Elephants

[StuccoFresco]

I may have looked wrong, but in the editor I didn't see a map model for Elephants. Is the model "invisible" in the editor but working in the game?

[Athos1660]

Here is what my Elephants look like in my map Editor and when I play the map :

[SnuggleBunnies]

The game was never extended to India so the models don't exist

[Paul59]

I may have looked wrong, but in the editor I didn't see a map model for Elephants. Is the model "invisible" in the editor but working in the game?

I understand that the Elephants have fully functioning stats, but unfortunately the models and textures were never completed. The weird artillery like graphics in Athos' screenshot are just "placeholder". I would guess that the Elephants were originally included in the game as it was envisaged that they might be needed for a future DLC, but sadly that never materialised.

[Athos1660]

Likewise, there's an empty category 'Camel' in the Editor.

[StuccoFresco]

I wanted to create some fictional scenario and Elephants would be a nice addition. Is there any way to obtain such a model for someone with zero 3d-programs skill?

[Paul59]

I wanted to create some fictional scenario and Elephants would be a nice addition. Is there any way to obtain such a model for someone with zero 3d-programs skill?

If there was I would have put an Elephant into Pike and Shot many years ago!

[TheGrayMouser]

I wanted to create some fictional scenario and Elephants would be a nice addition. Is there any way to obtain such a model for someone with zero 3d-programs skill?

If there was I would have put an Elephant into Pike and Shot many years ago!

At least one user made scenario or mod has camels I think...

[Athos1660]

and jomni added galleys and Galleass in his Lepanto mod for P&S and others added guns and 18th-century soldiers in FoG2...

I guess the question here is :
- how to get (free ?) 3d models with texture
- then how to implement them in game
- how to make them move, attack...
when the modder is not a specialist of modeling/texturing/modding

In the case of P&S, the 3d model of the elephants could be very simple (such as a gray box + sound).

[Paul59]

and jomni added galleys and Galleass in his Lepanto mod for P&S and others added guns and 18th-century soldiers in FoG2...

I guess the question here is :
- how to get (free ?) 3d models with texture
- then how to implement them in game
- how to make them move, attack...
when the modder is not a specialist of modeling/texturing/modding

In the case of P&S, the 3d model of the elephants could be very simple (such as a gray box + sound).

Well one of those mods with camels is my Extra Nations Mod, it just uses one of the standard cavalry models.

James Manhattan converted the 18th century soldiers from the Total War games I believe, but he obviously has 3d skills and tools way beyond the average player or modder. Jomni indeed added galleys for his Lepanto mod, he also added lots of Japanese stuff for his original Sengoku Jidai mod, but he must also have 3d abilities way beyond me, or he got someone to do the 3d work for him.

Even if you found a suitable 3d model, converting it to the format used by P&S (a .s3f file), resizing it, animating it etc etc takes a lot of skill, effort and possibly money. Look up how much good 3d software costs, but you might want to sit down first! Believe me, I have tried many times to convert models, and I am still trying now! The bottom line is that a modder who does not have 3d modelling skills just cannot create or convert a new 3d model. I should know, I have created more mods than I have had hot dinners!

Obviously if you are satisfied with just a gray box it becomes a bit easier, but I think even creating a gray box and converting it to a .s3f model is too much for me at the moment.

James Manhattan has put up some 3d modelling/conversion tutorials on Youtube:

viewtopic.php?f=322&t=76955

There are other useful threads in the P&S and Battle Academy Modders forums.

I also managed to get a free version of Blender, I can't remember how. But it is the most difficult program I have ever come across, and I have never managed to convert anything with it that works in P&S or Battle Academy.

If you ever manage to work it out, let me know, as I have found a ton of 3d models I would love to convert and get into Battle Academy!

[Paul59]

Actually if you did want just a gray box, there are already gray 3d boxes in the P&S objects folder!

There are lots of terrain objects that never got proper models, and so they just use little gray boxes instead. I am talking about the farmhouses, houses and ruins. I don't see why you could not use one of those object models as a unit model. They are perhaps a little bit too small for an elephant, but at least they would be a bit better than the half invisible artillery piece that is already used as a placeholder model.

Alternatively you could take a large tent or pile of crates from Battle Academy, although I don't know how large they would be in P&S, they might be way too big.

The sounds are no problem at all, just take them from FOG2.

[tomlowshang]

I also managed to get a free version of Blender, I can't remember how. But it is the most difficult program I have ever come across, and I have never managed to convert anything with it that works in P&S or Battle Academy.

