Joe Harker
1st in the Premiership!
Hi, I want to start creating some of my own units and wanted tips on making and reskinning units and for the programs i need and what to do with them! 
Hi, trying to get into new unit making
- Thread starter Joe Harker
- Start date
GeneralMatt
Emperor
Well, I personally for modeling unit's use Gmax, then Blender to UV map it. For the Textures I use Gimp with the .dds plugins (this includes for reskinning).
If you need links I can get them.
If you need links I can get them.
snafusmith
Unit Maker
Glad to hear you want to learn! Graphics people are definitely in short supply for Civ4! You can definitely PM me if you ever have a question. For now, definitely get the free programs and start to play around. The tutorials here and elsewhere are great and will help you a lot.
asioasioasio
Fallout Scrubber
PM me also when you'll need help.
New units can be done in couple of ways:
For free:
- blender (or gmax wich is free 3dsmax) + gimp -> good for making mechanical units (new models and new textures)
- gimp -> retexturing (making skins of existing units)
- nifviewer (also nifskope) -> reboning (making for example marine to use paratrooper animations)
if you can afford to buy the software i recommend to replace gimp with photoshop and blender with 3dsmax
Also you would need .dds plugin for max and gimp/photoshop
and niftools (nifskope and import/export plugins) for blender, gmax and 3ds max.
for max it's also dedicated plugin exporting models to civ4
New units can be done in couple of ways:
For free:
- blender (or gmax wich is free 3dsmax) + gimp -> good for making mechanical units (new models and new textures)
- gimp -> retexturing (making skins of existing units)
- nifviewer (also nifskope) -> reboning (making for example marine to use paratrooper animations)
if you can afford to buy the software i recommend to replace gimp with photoshop and blender with 3dsmax
Also you would need .dds plugin for max and gimp/photoshop
and niftools (nifskope and import/export plugins) for blender, gmax and 3ds max.
for max it's also dedicated plugin exporting models to civ4
Joe Harker
1st in the Premiership!
I am using gmax, what plugins do i need to get civ 4 units in it?
(links would help)
(links would help
)
asioasioasio
Fallout Scrubber
max_plugins (also gmax) and nifskope
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157
also gimp / photoshop with .dds plugin will come in handy
If you prefer other 2D software look for DXTBmp - it'll allow import/export .dds to/from .bmp
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157
also gimp / photoshop with .dds plugin will come in handy
If you prefer other 2D software look for DXTBmp - it'll allow import/export .dds to/from .bmp
Joe Harker
1st in the Premiership!
Hello again!
I am sturggling a bit
Gmax is to make the structure of the units correct?
How do i create amination?
Gimp is for textures but is there a way for texturing direct onto the model so i can see it in 3D?
Basically i suck at this and really need help!
Is there like a flow chart of what to do, something visual becuase long paragraphs just lose me completely. Thanks again and sorry for being thick!
I am sturggling a bit
Gmax is to make the structure of the units correct?
How do i create amination?
Gimp is for textures but is there a way for texturing direct onto the model so i can see it in 3D?
Basically i suck at this and really need help!
Is there like a flow chart of what to do, something visual becuase long paragraphs just lose me completely. Thanks again and sorry for being thick!
asioasioasio
Fallout Scrubber
The easiest way is to use firaxis animations - if you make fighter - you may use firaxis fighter animations - you can make it in nifviewer
Check this tut from sharick also:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=184327
You want to paint texture on the model? I don't know if this is possible (perhaps in other than gmax software)
Check this tut from sharick also:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=184327
You want to paint texture on the model? I don't know if this is possible (perhaps in other than gmax software)
Joe Harker
1st in the Premiership!
Basically i don't know how to take the model export it and then apply texture to it (although i will take a look at the tutorial, thanks for the link
)It's just that would (to me anyway) be easier because the object is in 3D and not spread out on a 2d sheet
I should point out that i am a complete newbie at this, so trying to learn for the first time is quite daunting! But thanks for the help
asioasioasio
Fallout Scrubber
Yeah i know - in the begining it might be sometimes frustrating, but making unit is fun overall.
I make it in this order if this would be helpful (it can be done elswhere - it depends much in wich parts you're better - i model better than paint sou i uvw unwrap after the texture is finished).
Modelling -> Adding painted skin in max (Pres M - for material editor - you select there material (painted previously texture - check tutorial for more info about aplyinf texture)) - than UVW Unwrap (simply it makes that the texture of for example turret is on the turrent not on the hull). And then exporting to .nif
In the end i'm animating it in nifviewer
check Rabbit, White 's tutorials series.
I make it in this order if this would be helpful (it can be done elswhere - it depends much in wich parts you're better - i model better than paint sou i uvw unwrap after the texture is finished).
Modelling -> Adding painted skin in max (Pres M - for material editor - you select there material (painted previously texture - check tutorial for more info about aplyinf texture)) - than UVW Unwrap (simply it makes that the texture of for example turret is on the turrent not on the hull). And then exporting to .nif
In the end i'm animating it in nifviewer
check Rabbit, White 's tutorials series.
danrh
Warlord
I to am finding getting started quite confusing. I've now installed all the free programs recommended in the thread in woodelf's sig. I've been through the tutorials. I've noticed that the most complete tutorials (going through the full process of creating ALL the graphics components for a unit) seem to be for 3dsmax. Is it possible to do everything with the free programs? How much do the 3dsmax tuts apply if you are working with blender etc? The same basic process should apply right?
lets say I have these pics
Whats is the first part of the process to adding this tank to civ4 and which is the appropriate tutorial to read. Right now I have two firefox windows open with half a dozen tabs each, each with a different tutorial open and quite frankly I'm lost.
