Unit Request
- Thread starter Wonderblunder
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The_Coyote
Emperor
Guys, I can't believe this, but I found where the problem is, and solved it!
The xxx_fx.nif means an NIF file with a shader(which can show more realistic scenes with shadows), and xxx.nif means the identical unit without a shader.
Civ4 program can take both types of NIF, and choose one of them to use, according to the performance of the computer.
But Colonization only use _fx files, simply because they look better.
The units we used, which caused problems with color, were with no shader.
For instance, the Chinese Cavalry unit I posted above, was using a Chinese Spearman's body, and a normal cavalry's horse. Both parts are no_shader ones.
Fortunately I found the Chinese Spearman's unit file in "Diversica", and what is better, I found the corresponding _fx file for the body! I just copy the body branch and replaced the no_shader one in Chinese Cavalry. The horse is replaced with the _fx in original Cavalry unit too.
Then IT WORKS!
ok only to warn you, not every custom _fx file is a real shader file, sometimes the non shader file was only renamed to _fx. But even in this cases it should be possible to add a shader to a unit as long the unit is rigged to an armature in nifskope.
But could you please check the five attached nifs, i would like to identify the real problem, please also say if there are team coloured areas (especially nif four and five) and if there is a gloss effect (nif four)
edit: attachment removed
younflancy
Warlord
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Thanks. We can open any nif file with NIFSKOPE, and see if some part has shader.
The_Coyote
Emperor
yes i know and you obviously too 
But i´m still not sure if it is really a shader problem or a texture alignment problem. In your example the weapon was also a no shader mesh, but was displayed correct. For civ4 non shader models to achieve team colour, a "teamcolor.bmp" must be set as base texture while the real texture is the decail texture. The weapon itseld had no teamcolour, therefore the model texture could is there the base texture. In the other parts the teamcolor.bmp was the base texture. Shader models have another texture arrangement, parts with alpha channel get teamcolor (with the correct shader), no special teamcolor file is needed. So i think the problem is not really the shader, it´s more a texture problem. Could you please at least try nif 4 and 5, both have the model texture as base (still no shader models - this is number 3), one with gloss one without, interesting would be if the parts with alpha channel are displayed in teamcolor or not, and if the gloss works
But i´m still not sure if it is really a shader problem or a texture alignment problem. In your example the weapon was also a no shader mesh, but was displayed correct. For civ4 non shader models to achieve team colour, a "teamcolor.bmp" must be set as base texture while the real texture is the decail texture. The weapon itseld had no teamcolour, therefore the model texture could is there the base texture. In the other parts the teamcolor.bmp was the base texture. Shader models have another texture arrangement, parts with alpha channel get teamcolor (with the correct shader), no special teamcolor file is needed. So i think the problem is not really the shader, it´s more a texture problem. Could you please at least try nif 4 and 5, both have the model texture as base (still no shader models - this is number 3), one with gloss one without, interesting would be if the parts with alpha channel are displayed in teamcolor or not, and if the gloss works
younflancy
Warlord
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I'm still not very familiar with unit art. But I had a quick look at your Chinese Cavalry units.
Only cavalry_fx3 is real shader nif, others are not.(Just simply click the body in NIFSKOPE, and you can see the block detail.) Cavalry_fx3 can be well displayed in the colonization game.
Teamcolor is a question more about dds textures. You can check the texture files' alpha channel and see which areas are teamcolored.(With DXTBmp)
And I dont know how to add a shader to a nonshader unit, is there a guide?
Only cavalry_fx3 is real shader nif, others are not.(Just simply click the body in NIFSKOPE, and you can see the block detail.) Cavalry_fx3 can be well displayed in the colonization game.
Teamcolor is a question more about dds textures. You can check the texture files' alpha channel and see which areas are teamcolored.(With DXTBmp)
And I dont know how to add a shader to a nonshader unit, is there a guide?
younflancy
Warlord
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OK. I've seen fx4 fx5 work almost right in the game.
But the team color area are transparent, because lack of teamcolor file?
I put a teamcolor.bmp in the unit folder, but it still has no teamcolor.
But the team color area are transparent, because lack of teamcolor file?
I put a teamcolor.bmp in the unit folder, but it still has no teamcolor.
younflancy
Warlord
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yes i know and you obviously too
But i´m still not sure if it is really a shader problem or a texture alignment problem. In your example the weapon was also a no shader mesh, but was displayed correct. For civ4 non shader models to achieve team colour, a "teamcolor.bmp" must be set as base texture while the real texture is the decail texture. The weapon itseld had no teamcolour, therefore the model texture could is there the base texture. In the other parts the teamcolor.bmp was the base texture. Shader models have another texture arrangement, parts with alpha channel get teamcolor (with the correct shader), no special teamcolor file is needed. So i think the problem is not really the shader, it´s more a texture problem. Could you please at least try nif 4 and 5, both have the model texture as base (still no shader models - this is number 3), one with gloss one without, interesting would be if the parts with alpha channel are displayed in teamcolor or not, and if the gloss works
I think you know much more than me.
