making an apocalyptic mod. "Project Aftermath"

[Tekamthi]

these look amazing! I'm not a big star wars fan personally, but the models are excellent!

I'm still trying to come up with the perfect storm cloud. Your cloud unit is really good but its the wrong scale for combining with the "rain" i've dug out of the database... so i'm still just using fuji's semi-circle cloud. I was thinking I might just add another 'bone' to the gr2 and have a 2nd row of fuji clouds -- but in a perfect world I'd use your fuller-looking cloud unit effect at 1.0 scale, if such were available -- or even better if it worked at 1.0 scale AND was darker, greyer, stormier looking. I have an image of my current "placeholder" model here, for reference... as you can see its imperfect for the job (but not bad, thanks again for your help with the gr2!)

There is always a demand for wooden boats and sailing ships in the VP community -- I have a few specific ones in mind (mostly conversions from civ 4), but really any age of sail naval units would be gobbled up by me or someone else in that crowd. This one might be good, or any of these (I'd especially want the ancient reed vessel out of that pack); but you could take your pick of any sail vessel really, it would be adapted for sure.

I would also like to have a few models of a "bridge" that would span 1-plot water gaps between islands/peninsulas -- there's the existing pontoon bridge from civil war, but for my tastes it only fits in that era, and looks very temporary to me when considered from the time scale of a typical game of civ. I'm thinking like an industrial era model, iron bridge, that later transitions into a more modern suspension style bridge. Bonus if there were also some kind pre-industrial, aztec-style causeway to precede these too (maybe this could just be the pontoon bridge without the pontoons).

 

[ghost toast]

Post the rain file you found and I'll see what I can do.

I never found it myself. I never looked either.

What file type is it?

Now that do all new unit models I can do a better cloud unit and incorporate that rain effect.

 

[ghost toast]

Your getting me thinking I can do some sort of radiation storm.

 

[ghost toast]

One day I'll get into ancient units.

But for now I want to focus or apacolyptic and sci-fi/futuristic themed units.
So I can make as much progress on this mod as possible

 

[Tekamthi]

somewhere on these forums someone has listed out a large number of the built-in visual effects -- I can't find the post now, but I tested maybe like 50-60% of them in game, pretty much anything that sounded like it could maybe work for a cloud, rain, smoke, or fire (I also have my wildfires mod on the go, you might wanna check that out for fit with apocalyptic theme -- right now it cues off forest/jungle tiles specifically, but it would be a small change if you just wanted random fires to popup)

anyway here's the ftsxml for the rain:

Spoiler :

<trigger_system type="FGrannyTimedTriggerSystem">
<event_tracks>
<event_track ec="1000">
<track id="1" name="Sound" />
<track id="2" name="Effect" />
<track id="3" name="Transfer" />
</event_track>
</event_tracks>
<triggers>
<trigger type="FTimedTriggerEffect" id="1" time="0" duration="10" repeat="0" ec="1000" track="2" tier="0" event="ART_DEF_VEFFECT_FUJI_CLOUDS" bone="FX_Fuji" />
<trigger type="FTimedTriggerEffect" id="2" time="0" duration="10" repeat="0" ec="1000" track="2" tier="0" event="ART_DEF_VEFFECT_WATER_DRIPPING_01" bone="FX_Fuji" />
</triggers>
</trigger_system>

I assume the post with all the effects listed is the full list -- but I've never tried anything outside of it, for example I just assume there's no ...WATER_DRIPPING_02, cuz it wasn't in the list, but I never tried. As far as WATER_DRIPPING_01 goes, its good enough for my tastes, though it just pops in instantly, whereas fuji's cloud just fades in gradually. Its a little jarring but acceptable to me. If you're adapting it to your effects mod, might be nice to have a version that fades in just like the cloud, or even that pops-in after a 5 second delay or something

 

[ghost toast]

Awesome I can make adjustments to it if needed now that I see the code line i can find the visual files very easy I hope.

One day I'll make a stormy cloud with rain for you.

