Modder's I need your help

[JM Stuff]

Greeting to all of you

Modder's I need your help Juju Mord ...

I am very present on the Battlefront forum...every days.

I appreciate your's big work's details and finess to your's mod's, sometimes funny.

But in the mods domain I don't have big knowledge.

http://www.gophoto.it/view.php?i=http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2115/smodamericanm41uniform1.jpg#.UYAG0qL8F94

Piece a cake : you will say it's looking good but sorry, it's doen't work :mad: I made already several's tests without good result.

sometime it was a missing of soldier on the battlefield but don't worried I found it again (lol)

How can I do this, may or should I create myself a new file (like :smod_american_m41_uniform 1_normal map)

Is this the only file I have to create or modified ?

It's my futur suggested mods realisable, possible helpfull?

If I can do this I will created a lot of modifications on ours small soldier believe me everything wasn't said again about CMBN CMFI...???

Thanks a lot in advance of your contributions

[mjkerner]

Hi 3j2m7,

I just saw your email to me, and I responded. Unfortunately, the uniform bmps only distinguish between officers and all other infantry (and paratroopers for the Allies and engineers for the Germans. There isn't way to identify a specific bmp for a squad leader/NCOS, for example. They both use the same bmps, randomly.

[The Steppenwulf]

Difficult to understand what this post is getting at but perhaps this might be worth considering:

smod_american_m41_uniform 1.bmp

From my experience, this file doesn't appear to be read by the game. All the other numbered variants are fine as is the unnumbered one. If I'm correct, any effort to see a change on this particular file will fail - perhaps leaving the modder confused on the cause. Perhaps mjkerner (or anyone else) would like to confirm that this is indeed the case - I could be mistaken - though I would then have to revisit why I was unable to get the texture on this file ref to work also.

[JM Stuff]

Hi

My knowledge and research said this

When you explode (for exemple) the Normandy v200.brz file with your Mod Tools

you find a lot of data files and...

the smod_american_m41_uniform 1.bmp (this a picture data)

the smod_american_m41_uniform 1.bmp normal map (this a 3D effect)

the smod_american_m41_uniform 2.bmp

the smod_american_m41_uniform 2.bmp normal map...

To be clear

I woul'd like only added some informations of uniforms like medals Einserne Kreuz, Purple Heart, or band of ammunition and many many others things but in this case:

I have to modified the file

smod_american_m41_uniform 1(2,3,4,5) .bmp normal map

because every file bmp need a...normal map.bmp to give it this 3D effect.

Most of the people, modder's modified the bmp's files but don't touch to a ...bmp normal map.bmp

ex:

I do not want to see all my soldier's have to wear a band of ammunition on the schoulder if I modified one and only one file

I want find only the Mg, Mortar's and Bearers if is possible.

The us-nojacket Mod from KilgoreT and mjkerner is an exeption in this exemple below

Modified files

smod_american_m41_uniform 4,5,6

smod_american_m41_uniform 4,5,6_normal map

Then I have to modified the file "3D effect" but I don't know how? Photoshop... any idee about it?

Or do I have to modified a special file like ...-lod 1.mdr file or.mds file?

To resume I recieved a lot of informations about my project from (mjkerner) and very helpfull but some points are allways to be clearyfied.

appologize my bad english

[The Steppenwulf]

Most modder's modify the bmp's files but don't touch the normal map.bmp

That's because the modified texture or diff file isn't fundamentally different from the stock version - an example would be if the modder merely intends ro desaturate the image or add decals dirt etc.. Adding belts or medals or anything that you might consider an object will prob need a new normal map depending on the effect and the level of expectation. However, not producing a fresh normal map will not prevent the texture from working.

More fundamental changes to the look of the objects will likely require changes to the model itself. Then the model would need to be UV unwrapped and the texture reskinned; a fairly substantial undertaking.

The .mdr files are the 3d model files. There is no script that can import the models presently into 3d modellling software. That noone has bothered to attempt producing one is reflective of the fact that there is little point - except perhaps to build new flavour objects - because of the accuracy of BF's own models.

Normal maps can be produced in Photoshop (depending on the version?). I suggest you do a search online for how to do this but it is very straightforward. Otherwise there are some standalone nomal map free tools available, of which the best is perhaps "crazybump" - google it to find.

[Badger73]

I don't mod but I can build and test use cases. That means I don't know how to draw stuff but I can usually figure out how to connect it. Seems to me, that with the Version 2.x upgrade, gone are the days when you can apply mods like the Star Trek uniform to CMBN . . . (see url = http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=108683&page=3)

Version 1.x appears to have used a single graphical file for different uniforms, helmets, and gear. Version 2.x seems to use two (2) files instead. So, as you said, each uniform has a smod_xxx_uniform.bmp and a smod_xxx_uniform_normal map.bmp.

It looks to me that the uniform.bmp you created has a new image (the ammo belts) which is not accounted for as an attribute in the uniform map.bmp. Like Steppenwulf wrote, I suspect the code ignores that graphical image because its not mapped to a graphical attribute.

I don't know whether you can actually accomplish what you're trying to do. A real modder like @vein or @aris or @fuser could likely explain in more meaningful detail. I applaud your initiative and wish you good luck.

[JM Stuff]

Thanks a lot and specialy about crazybump

I have first to look in details how can I use it but in the first impression it's looking good I will make many test about it and I m sure in a cup of mands I will transform a GI in a Robocop figures.

[The Steppenwulf]

Version 1.x appears to have used a single graphical file for different uniforms, helmets, and gear. Version 2.x seems to use two (2) files instead.

There were no normal maps in version 1. BF left these out deliberately. The likely reason would be to test for inital optimisation and performance across the range of systems before adding them at a later point (version 2).

Normal maps are not a hard and fast requirement for textualisation of a 3d model. It's just that they will make a 3d model look much better - particularly with light and shading features which will draw out the qualities of the map.

If a normal map is not created by the modder the game will continue to read the stock map - just like any other modded/stock file. This is fine for certain changes (which I gave as examples in my previous post) and will make zero difference to the unsuspecting eye in game. If however, one were to change the suggestion of a fold in clothing which was not mapped on the normal then a good eye or the modder might be able to notice such a subtle oddity. This can go up in extremes, so for example, let's say, adding chainmail to a medieval knight but using a normal map created for a model wearing leather would be much more distinct. Therefore, this degree of significant change would certainly require a custom normal map.

To do, or not to do depends on the changes made and the exactitude of the modder. Since making a new normal map isn't such a grand investment of time anyhow, it does no harm to go custom - except when merely modding the texture tones, which really would be a pointless exercise.

[Rambler]

Steppenwulf gave you a good explanation on normal maps. Personally, I just use the free nvidia filter for Photoshop. You don't have to have an nvidia card to use it. Download it here:

https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

The results have been decent. Nothing to really complain about.

[JM Stuff]

hI

That very kind of you

Thanks a lot to this good explained link

I used the CS3 10.0 not the last one but enough for me I will download the filter asap.

I'm busy at a moment to learn mapzoneeditor not very difficult but I think it's only to make landscape street way... and it's old to.

Yesterday I was looking to Crazybump for free but seems it was a pay version probably it was a wrong link, I'm looking later.

Well download down I will see what can I do, and I know now where can I have some add informations about CS3 :cool:

Thanks all of you to your support