Berlin CMRT Map

[Lucky_Strike]

3 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

No luck with adding more generic editor buttons and associated objects for flavor objects beyond 16. Game didn´t complain while loading my edited and then repacked BRZ data file (red thunder v100a.brz). But that´s not the problem. It seems editor UI ain´t prepared for loading more than 16 generic buttons. Anything tried to be loaded with 17+ buttons is messing up the 4x4 button matrix. New/different buttons will be sort of overlayed on top of existing buttons with tiny blue and green squares in an odd way.

Parts of them can be clicked (and flavor placement activated), but others not. So seems we´re stuck with 16 buttons/16 flavor objects per category. 

Unless maybe @Battlefront.com reads this and decide for expanding the flavor object matrix to include more than possible 16 ones by default.

That's a shame, thanks for trying all this Harry. It did sound very promising in your explanation of your thinking.

I know it would be silly small but can we have an 8x8 matrix - I have no idea how big the buttons would be, tiny maybe only 4 pixels square? Lots of clicking within the matrix area might enable a full set of 64 objects to be placed, then revert to normal matrix of buttons. A thought - one could always reduce the resolution of ones display to artificially enlarge the game pixels, might make it easier to see the tiny buttons - this is sounding really desperate! 

8 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Now with desired assortment of flavor objects (from 1-32) placed on map, one can do further placement in 3D editor with standard methods, ALT-SHIFT click (copy/paste), ALT click (grab and place) etc.

It´s bits of an awkward method, but for serious map design one does it just once, then having all desired flavor objects on map until it´s all finished. Then any unneeded objects can be deleted with CTRL click again. So that´s the theory.

Man don't you wonder why we have no copy/paste function to work between maps, another of my headscratching what-on-earth-were-they-thinking moments ... nearly up there with the lack of an undo feature, still! FFS!!

On an aside, regarding the brz files. The game doesn't actually care where you store the contents of these so long as it's in the Data folder. It does care that a file called red thunder v100a.brz for example exists, but not what's in it. I did some experimenting a year or so ago with the brz archives beCause I kept finding duplicates, old files and unused files in the original game brzs when looking for other stuff. It occurred to me that I could unpack them and clean out all the old junk that they contain, stuff that has been updated and no longer needed. What I discovered, as a side effect, was that these brzs are just a delivery method, serving no other purposes than to contain the textures, models and sounds, and, importantly, to determine which version of the game is installed and completeness of the installation. The base installation contains the majority of files, while each incremental module or update that we receive has brzs that are incrementally named to match, each containing that update/module. So long as files named exactly the same as each brz are present the game will register them and continue to run, the actual game files can be in the brzs OR in another folder in the Data directory in the same way as our Z folders work.

What I did was to expand all the brzs, creating empty versions of them to replace the originals. I then cleaned out the expanded files, removing all the redundant stuff - old versions of textures or models, unused files etc, then reorganised the files into a new folder how I wanted them for easy access. This folder is alongside the empty brzs and my Z folder in my Data folder. No more messing with expanding and compressing brzs (except new ones of course), far less redundant data taking up HD space! and finding original bmps or whatever is a breeze cos my system search can find them now. I have backups of the originals just in case I need them, all I'm concerned about now is how an update might behave, hopefully I'll know very soon ... maybe ... someday ...

[RockinHarry]

2 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

I know it would be silly small but can we have an 8x8 matrix - I have no idea how big the buttons would be, tiny maybe only 4 pixels square? Lots of clicking within the matrix area might enable a full set of 64 objects to be placed, then revert to normal matrix of buttons. A thought - one could always reduce the resolution of ones display to artificially enlarge the game pixels, might make it easier to see the tiny buttons - this is sounding really desperate! 

Here´s with sets of 12 and 9 size editor buttons. My game resolution is standard 1920x1080 on 24" monitor, Win10, Nvidia GTX 1660 and 16 GB memory. No idea on OGL drivers in use on my system.

Size 12

Size 9 (two times halved from original 36, ->18, ->9)

As can be seen it´s not so much actual button size but rather a button matrix limitation which seems fixed at showing 4x4 only. I´d hoped it "expands" to maybe 5x5 or even 6x6 "automatically", thus adapting to downscaled button sizes, but that didn´t happen. Also going beyond button/object range of 16 gets these messed up buttons show up. (pic from my previous posting)

But I´m fine with just having 16 immediately placeable flavors available for my own projects. Each mission likely requires some slightly different sets that I´d put together just for editor use. Once objects are in place it´s just made to be sure a player has the right (flavor object) mod in place.

