Help with making a NEW unit with a custom texture.

[calantlar 10]

So what im trying to do is to make a new unit out of an existing one and i'm fairly certain just copying will cause bad stuff to happen so i want to make a new A-10 from the original model and add my own texture to that.

Also

i have looked att amny tutorials and i haven't got any help from it.

So to put it in steps:

1. Make a copy of the A-10 (USMC faction if it matters) that is seperate ingame from the original so i can work on mine, its gonna be called A-10 (GW), so how do i rename it after i cloned it?

2. How do i pack it correctly and how do i add a bisign, bikey and make sure it doesn't occupy the current A-10's slot (configs and all that)

3. Probably more help as i try.

[max power 21]

You don't need to do anything to the model, I think. You just need to make a new config that mentions hiddenselections camo1 and camo2, and points those to your new textures.

class A10;
class A10_base: A10;
class  A10_US_EP1: a10_base;

class mya10: A10_US_EP1
{
    crew = "USMC_Soldier_Pilot";

    displayname = "my USMC A10 name";

    faction = "USMC";

    hiddenselections[] = {"Camo1", "Camo2"};
    hiddenselectionstextures[] = {"pathto\mytexture_01_co.paa", "pathto\mytexture_02_co.paa"};
};

My config skills are a bit rusty so I'm not exactly sure how back you have to go in your inheritance. This goes back to when hiddenselections are last mentioned on the config tree.

http://browser.six-projects.net/cfg_vehicles/A10_US_EP1/config?version=37

There's probably a bunch of other boilerplate config stuff you have to do in order to make a stand alone addon that I'm sure you can find some information on.

[Richards.D 761]

That will definitely work, but you can alternatively re-map all the textures without using hidden selections to your model folder. For this task you would need the Command program "Moveobject.exe" which is on Dev Heaven. This is a much more difficult task but for something it is worth it if you want to re-do all the textures. Now as for making a COMPLETELY new unit, honestly is pointless. If you are going to take a stock A-10C model, re-name, re-texture then there is no point doing alot of extra work re defining all the weapons and stuff. For that I would suggest just inheriting from the standard A-10 Class as Mr. Max Power stated before.

Now that we have settled how to make the bloody thing, lets talk about packing, signing etc.

Firstly, if you do not have your P: drive set up, make sure to do that! You want to assemble your model in that folder and pack it from there to avoid issues.

Now, how to pack. Well this would be a very simple method. Install that P: Drive. Make a new folder in it and call it.. whatever you wish.

Something such as TAG_A10_GB would be just fine.

In that folder you want the following: the .P3D of the A10, and all textures, that you will require, and your config.cpp file.

Once you have everything assembled in that folder, you can almost begin packing.

Notice how I put "TAG" in the folder title? That is important. In order to sign with A BI Key, you'll need a Three letter abbreviation of yourself that you can publish all your addons under. Now while it does not matter what the folder name is, it is good practice to put your tag in it.

So, let us pack. Ensure you have downloaded and installed "Bin PBO" from the BI Tools. This will convert that folder into a lovely PBO.

But how?

Once you launch Bin PBO, click "Change" on your addon source directory. Find that folder you made in the P: drive, and select it.

For Destination directory, I'd just choose your desktop. Honestly, you're going to move it anyways, so it honestly does not matter.

For options, really nothing needs to be changed. No need to click "Binarize", this model is already binarized so that isn't required.

Now, lets make a key!

And by lets, I mean here is an excellent video tutorial:

http://www.ofpec.com/tags/index.php?action=howto_key

That should cover all bases I believe.

Richards

Edited May 22, 2013 by RichardsD

[calantlar 10]

Thansk for the help i think i'll start aking my actual skin with hidden selections and then do my weapons config as a seperate addon :) i think it'll save some time and frustration that way also that cfg will sureley help.