Civ4 Plugins for 3dsmax 6 and 7 now available for download

[The Great Apple]

How are you getting your hands on this stuff? Haven't been long on these boards, I must be missing something...

I'm guessing that either Kael is a Firaxian in disguise (though this doesn't quite add up as he doesn't seem to be a programmer/artist), or the Firaxians have decided to send him all this stuff because he is the man behind one of the most popular mods made so far. I have suspicions that Kael also has some SDK stuff hidden away on his computer (hence the delay in FFH 1.00).

Quite why they aren't releasing it openly themselves I don't know - I don't much see the point in releasing it through a third party.

On a more general point - much thanks to Firaxis for releasing these tools. Never had anything like this for Civ 3.

 

[jag14]

soo... does this mean we can make new units for civ 4?

 

[The Great Apple]

soo... does this mean we can make new units for civ 4?

We have been able to nearly a month now...

 

[Kael]

I'm guessing that either Kael is a Firaxian in disguise (though this doesn't quite add up as he doesn't seem to be a programmer/artist)

I read this as "Kael could be a Firaxian but this doesn't make any sense since he doesn't seem to have any displayed talent"

Sadly your conclusion is right, I don't work for Firaxis.

Quite why they aren't releasing it openly themselves I don't know - I don't much see the point in releasing it through a third party.

On a more general point - much thanks to Firaxis for releasing these tools. Never had anything like this for Civ 3.

One of the reasons they let the docs and example files out is to get some feedback on it before they release the final/real version.

So if you find mistakes that need corrected or things that are missing that you think should be added now is the time to speak up!

 

[Kael]

soo... does this mean we can make new units for civ 4?

Check out these awesome models Rabbit made (this was even before the docs came out): http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=161818

 

[sharick]

First, thanks a lot for releasing this doc. We are no longer modding in the dark.

Now feedback:
It basically covers everything you need to know just doesn't explain why.

1. Why it's not good to use Multi/Sub-Object material? It's important to me because I use it all the time.
2. Why is it better to set diffuse/ambient/specular to white?
3. Lights!!! It just says that you should disable them in export dialog. When I do it my models look too dark. When I leave max default lights the model looks flat. I get best results when I set my own lights to make some surfaces darker than others (especially usefull when I don't have good textures).
4. Is it important and how do we use Level-Of-Detail?

I haven't started seriously playing with animation yet. It's quite complicated for my level but at least I know what he's talking about . If I got it right you have to specifically tag your sequences with the code from the flow chart and that's how civ engine will know when to play it. Right?

Last, thanks again for info and a great game.

 

[Kael]

First, thanks a lot for releasing this doc. We are no longer modding in the dark.

Now feedback:
It basically covers everything you need to know just doesn't explain why.

1. Why it's not good to use Multi/Sub-Object material? It's important to me because I use it all the time.
2. Why is it better to set diffuse/ambient/specular to white?
3. Lights!!! It just says that you should disable them in export dialog. When I do it my models look too dark. When I leave max default lights the model looks flat. I get best results when I set my own lights to make some surfaces darker than others (especially usefull when I don't have good textures).
4. Is it important and how do we use Level-Of-Detail?

I haven't started seriously playing with animation yet. It's quite complicated for my level but at least I know what he's talking about . If I got it right you have to specifically tag your sequences with the code from the flow chart and that's how civ engine will know when to play it. Right?

Last, thanks again for info and a great game.

Awesome feedback, Im forwarding it on.

 

[CrazyAce]

For some reason the link at teh bottom of the doc is not working:

\\civ4-build\civ4\AnalyzeLogs

 

[Kael]

For some reason the link at teh bottom of the doc is not working:

\\civ4-build\civ4\AnalyzeLogs

Oops. Yeah thats gonna have to be removed. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[vingrjoe]

Is there anyway to get those example files for 3DSMax6 ? I get a popup saying there are three dll's missing. So I'm wondering if they are not backward compatible. I know when I jumped from Max5 to 6, 5 couldn't open 6 files, at least not in Max format.

 

[CrazyAce]

Your best bet Joe is to have someone with 7 save them as 3DS files and then you can import them into 6… However there is a chance those files will get messed up when transferred, i.e: Pulled vertices, messed up textures or what not.

I’ll be willing to help you if you need be, PM me the info.

 

[vingrjoe]

Thanks for the info Crazy Ace. I just downloaded the trial version of 7. I'm going to try to get my hands on a full upgrade from my Max6.

 

[Gibbon-of-Doom]

Brilliant! It works excellently =D now time to get cracking on my superhero mod!

 

[Kael]

Brilliant! It works excellently =D now time to get cracking on my superhero mod!

Cool, please post any feedback you have about the docs.

 

[GeneralGrievous]

Is this a program ment to reskin and make new civ 4 units?

 

[Kael]

Is this a program ment to reskin and make new civ 4 units?

This is for making new 3d models. You can use simpliar tools to reskin units (anything that can modify a DDS file).

 

[GeneralGrievous]

Can you make new units or not? If not, where can I find a program that does? Ive never done anything with reskining or making new units.

 

[Kael]

Can you make new units or not? If not, where can I find a program that does? Ive never done anything with reskining or making new units.

Yeap. check out these awesome werewolf's Rabbit made: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=161818

 

[GeneralGrievous]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

 

[Rabbit, White]

I would like know more about texture requirements for the units, in terms of size.

How much of an impact will it cause to go from 128 textures to 256 (as in, if majority of units in a mod use 256 textures)?

What about 512 textures, are they a big no-no or can the engine handle it as long as there's a decent hardware behind it (by decent I mean mid to high-end, as oppose to bleeding-edge-nitro-cooled systems, it is a strategy game after all )?

What is better performance-wise, one 512x512 texture or two 256x256 textures, or maybe a one 256x512 texture?