SHP Help needed!
SHP Help needed!
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.
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.
- Attachments
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- TDRA SHP TOOLS 0.04.ms.zip
- MaxScript for camera setup
- (1.71 KiB) Downloaded 1278 times
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- Posts: 62
- Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:04 am
hope that helps
@chrisf: tell me more...I don´t have much time at the moment, but I can take a look
@chrisf: tell me more...I don´t have much time at the moment, but I can take a look
- Attachments
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- camera.zip
- max 2009 file
- (26.25 KiB) Downloaded 1295 times
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"
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"
-
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:04 am
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
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
- Attachments
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- Animation1.gif (55.83 KiB) Viewed 32551 times