Tutorial : Easy way to create buildings?

[DBR_ONIX 0]

Easiest way to.. erm.. justify this somewhat random idea

Quote[/b] ][20:22:32] =Ą=| ßen |=Ą: Hmm... an OFP-villiage made in sketch up?

[20:23:31] .// Codarl : if you can export it properly this would be like... the easiest way EVER to create a mout area:P

[20:25:11] =Ą=| ßen |=Ą: *Works on exporting*

And I did

Basicly, the non-pro version is crippled with the inabilty to export to 3D model formats.. Buut, the Pro version has "Access to the following 3D export formats: DWG, DXF, 3DS, OBJ, XSI, VRML and FBX."

So, grab the Sketch Up Pro trial from Sketchup.google.com, and Anim8or from The anim8or.com site here

I strongly recommend you finish off your model before you install the trial, since it's a stingy 8 hour trial..

To start..

Save your model in SketchUp, as a normal file

Install and startup SketchUp Pro (trial or otherwise ), open your model..

Then, using the simple extra thing SU pro has that the normal version doesn't..

File > Export > 3D Model, and choose .3DS

Then, start Anim8or.exe (doesn't get installed), File > New

Click Model > Import, and find your file and open it

Then, the important bit (and the reason you downloaded that huge 1.4mb application Anim8or),

Check Option > Debug > Dummy 3DS KData

Then, Model > Export, keep it as .3ds, and click save (I recommend adding _fixed or something to the filename so you don't get them muddled up)

Load up O2, File > Import > 3D Studio

If it's untextured, uncheck the Convert Textures box

If you want to keep the textures, play with the settings.. I've never had much luck with the auto-convert options, and normally end up manually resizing to 2^2 dimensions (like 512x512) converting them to PAA/PAC, and manually setting the texture paths, which on models with anything over 10 textures is tedious.. Setting up Photoshop actions can speed things up, and if that mas OFP texture path changer would work for me it'd be good, but it's still fairly tedious..

Annyway, one you click okay, and okay any texture conversion errors (Manual converting time!, you shoould be looking at the same model you left behind in SketchUp

I had to select everything and hit W to reverse the faces, and the faces were only 1 directional due to the quick/messy way I made it in SketchUp..

Bear in mind I've only used SketchUp since about 3 times, first time being yesterday, and I've only been working on the importing to O2 over the last hour, and I've not done much playing around (particularly with moving over the textures)

You'll have to manually LOD the things like anything you made/import, but for simple buildings, espically if your just modeling the outsides of them should be simple enough, and just to show of soldiers running around your SketchUp village, you don't even need LODs, just well placed soldiers/waypoints

Anyway, I think that covers it.. I'll try and work on converting over textures, but to be perfectly honest, I think SketchUp's texturing isn't great : It's just applying small, repeating, computer-generated wood/stone textures to surfaces, something thats done extremely easy in O2 (I recommend finding the Photorealstic Texture Pack on Filefront or somewhere)

But, for quick texturing, SketchUp works not bad

In short :

Save your model, open in SketchUp Pro, export as .3ds

Open in Anim8or, enable Dummy KData, resave as .3ds

Import into O2

Closer-combat settings are something I fell is really missing in OFP.. Theres huge islands, with really sparse villages, spread out hugely over a map.. Something like CAT Afganistan nearly has it right, with only about 4 very tightly-packed "towns".. And after playing it, the other islands seem very.. empty..

*Hopes to see lots of small, detailed MOUT-type villages soon *

Obviously any questions about this can be asked here, via PM, email or MSN.. Hope it's usefull to someone

- Ben

[codarl 1]

Hmmm, did I mention I was working on the northern part of Amsterdam? I think I did....

I hope Bohemia adopts google's way of creating stuff in a patch for Oxygen, it's so easy it cannot even be called "modelling" anymore, but it works just splendid!

[nephilim 0]

nice

as for the trail version..

[Sennacherib 0]

yep Sketchup is really cool, but, you must think to o2 when you use it, because the modelling with Sketchup is different, when you make a hole etc, you must be careful.

personally i use it to make furnitures (not for ofp)

[NeMeSiS 11]

Cool, gives me the chance to fiddle around with modelling aswell (I just hate hate hate o2). Is there a way of getting .p3d files in back in sketchup again?

[Hornet85 0]

hmm sounds like a gr8 idea

[Placebo 29]

*cough*Hinting*cough* at illegal activity is still grounds for ban from these forums, you're not children, we're not children, your words and intent are very clear.

[nephilim 0]

*cough* nothing illegal here. *cough* lol

[Chris Death 0]

*cough* attempt to open p3d's with 3rd party tools *cough*

~S~ CD

[DBR_ONIX 0]

*Cough* Back on topic *Cough*

Has anyone built anything using this yet? I'd like to see screenies

- Ben

[klavan 0]

I dind't even understand what's special in this software, and why it makes so easy to create buildings.....

Can someone explain it to me in a bit deepest way?

Thank you.

Klavan

[Chris Death 0]

I assume it's meant to be easy by the click and drag way

of creating faces or solids.

To be honest, i've been trying it out for a short, but i couldn't

get handy with it.