I´d thought more towards general usage for certain mod compositions that could make good use of having more buttons and slots. I.e @JM Stuff wrecked vehicle mod contents is scattered all over various flavor categories. Would´ve been cool to have them available in just 1 category alone. I.E "cars" just has 2 default ones in use so all the wrecked types could be dumped in there quite conveniently. But only BFC could make something like that happen it seems.

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by RockinHarry

[RockinHarry]

2 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Man don't you wonder why we have no copy/paste function to work between maps, another of my headscratching what-on-earth-were-they-thinking moments ... nearly up there with the lack of an undo feature, still! FFS!!

Oh I wonder on quite many things beeing left out in the game series. But that´s something for one the Wishlist threads and there´s lots of stuff I could add there (and have added already). But oh well...

2 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

On an aside, regarding the brz files. The game doesn't actually care where you store the contents of these so long as it's in the Data folder. It does care that a file called red thunder v100a.brz for example exists, but not what's in it. I did some experimenting a year or so ago with the brz archives beCause I kept finding duplicates, old files and unused files in the original game brzs when looking for other stuff. It occurred to me that I could unpack them and clean out all the old junk that they contain, stuff that has been updated and no longer needed. What I discovered, as a side effect, was that these brzs are just a delivery method, serving no other purposes than to contain the textures, models and sounds, and, importantly, to determine which version of the game is installed and completeness of the installation. The base installation contains the majority of files, while each incremental module or update that we receive has brzs that are incrementally named to match, each containing that update/module. So long as files named exactly the same as each brz are present the game will register them and continue to run, the actual game files can be in the brzs OR in another folder in the Data directory in the same way as our Z folders work.

What I did was to expand all the brzs, creating empty versions of them to replace the originals. I then cleaned out the expanded files, removing all the redundant stuff - old versions of textures or models, unused files etc, then reorganised the files into a new folder how I wanted them for easy access. This folder is alongside the empty brzs and my Z folder in my Data folder. No more messing with expanding and compressing brzs (except new ones of course), far less redundant data taking up HD space! and finding original bmps or whatever is a breeze cos my system search can find them now. I have backups of the originals just in case I need them, all I'm concerned about now is how an update might behave, hopefully I'll know very soon ... maybe ... someday ...

Yep, as I just figured myself the game engine won´t care as long as there´s right stuff in right order in data folder. Good.

That´s some great and resourceful organizing your CM files and folders stuff! Good to know something like that is doable and the game does not beef about it. Might do some similar organizing as since my latest loading and messing with mods, another 10GB of HD space got eaten in shortest of times. I´m already down to below 200 GB of my 1TB HD. Although I think I´m fairly well organized, things still are confusing at times. Particularly with backup files when trying out different versions of a same mod. But my head ain´t exploded...yet.

I´ve un-BRZ´ed allmost all my games data files. Think I got to get rid at least of those that I don´t need or want to mess with NOW. ATM I want most of them remain, for my investigations on META data. That to compare different types MDR and updates between game versions, which can possibly be revealing re detail changes, both on geometry and it´s META accordingly. Yeah...BFC I´d like making new missions and maps instead. I wonder what actual company "secrets" would be "revealed" if making certain data public and accessible.

[NPye]

24 minutes ago, RockinHarry said:

3 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Man don't you wonder why we have no copy/paste function to work between maps, another of my headscratching what-on-earth-were-they-thinking moments ... nearly up there with the lack of an undo feature, still! FFS!!

 

Yep, forgivable on V1 but still not in any new games...well??????

[JM Stuff]

12 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

 

Well... the "oddity" was I mixed up files that shouln´t have been in my CMRT folders or deleted. So I was on wrong path here. Nonetheless...another one came to mind:

IF we can get rid of original flavor object buttons as included with the games main BRZ data files, then one can replace editor buttons 1-16 with ones numbered 17-32 (and further). This then should give direct editor access to flavor objects 17-32 (in editors 4x4 matrix) if present in games data/z folders. Assuming the game engine accepts that there´s a gap for editor buttons 1-16 now and shows/loads 17-32 instead.

