Speed creating of ship for novices
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Awesome! This is “Speed creating of the ship” tutorial be me ( Nova/Iron118 ).
You will learn how to create new ship and have it in FL format for 15-20 minutes.Tutorial features:
- model building
- fast but nice texturing job
- converting to FL
For job we need:
- 3DS Max (i use 2009)
- Milkshape 3D (i use 1.8.4)
- Milkshape 3D plugins for cmp and mat exporting
- HardCMP
So, lets begin.
Episode One - Modelling
I hope you have some 3D modelling skills, otherwise it can be hard to understand something for you.-
First of all, we have to create the object and convert it to editable poly. I prefer making a ships from a simple “Box”.
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/1607/79748743.png -
Start to modify it. There are few ways how to make something.
Notice that you can select few polys by holding Ctrl and clicking the mouse.
a) Extrude
Howto: select a poly and find the “Extrude” modifier at right menu. Drag the mouse on the poly - you will understand what is changing.
Result: creating additional polys from your selected one.
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9223/extrude.pngb) Bevel
Howto: select a poly and find the “Bevel” modifier at right menu. Drag the mouse on the poly - effect will be same as “Extrude”, but when you unhold the mouse button you will get the ability to scale the poly.
Result: creating additional polys from your selected one with scaling. Provides almost the same result as “Extrude” + “Scale” on poly.
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/4466/bevel.pngc) Scale vertex (2 or more)
Howto: turn selection type to “vertex”, select 2 or more vertexes (no effect with one), right mouse button on selection > scale, drag mouse on the selected vertexes.
Result: vertexes will move to/away their “center of mass”
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6986/scalevert.pngd) Scale poly
Howto: turn selection type to “polygon”, select the polygon, right mouse button on selection > scale, then drag mouse.
Result: poly will scale to/away its center.
http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3002/scalepoly.pnge) Move
Howto: can be used in “vertex” and “polygon” selections, and the whole object too. Right mouse button on selection > move, then drag mouse - it will move the object. I suggest to use 2d views for that.
Result: changes the vertex/poly/object position.
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/9568/movez.pngf) Bridge
Howto: select polys which are in symmethry. “Bevel” them down a little bit, then press “Bridge” at the right menu.
Result: a hole between selected polys.
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/52/bridgem.pngg) Rotate
Howto: can be used in “vertex” and “polygon” selections, and the whole object too. Right mouse button on selection > rotate, then drag mouse - it will rotate the object. I suggest to use 2d views for that.
Result: rotates the vertex/poly/object.
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/4171/rotate.pngNow all you need is to mix these modifiers in something what your imagination wants.
There are some my examples:
a) Ship body: extrude, bevel, rotate, move:
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5876/shipcore.png
b) Glasses or panels: bevel, extrude:
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2158/shipglass.png
c) Wings: extrude, scale, move:
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/7069/shipwings.png
d) Some detalisation:
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/3628/shipdetalisation.png
e) Mounts: create box and scale down one side, rotate and move to necessary position. Copy the same box if you need (RMB > Clone)
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/1503/mounts.pngThis is just my fast example. You can create all what you can imagine.
Episode Two - Texturing
- Select the textures which you will use. They should be on DDS or TGA format. Notice that they should be square: 64x64, 128x128, 256x256, etc.
For example i use these vanilla ones:
- liberty main http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/7274/li1.png
- liberty panels http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/6046/li2l.png
- engine grill http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2319/enginegrill01.png
- mount one http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/1042/mountl.png
- full black texture http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/8295/blackz.png
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Open Material Editor in 3DSMax (M key). Drag the texture from your windows folder to one of the spheres.
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/9496/texturem.png -
Select the ship, select the texture, apply it to the ship.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7483/textureapply.png -
Lets make this #$%% look nice. There are 2 steps.
First (set parameters at the menu like me - you need Box type):
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3032/textureuvwmap.png
Second:
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/6691/textureunwrap.png
And press the “Edit”. You’ll seesomething like this. Just select all and scale to the normal quality.
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8265/textureedit.png
Convert to editable poly after this.
- Now the hardest - panels & engine.
All you need to select a polys which you want to apply texture. Select em, go to materil editor and apply the other texture to them.
Go to Unwrap UWV after applying.
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/1954/textureuvwpanel.png
And just move/scale/rotate the vertex groups is this screen. I got something like this:
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/3272/textureuvwpanelmyrdy.pngNice ya?
Make same with engine and other details. Turn on fantasy again.Thats all, nice job.
Episode Three - Converting
Export your model as 3DS and close the 3DSMax.
Open Milkshape and import an our 3DS file.-
Rotate the ship to be like this. Top to bottom.
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/7729/rightrotation.png -
Go to “Materials” and select the file we used to texture for each one.
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1945/materialselect.png -
Rename the materials. There names should be unique in FL - 2 different textures will bug if will have same name. Use something looks like “kote***_main” where *** is random number you never generate again.
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2437/renamemat.png -
Go to “Groups” and rename them in unique names too.
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6010/cmprename.png
Go to “Model”. Now we have to scale a lot. I dont know how much really, so just my rule is:
In HardCMP fighter haven’t to be smaller as this in view by default:
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5603/cmpsize.pngIn exporter don’t set any parameters, just select the output file and export - same with the mat (export in new mat, no update).
For creating a sur use the SurBuilder.Good luck
And a cat
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Well done, nice work Nova.
And your English has already improved dramatically!
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StarTrader wrote:
Well done, nice work Nova.And your English has already improved dramatically!
Lets make this #$%% look nice
Here?
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M1C wrote:
Very good tutorial, nova!Why everybody uses %%#$ instead of **** like in German?
Different words
