HOW TO: Export Civ 4 graphics to Civ 5

[notque]

_which unit is it?
_It's not KR but KF files you re looking for
_the use the force button is visible once you select the nif and click on "export" if you don't see it,maybe you re not using the same version

I installed latest Fall From Heaven 2. Browsed to the Art DIR

C:\Mods\Fall from Heaven 2\Assets\Art\Units\Civs\Calabim\Adept


Is one example. Are they assets that also use other base BTS assets, so I need to combine the two together to get a single asset?

Blender 2.49b

So I select the nif, and click "import". You just said "Export" though.

I went File / Import / The Nif one / browser to the NIF / Then Import.

Right?

 

[Jaythekiller]

RIght for all your questions

 

[notque]

Maybe I should try some normal Civ4 units, then move on to FFH units.

 

[Justicex]

Does this work for leaders too? I'm not so fussy on the units, but being able to import leaders would pwn

 

[blazekid87]

is it possible to use civ 4 animations on custom imported units?

 

[lemmy101]

Does this work for leaders too? I'm not so fussy on the units, but being able to import leaders would pwn

It's possible, but not without a bunch of work on the Nexus Buddy that we've yet to do. Stay tuned. ;D

 

[Justicex]

It's possible, but not without a bunch of work on the Nexus Buddy that we've yet to do. Stay tuned. ;D

Will do

BTW, you da man!

 

[Deliverator]

is it possible to use civ 4 animations on custom imported units?

Yes. This unit uses civ 4 animations, but you need to export a separate FBX for each individual animation and then use NexusBuddy to convert them to GR2. If you download the Housecarl you can see how the fxsxml is set to use each convert civ4 animation.

 

[blazekid87]

got you...so basically when I export the civ4 units in FBX i can use motionbuilder and have my character copy the animation of the civ 4 character onto my character....beautiful :-D

 

[LoneGamer]

Having the black rays issues myself and the sword ain't showing up. Just wondering if when you write this tutorial Deliverator if you can keep in mind some of us are complete noobs to blender and 3d art in general, please

Again awesome work guys, can't wait to see what's next. Never thought the mod community would be moving this fast.

 

[LoneGamer]

Notice big splurge in top left. It moves pretty fast and all over the game.

Spoiler :

 

[JeBuS27]

That looks like something is wrong with model you're using. Unclosed polygons or some such.

 

[LoneGamer]

From memory: select all objects using A in object mode and then do Ctrl-J to join everything into one mesh.

I saw this in the other thread and think it's related to my prob. I tried this with the unit selected and says: Error can't join unless there is an active object. The .kf I loaded is the idle one but even at that the head goes back and forth in game, dunno if that's what they mean by "active object"

Edit: Well that solved the black rays prob. I individually selected the shield and body then ctrl+j then again with the sword. Now I just need to figure out how to get the sword and shield to show up in game.

 

[notque]

I am not seeing the "use the force" button. Can anyone take a screenshot or point me to a screen shot. I am at that step, but can't find it.

EDIT: I removed the bottom window, and suddenly could see everything.

There were a bunch of buttons hidden behind another window.

 

[notque]

Added everything. Added mod in Mod Buddy. Started game, saw mod. Selected it.

Don't see the new unit I created come up to be built.

How would one troubleshoot the problem? Are there log files that would show errors loading the mod? Is there somewhere I could see the database load my mod?

Thanks. I followed the easy mod add for "Captain" that Lemmy made, and just did exactly what's listed.

 

[Deliverator]

I'll try and do a tutorial or preparing units for conversion in the next 24 hours, but while your waiting here's what I've found. Probably only meaningful to those who understand Blender already.

The key to porting units successfully is to combine all the separate meshes into a single mesh with a single material and texture. A mesh can contain disjoint parts that so there is no problem with horse riders, etc.

I decided to take the mounted Conquistador I made for Civ 4 as an example of a pretty complex multi mesh / multi texture custom unit. The good news is the process works.

In this example I have to combine 4 256x256 textures into a single 512x512 one and then rescale and position the UV mappings. In the UV view S (for Scale) followed .5 will half the scale, S, X, .5 will half the scale in the X axis if you only need to combine two square textures into a single rectangular one.

My combined texture with fixed UV mapping in Blender:



Next.
1. Combine all meshes together using Ctrl-J.
2. Delete all materials but one - set the whole combined mesh to use that one material.
3. Rig any weapons to an appropriate bone e.g. BIP R Hand for swords, BIP L Forearm for shields. You can test export a NIF to check you don't have any unrigged (unweighted) vertices. If you have Blender will helpfully select them for you.



Now, test export as NIF and view in Nifskope. The whole unit should be a single Mesh (TriShape) with the newly made single texture. Also a good idea to test some animations at this point.



Now we export everything to FBX from Blender and use NexusBuddy to convert to GR2. Check in GrannyViewer - it shows a nice clean and complete mesh.



Note my model has 36 bones so I don't know how I've got away with breaking the 32 bone limit. The model looks dodgy in the Nexus 3D viewer but fine in game.

I'm pleased this conversion process seems to stand up to complex custom horseback units like this.

 

[Deliverator]

Don't see the new unit I created come up to be built.

Have you tried changing the fScale value to around 1.2 in the unit members XML file? Converted civ 4 units are pretty microscopic unless you do that.

 

[notque]

Have you tried changing the fScale value to around 1.2 in the unit members XML file? Converted civ 4 units are pretty microscopic unless you do that.

It doesn't give the option to build it, which is why I wanted to know if there are some specific log files I should look at.

Although that is a great point, I did forget to up the fScale value. I will go ahead and modify that.

I'll also try some different unit models, and see if I can stumble upon a good combination.

 

[lemmy101]

My suspicion would be the database actions not being set. Make sure you have them pointing at both your xml files, and both xml files are present in your xml folder.

 

[blazekid87]

Note my model has 36 bones so I don't know how I've got away with breaking the 32 bone limit. The model looks dodgy in the Nexus 3D viewer but fine in game.

Yea i was able to import one with 35 bones also...my problem is they always come up stuck in the ground and nobody else seems to be having this problem. I wonder if exporting them to civ4 and then civ5 after will help lol. Seems like alot of work.