US buildings project

[Fox '09 14]

As you all know, the community is lacking US buildings. No buildings.. no maps.. no fun :(

it's about time war comes home. Time to leave Europe and the middle east..

This is a community project for Island creators so we can see more US based maps.

We are taking examples from online MLS and other real estate databases for houses, we want this to feel and look like you're in the US.

I've assembled a small team of modelers to provide me with models, but we could use some with A2 editing experience.

Our team:

"fox" (myself, textures, O2, possibly configs)

"socram" (from another site, models, textures)

"Prof. Farnsworth" (from another site, models, textures)

"ezechiel" of BI forums (Models, logo)

Our team is looking for:

Modelers,

Textures

Config work

Current Progress:

Configs : 0 percent

Models : 10 percent

Textures : 10 percent

Release:

Expect sign objects by the end of this week, depending on if i can figure out configs etc

cheers

Edited June 15, 2010 by Fox '09

[icewindo 29]

Nice project, really fits a gap nobody stepped in for some time.

For a closer look on buildings I would take a look at the environment MLODs ("sample models of all models used as part of the environment") from ArmA1 as alot of them are used in ArmA2 anyway:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1147654&postcount=2

There's really no clear line but I would say that normal sized, closed buildings have about 700-1500 polygons and going down to ~50 in the last LOD (should have atleast ~5 LODs).

Normal sized interior buildings can easily rise to ~2500-4000 polygons and distinctive buildings that don't get placed alot (e.g. the hotel.p3d contained in the sample models) can have up to 14k polygons in the first LOD (though you really shouldn't exceed that).

If you're planning on alot of interior objects these probably should be added by proxy to conserve p3d space, it also makes updating and adding interiors easier.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Icewindo

[Fox '09 14]

thanks icewindo. I'll study those MLODs, should help.

[icebreakr 3157]

Nice project, hopefully this gets done so we can work on a Red Dawn 2 mod or something like that ;)

[Devil Dogs SF 13]

Wishes are coming true

I can't wait for US maps to be made after these are released.

[enad 11]

Nice project, hopefully this gets done so we can work on a Red Dawn 2 mod or something like that ;)

Do you ever stop?

[bushlurker 46]

Well done Fox!

I was hoping you'd follow through on this idea!

Looking forward to watching this develop!

B

[Fox '09 14]

thanks guys. We should have some content to show by the end of next week. We plan to include street lights, highway medians, signs (including exploitable versions so you are able to put your own town names etc) as well.

[jeza 5416]

Best wishes on this maybe be new york before sooon! :p

[Fox '09 14]

haha, maybe. We'll need some nice '85 Soviet Paratroopers with planes first :D

My modeler is working hard on some signs, I can release these when they are done if you guys want. They will include exploitable textures, of course. I will need some help with configs..

[ray243 11]

So are we going to see stuff like new yolk? If it is, then we can have a world in conflict!

[icebreakr 3157]

emm ray243, are you actually aware how many hours of work are involved even in a town size of 20,000 population? A Month+!

Now do the math for NY. Not to mention that it would be unplayable for most of the players due to all the polys. Well at least with a lot of detail... but we can still do NY in terms of "flight simulator" detail :)

[Darkhorse 1-6 16]

I would personally like to see a small map of The White House. If you guys want I can give you a model of either it, or the pentagon. The only condition would have to be that they be indestructible, as requested by the friend I got them from. Maybe it could be destroyed, but leave no rubble or anything of that sort behind. Just sorta sink into the ground.

[WillaCHilla 10]

Don´t know if its helpful, but here are some links from typical US-based "World in Conflict"-maps:

Dome

Farmland

Hometown

Liberty Island

Seaside

Spaceneedle

Xmas

You can preview some areas in larger images if you go with the cursor on the satellite-image.

Perhaps this can give you some inspiration for some building-types and layout-stuff for different areas.

[Snyder 10]

Red Dawn 2 is the PLA..

[icebreakr 3157]

Exactly, ACE2 :)

[topas 1]

Good to read that such project is born!

If you ever shall be needing some texture help - I'll gladly help as much as possible at given moment

One question though;

USofA is a big country; and with a diversified landscape too. Wonder if it's gonna be more like some Utah / Nevada regions (desert/rocks), maybe lush, like woods of North Carolina or something like rural Iowa?

[Fox '09 14]

Good to read that such project is born!

If you ever shall be needing some texture help - I'll gladly help as much as possible at given moment

One question though;

USofA is a big country; and with a diversified landscape too. Wonder if it's gonna be more like some Utah / Nevada regions (desert/rocks), maybe lush, like woods of North Carolina or something like rural Iowa?

We were planning to start in a more rural area, and then move into areas like ft lauderdale / florida like areas. It's early, so we can't really tell where we are going. As for vegetation, we will see about that later.. buildings first.

I'll drop you a PM when the models are ready, and send you files if you'd like to texture them :)

Don´t know if its helpful, but here are some links from typical US-based "World in Conflict"-maps:

Dome

Farmland

Hometown

Liberty Island

Seaside

Spaceneedle

Xmas

You can preview some areas in larger images if you go with the cursor on the satellite-image.

Perhaps this can give you some inspiration for some building-types and layout-stuff for different areas.

Good idea. I'll keep these in mind. I also have the game so i could send pics of the buildings for my modelers to take a look at :)

emm ray243, are you actually aware how many hours of work are involved even in a town size of 20,000 population? A Month+!

Now do the math for NY. Not to mention that it would be unplayable for most of the players due to all the polys. Well at least with a lot of detail... but we can still do NY in terms of "flight simulator" detail :)

yeah, look at rockstar's GTA IV.. the amount of work they put into re-creating new york is overwhelming.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Fox '09

[WillaCHilla 10]

Good idea. I'll keep these in mind. I also have the game so i could send pics of the buildings for my modelers to take a look at

If you need help with pics drop a pm.-The game needs one installation. I could do some @ weekend.

[ebanks129 10]

Maybe someday I'd like to contribute to a White Sands, NM terrain map to the team:)

[bushlurker 46]

Theres a dead basic but really informative buildings modelling tutorial HERE...

It's originally for OFP but these basic core concepts have hardly changed at all.. it covers interior walls, roadway LODs to enable the AI to move around effectively inside, roofs, ladders... all the good stuff...

What it doesn't cover is the recent additions, like materials, etc...

Still... worth a look...

B

[Fox '09 14]

I'll check that out, seems useful. As for materials, that's like windows? or wood.. so bullets can pass through the structure..?

[bushlurker 46]

As for materials, that's like windows? or wood.. so bullets can pass through the structure..?

sortof... I meant the whole textures and .rvmats thing which IS different from OFP... but the different LODs etc from that tutorial all still applies....

I'm no modeller myself, but I think "fire geometry" LOD handles bullet penetration, Geometry LOD is for whether you bump into it or not, Roadway lod is AI pathways, etc - all of those are much the same as OFP... when it comes to texturing however, Arma 2 uses a more complex texture/rvmat (materials) combination which isn't covered by that tutorial...

B

Edited June 10, 2010 by Bushlurker

[Fox '09 14]

ah okay.

here is a preview pics of the misc objects by Socram,

http://content.screencast.com/users/Socram484/folders/Jing/media/3544dd0b-ca2a-4278-86d1-ddba956a0a19/ARMA%20signs.png

[Kristian 47]

Very nice and smooth looking models there :)