So how can that be theoretically worked with:

Open map/mission file with 1-16 buttons present in mod folder. Place all (or just desired) 1-16 objects on the map. Maybe near the edge of the map or other convenient place. Save mission and exit game. Go to mod folder and delete buttons 1-16 and put in (if not present already) 17-32. Launch game and load mission again. Any previously placed objects (from 1-16) should be still on the map, but now in editor buttons 17-32 are shown and thus make associated objects directly accessible for placement. Place any of these you like, adding them to already placed 1-16 ones.

Now with desired assortment of flavor objects (from 1-32) placed on map, one can do further placement in 3D editor with standard methods, ALT-SHIFT click (copy/paste), ALT click (grab and place) etc.

It´s bits of an awkward method, but for serious map design one does it just once, then having all desired flavor objects on map until it´s all finished. Then any unneeded objects can be deleted with CTRL click again. So that´s the theory.

If in mod folder only buttons 17+ (of 18 pixel size) are present, CM loads the missing 1-16 (of 36 pixel size) ones from it´s BRZ data files by default. So the modded 17-32 ones never show up. So here´s the tricky part. When deleting original buttons 1-16 from CM original BRZ file (ResExplode, delete, ResPack), will the game engine then consider the repacked BRZ as beeing invalid or corrupted and thus the game not launch

So before I possibly f..k up my CMRT install and kill current game activation.

to be honest Harry I have to read 2 times yours very detailed explanations about buttons to understand it, and probably one time read again when I will be in the front of my desktop, because for the time I am reading and writing with phone and all is little...
But all is there very good detailed like mentioned above, and havet to be followed step by step like explain, a very good job, that you did.

another difficulty that personly I found in the game, you dont see any FO that you added on the map without coming to the 3d preview, we can perhaps added a sign the number of FO, or perhaps the shape from the added object, just an idea ok we can move it or deleted it, on the 3d preview this is perhaps the reason...

JM

[JM Stuff]

6 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Man don't you wonder why we have no copy/paste function to work between maps, another of my headscratching what-on-earth-were-they-thinking moments ... nearly up there with the lack of an undo feature, still! FFS...!!

 

On an aside, regarding the brz files. The game doesn't actually care where you store the contents of these so long as it's in the Data folder. It does care that a file called red thunder v100a.brz for example exists, but not what's in it. I did some experimenting a year or so ago with the brz archives beCause I kept finding duplicates, old files and unused files in the original game brzs when looking for other stuff. It occurred to me that I could unpack them and clean out all the old junk that they contain, stuff that has been updated and no longer needed. What I discovered, as a side effect, was that these brzs are just a delivery method, serving no other purposes than to contain the textures, models and sounds, and, importantly, to determine which version of the game is installed and completeness of the installation. The base installation contains the majority of files, while each incremental module or update that we receive has brzs that are incrementally named to match, each containing that update/module. So long as files named exactly the same as each brz are present the game will register them and continue to run, the actual game files can be in the brzs OR in another folder in the Data directory in the same way as our Z folders work.

What I did was to expand all the brzs, creating empty versions of them to replace the originals. I then cleaned out the expanded files, removing all the redundant stuff - old versions of textures or models, unused files etc, then reorganised the files into a new folder how I wanted them for easy access. This folder is alongside the empty brzs and my Z folder in my Data folder. No more messing with expanding and compressing brzs (except new ones of course), far less redundant data taking up HD space! and finding original bmps or whatever is a breeze cos my system search can find them now. I have backups of the originals just in case I need them, all I'm concerned about now is how an update might behave, hopefully I'll know very soon ... maybe ... someday ...

Yes I know like you the story of the brzs, that you give me a copy of yours "empty" brzs after of course reoganized them in folders, we were talking about this a long time and personly now I am working with folders like mentioned above, for every CMs games that I have, but I keep again the original brz full because I found sometimes, that the game take long to load on the beginning but is perhaps only to me, we were talking about in the past.

Is this always the case to you, are you always working with "empty" brzs, or you are comming back to the original ones ?

I recommand this folders system, to every CMs players to see more clear where is what when you are searching a certain kind of files, that  you dont have to unpack all yours brzs, but this demand a little organisation and certainly, no fear to do something wrong for the good running of your game.

For furthers updates I don t see any problems if we are using this system, so long we are respecting the "order" of news added brzs when an update is available. ...

In case of update I guess that the game copy only the news files, and replace it by the news ones or he do more as that, how work exaclty an update or a patch ?