 

[Tekamthi]

thank you! i'm happy enough with my stand-in for now... what do you think of my idea for duplicating the bone in the gr2, moving the 2nd one back a bit, and having a 2nd row of fuji clouds? is that plausible? will be a good practice maybe for me in blender, i'm still pretty noob there

 

[ghost toast]

The only method for getting models in the game and animated that I have been able to get to work is the br2 over ride method.

You take existing models export it as an nb2 file using nexus buddy.

Import that model to blender.

Take your new model you want to put into the game and set weights to the correct bones of the model you exported from nexus buddy.
Set the parent and armature the same as the old model then delete the old mesh model keeping the bones.

Then export that from blender as a br2 file.
Open the gr2 file you used to export then use the br2 over ride and select your new model you exported from blender save model and that's it.
The new model will use the animations of the old model you used.

The br2 method can only change the mesh data.


I have never been able to get the fbx unit imports to work.
The fbx method would be the only way to add new bone and new animations.

A Problem with adding a bone is you then have to add that bone to the animations. (I'm pretty sure)



But one solution to you problem could be to open the cloud unit and add more units to the squad.

The cloud is really a super tiny eagle with the fuji cloud effect re-sclaled, re-named, and re-added to the effects coding specifically for that unit.
My new effects mod provides that's frame work for the unit to reference.

So adding more eagles in the art defines will add more clouds.
Then choose a good formation for how you want them to look.
All in the art defines xml file.

 

[Tekamthi]

okay, are you suggesting I could use your version of the cloud/eagle model for an improvement? I can't remember why now, but I investigated this idea and discarded it previously.. i think something about the # of members in the unit art define threw me off. My storm clouds are an improvement only (the unit version of the storm cloud is someone else's mod), and I can't define more members (ie more eagles) for an improvement -- the improvement xml defines just use 1 copy of the model (to be accurate its an invisible feature too, but there's no art attached to the feature, its just for vision malus effects)

what I'm thinking is to use the same gr2 file you made for me, remember that one? you took fuji gr2 (or i gave it to you) and moved the relevant "bone" (which, iirc unlike the eagles' linear bones, was just a point) up on the z-axis. I just wanna copy that, keep the copied point bone at same z coordinate, but move it back in the x/y, and then just duplicate the built-in fuji cloud effect on it. If this worked as I imagine, I'd at least have cloud covering all the rain (the rain fills the ~full plot, vs fuji cloud filling only about half or less)

I tried to follow one of the guides on here previously, and I was able to get things into blender, move things around, and even convert back to gr2 (i don't remember all the steps, possibly what you've described, possibly some other method) -- but it just wouldn't load into the game at that point. When i loaded it in the modbuddy gr2 viewer (i cant remember if this was a modbuddy tool for sure, think so?) everything looked fine there but for some reason the bones had other letters appended to their names. Tried adjust the ftsxml etc. to match but still couldn't get my attempt to load.

I've also tried to use the cloud in your effects mod combined with the modified fuji gr2 you prepared for me (ie just by replacing the fuji cloud reference tag in the ftsxml i shared above) -- it shows up, problem is I can only define scale once, and the rain needs to be at 1.0 scale, whereas your cloud effect spans many many plots at that scale. While I am happy to use your effects mod, its got a bit of a workaround compared to typical mod that may scare off some users, so there would be slight compatibility advantage to sticking with just the built-in fuji effect.

Anyway I'll give it another attempt following your instructions over the holiday -- i imagine copying and moving a single point in blender should be among the easiest of beginner blender projects

 

[ghost toast]

Oh ok you want it as an improvement gotcha.

That's much easier to do.

The cloud eff ft is scaled specifically for the cloud unit and really can't be used for much else.
But I can do the same with the cloud effect for your improvement.
Will just take some effect testing.

