Do I need photoshop to make addons?

[Meatball0311 79]

I did Mandkalb's "How to create an Addon from scratch" tutorial and when i got down to Step Four: Creating the UV-Map, it says to open photoshop. I dont have photoshop will that be a problem? and if not how do I make UVmaps then?

[icewindo 29]

You can use GIMP to create textures, it's free and besides professional artists a normal addon maker won't recognize the difference I guess. To create normalmaps with GIMP plugins exist in the www.

[Meatball0311 79]

That is cool because I do use GIMP alot, ok so when you need to make the .nohq and .smdi paa you would have to use a GIMP plugin?

[[frl]myke 14]

Normal Map plugin for Gimp:

http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/normalmap/

For smdi there isn't a plugin but by varying colors based on the main textures you might get good results aswell. Some trial & error will show you how to achieve results that do please you.

:EDITH:

You might also take a look into this:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=96914

[Meatball0311 79]

Myke,

Wow, thanks for responding.. you are kinda like a star in these forums :) I have checked out your tutorial and it has helped me... I may need to go back over it since things are making more sense now. I found the plug in but am having trouble with installing it... could you explain how to install it? Thanks for the help

[[frl]myke 14]

Aye, the documentation is pretty unclear on how to install the plugin.

The normalmap.exe gos into this folder:

X:\Program Files (x86)\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins\

X is the drive you've installed GIMP.

The .dll files goes into this directory:

X:\Program Files (x86)\GIMP-2.0\bin\

After that you should find the Normal map plugin in the filters section. I have it on german and there the submenu entry is called "Abbilden", i just can guess that in english it is something like "Imaging". Bump map, tiling and fractal filters re there aswell, just as a rough guide where to expect it.

[Meatball0311 79]

Aye, the documentation is pretty unclear on how to install the plugin.

The normalmap.exe gos into this folder:

X:\Program Files (x86)\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins\

X is the drive you've installed GIMP.

The .dll files goes into this directory:

X:\Program Files (x86)\GIMP-2.0\bin\

After that you should find the Normal map plugin in the filters section. I have it on german and there the submenu entry is called "Abbilden", i just can guess that in english it is something like "Imaging". Bump map, tiling and fractal filters re there aswell, just as a rough guide where to expect it.

Thanks for the help... I think I downloaded the wrong one.. I selected the "source" download and I guess couldnt properly extract the .tar file. I got the correct one "Win32", and installed it like you have suggested and I believe it is working. Actually it seems the plug in will be found in Filters>Map.

Thanks for your help and I may have some other questions for you shortly, as I am new to modeling and am working on something atm and which I believe is ready to move onto texuring. I have looked at your tutorial and will be using that to figure out how to do texture when the model is ready. Thanks

[[frl]myke 14]

I selected the "source" download...

Lol...aye, i think these are the source files which are only interesting if you're a programmer and would like to work on the code itself, adding functions as example.

Feel free to ask your questions as they arise, me or someone else surely will come up with a helpful answer (hopefully :D).

[Meatball0311 79]

Thank you once again, and what I have decided to do is start my model over. Because I believe I might not have sized it correctly.

This is what I would like to create. I want to make a SINCGARS PRC-117 (radio) and for it to be in a backpack. Like I mentioned earlier I have already modeled it, but that was my first model and basically it gave me some good practice on how to make faces and manipulate O2.

Now I would like to start over. The radio model needs to be the dimensions of:

3.2 H x 10.5 W x 13.5 D in.

how would I get the scale to be in inches? Is there a way to make the square dimensions inches or feet? I believe that currently each square is 1m x 1m... correct? and if that is so.. does it mean that Y 0.010 = 1 cm height?

Edited April 18, 2010 by Meatball0311

[[frl]myke 14]

how would I get the scale to be in inches? Is there a way to make the square dimensions inches or feet? I believe that currently each square is 1m x 1m... correct? and if that is so.. does it mean that Y 0.010 = 1 cm height?

I guess since all measurements in the tools are metric that you convert your model size to metric aswell. FYI: 1 inch = 2.54cm

So your model would be:

8.128 H x 26.67 W x 34.29

You're correct, each square is 1m x 1m. And also yes, 0.01 = 1cm.

[Meatball0311 79]

That is what I figured and that is what I am doing atm.. I guess I should probably ask this now.