JM

Edited October 25, 2022 by JM Stuff

[JM Stuff]

3 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Here´s with sets of 12 and 9 size editor buttons. My game resolution is standard 1920x1080 on 24" monitor, Win10, Nvidia GTX 1660 and 16 GB memory. No idea on OGL drivers in use on my system.

Size 12

Size 9 (two times halved from original 36, ->18, ->9)

As can be seen it´s not so much actual button size but rather a button matrix limitation which seems fixed at showing 4x4 only. I´d hoped it "expands" to maybe 5x5 or even 6x6 "automatically", thus adapting to downscaled button sizes, but that didn´t happen. Also going beyond button/object range of 16 gets these messed up buttons show up. (pic from my previous posting)

But I´m fine with just having 16 immediately placeable flavors available for my own projects. Each mission likely requires some slightly different sets that I´d put together just for editor use. Once objects are in place it´s just made to be sure a player has the right (flavor object) mod in place.

I´d thought more towards general usage for certain mod compositions that could make good use of having more buttons and slots. I.e @JM Stuff wrecked vehicle mod contents is scattered all over various flavor categories. Would´ve been cool to have them available in just 1 category alone. I.E "cars" just has 2 default ones in use so all the wrecked types could be dumped in there quite conveniently. But only BFC could make something like that happen it seems.

 

I think 16 possibilities for each Flavour objects is a very good news for me, and all that are working with FOs, but is true like mentioned this will be more easy to have one categorie for a kind of subject.

For exemple now you can created 16 vehicles with the FO name "vehicle" hitself, without changing nothing in the name, ...that personly I never thinking about, imagine how much differents objects you can created now, of course you have to make a choice and let the used one on the good place, but for exemple "pallet" for Normandy is present in the brzs files but not in the editor, I keep this in my mind because this was the FO that I want to use for my dead bodies, and I was surprise because I have to choose another one and change the name also, but there are some more not used in the game or not present, but I dont remember now, anyway nothing is lost because we can created more with ones that are not used in the game.

Nice will be also that we can have "a level control of fire, and not only of fire but also, "burning things" and not only for vehicles, but vehicles like me with the wrecks that we could have only a smoke, a little fire, or a big one dangerous bonefire...just dreaming !

Seeing the success that can have FOs, I think that BFC would introduce more in future module.

JM

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by JM Stuff

[NPye]

Hey guys would this be possible to make a metal fence from this say by using Picket fence or something?????? Big city all have metal fences etc be nice to add to the collection. Cheers

[quakerparrot67]

15 minutes ago, NPye said:

Hey guys would this be possible to make a metal fence from this say by using Picket fence or something?????? Big city all have metal fences etc be nice to add to the collection. Cheers

been wondering this myself....  arnhem/oosterbeek doesn't look right without them, and they'd prolly look good in berlin, too.

 

cheers,

rob

[JM Stuff]

5 minutes ago, quakerparrot67 said:

been wondering this myself....  arnhem/oosterbeek doesn't look right without them, and they'd prolly look good in berlin, too.

 

cheers,

rob

must be possible we can do a lot and replace it. flavour object are really welcome !

I have a truck with fences, in my wrecks, ... waiting to be delevering !

JM

Edited October 25, 2022 by JM Stuff

[RockinHarry]

41 minutes ago, NPye said:

Hey guys would this be possible to make a metal fence from this say by using Picket fence or something?????? Big city all have metal fences etc be nice to add to the collection. Cheers

I´d say yes, basically. Reusing geometry for the poles and doing smaller stuff with alpha layers. But it´s quite a lot of work and 16 its options got to be made for full usability. Balconies have also a number of metal fencing that could possibly be reused as well. META again, should all be preserved for flawless functionality I guess. What´s in other games actually? (CMSF2, BS and CW) Maybe one can "steal" something.

Flavor might work better, if you just need few options and connect things to your own needs.

Edit: I use balconies for sunken buildings sometimes.

Edited October 25, 2022 by RockinHarry

[Lucky_Strike]

8 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

As can be seen it´s not so much actual button size but rather a button matrix limitation which seems fixed at showing 4x4 only.

Ah yes I see, but you're right that having 16 for each category is actually quite a lot anyway and probably more than enough for most applications. 

7 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Oh I wonder on quite many things beeing left out in the game series.

... he says in a resigned tone. LOL

7 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Might do some similar organizing as since my latest loading and messing with mods, another 10GB of HD space got eaten in shortest of times. I´m already down to below 200 GB of my 1TB HD.

