My mods

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:18 pm

I buyed BA some days ago and now I am modding it to add units (I am testing how to do, no new 3d models because I need a fragMotion exporter) and textures, you can download Panzer II and PanzerjagerI desert textures here:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1613330/unittextures_v1.0.zip
(the file contains textures for: North Africa Panzer II, PanzerjagerI and Daimler, US M3 Stuart, 8rad camo)
(EDIT: now with mipmaps)

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:35 pm

The US Stuart is ready, I added it to the zip file above.

EDIT: I added also the 8rad camo.

junk2drive · Post by **junk2drive** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:52 am

Looking good.

For USA in NA we will need the halftrack with the 75mm gun and the M4 mortar carrier.

Merr · Post by **Merr** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:53 am

Jmass,

Perfect timing for new textures ....

I have a North African version of my QuickBattles and I added units that didn't have desert textures ...

If you can make these I can add them in!

PanzerBusche

Boys ATR

I can add the PanzerII and PanzerjagerI to the order of battle.

If you need help with 3D vehicle models, you can export the model from fragMotion(3DS) and import it into Blender (or Gmax). Blender can't import animations so that's why vehicles can work (for now) because they are easier to animate in Blender and Gmax.

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:10 am

Merr wrote: I have a North African version of my QuickBattles and I added units that didn't have desert textures ...
If you can make these I can add them in!

PanzerBusche
Boys ATR

You must to add them to the Squads.csv, then to copy textures afrika_corps.dds and desert_rat.dds (from the Battle Academy\Data\Battle\UnitTextures folder) into your mod UnitTextures folder renaming them respectively germaninfantry.dds and British_infantry.dds.

If you need help with 3D vehicle models, you can export the model from fragMotion(3DS) and import it into Blender (or Gmax). Blender can't import animations so that's why vehicles can work (for now) because they are easier to animate in Blender and Gmax.

Thanks but I should learn how to work with Blender or Gmax, and it seems to be not easy in a little time.

Merr · Post by **Merr** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:16 am

JMass wrote:You must to add them to the Squads.csv, then to copy textures afrika_corps.dds and desert_rat.dds (from the Battle Academy\Data\Battle\UnitTextures folder) into your mod UnitTextures folder renaming them respectively germaninfantry.dds and British_infantry.dds.

Yes ... thank you ... I never thought of the texture being named that, I just added the units to the csv and thought they might have their own skin ... it works!

Thanks but I should learn how to work with Blender or Gmax, and it seems to be not easy in a little time.

Very true ... It took me a long time to get blender to work for me!

I added the PanzerJagerI and pzII ... Screenshot shows the new jagers just after taking out my crusaders! Note the panzerbusche with the old skin nearby. I need to add the Italians to the OOB.

From QuickBattles! North Africa ...

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:34 am

A North Africa OOB needs more units, a quick list:
Italian: AB-41, L6-40, M11-39, Semovente 75/18, 47mm AT
German: SdKfz 222, 50mm Pak 38 (it is very similar to the Pak 40 but smaller, for now it could be sufficient to edit data), instead of just one PzIII two versions, PzIII 50/42 and PzIII 50/60 (PzIII Special)
British: A10, A13, Grant

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:35 am

junk2drive wrote:Looking good.

For USA in NA we will need the halftrack with the 75mm gun and the M4 mortar carrier.

And the M3 Lee...

Merr · Post by **Merr** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 4:25 pm

The Italian models could be simply reskinned models ? (for now)

8Rad

AB-41
StugA

Semovente 75/18
M13

L6-40
M13

M11-39
37mm AT

47mm AT

Maybe not a good idea.

The M3 Lee is possible with two guns ... I could code it like my Skirmish Mod, similar function as my 2cm Mortar (extra fire button, with one shot for 75mm).

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:12 pm

Merr wrote:The Italian models could be simply reskinned models ? (for now)

Something could be done, I'll give a look. As first thing I'll work on the StugA->Semovente 75/18 and on a Panhard-> AB-41. The North Africa OOB needs also a Daimler AC (I found it in the Market garden expansion), so I'll do a yellow sand texture. Two other missing tanks: Crusader III (for Tunisia) and Valentine, the first needs just a recolored texture like the Churchill one and a new line in the squad.csv files with corrected values for the 6 pdr.

junk2drive · Post by **junk2drive** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:43 am

Merr wrote:Jmass,

If you need help with 3D vehicle models, you can export the model from fragMotion(3DS) and import it into Blender (or Gmax). Blender can't import animations so that's why vehicles can work (for now) because they are easier to animate in Blender and Gmax.

