Maya

[ryfle 10]

Hey guys,

I'm a n00b to ARMA... well, somewhat. I've been playing a couple months. And now I'm interested in experimenting with some modding. I'm a programmer (fluent in C, C++, C# and x86/x64 assembly language) by trade... but I'm also a decent 3D modeler in Maya.

What I'm wondering is what tools/plugins I'm going to need, and where I can find some reference material, docs and tutorials on the topic? I just need something to point me in the right direction and get me started, and I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out from there. :)

[max power 21]

O2 (the modelling tool for ArmA 2) accepts obj input so all you really need is Maya.

there's a community wiki at http://community.bistudio.com which has many documents on modding. Also, http://www.ofpec.com has many resources. I would suggest giving the o2 manual on the wiki a look over to see what you're getting into, and also pick up the example models BIS has provided. http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Sample_Models

If you're searching for anything on the biki (BI wiki), I suggest searching using google. Entering <search terms> site:community.bistudio.com into google will save you lots of searching time.

I also search for answers on the forum, too, if I can't find them using those resources.

[PuFu 4600]

What I'm wondering is what tools/plugins I'm going to need, and where I can find some reference material, docs and tutorials on the topic? I just need something to point me in the right direction and get me started, and I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out from there. :)

There is no official plugin or tools outside BIS tools (v2 for A2 and v2.51 for OA).

That said, there aren't many community plugins for maya either.

For starters, you could look over the links Max provided you with, and get the grips of what an addon needs in order to produce your own...

[ryfle 10]

Thank you guys. And thanks, Max, for that tip on Google searching. Can you believe I didn't even know to do that?! I feel like a dummy who doesn't know Ctrl+F! :D

Can anyone link me to the download for O2 and these other tools?

Also, I've noticed through browsing the forums where people wrote their own classes for addons. I can't find an example now. But do we do this through C++ or is it an ARMA script language similar to C++?

[jagheterjan 10]

Oxygen 2 is part of the BI Tools which can be found here: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/BI_Tools_2.5

There you can also find a sample models pack that contains not only sample geometry, but also sample config files: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Sample_Models

As far as the scripting language BIS utilises for their game assets is concerned, it's pretty similar to the C syntax in form and function but not the same IIRC.

[ryfle 10]

Oxygen 2 is part of the BI Tools which can be found here: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/BI_Tools_2.5

There you can also find a sample models pack that contains not only sample geometry, but also sample config files: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Sample_Models

As far as the scripting language BIS utilises for their game assets is concerned, it's pretty similar to the C syntax in form and function but not the same IIRC.

Vielen Dank! :)

I guess with those tools, some examples and the wiki/docs I'm all set. And I'm sure you guys will continue to kindly address any questions/concerns I may have or any snags I hit. Right now I'm learning to master the editor and learn all the script commands and syntax and semantics, and... so far so good. If Mr. Eclipse from Youtube is here, I must thank him for the excellent vids!! ;)

About the scripting language, I see that it's strikingly C++-like. Is there a language specification document for it? And an ARMA II script API specification? I'll look around, but I'm a n00b here so please have some patience with my initial questions.

Btw... Are we limited to scripting, or does ARMA have a full-on C++ API we can access? Just curious as to how we might be able to make some sophisticated add-ons that required lower-level access to the engine (maybe new physics bodies / true ragdoll).

[max power 21]

We have no access to the engine that anyone has found as of yet.

[ryfle 10]

We have no access to the engine that anyone has found as of yet.

But I'm guessing there's no reason to think it impossible -- other than the fact that it's "really, really, really hard"? I learned how to do low-level modifications of IL-2 Sturmovik and other games by dissection (going down to the assembly code / doing hex dumps), so I'm supposing it's possible. It just may be unnecessary, if I can do what I want the "conventional way"...

Has the idea of rag doll ever been discussed? Attempted? Any related threads here containing those discussions? I'd be interested in pursuing the idea once I get my feet wet and start to gain a better picture of how ARMA works, inside and out.

[max power 21]

Unauthorized reverse engineering the game is against the BIS EULA. Sometimes people get permission to work with BIS in certain circumstances, but I've never heard of engine modification or reverse engineering. You can contact them with a well thought out course of action detailing your goals, and they may respond. Otherwise, scripting solutions are your most likely routes to success.

That said, scripting has modified ballistic and missile simulations in the past, but nothing so low level as an animation system that didn't exist before.

There has been a system that causes dead bodies to behave less like planks on sloped surfaces, and that implementation is called 'rag doll' by its creator, however it is not a rag doll in the conventional sense. It is more like a ball and chain for static dead body models.