It certainly doesn't take long ... my main drive is only a 500GB SSD so I have to manage the space quite carefully. 

 

7 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

I´ve un-BRZ´ed allmost all my games data files. Think I got to get rid at least of those that I don´t need or want to mess with NOW. ATM I want most of them remain, for my investigations on META data. That to compare different types MDR and updates between game versions, which can possibly be revealing re detail changes, both on geometry and it´s META accordingly. Yeah...BFC I´d like making new missions and maps instead. I wonder what actual company "secrets" would be "revealed" if making certain data public and accessible.

I really don't get the protectionism of their 3D models. I don't believe there is anything in them that is secret at all. There's no way anyone is going to open a 3D model, nor even an animation, and try to reverse engineer them into a competing game.

I was looking at the model for my Panzer IV bunker trying to figure out what makes it rock backwards and forwards when it fires its main gun, like all the tanks do in-game. Thought it might be an action point so I gradually deleted a whole load - nada. It's either buried in the metadata or, more likely, hard-coded in the app as a simple instruction for all the tank models. Can't affect it.

If we just had access to the skeletons and animations as well as the models, but with a tool that meant we don't get errors exporting them, that would be half the battle and might even encourage a few more people to give it a go. As it is we are quite close, IMHO, to running out of folks willing to take on modding. Many of the textures have been done already to a standard that most players are happy with, and it's so hard to get into the models that folks see little reward in doing it. I see tons of stuff I'd like to do but I know, and you know, and I'm sure Nigel knows, that we just can't do it all. And, whinge, whinge, whinge, it seems to me that BF could care less. I've not once seen them comment on ANY mods or congratulate a modder ... I love these games, and choose to do this stuff for myself firstly, then for this community, but I do feel that a little encouragement and a helping hand go a long way, otherwise folks might just bugg*r off and find something else to do. Whingey bit done.

[Lucky_Strike]

6 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

because for the time I am reading and writing with phone and all is little...

LOL this makes me laugh thinking about it 

6 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

Yes I know like you the story of the brzs, that you give me a copy of yours "empty" brzs after of course reoganized them in folders, we were talking about this a long time and personly now I am working with folders like mentioned above, for every CMs games that I have, but I keep again the original brz full because I found sometimes, that the game take long to load on the beginning but is perhaps only to me, we were talking about in the past.

Is this always the case to you, are you always working with "empty" brzs, or you are comming back to the original ones ?

Yes I remembered you mentioned this JM, and from time to time, usually if I haven't opened a game in a long while, I also find the game Can be slow to start. I don't know why, it might be because it's sifting through all the files trying to find something specific, though there are only data files in the folder so I can't think what it might be. Otherwise the games run perfectly. On my Mac which I use a lot more than my gaming PC the games all open really quickly, so it may just be something to do with the Windows file system.

I haven't reinstalled the original brzs since I emptied them out, just haven't needed to. I only access the Z folders in the game folders, never need to go near the actual game data except to copy original textures or mdrs over to my work drive. And since the games are on my main boot drive whilst my mod work folders are on fast external drive I don't worry that I might delete anything or move it accidentally. 

6 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

For furthers updates I don t see any problems if we are using this system, so long we are respecting the "order" of news added brzs when an update is available. ...

Yes that's how I see it.

6 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

In case of update I guess that the game copy only the news files, and replace it by the news ones or he do more as that, how work exaclty an update or a patch ?

I'm pretty certain that when we get a new module for a game the assets will be installed in a new, separate brz which can then be opened and rearranged just like all the rest. If not then we revert to the original backups, update the game, then rearrange the brzs (which we've also backed up of course).

It's not for everyone but for those of us who mod and are happy to spend a bit of time organising stuff to our liking, then I think it can work quite well. Heck, I bet that BF don't constantly open up the brzs all the time when they're developing the game - would be an inordinate waste of time.

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Lucky_Strike

[Lucky_Strike]

5 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

but for exemple "pallet" for Normandy is present in the brzs files but not in the editor, I keep this in my mind because this was the FO that I want to use for my dead bodies, and I was surprise because I have to choose another one and change the name also, but there are some more not used in the game or not present,

Yes there are several things like this scattered throughout the games. Odd textures or models not actually employed in the relevant game. I remembered a big discussion about SturmTigers not featuring in the CMRT Fire & Rubble module, but the model is there in the data folder, no doubt because of the shared nature of the game engine.