Blender has been free/open source software since 2002 and is a available at https://www.blender.org. I agree that Blender certainly requires some effort to learn it. There are many tutorials but some have been outdated by the recent 2.8 release, which revamped the UI Yet Again™.

Is the .s3f model format documented? From what I can tell the Battle Academy engine (is that STUB?) is the only one that uses it.

[Athos1660]

If you ever manage to work it out, let me know, as I have found a ton of 3d models I would love to convert and get into Battle Academy!

Modeling and texturing a 3d model from the start in Blender requires Artist's skills I don't have.

But importing a 3d model (with a format : .obj...) into a 3D software and exporting it with the correct file format to implement it into P&S only take :
- having the software + the right plugin
- and taking the time to understand the procedure to follow, as explained in the links you gave us. (I've just watch the first vid)

Modding requires so much time. I must admit P&S makes me want to take that time. Very tempting but I lack it.

Actually if you did want just a gray box, there are already gray 3d boxes in the P&S objects folder!

There are lots of terrain objects that never got proper models, and so they just use little gray boxes instead. I am talking about the farmhouses, houses and ruins. I don't see why you could not use one of those object models as a unit model. They are perhaps a little bit too small for an elephant, but at least they would be a bit better than the half invisible artillery piece that is already used as a placeholder model.

Alternatively you could take a large tent or pile of crates from Battle Academy, although I don't know how large they would be in P&S, they might be way too big.

The sounds are no problem at all, just take them from FOG2.

If I were @StuccoFresco who said he started modding P&S, I would use the current Elephant 'model' first. Then, I would try to replace it with a grey box and FoG sounds. Then I would try with an imported 3d model.

However, thx for all the information, Paul59

[tomlowshang]

Is the .s3f model format documented? From what I can tell the Battle Academy engine (is that STUB?) is the only one that uses it.

The extension is .s4f.

[Paul59]

I also managed to get a free version of Blender, I can't remember how. But it is the most difficult program I have ever come across, and I have never managed to convert anything with it that works in P&S or Battle Academy.

Blender has been free/open source software since 2002 and is a available at https://www.blender.org. I agree that Blender certainly requires some effort to learn it. There are many tutorials but some have been outdated by the recent 2.8 release, which revamped the UI Yet Again™.

Is the .s3f model format documented? From what I can tell the Battle Academy engine (is that STUB?) is the only one that uses it.

Thats how I got it for free then!

I believe that Battle Academy, Pike and Shot, Sengoku Jidai, FOG2 and maybe some other Slitherine games are the only ones that use the .s3f format. Although FOG2 uses a development of the STUB engine, so it's models cannot be used in the older games, so you can't put a FOG2 elephant in P&S. You can use the older models in FOG2 though, as Odenathus and myself have done it for a few scenarios.

There is a plugin to support converting 3d models to the .s3f format, but I think it only works with older versions of Blender and/or Python which is another required program used for the conversion process.

The plugin used to be available on these forums, I think it is in the Battle Academy modder forum.

[Paul59]

Is the .s3f model format documented? From what I can tell the Battle Academy engine (is that STUB?) is the only one that uses it.

The extension is .s4f.

Well actually that is not quite right. The models in the game are .s4f, but these are encrypted and cannot be modified at all, even if you were a genius 3d modeller!

The models are made in a .s3f format, and then when the model is used in the game for the first time it is converted automatically into a .s4f model. So it is the .s3f format that is needed for creating or converting new models.

[tomlowshang]

There is a plugin to support converting 3d models to the ..s3f format, but I think it only works with older versions of Blender and/or Python which is another required program used for the conversion process.

The plugin used to be available on these forums, I think it is in the Battle Academy modder forum.

I found the the plugin, thanks. It requires an old version of both Blender and the Python language. Not worth pursuing at all.

[tomlowshang]

Is the .s3f model format documented? From what I can tell the Battle Academy engine (is that STUB?) is the only one that uses it.

The extension is .s4f.

Well actually that is not quite right. The models in the game are .s4f, but these are encrypted and cannot be modified at all, even if you were a genius 3d modeller!

The models are made in a .s3f format, and then when the model is used in the game for the first time it is converted automatically into a .s4f model. So it is the .s3f format that is needed for creating or converting new models.

Thanks for the explanation.

[Athos1660]

I've just come across this thread in the modding section about Elephants. Hoping it may help someone

[StuccoFresco]

I'll probably use a light cavalry disorganized model and try to paint the horsesì textures grey with an elephant-like appearance.

It will be extremely ugly, but it's the best I can do.