4 and 5 can not display the team color, the areas are parent. I am interested in how you could make these nifs work in main parts.
I tried to remove the teamcolor.bmp in fx1, but fx1 still can not be used.
Is there anything else to do?
And I am really interested in adding a shader to a non shader unit.
The_Coyote
Emperor
Ok thanks for testing, think the problem can be solved and with small tweaks every civ IV unit is usable in Col.
two different option seem possible, the second need the model rigged to the armature (most models will be, but sometimes heads, weapons are attached as child to the armature node and not rigged to the node, in this cases the second options is not possible)
the main problems seems a different texture handling between civIV and Col, while in civ teamcolour for non shader units was achieved with a teamcolor.bmp as base texture and the main texture as decal texture, this is no longer possible ain Col.
option1:
One solutions is quite easy, when opening the nif in nifscope, the mesh informations can be found in the "NiTriShape" (NiTriStrips) object, there will be a node called "NiTexturingProperty". Looking at the block details of the this node there will be more than one texture, as base texture teamcolor.bmp, as decal the model texture.
Now simply exchange the filename of the base texture from teamcolur.bmp to the one of the model and deactivate the decal texture under "Has Decal 0 Texture" and delete the the now unneeded NiSourceTexture (will be outside the three). More or less you are finished.
Unfortunally the parts with alpha channel are now also transparent in game. A possible solution could be (somebody must test and confirm it): open the teamcolor.bmp, resize it to the model texture size (or create a layer in the colour you like in this size), afterwards open as new layer the model texture, merge both and save the file (dds, explizit alpha, DXT3). Finished, more or less the model should work. Sometimes there could be more things, like gloss texture, nitexture effects (for the gloss effect in non shader units) etc, don´t touch them, i hope that they won´t cause errors (but i don´t know it)
options2:
add a shader to a mesh. If your mesh has a NiSkinInstance object than the model is rigged to an armature, than you can apply a shader. For this first create the skin partition. (rmb on the NiTriShape, -> Mesh -> make skin partition) After this scroll down in the block details of the NiTriShape and set shader to yes, add a shader name (TCiv4Skinning for non gloss units, TCiv4SkinningGloss for glossy units [eg cannon]) and set the (unknown interger under shader name, [side note: at least in civ4 there are more shaders, eg for mechanic units]) flag to "-1". After this assign for example the mesh texture as base texture (for example like described above) and finished. The parts with alpha channel will be in teamcolour.
if you want a glossy unit, look at the cannon for details [in civ 4 units there is a gloss texture and a glow texture (eg.: environment_fx_greymetal.dds)]. If you need a new NiSourceTexture node, copy a old one and paste them and afterwards add it to the texture slot. (rmb -> block -> copy -> [empty space] -> block -> paste)
two different option seem possible, the second need the model rigged to the armature (most models will be, but sometimes heads, weapons are attached as child to the armature node and not rigged to the node, in this cases the second options is not possible)
the main problems seems a different texture handling between civIV and Col, while in civ teamcolour for non shader units was achieved with a teamcolor.bmp as base texture and the main texture as decal texture, this is no longer possible ain Col.
option1:
One solutions is quite easy, when opening the nif in nifscope, the mesh informations can be found in the "NiTriShape" (NiTriStrips) object, there will be a node called "NiTexturingProperty". Looking at the block details of the this node there will be more than one texture, as base texture teamcolor.bmp, as decal the model texture.
Now simply exchange the filename of the base texture from teamcolur.bmp to the one of the model and deactivate the decal texture under "Has Decal 0 Texture" and delete the the now unneeded NiSourceTexture (will be outside the three). More or less you are finished.
Unfortunally the parts with alpha channel are now also transparent in game. A possible solution could be (somebody must test and confirm it): open the teamcolor.bmp, resize it to the model texture size (or create a layer in the colour you like in this size), afterwards open as new layer the model texture, merge both and save the file (dds, explizit alpha, DXT3). Finished, more or less the model should work. Sometimes there could be more things, like gloss texture, nitexture effects (for the gloss effect in non shader units) etc, don´t touch them, i hope that they won´t cause errors (but i don´t know it)
options2:
add a shader to a mesh. If your mesh has a NiSkinInstance object than the model is rigged to an armature, than you can apply a shader. For this first create the skin partition. (rmb on the NiTriShape, -> Mesh -> make skin partition) After this scroll down in the block details of the NiTriShape and set shader to yes, add a shader name (TCiv4Skinning for non gloss units, TCiv4SkinningGloss for glossy units [eg cannon]) and set the (unknown interger under shader name, [side note: at least in civ4 there are more shaders, eg for mechanic units]) flag to "-1". After this assign for example the mesh texture as base texture (for example like described above) and finished. The parts with alpha channel will be in teamcolour.
if you want a glossy unit, look at the cannon for details [in civ 4 units there is a gloss texture and a glow texture (eg.: environment_fx_greymetal.dds)]. If you need a new NiSourceTexture node, copy a old one and paste them and afterwards add it to the texture slot. (rmb -> block -> copy -> [empty space] -> block -> paste)
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younflancy
Warlord
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OMG, that's a wonderful tutorial!