5 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

Seeing the success that can have FOs, I think that BFC would introduce more in future module.

Yes, would be nice. Also maybe a set of free slots not categorised as anything but with some way to alter their cover and destructibility ...

[Lucky_Strike]

5 hours ago, NPye said:

Hey guys would this be possible to make a metal fence from this say by using Picket fence or something?????? Big city all have metal fences etc be nice to add to the collection. Cheers

Yes, why not. It would still retain the qualities of the picket fences, but look like a metal fence. I remember @Falaise wanted a stone wall with metal fencing on the upper part, like one sees in many towns and villages in Normandy, and here for that matter. I think both would be doable. Where'd you get that model Nigel?

 

[Lucky_Strike]

My new mod project - Girls und Panzer ...

THIS IS A REAL THING!!!

I'm going to bed now to dream about my next modding project!

[NPye]

1 hour ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Yes, why not. It would still retain the qualities of the picket fences, but look like a metal fence. I remember @Falaise wanted a stone wall with metal fencing on the upper part, like one sees in many towns and villages in Normandy, and here for that matter. I think both would be doable. Where'd you get that model Nigel?

 

Cheers bud here's the link:

https://www.blendswap.com/blend/16543

https://www.blendswap.com/blend/26732

Edited October 26, 2022 by NPye

[RockinHarry]

4 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Ah yes I see, but you're right that having 16 for each category is actually quite a lot anyway and probably more than enough for most applications. 

The more that some categories share similar on map properties like ie. fountain and fountain large (vehicle movement blockers). So if that category is needed for a map project one can use both filling them up to 32 (minus the fountains if still needed). If try making a GP (general purpose) mod set made for public use, things become more complicated, also considering various of these might exist already. So I´ll stick with mod sets only needed for my own map/mission projects and keep content limited to what I really want. Off course these can be (re-) used by any player or mission maker without asking.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

It certainly doesn't take long ... my main drive is only a 500GB SSD so I have to manage the space quite carefully. 

An external SSD is high on my list since long time. For putting it into the basket this seems beeing the right moment now. Also need storage place for lots of other stuff like music, mods and couple thousand of my history research material ebooks.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

I really don't get the protectionism of their 3D models. I don't believe there is anything in them that is secret at all. There's no way anyone is going to open a 3D model, nor even an animation, and try to reverse engineer them into a competing game.

Competing... with something using a 20 year old game (graphics) engine. Go figure...

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

I was looking at the model for my Panzer IV bunker trying to figure out what makes it rock backwards and forwards when it fires its main gun, like all the tanks do in-game. Thought it might be an action point so I gradually deleted a whole load - nada. It's either buried in the metadata or, more likely, hard-coded in the app as a simple instruction for all the tank models. Can't affect it.

That one beeing in META data can´t be excluded yet, but my guess would be hard coded data buried in exe file. IIRC standard PAK pillboxes don´t rock so maybe one could look into some their data as well and find something.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

If we just had access to the skeletons and animations as well as the models, but with a tool that meant we don't get errors exporting them, that would be half the battle and might even encourage a few more people to give it a go. As it is we are quite close, IMHO, to running out of folks willing to take on modding.

Yup, a highly skilled and active modding scene keeps games alive that would be dead long time ago otherwise. That from my observation of Nexus (mods) and Steam community. Or draws more customers generally. So BFC ain´t that much interested in making (more) money it seems.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Many of the textures have been done already to a standard that most players are happy with, and it's so hard to get into the models that folks see little reward in doing it. I see tons of stuff I'd like to do but I know, and you know, and I'm sure Nigel knows, that we just can't do it all. And, whinge, whinge, whinge, it seems to me that BF could care less. I've not once seen them comment on ANY mods or congratulate a modder ...

Exactly. IIRC that topic has been covered by BFC long time ago already. Somewhere buried in the forum. So whatever their reasons are or were (can´t recall ATM), I don´t really care. I purchased the games at full price (and inexpensive they´re not) and beeing an adult I claim the right to tweak and mod them to my personal needs. And all at my own peril. Also don´t need any their Kudos if there would be any. It´s solely for my own enjoyment and those who share same interests.

5 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

... I love these games, and choose to do this stuff for myself firstly, then for this community, but I do feel that a little encouragement and a helping hand go a long way, otherwise folks might just bugg*r off and find something else to do. Whingey bit done.