I like the way, how it is in O2 - well it expects a little bit

3D thinking, when creating faces or solids by just thinking

in meters or centimeters, but i went good with that.

I must admit, that i tried to make models blueprints on paper

with a pencil, but i prefer the way it's done in O2.

Well, i also must say, for the first time i tried O2, there was

nothing than bad words flying through my room, so maybe

i've overseen something on that first try with sketchup.

~S~ CD

[DBR_ONIX 0]

I think the reason it's good for buildings is :

To make a wall, you simply draw the outlines for it on the floor, click the box-with-an-arrow tool, and click/drag the wall.. No need to copy the polys, move them up, and manually make polys like in O2

Download Google SketchUp and go though the guided-tutorial thing, it takes 10-20 minutes, and shows of the basics of the program

I think for some things you'd be far better of using O2, but particularly with buildings, I think SketchUp is the right thing to use for them.. I had a horrrriible time trying to make buildings in O2, if I knew about SketchUp back then I might have not wanted to print and eat O2

- Ben

[Chris Death 0]

But i must say for creating a wall like you mentionend in O2

i just click: create/box - and set it's specifications;

x: 6

y: 3

z: 0.5

Voilla i got a wall, now highlighting 'select by face'

click on front view on the wall - 'a' - right click load texture - then fit by selection - 'b' - 'a'

Same with top view and side view and voilla it's textured.

Point is, when i create a building, i think in distances already,

i know exactly of what specifications my building will be and

off course i'm already used to use O2 - so it's just a few clicks

here or there and the building is finished.

By click and drag system like i already said, i miss the feeling

of the specifications a lil bit.

~S~ CD

[nephilim 0]

Quote[/b] ]*cough* attempt to open p3d's with 3rd party tools *cough*

*cough* *cough* halon *cough* p3dedit *cough*

*cough* *COUGH*!!

man ... asthma lol..

[colonel_klink 0]

I am sure that if you take the time and effort to learn Sketchup you will be pleased with the results. I've been using Sketchup for a while now and all my buildings for both OFP/VBS and my paper models are designed first in Sketchup.

Here is a sample of some of the two hundred buildings that I have designed:

http://s10.invisionfree.com/Models_from_the_Mist/index.php?showtopic=8

Making the buildings is the easy part, texturing them all is somewhat of a marathon as the texturing/mapping tools in Sketchup are not that intuitive (read: easy).

Model developed for card/paper modeling

Some of the 3d models will end up in the game at some stage, the rest will be designed as physical 3d models and their virtual counterparts for sale. So for those thinking of using Sketchup as a building modeling tool I'd highly recommend it.

[olemissrebel 0]

amazing stuff

[bonko the sane 2]

First of all, thank you DBR_ONIX for this topic, info and links.

i can only agree, maybe its just me, but the first time i used this 3D program i made this in 10 mins (note that im a total noob at 3d modeling)

p.S: and it exports quite well into O2

[DBR_ONIX 0]

No problem, glad someone found it usefull Got a screenshot of it in game yet?

- Ben

[smiley nick 51]

Only just found this! Thanks for your effort DBR_ONIX, i have been looking for somthing like this for a while

Nick

[Sennacherib 0]

if you use Sketchup. make real buildings, with real windows, and real doors. Sketchup is not a toy. Before doing something, learn how to use it.

i know, i'm harsh. but 3d modelling is something hard. it's a job, you need to learn the basics stuff.

a good modeller is not, only a 3d program. no, i'm not boastful, because i'm like you, i still learn.

[llauma 0]

That's a really nice and easy tool to use.. This is what's I've been playing with while trying to learn to use the program. A sort of neo-classical house.

[Rebel Man 431]

Thanks for this program, but the other link down .

[tophe 69]

It seems the sketchup-buildings are not that optimized for ArmA.

But I am VERY new at this...

When looking through tutorials on O2 it seems the accurate way of making building walls, floors and stuff differs from the result in sketchup.

For example... The floor should probably be a box aprox. 0.1 meters thick, to make it sink into ground a bit.

Also... How do you make holes (doors, hatches, windows) in sketchup to be formatted properly in ArmA?

Any views on this?

I would also love to see someones work in ingame screens...

Oh.. also in Anim8or, I don't get any Model-menu.. Only an Object-menu where I can import stuff. But that doesn't seem right (even if I can acctually import the 3ds file).

[ladie from hell 2]

ok , as it is that I just found this, and last used "04-15-2007" I am having a bit of problem with sketch-up to 3d Max to O2,

In the fact that my textures from sketch-up to max seem to be ok, but then from Max to O2 is where the SH*T hits the PC.

My mapping of said faces for each side of a wall of a house/building is placing the textures at 1x1 tiny little sections instead of the full side ...

I am not sure if my Max is exporting to O2 wrong ?? or while i texture my buildings in Max that its doing it wrong ... I am new to Max so maybe i am just a dumb @ss at it ..

please help if any one can , Thanks

LFH

UP Date :

Just want to add, I have all walls faces set in right direction(inside and outside)in sketch-up, I even exported the buildings to Max with out textures and textured in Max. and when i export to O2 .. it still gives me the multi-set of textures on one face, i am told that this will lag in game a lot, and that's not what i am looking for ...

Edited April 29, 2010 by ladie from hell
more infor