R Arma 2 Vehicles MDOL or ODOL & anyway 2 edit them if ODOL. TIA

[adc2008 10]

Bear with me, I'm new and I dont Have Arma 2 installed ATM nor will I for a few days-week Due to HDD Going Bang.. Had an amazing Dream Idea for a Arma 2 Mod, as you do, delved into arma 2 modding and got confised. Nuff Said.

I understand the model format is p3d, and there are 2 types, MDOL, and ODOL, the first is uncompressed & unauthorized, and the other is not.

However there is a ODOL Explorer able to read ODOL v7 and convert it so the model can be edited, presume ARMA 2 uses above v7 rendering it obsolete.

What I essentially want to know is are Arma2 vehicles etc in the MDOL P3D format at present, and as such editable in BIS's modelling tool applications, or are they in the ODOL Format, and not editable in BIS's modelling tool applications and if so, what is the ODOL version used & is there an ODOL Explorer/Converter capable of converting arma 2 models from ODOL to MDOL or other format?

I know of 3DRipperDX, but just wish to peruse normal means and learn a little from you fine guys & gals at this stage before my new HDD comes and I can install my beloved Arma 2 Again & get to work.

TIA Guys.

[soul_assassin 1750]

Wait for the BIS sample models. They usually come out pretty quick :). Don't rip :D

[adc2008 10]

Thanks Soul_Assassin,

Any idea when the Arma 2 BIS sample models may appear?

Though I assume if you knew you would have said, hehe.

I would still like to know what I have asked :)

[dm 9]

1st off, its ODOL and MLOD.

2nd, no, there are not MLODs of the ArmA2 content available at the moment. BI might release sample models, they might not, its up to them.

3rd, 3dripper is only good for getting 1 LoD and none of the information you need - you'll have no named selections, no model properties, no geo lods, no memory lod etc etc. So its not all that useful - about the only thing you can learn by using it is what the mesh looks like, since no "real" data is preserved.

4th, the difference between MLOD and ODOL is not one of "authorization" but one of optimisation. The MLOD format contains a lot of information which is superflous to the engine, this gets deleted out of the model during binarization, along with other important information - such as bone structure and animation from the model.cfg - which gets "baked into" the model.

[adc2008 10]

Ok, thanks for correcting & informing me DM, much appreciated :)

fingers crossed BIS choose to release the sample models for its growing modding communities pleasure ;)

[norsu 180]

I'm sure they will sooner or later. For example making ArmA2 infantry addons without a proper reference model is pretty much impossible unless you want to burn yourself out with countless trial & error.

[adc2008 10]

Yes, i can't see them not wanting to encourage modding or Arma II further by releasing the sample models as it has payed off for them in the past, I would think that the chance of them not releasing them would be minor indeed.

So if the likelihood is they will, the question changes to when, and if the question is when, the most obvious thing to do seems to be to ask when.

Perhaps I, or someone should start a topic, or ask an appropriate BIS person so we have some kind of estimated time-scale as to when this may occur or perhaps BIS are waiting for the community to show enouth interest in them being released, as I think there is likely enough people wanting them already to legitimise releasing them sooner rather than later.

What are everyone thoughts on this? I.E. starting a topic of interest acting like a show of hands, or asking an appropriate person, though I don't know who that would be.