Using inbuilt 3D-Editor for map making

[ZeroG 23]

Ok...inspired by a YT video posted in another section, I adapted the 3D-editor-mapmaking process from A2 to A3, which was basically very simple. At the current stage of A3, non A2-owners can use the 3D-Editor as well, yet it makes more sense if you plan to use A2 BI or custom A2 addons like me...

a) Create a folder C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\Documents\Arma 3 Alpha\YOURNAME\missions\YOURMISSION.YOURISLAND\

b) In that folder, create an empty textfile named "mission.biedi"

c) In A3 root, create a shortcut from Arma3.exe by simply right clicking it

d) Rightclick the shortcut, add behind \arma3.exe: "C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\Documents\Arma 3 Alpha\YOURNAME\missions\YOURMISSION.YOURISLAND\mission.biedi" -nosplash PLUS -mod=@YOURMODFOLDER if you use A2 objects

Skip the next three hidden steps if you don't have ARMA 2:

e) Put the ARMA 2 addon pbos you want (can be all) into A3 addon or modfolder

f) Put ZGM_VisO_EditorObjects_A3.pbo from my package into A3 addon or modfolder

g) Put UIFonts.pbo and ui.pbo into A3 addon or modfolder

h) Rename the shortcut to your liking, start it

i) When A3 is done loading, you are in the 2D map editing screen. Close any error messages, for map editing purposes they are not interesting atm.

j) Create a Center [F10], create a group [F2], create a unit [F1], Switch to 3D (you can stay in 2D but where is the use of that if you can go 3D)

k) Now you can place objects with [F5] like there is no tomorrow. Use WASDQY, ALT, SHIFT, RMB & MMB for moving around map, camera and objects. Note that if you dont have A2 or did not put ui.pbo into the modfolder, you can only manipulate objects in the center square limited by the "raw given UI" (note the selector circle turning red if pulled to the modification area) Full screen editing is only possible with A2 files (veterans will note the corresponding UI of A2 3D-editor in the next picture, which seems to override the yet rough A3 Alpha map-UI)

l) Go back to C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\Documents\Arma 3 Alpha\YOURNAME\missions\YOURMISSION.YOURISLAND\ folder

m) Enable Windows Powershell (Windows 764 process):

1. Click START button

2. Select ALL PROGRAMS.

3. Select ACCESSOIRES.

4. Select WINDOWS POWERSHELL.

5. Right-click WINDOWS POWERSHELL, select RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR.

6. Enter “Set-ExecutionPolicy unrestricted†(can do a copy & paste W/o q-marks)

8. When the question appears, press Y => Powerscript execution is enabled!

k) Now, put the file ZGM_VisO_biedi2csv.ps1 from my package into the folder and run it; a file called ZGM_VisO_biediEX.csv will be created:

j) In Visitor 3 and with your project island loaded, A2 users should load the template ZGM_VisO_A2VisitorTemplates.pew from my package, which is 1:1 corresponding to the addons you previously put into the A3 root/addon modfolder (also compatible with Shezans World Tools 1.8 from A2, which also works brilliantly with A3)

l) Use the import objects script from Visitor 3:

m) Open up Buldozer (I recommend using the A2 version, as the A3 version is not really ready and not needed for packing):

n) You are done!

DOWNLOAD >>> ZGM Visitor objects template library and toolset for A2/A3 v3

Edited March 25, 2013 by ZeroG

[m1lkm8n 411]

wow! someones been hard at work. thanks for taking the time so share!

[memphisbelle 99]

wow! someones been hard at work. thanks for taking the time so share!

Yep, indeed...great work ZeroG and thanks a lot

[mikero 79]

Yep, indeed...great work ZeroG and thanks a lot

damn right. thank you for sharing such useful detailed steps. congrats

[xyberviri 1]

holy cow, thanks much ZeroG this is defiantly going to help clear up some of the missing pieces.

[HazJ 1289]

How do I access the 3D editor ? I tried Ctrl + E but it did not work...

[jakerod 254]

How do I access the 3D editor ? I tried Ctrl + E but it did not work...

I think it says in the first post.

[simjedi 10]

I don't know if BiS did a update or not but this method has stopped working for me. I get the regular A3 editor box now.......:mad:

Never mind it seems somehow I forgot to put them inside a "Addons" folder when I redone some things.

Thanks for this as this saves a crap ton of time positioning and previewing then going back to repeat the process over and over and over........

:)

Edited March 21, 2013 by SIMJEDI

[memphisbelle 99]

I think it says in the first post.

[...]

j) Create a Center [F10], create a group [F2], create a unit [F1], Switch to 3D (you can stay in 2D but where is the use of that if you can go 3D)

I think this is the only hint...to go to 3D Editor...but how to go there? This is not explained, I havent tested the whole thing yet, but wanted to give it a try today when I am back home. So how exactly do I switch to 3D as Alt+E or Ctrl + E seems no more working.

Thanks

[Tonci87 163]

Awesome!

[Kuskov 1]

So how exactly do I switch to 3D as Alt+E or Ctrl + E seems no more working.

Thanks

Here is a video tutorial.

[dren 0]

Is there a easy way to export items from 3D editor to normal mission?

ie. if iv build a base

[ZeroG 23]

I think this is the only hint...to go to 3D Editor...but how to go there? This is not explained

RTFM! ;)

a) Create a folder C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\Documents\Arma 3 Alpha\YOURNAME\missions\YOURMISSION.YOURISLAND\

b) In that folder, create an empty textfile named "mission.biedi"

c) In A3 root, create a shortcut from Arma3.exe by simply right clicking it

d) Rightclick the shortcut, add behind \arma3.exe: "C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\Documents\Arma 3 Alpha\YOURNAME\missions\YOURMISSION.YOURISLAND\mission.biedi" -nosplash (PLUS -mod=@YOURMODFOLDER if you use A2 objects)

h) Rename the shortcut to your liking, start it

There is no key combo anymore, you have to use the shortcut to directly access 3D-Ed.

