Modding Cities

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Mon May 18, 2009 8:05 pm

Ok, so I am planning on using my (limited) modeling skills and (nonexistant) texturing skills to modify the game's city model. I have already done some in-game tests with basic boxes just to get an idea of scale. I noticed when doing this, however, that the geometry of the cities seemed to mimic the default city. Is it possible to alter the geometry of the city model to match the new design?

If not, is this something that could be added for future releases? Perhaps either have the engine use the new model to calculate geometry, or even better, add another file called citygeo.x, or something similar, so the designer can customize the geometry mod to the city (there may be cases where the geometry should be different than the visible model).

-Accountant

Post by **Vice** » Mon May 18, 2009 8:16 pm

If you use the \\environment\\city.x option, the cities should use the mesh you import for both the primary layer and illumination layer. The textures use the hull and illumination textures for ships.

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Tue May 19, 2009 8:09 pm

I have done some more testing, and I can see the mesh just fine. However, when I fly around the new mesh, the ship reacts physically as if the old mesh is still there. I essentially hit invisible barriers when flying around the new mesh, but am also able to fly through parts of the new mesh. Visually, the new mesh is there, but when the game calculates collisions, the old mesh is still used.

-Accountant

Post by **Vice** » Tue May 19, 2009 9:10 pm

Ok, I understand now. The mesh system supports the change, the collision system needs to be able to input the mesh data as well and this is an area that will need some testing. If you'll send me one of the meshes you're working with, I can work to incorporate it with the collision system to make sure it doesn't crash or anything

The collision system has some dependencies that will need to be tested/checked.

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Tue May 19, 2009 9:20 pm

Uh...well, the current mesh I am working with is just some boxes to give me an idea of scale. Nothing really fancy, so I am not sure if you want me to send you that.

-Accountant

Post by **Vice** » Tue May 19, 2009 9:24 pm

Ok, I'll try activating the collision system for custom city objects, just be aware that if you throw too much at it, it may collapse. Much of the collision system is used for stations, planets, etc and I'm not quite sure what the limit may be. I'll post again once the download is ready, should be by tomorrow.

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Tue May 19, 2009 9:33 pm

just be aware that if you throw too much at it, it may collapse

Is this an absolute limit, or one relative to the capabilities of the player's computer? In other words, will less powerful computers collapse with less being thrown at it?

Thanks a lot for everything, Vice.

-Accountant

Post by **Vice** » Tue May 19, 2009 9:36 pm

Probably has both, although an absolute limit is likely the biggest factor (but I'd imagine that even a couple MB worth of mesh data would hold the needed info for a very complex object). A couple thousand polygons should work fine.

Post by **Vice** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:37 am

Ok, the updated build with custom collision support is ready for download. I tested it with a custom city and the collision system worked correctly with it.

http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtop ... 1#pid59255

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Wed May 20, 2009 2:43 am

Hey this is really exciting! I'd like to try making a city as well. Is there a central modding resource specific to that, and can you point me to it?

Post by **Vice** » Wed May 20, 2009 4:19 am

The customizing kit has the details ( http://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegendscustomkit.zip ), but it's really simple. You just create a folder in the game's folder named \\environment and then place the object you want to use as the city inside that folder using the filename city.x May take some trial and error to get the scaling and orientation you prefer for your design, but to make this process go faster, you can keep the game running and exit to the main menu and relaunch any time you save a new design to view your changes. You'll need a modelling program that can export to the X model format.

[Edited on 5-20-2009 by Vice]

Daedalao · Post by **Daedalao** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:12 am

www.blender.org (you'll probably need to download a newer .x exporter though.)

Or I guess you could use sketchup.

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:24 am

I'm kindof a Maya fanboy, actually...
I've managed to get an exporter working right and got my geometry in without too big of a headache.

On the texturing...
Is there any way to change it to a texture not that of the ships?
It looks great, but I'd like to be able to use the texture I created for it.

Also, is there any possibility of supporting more than one model in-game? I have a second concept started that would look pretty cool, and the ability to use everyone's stuff would be a great incentive for people to make more content

Post by **Vice** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:36 pm

On the texturing...
Is there any way to change it to a texture not that of the ships?
It looks great, but I'd like to be able to use the texture I created for it.

Yes, I will remove the texture link for cities in the next update. This will mean custom textures will be required for custom city objects, but that seems like the best direction to go. Just be aware of the additional memory overhead required to use it.

Also, is there any possibility of supporting more than one model in-game? I have a second concept started that would look pretty cool, and the ability to use everyone's stuff would be a great incentive for people to make more content

Not currently. This may be something I implement in the future, it will require some significant revisions to a couple of object/data systems in the game.

