Knokke

prlugo, I had a better look at the infantry models and they are very different from the other models in game. Theses models are probably exported through a plug-in that we don't have, so I'm not really sure that we can create really new soldier models without having a plug-in to export the model 3D information and the skinning (by that I mean the weighting of the model's vertices to the bones). What you should try to do is create an msh file of your modified soldier as if it was a normal static object, and combine it with the data of an msh file of the one of the soldiers in the modpack by combining the two in notepad (replacing the data of the modpack soldier's msh with your msh data, and keeping the parts that your msh does not have. It would involve replacing all the faces/uv/texture with your own while keeping all the data pertaining to the skeleton and weight of vertices to the bones that are not in your msh. I'm not sure if this would work, but this is the only thing I can think of. soldiers models are probably not setup from an mcn file, but perhaps from the vbl file. You'll need to heavily edit the msh file of your model in notepad, to remove all the objects that are uneeded for a soldier msh, and to do a massive renaming of objects after the conversion (delete all the shadow, center, visibility, unneeded hooks and collision spheres; rename all the hook objects with the names required for a soldier model) To create a new msh of your soldier model, I would try to use an mcn file created with the house (Zmey) script Be aware that the script will require creating objects that you don't need (the x0y1_dam0, x0y2_dam0 etc... mesh and others related meshes for shadows. The script will tell you if you missed creating one such object. You can delete them from the msh0000.tse file later before converting to msh. for the Hook objects, you need to use window hooks temporarily (as the script will not recognise any other hooks). Simply rename your skeleton hooks so that the names comply with the windows naming conventions (window01, window01_d, window01_w0y0_dam0 etc...). You can rename them later in the mesh0000.tse file and give them again the correct name required for the skeleton hooks. You can delete in the same way the shadow objects that the script requires Really, I don't know if any of this could be working, but this is the only way I can think of, since we've no scriot to export soldiers.

It should be possible. But this is a difficult task, as a lot of configuration files have to be edited. I would suggest you to have a look at the matilda II tank added by the balance mod to see which files you'll need. the process will be mostly the same (except for any armament that the fiat is lacking and that the tank has). the biggest change will probably be the way ToW2 handles visibility (I mean the hooks for the crew line of sight in the vehicle)

This is the biggest drawback of ToW in my opinion. If this would be possible, we could create campaigns with a lot more continuity, just like it was done in Close Combat (fighting on the same map untill one side is forced to retrat to an other map) I hope this possibility will be included in a future patch or release of ToW

about the mtl files: did you use the OBJ format to export to 3DSmax? mtl files are created to store the material information, while the geometry information is stored in the OBJ file. The strange position of the collision shapes is probably caused by the corresponding "attaching" line in the hier.him (the matrix probably is indicating a 90° rotation of the part). try changing it to see if you can orient the parts correctly again. As for the unwrap problem: there is no other way to fix texture coordinates. But it should not be too long, as you just have to unwrap the helmet (if this is the only thing you modified); the body UV coordinates are most probably already correctly mapped. Dont get discouraged; if you've come this far, you've already done the most difficult part. I'm ready to help any time if you need. -Knokke

If you have 3dsmax, you don't need to use MshConverter to convert your 3DS file to Msh format; use the meshtools instead. One problem you'll find is the script might give error messages with the hooks names (to overcome this, simply give your hooks a name that the script will accept, then rename to the correct name that you need after the conversion is done). Also, you could try using lights for the hooks instead of a cube (that's how it is done on a few objects from the megamod pack; there is an option to use lights as hooks in the meshtools scripts) As for the problem with the skin, could you be more specific as to what the problem is? If you modified the helmet by adding new vertices and/or polys, you'll need to redo part of the UV mapping for the texture to fit correctly on the model.