What if JMass made the models in fragmotion, exported them, then gave them to you to do the animations and s3f?

Richie61 · Post by **Richie61** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:00 am

Awesome job! Thank You!!!

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:23 am

The Daimler is ready for NA, I noticed that some models have issues with normals, look at the turret and body rear...

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:24 am

junk2drive wrote: What if JMass made the models in fragmotion, exported them, then gave them to you to do the animations and s3f?

If possible, this could be a good solution!

Merr · Post by **Merr** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 1:21 pm

JMass wrote:The Daimler is ready for NA, I noticed that some models have issues with normals, look at the turret and body rear...

Yes, I see the normal problem, something that Two-Eyes (slitherine 3D guy) would have to look at.

I added the Daimler to my British/German North Africa QuickBattles!

Jmass, the idea of you making a model in frag, exporting 3DS, then sending to me might work!
You would need to skin (UV map) the model too, perhaps use one of the DDS from the game (easier to test).
UV mapping is not my strong area, and blender UV is kind of clunky (for me).

We can run a test ... You make a new tank, UV map it, then PM me the 3DS.
I can import it into Blender and animate it.

I can make a small, North African test scenario to test the models and post the link here.

For new tanks ... We have to change the values in squadsCSV too! Any idea's for starting numbers would be good.

- Rob

JMass · Post by **JMass** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:02 pm

Merr wrote: We can run a test ... You make a new tank, UV map it, then PM me the 3DS.

No 3ds, sorry, but we could try with the obj, I did a quick test modifying the Churchill (I Imported the Churhill_exagerated.x) in a Churchill V (95mm howitzer) and I was able to load the model UV mapped in Blender, if it works I could begin with the Semovente or the M3 Grant, now I PM you.

For new tanks ... We have to change the values in squadsCSV too! Any idea's for starting numbers would be good.

We could to start from 999 and then go down to 998, 997...

Merr · Post by **Merr** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:27 pm

JMass wrote: No 3ds, sorry, but we could try with the obj, I did a quick test modifying the Churchill (I Imported the Churhill_exagerated.x) in a Churchill V (95mm howitzer) and I was able to load the model UV mapped in Blender, if it works I could begin with the Semovente or the M3 Grant, now I PM you.

Yes ... OBJ worked great!
I like how you had it all combined as one object. I can create the different groups myself (turret, main gun, etc) in blender.

I'm using Blender v2.49b ... This is an old version but the only version that can run the export script that Zeal wrote.

Using frag, build your Semovente (easier than M3) and use a modified StugA skin, UV mapped (easier than another model skin?). When you are done, send me the model and the new DDS.
After I animate it, I can send you the BLEND file and you can load it into blender(v2.49b) to see it.
Also, I will use my modified export script and create an s3f, and I can add it to a test scenario so you can see the model in the game.
I will PM you a link to the test scenario when I create it. This way, you fight the Semovente against the british tanks to compare and see which values in the CSV need changing.

We could to start from 999 and then go down to 998, 997...

No ... Not the id number, I mean the other information ... attack factors, armor values, etc.

- Merr

EDIT ... I'm going to use the StugA parameters to start with something. I did this with the Hetzer using the StugG, then tweaked the appropriate values.

junk2drive · Post by **junk2drive** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:15 pm

For my Pacific war battles, I started adding units to the csv until I found out about the 128 unit limit. Then I moved the added unit to 200 series numbers and removed the stock units that I didn't need to keep it under 128. Then one of the expansions started using 200 series numbers. As long as I don't need these in the Pacific I will be ok. But there may come a time when I need to renumber them again.

The idea is to have a csv for your battle, not the whole game, that has the units needed for that battle.

Merr · Post by **Merr** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:08 pm

Junk,

Thanks for the 128 limit reminder ...

The actual # value doesn't matter for user camps for new units. I've got several camps that have a different unit # for the same unit. Slitherine needs to use those specific numbers because they have numerous entries in their TEXT files (core folder) so they can't reuse old numbers.

- Rob

junk2drive · Post by **junk2drive** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:42 am

I like a separate series of numbers so that I can
a) keep track of my stuff
b) copy and paste
c) don't have to worry about accidentally having the same number as a stock unit that I need for the battle / or that Slith will add more units over time and use my numbers