How to generate ccpitreflect.x/ccpitlights.x from completed custom ccpit.x

DynamicRanger · Post by **DynamicRanger** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:09 am

I had a simple idea for a cockpit that required combining various structures from the standard cockpit model included in the customization kit and the Perch cockpit Ijon released assets for. I used Metasequoia to copy and paste the components, resized and adjusted as necessary. I added materials to the model and applied custom textures to the model. What I have now is a finished ccpit.x. It looks the way I want it to in the game, but when I try to use it in the game, loading fails due to "Insufficient cockpit data". I read the customization kit readme and reverse engineered other cockpit mods, so I have a basic understanding of what I need to do to get this ccpit.x model to work.

TL;DR
I don't know how to create normal and specular maps from the base model. Would making the ccpitlights.x and ccpitreflect.x files require extensive 3D modeling work, or is it a matter of sending the ccpit.x through some kind of filter software?

[Edited on 11-6-2012 by DynamicRanger]

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:03 pm

o/

its a matter of scale and/or separation, depending on which way of modding (shadercomplexity) you choose. no more extensive modeling.

for example the perch's outer frame is only part of the ccpitreflect.x
the windows are part of the ccpitlights.x (those are not provided with that obj file, because i forgot it, btw)
all the rest is part of the ccpit.X

it works different with the fabulous maxblue cockpits. here the mentioned files consist of pretty much the same geometry, with *reflect and *lights scaled down slightly and moved inwards to avoid overlapping geometry.

as a simple alternative for a full directX sdk:
http://www.teamxtcgames.com/3d_object_viewer.htm
check this tool. use: file /'load direct x mesh' on the x-files in question for more clarity.

DynamicRanger · Post by **DynamicRanger** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 1:25 am

I've hit another snag. For testing purposes, I created dummy ccpitreflect and ccpitlights files so I could load the game and see what was working with the 3D model. The dummy files are are slightly scaled down versions of the finished ccpit.x, with solid black as texture material. The shape and orientation appear to be correct, but the cockpit model is far away from the camera POV and I have no idea how to offset the position in the 3D model. I couldn't tell if the textures loaded properly, but I'm marginally more confident I can figure that out on my own.

How can I adjust the 3D model to fit properly on the screen? Is the model rendered in-game with an absolute offset value? If the value is relative to something else, how can I determine it? The method I used scale and position the model was to copy the lines/vertices/surfaces of the completed ccpit.x and paste it into the untextured ccpit.x included with the customization kit. I then moved and scaled the completed model to perfectly overlap the custom kit one; I used the dashboard screens as the reference point.

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:39 pm

yo.

i wanted to write sth smart like: use the perch's allignment, but after re-checking the obj its off there as well.
i don't know, why.

as far as i remember the sample pit doesn't work as refererence. it was totally out of sight for me.
so i dit it as you - with a maxblue cockpit though

(screens as reference - dummies, trial and error till things fitted)

in general you'll have to work around your world's 0,0,0 coordinate. maybe this helps:
http://s7.directupload.net/images/121108/ziias3hi.jpg
top view

DynamicRanger · Post by **DynamicRanger** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:21 pm

I ended up using the maxblue for reference, too. I'm very close to finishing it; the textures work and I have it perfectly scaled. Of course, in-game the cockpit model is almost too dark to see--I've just been using empty ccpitlights.x and ccpitreflect.x files to test the main model's textures and scaling.

If you (or anybody!) have any tips on how to make the ccpitlights.x and ccpitreflect.x, I'd really appreciate it. I tried reverse engineering the maxblue cockpit, but how I thought it worked (keep light-emitting textures intact, paint all others black) doesn't work. If you know of any, let me know about any tutorials I can check out. I've tried to research this myself, but I know so little about 3D modeling--I don't even know the words to search for!

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:43 am

o/

grats on the progress.

do some research on 'specular- and normal maps'.
'mapping' in general and 'shading'

the way things look isn't only determined by your models shape and its colour. materials also have an ior you may want to simulate, or are bumpy or transparent or do emit light. all that is achieved with the help of shaders.
a shader is a mathematically calculated texture. it can be the colour, a pattern.. but it can also determine what i just wrote.

if you checked both mods, maxblue and mine, with the xfile viewer, you'll have seen that the content of for example the ccpitreflect.x differs quite a bit.
the main difference between the two approaches described in the custom kit: the way, perch is built, requires less geometry due to the way its shaded. but it wouldn't work/ look creepy on older gfx-hardware.

a matter of morale and possibilities. as so often.
well, well.
happy researching