There are probably no SS units in Kursk43:The annoucement for the game told that it would recreate the battles of the russian 67th Guard rifle motor division, and panzer division Gross Deutschland. Latest directX: on microsoft website, the drivers are updated from time to time; the version downloadable from there is always the latest updated version (it would still be called directX 10,for example, but would be the latest directX 10 release)

Install the latest directX drivers from the microsoft website to get rid of the error message. As for the demo menu being in russian, see the topic on this forum called Kursk 43 to see how you can enable the menus in english and how to translate the briefings

No, you don't need ToW2 to play the demo

I had the same idea; DC-3 would drop non exploding "bombs" shaped like parachutes, but I didn't figure how to create a soldier at the place where the bomb landed. Also there is the problem of creating bombs that would fall down slowly like a chute

It would be easy to do close air support planes like the Hellcat and Bearcat used by the french in Indochina. The Spitfire could be used too, needing only a reskin to give it french markings. Choppers could be modded in the game, but would behave like an airplane (no hovering). It is not possible to have an airfield with airplanes taking off or landing, though you could still easily represent the airstrip in the middle of the french positions at Dien-Bien-Phu, with static airplanes and wrecks only (no chance of simulating DC-3s landing supplies under AA and mortar fire). There is no airplanes droping paratroopers too. You would have to start the game with your troops already landed. The map sizes would prohibit you to make the full Dien-Bien-Phu area on only one map, but you could easily have one map per sector (one per hill, for exemple). I believe Dien-bien-phu should be doable without too much 3D modelling work, but other Viet-Nam maps would require creating probably much more 3D models (buildings and vegetation, mostly). The biggest work would require creating soldiers if they are anything else but simple reskins of american or british troopers. One other thing you could not have is flamethrowers or napalm bombs.

I'm using SFSExtractor306 and the latest filelist.txt (don't remember which one, but it weights 2.03Mo - 2*134*716 octets) Additionally, make sure you start the extractor with full administrator rights (if using Vista, because of the pain in the ... that Vista UAC is). Vista user access control is the cause of a lot of trouble, because by default, you don't have permission to modify files unless you start the *.exe as an administrator.