Exactly. A "helping hand" on selected things would be just enough. In fact I just came back to this board (actively) and launching up CM again (since 2 years) for your mentioning me in some the earlier posts. Otherwise I´ve a Steam library full with yet unplayed games and various mission making WIP´s for ARMA3. That beside some other hobbies I still have (active music makingand relic hunting to name some).

[Warts 'n' all]

45minutes left on the clock. Johnnie Lenin and the Bolshevik Beat Boys have taken the Limey House, and are closing in on the Propaganda Ministry, and the Barracks. Someone in the ranks was mumbling something about wanting to go back to the USSR, but he was swiftly handed over the NKVD boys who were waiting in the wings.

[Lucky_Strike]

On 10/8/2022 at 2:31 AM, JM Stuff said:

I found this, this is interresting on the beginnings but after is complicated to me if this can help somebody and let me know

Evental contacting the guy !!...

https://mino-git.github.io/rtcw-wet-blender-model-tools/publications/MDSFileFormat.html#MDSSurface

JM

Hey JM here's something that may be of interest to you (and others) in your quest for MDS goodness ...

I was rootling around the internet, like one does, searching for more info on the .mds format when I remembered the link you posted above. It happened to tie in with some other info I found on a dead forum about Castle Wolfenstein (CW), anyway the guy who was mentioned was the same guy as in your link above. So I went to your link drilled down through it ... surprise, surprise ... it's on a github page set up by a fella named Norman Mitschke who has written a very complete looking addon with tutorial for Blender to import and export MD3, MDC, MDS, MDM/MDX and TAG, all model formats linked to CW. Notice the MDS format is in there. More importantly the addon can be downloaded from his github.

Now, before you get too excited  on your holiday, unable to contain yourself and jump on the next plane, train or automobile home, I have already downloaded it and installed it into all the versions of Blender I currently have installed on my Mac - 2.79, 2.81, 2.83, 2.93.4 - it installed on all, though it's written for 2.80 (presumably upwards), and only complained on 2.79 that it was not meant for 2.79 so might not work. Of course I immediately tried to import a CM MDS file, but on all Blender versions, except in 2.79, I got an error which looks to be a script error perhaps - 'unpack requires a buffer of 52 bytes' - or something like that. In 2.79 I got a whole string of error messages about missing armatures (this perhaps suggests it's in the right ballpark).

Hmmm . I don't really have enough interest in this to pursue it. My brain already hurts  just from working with MDR files in Blender, but I know you are very keen to learn more about these MDS files. What I did notice is that at the bottom of the home page in the first link above is a copyright notice Copyright 2019 Norman Mitschke which is very recent (in CM terms), you can click on Norman's name to send an email to him ... he is based in Germany by the looks of his email address.

Maybe a step closer ...

[Lucky_Strike]

15 hours ago, NPye said:

Cheers bud here's the link:

https://www.blendswap.com/blend/16543

https://www.blendswap.com/blend/26732

Thanks Nigel, I'll take a look, see what I think.

[Artkin]

2 hours ago, Warts 'n' all said:

45minutes left on the clock. Johnnie Lenin and the Bolshevik Beat Boys have taken the Limey House, and are closing in on the Propaganda Ministry, and the Barracks. Someone in the ranks was mumbling something about wanting to go back to the USSR, but he was swiftly handed over the NKVD boys who were waiting in the wings.

In Stalingrad, ironically enough it was most often the 10th NVKD Division themselves who found themselves victim to Stalin's order #227 "Not a Step Back".

[Lucky_Strike]

22 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Edit: I use balconies for sunken buildings sometimes.

This is very creative, could certainly change the look of those.

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

The more that some categories share similar on map properties like ie. fountain and fountain large (vehicle movement blockers). So if that category is needed for a map project one can use both filling them up to 32 (minus the fountains if still needed). If try making a GP (general purpose) mod set made for public use, things become more complicated, also considering various of these might exist already. So I´ll stick with mod sets only needed for my own map/mission projects and keep content limited to what I really want. Off course these can be (re-) used by any player or mission maker without asking.

Yes, and 16 is a lot of mods to make, many of which probably only get used by a few players, especially 'cos they have to be added when a scenario is created, so takes effort. I reckon we get the defensive works set done then see how much interest there is.

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

An external SSD is high on my list since long time. For putting it into the basket this seems beeing the right moment now. Also need storage place for lots of other stuff like music, mods and couple thousand of my history research material ebooks.

