang for explanation

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

So i got My shrine successfully showing up in Asset Editor.
Now i have to See how to set the artdef Files correctly to get it ingame

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

@FurionHuang could you teach me a Little tutorial where in mod.art.xml i have to reference my Buildings.artdef ? cause i dont know where to reference that... thanks in advance

@sukritact and where to reference the StrategicView.artdef and WonderMovie.artdef ? here i have a idea, but i am not that sure, will try it now

 

[FurionHuang]

@FurionHuang could you teach me a Little tutorial where in mod.art.xml i have to reference my Buildings.artdef ? cause i dont know where to reference that... thanks in advance

@sukritact and where to reference the StrategicView.artdef and WonderMovie.artdef ? here i have a idea, but i am not that sure, will try it now

Buildings are actually defined in both in Buildings.artdef but I forgot what's in it (sorry replying this at work) and Landmarks.artdef under Districts sector and hero_buildings sector for it showing in the district you specify (and remember city center is also a district, showing new building in city center will be a little tricky because you also need to create obstacle models for your new building to clear out the city generator created building blocks).
And you will need these 2 blp entries under TileBase. So also create your tilebases.xlp and hero_buildings.xlp with respective entries.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

@FurionHuang thanks for the Reply...i have everything working so far, except of the mod.art.xml....something is wrong here and ingame there is no Building...will see if i can fix it

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

I cannot get this modart.xml to work...i really Need your help @sukritact

 

[Deliverator]

I cannot get this modart.xml to work...i really Need your help @sukritact

The .dep file is generated from the Mod.Art.xml and follows almost the same structure although the actual tag names are different. So you should be able to copy the references from Suk's Wat Arun.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

The .dep file is generated from the Mod.Art.xml and follows almost the same structure although the actual tag names are different. So you should be able to copy the references from Suk's Wat Arun.

Thank you, thats very helpful. now my .dep file when it is built Looks exactly the same as Sukritacts .dep File...but still ingame the Building is invisible...and the Icons are invisible ingame too...dont know whats wrong by now


EDIT : i found out that the dep file and the modArt.xml is NOT always the same...i REALLY Need Sukritacts ModArt.xml from the Wat Arun Mod.

 

[Deliverator]

Have you checked that the Asset shows up in game using the Firetuner Asset Previewer? That will help you identify if there is an issue with the .blp. I never said that Mod.Art.xml and .dep were the same it's just the references to .artdef and .blp files follow a similar structure. Also pestering Sukritact for his Mod.Art.xml is not going to encourage him to share it.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

Have you checked that the Asset shows up in game using the Firetuner Asset Previewer? That will help you identify if there is an issue with the .blp. I never said that Mod.Art.xml and .dep were the same it's just the references to .artdef and .blp files follow a similar structure. Also pestering Sukritact for his Mod.Art.xml is not going to encourage him to share it.

No i have not checked that , thanks. Yes i Know i Stress him , and i am sorry for that, But i think we all Know when we spend days and Hours just to find a Problem, and Then it drives crazy for not find that Problem . But i will stop that now, you are Right. Sukritact was so Kind to already Sent me His modart.xml thanks sukritact thank you so much.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

The Asset is not in the list of Assets in the Firetuner Asset Previewer...i tried also, to find the WAt Arun in that list...it is not available and the Colossus is not availble too...both mods, my Itsukushima and Sukris Wat Arun, are activated...
i have started to work on Himeji Castle too....will see if i can get that to work.

EDIT : noticed something...in ModBuddy Project all entries are there on its place, but when i build the Project, and then look through the artdef files in my Mods Folder, then some of the entries are no longer there...there is nothing or something like " _missedArt"...but not my entries from the modbuddy Project. dont know why...

EDIT2: Himeji Castle is built and tested ingame...ingame there is no model again...but in the Asset Previewer it is visible...so something i made a mistake in the artdefs or xlps in both Himeji and Itskukushima...seems that i made the same mistake in both Projects...

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

SOLVED ! at least the Himeji Castle now works ingame hahaha the reason was so stupid...unbelievable...

you have to check per right click on the Project file in modbuddy, if under Properties----> In-Game Actions and then that UpdateArt is set...and under files you Need to add ( Mod Art Dependeny File )