This is almost the same thing. The same principles apply to every units in the game. The playable units are the most complicated ones to setup, that is probably the reason why they're the most documented. Check toroughly 1C documentation about how to create tanks, and mine about how to create a support plane, and it should get you going. I'll try to make a few more tutorials, but they wont cover every situations. I would recommend sarting modding with a simple project that can be easily inserted in the game. Once you'd manage to have a working new model in game, you'll find yourself eager enough to tackle a more complicated project. Starting with something to complicated might be discouraging. Try to create a static model first (someting like a bridge, a wall, a destroyed vehicle, or a lampost...etc). Theses are the easiest kind of objects to do, and the principles involved are the same for every other objects and units (only the configuration files will be more complicated to setup). Start with an object of the type mono.sim, as they're the most simple objects in the game, and very straightforward to set up. Here are the basic principles: You'll need to create the base intact object with the highest definition. Call it x0y0_dam0_l0. Then create several LOD with less polys (models to be shown from further away from the camera). Call them x0y0_dam0_l1, x0y0_dam0_l2... ) Then you've to create the destroyed version of the object. Call it x0y0_dam1_l0. Then create all the related lods for the lowest resolution objects (x0y0_dam1_l1, x0y0_dam1_l2...). Give them a material and texture (create a material and corresponding texture for each LOD): for example, x0y0_dam0_l0 would be assigned a texture and corresponding *.mat file named something like tex1_lod0.dds and tex1_lod0.mat Then create a poly or cube called Ground_Level (without one of the above mentionned material). This will be the hook to indicate to the game engine where to position the object on the ground. Position this poly where you want your object to stand on the ground. Next you've to create the collision objects: first create a poly ( I usually use only a triangle) called c_x0y0_dam0. It will be used for the collisions of the intact base object. Then create the related collision shapes for the intact object. They'll mostly be parallepipeds following the shape of the base object. They need to be convex, or the collision will not work. You can make more complicated collision shapes, but make sure they're convex. Call theses objects collision1_x0y0_dam0, collision2_x0y0_dam0...and so on. c_x0Y0_dam0 needs to have at most 7 collision shapes, not more. If you need more, you will create a c_x0y1_dam0 object with the related collisions (collision1_x0y1_dam0, collision2_x0y1_dam0...) If you need, you'll create the collision shapes for the destroyed object. First a poly called c_x0y0_dam1, then the related collision shapes (collision1_x0y1_dam1, collision2_x0y1_dam1...) If your object is of the type hier.him, you'll need to create a few more objects (some of them not really needed by the game in some cases, but the scripts to create the mcn and msh files requires them to be present in the 3Dmax file to be working): You'll need a cube called Center if your object is of the type hier.him (if it is a mono.sim object, you don't need it). Assign one of the materials above to it. Center is the spot the AI will use to shoot at the object. Position it a t the center of your object. you'll also need one or more shadow objects for the objects of type hier.him. it should be a simplified version of your main intact object (and if needs be, an other one for the destroyed version). They'll be used to cast shadows. But they're needed only because the scripts are looking for such objects. Shadows can be cast by your main object instead. call these objects shadow_x0y0_dam0 and shadow_x0y0_dam1. Let's sum up what objects we need at a minimum for a mono.sim object with two LODS (could be more than two): x0y0_dam0_l0 x0y0_dam0_l1 x0y0_dam0_l2 x0y0_dam1_l0 x0y0_dam1_l1 x0y0_dam1_l2 c_x0y0_dam0 collision1_x0y0_dam0 c_x0y0_dam1 collision1_x0y0_dam1 Ground_level objects to be added for a hier.him type of object: Center shadow_x0y0_dam0 shadow_x0y0_dam1 All theses objects should be on the same hierarchical level in the 3DSmax file (none is parented to an other) Next, you need to create a mono.mcn or hier.mcn file. Do it manually, or start the mono object or house script, depending on your object to create the mcn file automatically. Then use the scripts to export a mesh0000.tse file (don't forgetting to input the visibility distance for the lods in the script panel) If you've anything wrongly setup in the 3DSmax file, the scripts will tell you. If there is no error message, you should be good to go. I usually copy both mcn and mesh0000.tse file inside the Meshtools folder, then start to convert to msh files: start a DOS comand line window; go to the Meshtools directory. Then type either cnv.bat as a command (the relevant type of script will be lauched automatically), or type the full command line: cnvMono.bat mesh0000.tse mono.sim mono.mcn -> for a mono.sim object cnvHier.bat mesh0000.tse hier.mcn hier.him -> for a hier.him object All the 3D objects and hierarchy file needed for the object will be created inside the Meshtools folder. Simply cut and paste them to your object folder in the 3dobj directory. you need to have a mono.sim (for the intact object) and mono.dead (for the destroyed object) files if your object is of the type mono.sim and has a destructed model. Otherwise, if there is only an intact model, you'll use mono.sim for both intact and destroyed object. After that, you'll need to create the configuration files for the object. For a static object, this is very easy, as you need to edit only one file: static.ini in the data/setting/ folder Add an entry in the relevant section of the file. It is used to give a name to the static object in the editor, to tell the game where to find the files for the object, and to tell it which kind of static preset the object will use. for a wooden box object created for my holland map, I'd use the following new entry in the static.ini: [buildings.House$Holland_box_wood_001] Title Holland_box_wood_001 MeshLive 3dobj/environment/holland/boxes/boxes_all/Holland_box_wood_001/mono.sim MeshDead 3dobj/environment/holland/boxes/boxes_all/Holland_box_wood_001/mono_dead.sim Preset Thing_Board_Frail That's all; the object should show in the map editor. If you can't find an entry in the list for your object, it means the path is wrong in the static.ini; if you can find the entry for your new object but can't see it displayed in the preview window, most probably it means that one of the needed *.mat file is missing of wrongly set up, or one of the textures is missing. I hope this will help a little. With this, you should be able to create static objects. Weapons will be the same, but you'll need to create and edit a lot more configuration files in the data folder (a gun folder and associated data for your weapon, an item folder with the relevant magazines and the associated data for it, and an ammo folder with all the files with the data for the ammo) -Knokke

I though Centauro had already been released in Russia since august ?!

There is a single mission with russian partisans in the game; but I've seen no french nor poles during the game.

If the extractor windows pops up empty, it is probably because you did'nt enter the path to the Mission Editor folder and to the folder where you want the files to be extracted (check the file config.xml, to set the path)

It is possible to create maps a little bit larger than the standard 2x2 maps, but not maps the size you would like, I'm afraid.

Thanks for the answer Sneaksie. Now i understand better. It was strange that the bunker was working in ToW1 but not in ToW2. Well, I only need to do a bit of tweeking to add an interior LOD to it. I suppose there is no longer any possibility to have an animated door for it, as it will now be a static building.