Let me try tonight!
Let me try tonight!
Wonderblunder
Part Time Monster in the Closet
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Can someone help me with this problem?
The_Coyote
Emperor
attach your unit files and post your xml entries and the probability will be a bit higher
Wonderblunder
Part Time Monster in the Closet
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Here is the XML Unit Art defines(I have not put in the Regiment 50 yet) I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the nif and kfm file.
And the Unit Infos
Also,I have two request.Can someone attach the XML files for the civilopedia of Civ4 Colonization?Also,will someone attach the generic cannon nif and kfm files?Because I can't find these files on Civ4 Colonization.
Spoiler :
And the Unit Infos
Spoiler :
Also,I have two request.Can someone attach the XML files for the civilopedia of Civ4 Colonization?Also,will someone attach the generic cannon nif and kfm files?Because I can't find these files on Civ4 Colonization.
The_Coyote
Emperor
@ charle88
yes you are right, was a model problem, don´t use the included animation (the ones in your upload), simply link to the standard one of the Veteran_Musketman and try it with the new attached nif. Also mad a very small UV adjustment to fix a hair problem (black dot on the head)
(also: exchange the nif with the attached (all four models), remove all files with kfm or kf as ending, change the kfm link in the xml to the one of the standard veteran_musketman, use the texture files of the model (dds)). - attachment removed, added some post late again (with had)
@Zuul
thievish pioneers in the new world (use with all the others file of the treasure, means texture and animation)
and from now i would recommend to post new requests in this thread: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=157708 (one place to search, one place to find)
yes you are right, was a model problem, don´t use the included animation (the ones in your upload), simply link to the standard one of the Veteran_Musketman and try it with the new attached nif. Also mad a very small UV adjustment to fix a hair problem (black dot on the head)
(also: exchange the nif with the attached (all four models), remove all files with kfm or kf as ending, change the kfm link in the xml to the one of the standard veteran_musketman, use the texture files of the model (dds)). - attachment removed, added some post late again (with had)
@Zuul
thievish pioneers in the new world
(use with all the others file of the treasure, means texture and animation)and from now i would recommend to post new requests in this thread: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=157708 (one place to search, one place to find)
Wonderblunder
Part Time Monster in the Closet
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Thanks Coyote,can someone attach the cannon nif file,since I can't find it and need it for the Royal Cannon unit of my Scenario.
Wonderblunder
Part Time Monster in the Closet
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Coyote,we have another problem,the tricorn hats of the units won't appear.
Also,Oleg153,here are screenshots of your units in action!I hope you release the 2nd part of the French and Indian War units.
Also,Oleg153,here are screenshots of your units in action!I hope you release the 2nd part of the French and Indian War units.
The_Coyote
Emperor
@ charle88
ok, here with tricorn, i said i had thievish pioneers, edit: which cannon file you need, vanilla Civ4? - if yes, see answer below
@ americo
really from bts? if it is a vanilla unit you should unpack your pak files, see the civ 4 tutorials section for details (the unit should be in assets/Art/Units/Unique/Spanish/Conquistador/)
ok, here with tricorn, i said i had thievish pioneers, edit: which cannon file you need, vanilla Civ4? - if yes, see answer below
@ americo
really from bts? if it is a vanilla unit you should unpack your pak files, see the civ 4 tutorials section for details (the unit should be in assets/Art/Units/Unique/Spanish/Conquistador/)
Wonderblunder
Part Time Monster in the Closet
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Civpedia is a bit OT, Charle88, but hopefully I can answer quickly. The civpedia texts are in the assets/xml/text directory. Most I think are in a file with a name something like Civ4GameText_Pedia.xml or some such. The list of "game concepts" comes from the Civ4BasicInfos.xml file in assets/xml/basicinfos. The actually generation of the pedia and the various sections is driven from the SDK/DLL with the specific in-game rendering down by .py files (the various *pedia*.py files in assets/python/screen iir). I don't have an installation of Civ4Col with me, so I can't really be more specific :/. Hopefully somewhere in the above is the answer to your Civ Pedia question.