Is there a easy way to export items from 3D editor to normal mission?

ie. if iv build a base

Download 3De Converter. Drag the mission.biedi onto it to create a mission.sqm you can then open with 2D editor

Edited March 21, 2013 by ZeroG

[tark 10]

Alternatively you can just execVM the mission.sqf the 3D Editor generates in init, it'll keep all of the data for the objects which is stripped when converting it to .sqm (Height, health, fuel, name, so on).

[memphisbelle 99]

RTFM! ;)

Nope..:p

I rather watched it and that clarified my confusion...

Here is a video tutorial.

I was a little confused about the part of your description, where you say "switch to 3D Editor"...all the rest was pretty much clear and well explained...but now I understand what this was supposed to mean...again, an awesome thing and quite handy...

[Stapo 1]

ZeroG,

I noticed that you dont seem to have any of the Arma3 object models for the 3DEditor (only A2 ones) so i compiled a list of every single model in arma 3 alpha so i could update it myself BUT i like sharing so here:

http://puu.sh/2lTfn

NOTE: i have my Arma3 P Drive correctly configured so all you have to do is take off the "P:\" from the front of the path.

EDIT: here is the main amount of objects that need to be added (i removed all the un-necessary ones) : http://puu.sh/2lVw1

Edited March 22, 2013 by Stapo

[ZeroG 23]

ZeroG,

I noticed that you dont seem to have any of the Arma3 object models for the 3DEditor (only A2 ones) so i compiled a list of every single model in arma 3 alpha so i could update it myself BUT i like sharing so here:

http://puu.sh/2lTfn

NOTE: i have my Arma3 P Drive correctly configured so all you have to do is take off the "P:\" from the front of the path.

EDIT: here is the main amount of objects that need to be added (i removed all the un-necessary ones) : http://puu.sh/2lVw1

Thanks for the work, yet I fear you might have done that in vain...:eek:

The main reason I did not add any A3 stuff is that a lot of the included models either way are not placeable at all or will get placed submerged (try with the trees or radio towers for example) - at least with OUR Visitor or game version. What you could do is see which of them models get placed properly...to add THOSE would make sense. As I had the A2 library already at hand, I just rewrote the addon to be used with A3 editor.

[Stapo 1]

Thanks for the work, yet I fear you might have done that in vain...:eek:

The main reason I did not add any A3 stuff is that a lot of the included models either way are not placeable at all or will get placed submerged (try with the trees or radio towers for example) - at least with OUR Visitor or game version. What you could do is see which of them models get placed properly...to add THOSE would make sense. As I had the A2 library already at hand, I just rewrote the addon to be used with A3 editor.

fair enough, but take in mind that im using the arma3.exe with -buldozer and i havent had any issues with the models... all working fine for me. :)

EDIT: ZeroG, would you be able to quicky explain how to export a visitor3 template so i can use the a3 object with my upcoming island?

Edited March 22, 2013 by Stapo

[m1lkm8n 411]

fair enough, but take in mind that im using the arma3.exe with -buldozer and i havent had any issues with the models... all working fine for me. :)

EDIT: ZeroG, would you be able to quicky explain how to export a visitor3 template so i can use the a3 object with my upcoming island?

So in visitor (without buldozer) you can see where all your objects are placed?

Edited March 22, 2013 by M1lkm8n

[Stapo 1]

So in visitor (without buldozer) you can see where all your objects are placed?

yes /tooshort

[m1lkm8n 411]

Try populating your entire island with a3 trees. You'll see what he's saying. Plus in visitor you'll get these weird lines. So bad you can't even see your island

[Stapo 1]

Try populating your entire island with a3 trees. You'll see what he's saying. Plus in visitor you'll get these weird lines. So bad you can't even see your island

ahh, i see now... time to make a workaround for a workaround :)

[m1lkm8n 411]

Yea sucks cause otherwise I would at least get my forests in place

[ZeroG 23]

Yea sucks cause otherwise I would at least get my forests in place

Use A2 or "Summertrees" for now and simply replace them later when we get proper ones.

Another thing to try could be to change the World Tools output file with Notepad++:

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";4984.688;20473.478;0;184.000;

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";4996.119;20473.393;0;108.000;

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";5037.783;20475.608;0;279.000;

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";5042.978;20473.226;0;2.000;

So replace z value ";0;" with ";1;" or any other value higher than 0, depending on how the output looks like in Buldozer...there gotta be a value which elevates the trees out of the earth just on groundlevel..though I believe it might be more than 1 - try and error.

[Stapo 1]

Use A2 or "Summertrees" for now and simply replace them later when we get proper ones.

Another thing to try could be to change the World Tools output file with Notepad++:

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";4984.688;20473.478;0;184.000;

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";4996.119;20473.393;0;108.000;

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";5037.783;20475.608;0;279.000;

"00_trees_00_t_picea3f";5042.978;20473.226;0;2.000;

So replace z value ";0;" with ";1;" or any other value higher than 0, depending on how the output looks like in Buldozer...there gotta be a value which elevates the trees out of the earth just on groundlevel..though I believe it might be more than 1 - try and error.

well im currently waiting on the "African Foilage" addon to be ported to arma3 via the author as my island is very tropical.