Yes, it is. But there is only one destruction level for now. Here is a screenshot of the building after a sherman fired a few shells at it: Note there is no normal mapping yet, so the building looks a bit flat.

No, regular means that you'll get the fully realistic simulation, morale and ballistics; while at the same time, the AI ennemy don't have the extra boost in spotting and aiming that they have in Veteran mode. Basically: Novice: fully realistic ballistics and so on; but your AI troopers have better spotting and aiming ability than the ennemy. Regular: fully realistic ballistics and so on; with your troops having no extra advantage in spotting and aiming over the ennemy Veteran: fully realistic ballistics and so on; but the ennemy AI have an extra advantage over you in spotting and aiming ability.

@Arzok The trick was to create separate *.msh with a maximum of 7 collisions shapes per bone, and naming each collision bone in sequence something like c_x0y0_dam0, c_x0y1_dam0, c_x0y2_dam0, etc... I had to create the hier.mcn file manually, and edit the mesh0000.tse file manually too to delete all the uneeded objects that the script requires to be present in the 3DSmax file to be working. There are a few problems that I've noticed with the buildings (mine and the Kursk buildings): the pathfinding cells are a bit too big to allow entry through some doors or rooms, depending if the door is located just between two pathfinding cells. It is not possible to have accurately sized doors/walls working everytime if the entry is small. A workaround to allow entry to the soldiers is to widen the doors and entries to the rooms up to the size of two pathfinding cells (so the soldiers can get through even if the entrance is located between two pathfinding cells). The trouble is that the collision and visibility detection might not be very accurate (soldiers hiding half behind the corner of a door frame being not protected by the collision object). This is basically the same problem as the problem of vehicles having trouble to cross bridges sometime when the width of the bridge is barely enough to allow crossing. It is possible to adapt ToW1 buildings to work "a la ToW2"; all that is needed is to create the interior of the building, the hook objects for the firing positions, and add the new collision shapes according to ToW2 technology. @prlugo: I didn't try to import Kursk objects in TOW2 Africa43, but I had a look at them, and they're basically the same as Africa objects, as far as I can tell. So they should be compatible. -Knokke

I'd like to correct my previous statement: I managed to make my buildings working in ToW2 by cheating with the scripts.

there a a few more things to check: _See if it is possible to add the Romanian soldier and officer in data/Ai/ranks.ini (perhaps as a variation of the german units - like it was done for the SS). edit the data/local/en/shoulders.utf8 file too _Perhaps editing the data/Ai/awards.ini to allow the romanian soldiers to receive the appropriate awards (and create pictures and mat files for the awards -> look in data/gui/ingame/icons/...). You'll need to create the files for the rank insignia too. don't forget to create an award description in data/local/en/award_desc.utf8 an editing the award.utf8 file too _If you want your new soldiers to have new weapons not already in the game, you'll have to create all the relevant files _creating a picture of the soldier to show in the game interface, and the corresponding *.mat file (data//gui/ingame/icons/uniform. _You'll have to create detachments in data/units/detachment/ _there might be a file data/Units_Backpacks.ini to edit too. Otherwise, I think the weapons and ammo loads can be defined in the mission editor for each unit created on the map. I might have forgotten a few files that needs to be edited, so check all there is in the folder data that might be required by your new units. As an afterthought, i'm not sure wether the romanians, canadians, hungarians can be added to the game as an independant nationality (perhaps you'll have to set them as a subset of the Germans or Britishs (like the SS troops were set in the game). -Knokke

With the ToW mega mod pack, it is possible to create new simple models for ToW2, but some of the more complex type like the buildings can't be done because the houses.ms script dont accept bones with more than 7 collision shapes. Is there any chance that the devellopers would consider releasing an updated house.ms script that would allow us to create buildings like in Afrika43 and Kursk43 ? -Knokke

Sorry to bother you again Sneaksie. Any update on the possibility to create bunkers like the ToW1 "dot_hmg_frontal" bunker types in ToW2? I had a look at the russian demo for Kursk43, and it seems that this type of bunker is no longer supported by the game. Does this mean that i've to create a separate enterable bunker building and add the machine gun as a new crewable weapon of the HMG type?

You're welcome. I did'nt try to create new soldiers yet, so I'm not sure how to proceed; but if you feel lost, i'll try to help as much as I can.