This is what my plan is:

1. Model the radio in the metric system

2. After I model the radio, I want to model a backpack around it

the question is should I be aware of anything special since it is a backpack basically with a radio in it. Do I need to model the shoulder straps? and can you point me in a direction of how I would configure a backpack?

Thank you

[[frl]myke 14]

Oy, hit my weak point. Never did any "human" related things so i can't tell you. My guess is that you do not need to model shoulder straps. As part of the backpack they wouldn't move together with the body and thus look horrible. About a config, maybe try to contact someone from ACE team.

[Meatball0311 79]

ok so I will just model a backpack around the radio with no shoulder straps. After I get that finished I will see if someone (or I will just do some research on config for a backpack) from ACE can give me some pointers.

I probably will have some more questions later, but I will work on the model and when I run into something will post question here. Danke.

[Meatball0311 79]

I am having trouble with the texturing process. The tutorial of course is giving instruction on a missile, (basically every side looks the same and it can be divided into 4 equal parts) and my model is a little bit more complex. I have really two questions:

STEP 5 : Preparing for Texturing

1. How should I divide this into four parts? (top, left, right, bottom)

front view:

left side view:

top view:

STEP 6 : Creating Texture Template

2. Also can you explain or suggest how I would do the planar mapping for this model. I am a little confused on how to use the "Rotate Selection" button.

Thanks

[[frl]myke 14]

Well, in this case, UV map them part by part. I guess the main body is easy as it is flat and square. The antenna...well...it depends how detailed you want ti to be. Very basic, select the antenna in front view and click on planar mapping in UV Editor. Else, use the method described in the Tutorial: split it into 4 parts and import those.

About the rotation, it is easy:

Operation: Rotation

Parameters: Radius = <insert desired value>

Center: <keep as is>

Units: Pixels (else it will look weird)

You can use Preview to see how it looks. How you place them and scale them is up to you. Try to fill one square as good as possible. You don't have to care about scale in the UV Editor. In fact parts that needs less details on the texture, you may scale down to get more place for parts that need higher resolution textures, like text parts.

If you have repeating parts like buttons or switches (if they don't have any text on it) delete all but one and UV map only this one. Once you're done with texturing, you can copy/paste those parts textured in your model.

[Baraka 10]

That is what I figured and that is what I am doing atm.. I guess I should probably ask this now.

This is what my plan is:

1. Model the radio in the metric system

2. After I model the radio, I want to model a backpack around it

the question is should I be aware of anything special since it is a backpack basically with a radio in it. Do I need to model the shoulder straps? and can you point me in a direction of how I would configure a backpack?

Thank you

Hi Meatball0311,

A cheap way will be to take this Unit http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=9375

and "put" your backpack on his back.When u welt some Unit Points with your backpack it will fit with animations.And with this Unit u can have a look what´s the right position in O2. It helps a lot when u see where your thing have to be. Simply paste+copy the Unit-model in yours.OR in an empty LOD and u can mark the "show as background" with the right-click.

For other Units of course it will not fit this way.

Think u will need a proxy for a good result but not sure with that.

Hope this isn´t writen too badly,my english is not the best.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Baraka

[Meatball0311 79]

Well, in this case, UV map them part by part. I guess the main body is easy as it is flat and square. The antenna...well...it depends how detailed you want ti to be. Very basic, select the antenna in front view and click on planar mapping in UV Editor. Else, use the method described in the Tutorial: split it into 4 parts and import those.

About the rotation, it is easy:

Operation: Rotation

Parameters: Radius = <insert desired value>

Center: <keep as is>

Units: Pixels (else it will look weird)

You can use Preview to see how it looks. How you place them and scale them is up to you. Try to fill one square as good as possible. You don't have to care about scale in the UV Editor. In fact parts that needs less details on the texture, you may scale down to get more place for parts that need higher resolution textures, like text parts.

If you have repeating parts like buttons or switches (if they don't have any text on it) delete all but one and UV map only this one. Once you're done with texturing, you can copy/paste those parts textured in your model.

Myke:

Thanks for the response and please bare with me as I am totally new to modeling. This is my first model so I am going to need to ask some really basic questions.

Well, in this case, UV map them part by part.

do you mean to basically make selections for every piece of the model? buttons, antenna, carrying posts.... etc? and I can place them in any order I want?

also do I need to have them in any particular view?

