What are the restrictions?

[Yoshi 10]

Hi, I'm new to the Arma 3 modding scene and I'm looking for accurate information of the following questions I about modding in ArmA 3

1. What are the sizes restrictions for models that you can import or add to the game?

2. Are there different size restrictions for different things?

3. What tools would I use to get my mods in game. (I use Blender for my models) what else do I need.

4. Do I need knowledge on how to script or do config files.

And my last one is in it's own category due to it being a WIP. I'm looking to add a new tank to ArmA 3, and these are some of the things I need to know.

1. Do I need to separate my model into parts, say... Hull, Turret, Tracks etc?

2. Do I add the weapons to the model or import them as their own file?

3. What if anything do I need to add animations for?

4. Do the model things have to be separate objects or one whole object?

5. Is it possible to add an interior to a tank if I was able to model one?

6. What types of Ammo and Armor ratings would I need to add?

This is the tank i'm looking to add first of all.

The Challenger 2 MBT - UK, with two textures, Desert and Woodland.

Please answer with thought out and clear replies, I am new to all of it so I need as much information as possible.

[scarecrow398 43]

Hi, I'm new to the Arma 3 modding scene and I'm looking for accurate information of the following questions I about modding in ArmA 3

1. What are the sizes restrictions for models that you can import or add to the game?

2. Are there different size restrictions for different things?

3. What tools would I use to get my mods in game. (I use Blender for my models) what else do I need.

4. Do I need knowledge on how to script or do config files.

And my last one is in it's own category due to it being a WIP. I'm looking to add a new tank to ArmA 3, and these are some of the things I need to know.

1. Do I need to separate my model into parts, say... Hull, Turret, Tracks etc?

2. Do I add the weapons to the model or import them as their own file?

3. What if anything do I need to add animations for?

4. Do the model things have to be separate objects or one whole object?

5. Is it possible to add an interior to a tank if I was able to model one?

6. What types of Ammo and Armor ratings would I need to add?

1. from memory it was 20x20m blocks and about 36k points/verts for Arma 2, one of the dev's said the engine goes up to around 19k triangles.

2. Not to my knowlege, only guidelines (No sence having a soldier with the same poly's as a tank as it'll lag when you have a lot of them placed)

3. Modeling program (Blender), a texture program (Gimp/photoshop, etc photoshop has more support), BI tools to import into the game and setup files (Steam>Library>Tools>BI Tool set), Advanced text editor (liek Notepad++) for config stuff.

optional: A sculpting program like zbrush is used by some people to add detail like bolts and such however I don't think you're going to want to do this... yet.

4. Yes, but not a whole lot and you should be able to pick it up quickly/ask for help from people, it's not complex like a lot of scipting langauges.

Generally, if it doesn't lag in oxygen it'll probably be fine to import into the game, though you make have issues if you're placing a dozen or so in game.

1. Not 100% but I don't belive so, however you can use proxy models for machine guns, backpacks and such attached to the vehicles.

2. I think the cannon can be part of it, just not things like machine guns like the commander has.

3. Probably for the machineguns and such like loading and turning.

4. See above 2/3.

5. I think You can add an interior, just like any other vehicle though i'm not sure how you would go about it if it's own model, I think it's seperate or at least a seperate LOD.

6. Ammo and armor is done via configing, depending on what it is it may only take a few minutes to setup and then change a number in the config to scale it.

That's a quick summery that's correct to my knowledge, I'm sure someone like pufu/max/da12thMonkey will point out what's wrong with what I said and go into depth.

[Yoshi 10]

Thank you for your answer, I'll just ask what you mean by Proxy files? is that just another file like obj that you import separately or something else?

[Redfield-77 10]

Are you Yoshi from M&B modding? If not welcome anyway!

[[aps]gnat 28]

What Scarecrow said, plus my spin;

1. What are the sizes restrictions for models that you can import or add to the game?

~20k poly and up to ~50m x 50m x 50m. Any larger physically and stuff starts to break/fail ingame.

2. Are there different size restrictions for different things?

No aware of such

3. What tools would I use to get my mods in game. (I use Blender for my models) what else do I need.

Blender is good, but you you probably need to understand/see the LOD systems in O2 before you know what needs to be done in

4. Do I need knowledge on how to script or do config files.

Some, or lean of friends or these forums.

1. Do I need to separate my model into parts, say... Hull, Turret, Tracks etc?

Yes, but just NAMED sections, separated/not joined to the main model. No need for separate 3d files (excluding proxies)

2. Do I add the weapons to the model or import them as their own file?

"weapons" are added via CONFIG.CPP

3. What if anything do I need to add animations for?

MODEL.CFG needs to contain animation definitions for every moving part. (Not typical animations via Blender etc)

4. Do the model things have to be separate objects or one whole object?

? Can be all one 3d file, but each LOD definition within the file must contain different "model" representation (ie Shadow, Collision Geometry, Fire Geometry etc etc) .

5. Is it possible to add an interior to a tank if I was able to model one?

Definitely yes.

6. What types of Ammo and Armor ratings would I need to add?

All defined in the CONFIG.CPP. Fire Geometry and HitPoint Geometry of model contains support info and some basic "impact" FX (via Material/RVMAT definitions).

Please answer with thought out and clear replies, I am new to all of it so I need as much information as possible.

Unfortunately all this type of info in NOT in 1 spot so you're going to have to do some searching/reading yourself.

ArmA2 stuff is mostly valid, suggest you look at a few of the ArmA2 Editing section Tutiorial threads and view some of the Video tutorials.

[Yoshi 10]

Thank you for that reply Gnat. I know the weapons are added in config, what I mean is that the 3d model it self has the weapons, do I keep them in the main 3d file or separate them?? also what are proxies and LOD's I think if I'm not wrong the LOD stands for level of detail? can you explain more about these?

[[aps]gnat 28]

LODs: Per my videos starts at 5:00min into Video #2 and continues into Video #3

No, weapons don't have to be separate.

Proxies are used generally for 2 things, crew (pilot, gunner etc) representation and also for addon "static" high detail to you model (potentially to reduce the poly count of your main model).

E.g. if you have a high detail cooling grill at various places around your tank, you can cut it from you main model, put the grill in a separate 3d file, then add it via a simple proxy into the main model. You usually can't tell its not part of the main model.

[Yoshi 10]

So what your saying is I can have a basic looking tank model, then add details via proxies? would this allow for a more detailed model while negating some if not all of the size restrictions?

[PuFu 4600]

In theory, it can be used to add more detail, thus negating only the polygon/vert limit, not the overall size limit. It is not a win all solution. It will increase both draw calls and section count though

Edited January 3, 2014 by PuFu