OpenRA

I've been wanting to make my own units for a while now, but I need help make the right .SHP files for the units. Could someone here give me a step-by-step on how to make a unit? I would GREATLY appreciate any help that could be provided. Thank you!

There's 2 ways to do it. The "good" way:

1. Build your model in 3dsmax
2. Use the attached script to set up the camera, etc
3. Render out your model to PNGs
4. Retouch the PNGs in photoshop and convert to the RA palette. Fix up any remap that didnt work, etc
5. Use XCC Mixer to build the PNGs into a SHP

The "bad" way:

1. Draw your frames directly in PS or some other image editor
2. Convert to RA palette if not already
3. Use XCC Mixer to build the SHP

Either way, once you're done, you need to set up the animations for the engine. These go in sequences.yaml.

Hi seem like your script can't work with 3d studio max 2011 do you have 2011 version? or atlease can you upload camera+ligh setting scene here. i'll be thank you. i can't wait to try my shp on this engine.

don´t know if my script works for 2011.
will post a scene soon

thank you alot i'll looking forward

@raminator -- any chance you could start helping us with the official mods? You obviously know what you're doing with the 3dsmax setup, etc.

hope that helps

@chrisf: tell me more...I don´t have much time at the moment, but I can take a look

@raminator: come talk in #openra or #openra-dev. We have various things in mind for the future of the game, but most things require new art.

some more information on how i use my script...

01) render the body-frames (0-31) with AA (Catmull) but the background-plane disabled
02) render the turret-frames (32-63) with AA (Catmull) but the background-plane disabled
03) go to xcc-mixer and copy the images with the correct pallet to SHP(TS)
04) copy the SHP to PNG(Single)

05) render the body-frames (0-31) without AA but the background-plane enabled
06) render the turret-frames (32-63) without AA but the background-plane enabled
07) go to xcc-mixer and copy the images with the correct pallet to SHP(TS)
08) copy the SHP to PNG(Single)

09) now open both png files with PhotoShop or similar
10) copy and paste the AA-png over the non-AA-png (new layer)
11) delete the background on the AA-png (use wand-tool)
12) save as PNG

13) go to xcc-mixer and copy the png (rightclick > clipboard > copy)
14) paste it over the original SHP-File you created earlier (rightclick > clipboard > paste as SHP(TS))
15) leave size and framenumbers as it is
16) copy SHP to PNG
17) copy PNGs to SHP

now you can put it ingame

that´s the way i do...but i know that there are other ways to do it.

PS: be sure to set in max options "don´t AA against background"

raminator the scene work verywell thank you.

no problemo

@raminator: Any clever process for doing infantry?

there are 2 possible ways of doing infantry
1) do it like westwood (paint them pixel by pixel)
2) make a 3D model and render it.

if you choose option 1) you can have similar looking guys if you simply modify one of the existing units.
if you choose option 2) you have to remake all infatry to have them look similar to each other.

the attachment shows a unit i "converted" from cnc3 to RA2.

another possibility would be to use Dune2000 infantry as they look similar to the big RA95 infantry

here´s a screen of a tank i did with the help of my script/camera settings

btw:
tested infantry ingame too and works nicely...
can i change the play rate of the walking animation?
looks to fast imho

some more vehicles i made for my mod

you can see...there´s alot of stuff you can do shp-wise with this game