 

[Tekamthi]

yeah, you were really quick at making the updated gr2, here's the one you gave me, that I've been using to make that image I linked a few posts back... I'll pursue the double-up bone attempt, will be good practice, I'd like to figure out what i did wrong before... but if you came up with a better storm cloud I'd just go with that

(btw I'm also finally gonna look at the burnt trees you made for me this holiday... my modding pace is rather slow, been doing other smaller stuff in the meantime)

 

[ghost toast]

The burnt trees sadly turn out bad I think.
They didn't look right zoomed out then I took more and more detail from them.
I will one day try again on that

I tried to do a quick 2d mesh style similar to civs actual tree models.

But I believe I'll have to buckle down and do a purely 3d model version cause civ 5 didn't handle the 2d version to well and my attempts to fix it made it didn't help, it really was a few steps back.

 

[Tekamthi]

The burnt trees sadly turn out bad I think.
They didn't look right zoomed out then I took more and more detail from them.
I will one day try again on that

well i just haven't had time to have a look, will share my thoughts regardless -- my plan for those is just to have them around for maybe 5-10 turns to indicate where a fire just extinguished, so possibly they will be okay even if not top notch quality... btw fyi i'm implementing storms in "Maritime Battles+" and burnt trees (maybe) in "TreeSuccession" (links in my sig)

 

[ghost toast]

first in game look at some punk style raiders.
i have more models to bring in i was testing the masks. i wanted to see how the skull mask would be on game.
its not great but not terrible either so i guess i will keep it for now.
the other masks shouldnt be a problem they are a little bigger.

i did find a problem. for some reason i cant export the torso i used for the models so i had to make a new torso. and will need to remake all the models i showed in blender. but here are the first 2 done up for a test view.
i think the torso i used was from a civ 4 unit, but i cant remember where i got it. i used it and the legs of another unit to remove the unwanted feature fast and easy for a starter template but something went wrong i guess.

i still haven't made any weapons so the one they wield is a reskin of the warrior club.
i plan to make led pipes, crowbars, and various guns.

Spoiler :

 

[ghost toast]

mask 2 test.
it is a welder's mask

also the Mohawk hair test.
its not as noticeable as i would like it to be you cant really see it even zoomed in.

but I'm getting there slowly but surely.

im seeing a few other problems the spikes aren't as visible as i would like. when zoomed out only the center spike is visible on the shoulder pad. so that spike will end up being the scale for my spikes they must all be at least that size.

Spoiler :

 

[ghost toast]

mask 3 test and Mohawk hair fix

Spoiler :

 

[ghost toast]

first ready to go raider unit for the game.
fully flushed out and complete.

this unit is for the faction the bad land raiders, 1 of a few raider factions.
they wield ranches and sledge hammers.

i plan to make this faction more vehicle oriented. eventually ill make them some mad max style vehicles for this faction.
this faction will get a larger variety of ground vehicles to recruit then other factions at the cost of less infantry, and aircraft unit type variants.
i want every civ in this mod to have its pros and cons.

they will also have a desert start most likely maybe ill switch it to plains idk yet.

Spoiler :

 

[ghost toast]

bad land raider pipe riflemen unit

Spoiler :

these 2 units are early game units. that will probably be it for their early game infantry units.
ill make them mostly have steampunk and mad max style vehicles. getting more vehicles then most and having more then most to choose from.

this is a great start to the look of the bad land raiders civilization.
they are very different looking from the unnamed street punk style raider civilization.

 

[ghost toast]

more wild life unit coming. now showcasing giant pray mantis. almost ready to be brought into the game.
i wanted to use berserker animations but it didn't work out so i used good old bear animations for it.
the pray mantis swings both of its claws at once instead of 1 at a time
but it is what it it is.

i also have fallout 3 bloat flies into the game but no pictures yet.

so including the rad roaches and mirelurks this makes the 4th all new wildlife units

Spoiler :

 

[ghost toast]

here is the first in game look at the giant mantis unit.
i didn't guess the size correctly they are a tad small, but here are the mantises

Spoiler :

my only problem with them for now is that they look like regular mantises to much.
i need to come up with some aftermath charm to add to it and make it look mostly less green. it doesn't make sense with it being a ruined rather then natural world.
ill come up with something for them.

i pixelated a leaf picture to texture them.
maybe i can use a fall colored leaf to recolor them