ORIGINAL: TR Shrum
Will the user's be able to create their vehicle models and insert them into the game? What would be the best program for this; Sketchup? Any suggestions for those of us that wish to do so?
Yes.
The game uses XML files for data.
Notepad will open, edit and export the XMLs.
The game uses the XMLs to handle "Mechanics" (it doesn't use the 3D model for mechanics): LOS sighting, range, concealment, armor, speed etc (processed by the game engine). The Unit XMLs map to gun file XMLs which rely on data from kill table XML files. The unit XMLs are in data/armouredunits folder; the gun file XMLs are in the data/gun folder; the kill table XML files are in the data/shellkillpower folder.
Open existing PzC XMLs to see how data is formatted and what may need to be changed in order to make new units. (Just use existing gun types in the data/gun folder; most are already made. ...So user is only changing Unit XMLs to make new models.)
What needs to be changed... The Unit XML has the name of unit (the engine looks at that name NOT the outer file name); Nation, speed, size, mass, turret speed and dates-etc ('dates-etc' sync with the random battle/campaign generators and control by date-of-entry what can used in a scenario); armor thickness and angle etc as listed in sections; ammo count and path to gun(s) used; the path to the model etc (model etc = compendium image, model files and TankCommander model[often in data/Infantry folder]).
The engine uses the model files to create the 3D virtual world (nothing more). Those model files are directX file types --".X". (Look in the unit XML file --at bottom-- in that data/armouredunits folder to see where that model folder is.)
Those
model files are edited in a model making program _that can open and export direct X files._ I use fragMotion. 3DMax is another and there's polytrans. (Polytrans seems to have a copyright scrambling feature it imposes on its exports and the polytrans exporter apparently is not able to prevent this; Makes things difficult for next-wave modelers (ie YOU). I have debugged almost _every polytrans-made model .X file_ in the PzC game! [8D] (Tedious thankless job!))
The details of PzC model specifics can be gleaned by opening up already done model .Xs and observing how everything was done. Eg look at the .X's bone and material(texture) _properties_ and texture URL paths.
In the model .X files there is "mesh". Mesh is comprised of vertexes and faces. Mesh are put in specific named groups. Those groups are weighted to "bones". The bones are animated... Bones contain internal frames (like movies frames). (Length of film strip is game specific --PzC uses 301 keyframes for vehicles). Move a bone a little --along the standard X Y Z("3D")-- in a keyframe cell; then repeat in next keyframe cell; and then repeat in the next again and etc and over the long haul you will have an animation sequence.
The 3D engine allows windows of opportunity for when any given sequence will be triggered. Eg movement sequence(0-60 keyframes), firing sequence(100-110 ish [depends on gun]), hatch open/close [150-160 AND 201], destruction sequence [215-235 keyframes].
I put instruction-notepads in the data/armouredunits folder giving specifics: necessary "trigger bones" etc; amount of frames and fps for each unit type (vehicle, ATG or Inf).
The mesh faces have textures mapped to them; textures use "materials". PzC uses .dds for texture materials. Those dds texture materials will be in the same folder as the unit's model .X. Also in the model's folder there is a "destroyed.dds" texture that is triggered by engine upon vehicle death and "Normal.BMP" too which handles some lighting
Ilooshions. (Keep the destroyed.dds small: 256x256 = 43kb, please.) There are summer and winter skins for each vehicle (and Inf and Artillery).
For human vs human play, the XML files' data fields MUST BE THE SAME FOR BOTH PLAYERS OR THE GAME WILL LOCK. (This prevents cheating but not modding.) Model.Xs, .dds textures and normal.bmp (and compendium .PNGs) can be unique to one player and will not lock game.
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Paint.net is a good .dds editor. Set export upon first saving of your edits to dx1 and 'with mips'. (Keep size to 171 or 683 please.) (Some people do all their editing in .bmps and only export to .dds as final "mixdown". Using .dds 683 size that really is not as necessary IMO.) (Photsph will open and export dds but not as intuitively.)
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fragmotion settings for PzC:
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