Basically this model is going to be used just to add a backpack with a radio so the player can "addweapon" to a unit and the unit wear the backpack to simulate carrying a radio. So in other words detail may not be so important as what I really care about having any detail would be the antenna and radio face.

cant I just do the radio face (top view) as one selection and have this as my texture?

Hi Meatball0311,

A cheap way will be to take this Unit http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=9375

and "put" your backpack on his back.When u welt some Unit Points with your backpack it will fit with animations.And with this Unit u can have a look what´s the right position in O2. It helps a lot when u see where your thing have to be. Simply paste+copy the Unit-model in yours.OR in an empty LOD and u can mark the "show as background" with the right-click.

For other Units of course it will not fit this way.

Think u will need a proxy for a good result but not sure with that.

Hope this isn´t writen too badly,my english is not the best.

Thanks I didnt think of that to check the scaling out... will definitely try it out.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Meatball0311

[[frl]myke 14]

Well, as the radio seems to be a box at its widest meaning, you might just select the visible faces from each view (front,left,top,bottom,right,back). You might even think about to layer faces according to theyr position. As example, faces on the left and right that looks similar (texturewise) you might place on top of each other in the UV Editor.

The top part with the display and imprints i would make twice as big in the UV Editor than the rest.

About the connectors, i guess selecting the each connector completely and then import top view of it into UV Editor will be good enough.

[Meatball0311 79]

Well, as the radio seems to be a box at its widest meaning, you might just select the visible faces from each view (front,left,top,bottom,right,back). You might even think about to layer faces according to theyr position. As example, faces on the left and right that looks similar (texturewise) you might place on top of each other in the UV Editor.

The top part with the display and imprints i would make twice as big in the UV Editor than the rest.

About the connectors, i guess selecting the each connector completely and then import top view of it into UV Editor will be good enough.

Myke thanks a lot things are starting to make a little more sense, but I still do not have total grasp of the UV Editor.

Can you explain the purpose of the UV Editor? a little explanation of what exactly it is accomplishing...

Thank you so much oh great master!:bounce3:

[[frl]myke 14]

Thank you so much oh great master!

Thats usually the point where i leave the room quietly. :D

What is the UV Editor good for. Well, i would say to make maximal use of the space a texture provides. Look at this:

That's the latest AIM-9x i've made. You will not at the bottom that i've splitted the missile into 2 parts, this way i can scale it bigger and allows more hires, especially as there is text on it.

Also note that screwheads are way too big, if this would be the final scale. But they'll just take the texture in its shown size (and therefor resolution) and ingame, it will look better.

Or the other way around: if you have a face which is 1m x 1m in size and in the UV Editor you scale it down to the size of 1 pixel, then this pixel will cover the whole face.

Maybe this would be a good practice lesson. Take a random texture, create a single face in O2 and apply this face to the texture in the UV Editor. Then move it around, scale and rotate it as you want and check in Buldozer how it looks. This way you'll get a feeling how it works.

[Meatball0311 79]

I think I may be getting closer to getting this up and running. I am however getting a loading texture error, but I think I may know what is the problem. I basically made my texture, but do you have any pointers?

[[frl]myke 14]

I basically made my texture, but do you have any pointers?

Sorry, don't know what you mean by "any pointers". Can you explain please?

Sorry, lack of english knowledge here, not your fault. :D

[Meatball0311 79]

any suggestions? advice?

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:22 PM ----------

what does this mean?

Don't forget to place imprints on the right side upside

down.

[[frl]myke 14]

No suggestions/advices so far if evrything works fine.

About imprints:

There i was referring to the missile example i was using in the tutorial. Text that is on the right side of the missile has to be upside down on the texture. Look also the AIM-9X texture i've posted one page back. You see there twice AIM-9X and Raytheon, once "correct" which is on the left side of the missile, and once upside down, which is the right side of the missile.

[Meatball0311 79]

I am getting a "Cannot load texture" error.

I believe I have followed the directions in the tutorial and am still having this error.

I am going to pm you a link for my project files (.p3D and .paa)

Can you look at these and maybe tell me what I am doing wrong? I would greatly appreciale it.

Basically I am using GIMP to make my textures by loading pictures, then using the rectangle selection and copying a piece of the picture.

Can I use pictures as textures?

---------- Post added at 09:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------

I found this thread and am going to start the texturing over

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=98187

I put the model .p3d file into a folder on P: drive and now I have to do all the texturing over again so I will report back when finished.

Let me ask you a question... my work has to be saved on the P: drive?