Thanks
Dan
lets say I have these pics
Whats is the first part of the process to adding this tank to civ4 and which is the appropriate tutorial to read. Right now I have two firefox windows open with half a dozen tabs each, each with a different tutorial open and quite frankly I'm lost.
Thanks
Dan
GeneralMatt
Emperor
Actually, if you get Gmax (a free cut down version of 3ds) most of the actual modeling tutorials still apply.
Now, if I were to create that unit, the first thing I would do is get it as some sort of background/texture on a "plane" so that I can model of of it. There is a couple ways to do that, if you need to know that say so..
Then you start by adding in polygons in basic shapes and extruding and morphing to fit the model.
Now, if I were to create that unit, the first thing I would do is get it as some sort of background/texture on a "plane" so that I can model of of it. There is a couple ways to do that, if you need to know that say so..
Then you start by adding in polygons in basic shapes and extruding and morphing to fit the model.
danrh
Warlord
Okay so gmax is instead of blender right. And have such a pretty looking snowman from the blender tutorials. Thanks I'll see how I go with the max tutorials and gmax. I've printed a couple of them out to mull over. Can't stand constantly switching between windows
Dan
Dan
GeneralMatt
Emperor
Well I use both, Gmax for modeling, Blender for applying the textures (UV Mapping) and touching up..
Joe Harker
1st in the Premiership!
Hi again
I have a basic model of HMS Belfast from gmax and need to know the next step.
How do you apply destroyer amination to it?
The file attached is the model, is there anything wrong with it apart from poly count which i know is too high
I have a basic model of HMS Belfast from gmax and need to know the next step.
How do you apply destroyer amination to it?
The file attached is the model, is there anything wrong with it apart from poly count which i know is too high
danrh
Warlord
I think if you are just going to use the game destroyer animations then its a simple XML issue, in the Civ4ArtDefines_Unit file maybe but I forget which line exactly. I know I've seen that in one of the tut's I read.
you'd copy the basic destroyer art define
Code:
<UnitArtInfo>
<Type>ART_DEF_UNIT_DESTROYER</Type>
<Button>,Art/Interface/Buttons/Units/Destroyer.dds,Art/Interface/Buttons/Unit_Resource_Atlas.dds,7,9</Button>
<fScale>0.7</fScale>
<fInterfaceScale>1.1</fInterfaceScale>
<bActAsLand>0</bActAsLand>
<bActAsAir>0</bActAsAir>
<NIF>Art/Units/Destroyer/Destroyer.nif</NIF>
<KFM>Art/Units/Destroyer/Destroyer.kfm</KFM>
<SHADERNIF>Art/Units/Destroyer/Destroyer_FX.nif</SHADERNIF>
<ShadowDef>
<ShadowNIF>Art/Units/01_UnitShadows/DestroyerShadow.nif</ShadowNIF>
<ShadowAttachNode>BIP Pelvis</ShadowAttachNode>
<fShadowScale>1.0</fShadowScale>
</ShadowDef>
<iDamageStates>4</iDamageStates>
<TrailDefinition>
<Texture>Art/Shared/water_ship_wake.dds</Texture>
<fWidth>1</fWidth>
<fLength>180.0</fLength>
<fTaper>1</fTaper>
<fFadeStartTime>.2</fFadeStartTime>
<fFadeFalloff>0.35</fFadeFalloff>
</TrailDefinition>
<fBattleDistance>0.35</fBattleDistance>
<fRangedDeathTime>0.31</fRangedDeathTime>
<bSmoothMove>1</bSmoothMove>
<fAngleInterpRate>720.0</fAngleInterpRate>
<fBankRate>.2</fBankRate>
<fExchangeAngle>25.0</fExchangeAngle>
<bActAsRanged>0</bActAsRanged>
<TrainSound>AS2D_UNIT_BUILD_UNIT</TrainSound>
<AudioRunSounds>
<AudioRunTypeLoop>LOOPSTEP_DESTOYER</AudioRunTypeLoop>
<AudioRunTypeEnd>ENDSTEP_DESTROYER</AudioRunTypeEnd>
</AudioRunSounds>
<SelectionSound>AS3D_UN_DESTROYER_FORT</SelectionSound>
<ActionSound>AS3D_UN_DESTROYER_FORT</ActionSound>
</UnitArtInfo>and modify the path for your new unit
this tut covers it I think
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=176460
Dan
Joe Harker
1st in the Premiership!
I have worked out how to apply amination so for now i am ok!
snafusmith
Unit Maker
Smooth out the hull some, and extend it below the water line. Also take a look at the turrets - they look a little boxy. Good start!
GeneralMatt
Emperor
Yes, what he said ^. 
Very good start! What type of ship is she?
Very good start! What type of ship is she?