I got a couple of external USB C enclosures for NVMe M.2 drives - they connect to my Mac via Thunderbolt (USB C) and are actually faster than the internal drive. I have one just for real life work stuff and the other is where all my CM stuff and photos etc live.

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Competing... with something using a 20 year old game (graphics) engine. Go figure...

Mmhuh ... 

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

IIRC standard PAK pillboxes don´t rock so maybe one could look into some their data as well and find something.

Interesting - does the PaK spring back at all - those things certainly have a kick.

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Yup, a highly skilled and active modding scene keeps games alive that would be dead long time ago otherwise. That from my observation of Nexus (mods) and Steam community. Or draws more customers generally. So BFC ain´t that much interested in making (more) money it seems.

Yep, witness the forums at the moment ...

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Exactly. IIRC that topic has been covered by BFC long time ago already. Somewhere buried in the forum. So whatever their reasons are or were (can´t recall ATM), I don´t really care. I purchased the games at full price (and inexpensive they´re not) and beeing an adult I claim the right to tweak and mod them to my personal needs. And all at my own peril. Also don´t need any their Kudos if there would be any. It´s solely for my own enjoyment and those who share same interests.

For sure, we press on regardless. I get annoyed but at the end of the day folks here give me plenty of inspiration.

11 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

Exactly. A "helping hand" on selected things would be just enough. In fact I just came back to this board (actively) and launching up CM again (since 2 years) for your mentioning me in some the earlier posts. Otherwise I´ve a Steam library full with yet unplayed games and various mission making WIP´s for ARMA3. That beside some other hobbies I still have (active music makingand relic hunting to name some).

Yes, certainly wouldn't go amiss. We all have only so much time to give to this, even complete CM devotees have a RL somewhere and interests can easily wane over time. None of us is getting any younger. If BF are interested in making more games and / or money then the younger bloods are where they really need to focus, and those guys will have much higher expectations of their games that old lags like us had at the start. But I know all this has been said before  ...

Edited October 26, 2022 by Lucky_Strike

[JM Stuff]

 

1 hour ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Hey JM here's something that may be of interest to you (and others) in your quest for MDS goodness ...

I was rootling around the internet, like one does, searching for more info on the .mds format when I remembered the link you posted above. It happened to tie in with some other info I found on a dead forum about Castle Wolfenstein (CW), anyway the guy who was mentioned was the same guy as in your link above. So I went to your link drilled down through it ... surprise, surprise ... it's on a github page set up by a fella named Norman Mitschke who has written a very complete looking addon with tutorial for Blender to import and export MD3, MDC, MDS, MDM/MDX and TAG, all model formats linked to CW. Notice the MDS format is in there. More importantly the addon can be downloaded from his github.

Now, before you get too excited  on your holiday, unable to contain yourself and jump on the next plane, train or automobile home, I have already downloaded it and installed it into all the versions of Blender I currently have installed on my Mac - 2.79, 2.81, 2.83, 2.93.4 - it installed on all, though it's written for 2.80 (presumably upwards), and only complained on 2.79 that it was not meant for 2.79 so might not work. Of course I immediately tried to import a CM MDS file, but on all Blender versions, except in 2.79, I got an error which looks to be a script error perhaps - 'unpack requires a buffer of 52 bytes' - or something like that. In 2.79 I got a whole string of error messages about missing armatures (this perhaps suggests it's in the right ballpark).

Hmmm . I don't really have enough interest in this to pursue it. My brain already hurts  just from working with MDR files in Blender, but I know you are very keen to learn more about these MDS files. What I did notice is that at the bottom of the home page in the first link above is a copyright notice Copyright 2019 Norman Mitschke which is very recent (in CM terms), you can click on Norman's name to send an email to him ... he is based in Germany by the looks of his email address.

Maybe a step closer ...

Je te remercie infiniment mon brave Lucky.. 

I am sure I am not the only interrested about mds files, I know already one guy and this is...

tic tac tic tac...

This begin by @  frenchy and ended by 56, bingo @Frenchy56I am sure when he will read the post or another guys they will try, hope only that whatever guys that find the solution will be kind and share it.

Couple of days and I am home...I will try the link...I will try the link...

JM

Edited October 26, 2022 by JM Stuff

[NPye]

1 hour ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Thanks Nigel, I'll take a look, see what I think.

Cheers bud...