[Edited on 6-4-2009 by Vice]

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:07 pm

Dude, that's so awesome.
Thank you so much!

Post by **Vice** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:32 pm

Ok, it was easier to implement than I originally thought. Here's how the new system will work:

You can use a global city object by specifying the 'city.x' mesh in the \\environment folder as before or you will now be able to include unique cities for planets by using the filename 'cityPLANETNAME.x' in the same folder. If the game detects a custom city object that matches the planet's name in the sector you are currently in, it will load that object instead of either the global custom mesh or the default mesh. Combined with custom textures, this will mean you can include completely custom cities for each planet in the game.

This option will be available in the next test build, which I hope to make available within the next two weeks.

[Edited on 6-4-2009 by Vice]

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 4:22 am

Holy cow, is that cool! You're a genius, man.

What kind of bearing will it have on multiplayer? Assuming they don't have the custom object, it could screw with collision of weapons. Or maybe, they'd have a clean shot when you're hiding behind a building you thought was there for them too.

[Edited on 6-6-2009 by MMaggio]

Post by **Vice** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 4:54 pm

Since the collision system now supports custom cities, it could effect multiplayer for ship deflection only, weapons are allowed to shoot through building walls (buildings are not shielded in the game). For visual presentation, it will work just like the ship system. For collision, if strict ship deflection is desired, I can force the default collision system and/or city meshes while in multiplayer. But currently, the impact would be fairly minimal, particularly for weapons.

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:17 am

Awesome, thanks...

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:49 am

Ok, I've noticed something while testing some models. On some planets the cities are properly oriented as they should be, but on others the cities are oriented 90 degrees wrong, which means the city is sitting sideways, banked into the air. Is there an error in my model or how the game is handling custom cities?

-Accountant

Post by **Vice** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:17 pm

Could be the game

If you send me a test model you're working with, I'll test the system and fix the problem if it's with the game. I suspect it might be something with the secondary cities while the primary works correctly.

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:59 pm

Ok, the .x and .mqo files I am working with have been sent. When I save the .mqo as .x I check the "Flip left and right" box and click the Swap YZ button.

Here are some pictures:
Here is the city on Talison planet, everything is fine and dandy:

Here is the city on Planet T408 in the Talison system, not so fine and dandy:

Here is the city on Fauston Prime's main city:

Here is the city on Fauston Prime's secondary city:

-Accountant

EDIT:
I've flown to several more planets, and all of the cities except the first one I visit are oriented incorrectly. It does not matter whether or not there are more than one city on the planet or what system I am in.

[Edited on 6-10-2009 by Accountant]

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:50 pm

From my Maya, I've been exporting as -90 rotated on the X, and it's been right on every time. Took me a while to figure out that it was just oriented wrong, at first I thought it was random.

BTW, that's an awesome model!! Looks good for something like harsh weather conditions.
Did you finish the other you were working on?
I'm working pretty hard to have several ready for when support becomes available. Perhaps we can combine forces and make a mod that changes cities for many planets without overlapping each other? We wouldn't necessarily have to share files, since there are so many planets to choose from.

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:20 am

BTW, that's an awesome model!! Looks good for something like harsh weather conditions.
Did you finish the other you were working on?
I'm working pretty hard to have several ready for when support becomes available. Perhaps we can combine forces and make a mod that changes cities for many planets without overlapping each other? We wouldn't necessarily have to share files, since there are so many planets to choose from.

Thanks! I designed it specifically to be used on "harsh" planets. I have not finished the other model, but am still working on it. I have a couple of ideas in my head that I am trying to get down. My plan was to create 3-4 city models and release them with a text file suggesting appropriate planets for each file. If you would like to combine forces and design a release to replace the cities on all of the planets then I would be fine with that. Otherwise, I was just going to release all of my models with suggested replacement locations and leave it up to the user how (s)he implements the models into his/her game.

-Accountant

[Edited on 6-11-2009 by Accountant]

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:32 am

It'd be nice to have both options.
I'm using the universe data right now to plot out all the systems and planets and get some info as well, like the harsh conditions. I'm going to use the number of cities on the planet as a guide to the population size, and system info on tech for style. It's going to be a big spreadsheet. I'll give you a copy if you want

I'm thinking I want to do a big release, since the .x files are so tiny it wouldn't hurt to have a ton of repeats. Even better would be if a few more modders hopped on the bandwagon and we each claimed a territory to populate with a different artistic style.
Tentative title being, I think, 'Cultural Differences.'