Edited October 19, 2011 by Max Power

[[aps]gnat 28]

Appreciate you have skills, but BIS have given us a game that has thousands of "mod'able" avenues/abilities.

If you look at the BIKI, the Tuts, the resource web pages and the 1000's of addons, tweaks etc available for it, I'm not sure why someone with skills would bypass the 1000 open doors of creativity, to go create a "backdoor" mod thats just going to get stamped on by BIS.

my 2c

[PuFu 4600]

Has the idea of rag doll ever been discussed? Attempted? Any related threads here containing those discussions? I'd be interested in pursuing the idea once I get my feet wet and start to gain a better picture of how ARMA works, inside and out.

I guess no one actually tried implementing rag dolls the way you would think of it, especially after confirmation that A3 will have them. Moreover, as max said, there is no need for one to work his ass off, just to be banned/flagged by BIS and his addons removed from official and community made websites...

[ryfle 10]

I guess no one actually tried implementing rag dolls the way you would think of it, especially after confirmation that A3 will have them. Moreover, as max said, there is no need for one to work his ass off, just to be banned/flagged by BIS and his addons removed from official and community made websites...

Well, you guys are absolutely right... I'm not planning to reverse-engineer ARMA to "hack" it or otherwise violate BI intellectual property rights. And I'd never publish unauthorized content. And I'd certainly ask BI before I did anything borderline questionable. But I do like to play with things on my own machine for academic purposes. :)

Of course, I also agree it is wise to first learn how far one can go with modding things the "normal" way -- through scripting. No sense in reinventing the wheel (not to mention spending two months to learn how). What we did with IL-2 and a few other games was a different situation. It had no support for modding, and we had Oleg's blessings (he actually plays with our mods).

That said' date=' scripting has modified ballistic and missile simulations in the past, but nothing so low level as an animation system that didn't exist before.

There has been a system that causes dead bodies to behave less like planks on sloped surfaces, and that implementation is called 'rag doll' by its creator, however it is not a rag doll in the conventional sense. It is more like a ball and chain for static dead body models.

[/quote']

I see. That is interesting... I'll have to check it out. Scripting in some new ballistics for new weapons/ammo sounds fun too. And ragdoll in A3 sounds awesome! :eek:

Ragdoll isn't exactly an "animation" in the usual sense of the word... there are no key-frames, no interpolation, etc. Basically, a jointed "physics hull" is created to match the human frame. A simple one might use some octagonal cylinders for the forearm, upper arm, chins, thighs... a sphere for the head... you catch my drift. These are either programmatically jointed together or its done in a purpose-built editor. The joints are given realistic constraints to match the range of motion of the human body. The way it works is this... a character is running, under the control of the animation system and physics (except basic collision physics) are disabled. Then a .50-cal round tears through his left shoulder. The animation of running halts, and the physics system kicks in. It calculates the linear force the round applies to the shoulder, and converts it to angular force that will twist the body. The character's animation skeleton simply syncs up and matches the physics hull, so we see the results. The character is slightly lifted into the air, twisting to the side... he topples over and the physics system is calculating the movement of limbs and joints. It makes for some very realistic and immersive showmanship. :D

So basically, doing it shouldn't (in theory) require changing the animation system but merely the ability to communicate with it to rotate/move bones and get positions.

[max power 21]

So basically, doing it shouldn't (in theory) require changing the animation system but merely the ability to communicate with it to rotate/move bones and get positions.

Right now the animation system plays rtms based on user input and other factors. When a character dies, it plays some animation based on what the character was doing before he died. For the ragdoll you have to cut that out, then put in your own physics simulation because lord knows the current one in arma probably isn't detailed enough for a ragdoll. Also, you would have to change each and every character model because their what they call geoLOD containing the collision and mass information for characters is just a large cylinder with a rectangle sticking out. There is no arms, legs, or head at all.

[ryfle 10]

Right now the animation system plays rtms based on user input and other factors. When a character dies, it plays some animation based on what the character was doing before he died. For the ragdoll you have to cut that out, then put in your own physics simulation because lord knows the current one in arma probably isn't detailed enough for a ragdoll. Also, you would have to change each and every character model because their what they call geoLOD containing the collision and mass information for characters is just a large cylinder with a rectangle sticking out. There is no arms, legs, or head at all.

I guess there goes my theory, straight out the window (somewhat)! :D

I'll look into this sometime soon. If anything, it'll be fun to learn more about it and how it works.