acer1961

:( My god man, no need to get like that.

Oh come on Rocket, it doesn't answer the question at all. You know better than that. To use an analogy to describe the answer you gave above. Someone asks "What is 2 + 2" Your answer would be "You shouldn't be asking that question , you need to know what is 3 + 3" and then you claim you answered the guys question.

Actually his question was how to convert the MDL format into something usefull for O2. So if you are referring to the OP telling him to make the model himself doesn't actually answer his question. "I'm not familiar with 3D programs (besides O2) so i'm stuck on how i could get .mdl format models into O2 (.p3d)."

That sure hasn't been my experience at all. I have found that if you get decent polygon models, i.e. under 25k , you can create some amazing work with very little effort to get it into O2. Remember again, the work you do in O2 is there regardless of the origin of the models. ---------- Post added at 01:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 AM ---------- Franze: How many models have you ripped from another game and put into O2

Dangerous to whom. If the person fails using a 3dripper , then so be it. I think perhaps dangerous is too strong a word. I probably should have told folks this before, but this isn't my 'regular' name on the forums. I have released a number of addons to the community. ALL using 3dripper. When I started to see the 'flavour' of this thread and others about ripping , I figured I didn't want to post under my regular. BTW, I got permission from every author's work I used. I had actually done a bunch that I could not get permission for. I can see what you didn't like 3dripper if using Vista and DX10. That is why I mostly use FS2004 models, less things to deal with.

No one is saying it doesn't happen but again you are the exception rather than the rule.

But you are the exception rather than the rule. If we only allowed original work and not rips (of course with permission) there would be a fair number of mods that we wouldn't get at all. I appreciate the work you do, but don't begrudge others for ripping and importing. As someone else said in this thread, if you don't like rippers then don't download and play their mods.

I agree some do that. MOST don't. If we try and limit people to only creating models from scratch instead of converting a lot of addons don't get made and we don't enjoy them. And make no mistake some people are trying to limit this by their 'attitudes' towards converting and indictating that the only 'real' way of doing it is from scratch.

Now seriously how many people do you think will actually do that , instead of making some pretty decent mods for Arma/Arma2

No one is saying or suggesting taking models without permission. You must ALWAYS get permission. I am not sure why people think you gain MORE by doing the whole model yourself. There are a ton of models that can be converted into p3d and would be far less work than making them from scratch. Remember all the stuff in the .cfg files, and in O2 has to be done regardless of method, so you don't save any work that way. What you save is getting the .3ds file for importing into O2.

What are you talking about. I think you would be VERY surprised how many addons in this community are RIPPED.

That is the version I use most often, I am wondering, did select the proper FOV when you imported.

Which version of 3dripper did you use, it sounds like an early version which did not detect the FOV properly or not at all.

Everything you mentioned has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with importing from FSX/FS2004 into Arma. Those jobs need to be done regardless of methods Yes, the addons will work properly , the UH1 that I imported worked as good as any addon created so far that I have seen , including your Maul. It started out as a 27,500 poly model, with 4 textures, when I was done , it was 12,220 polys with 4 textures and according to PerfHud , it was performing as good or better than anything already in the game. You seem to think that YOUR way is the ONLY way because it works for YOU. There are other ways that work just as well. Your assumptions are based on a highly subjective assessment of "its working RIGHT". Open your mind to other ways of doing things.

I don't go from 60,000 polys, most of the models I have captured in 3dripperdx are under 25,000 to begin with and are usually around 4 textures because I pick the model itself carefully, plus I capture more models from FS2004 instead of FSX for this reason. I have also used this program for poly reduction with excellent results (it sure helps to work in the 3d field and get good deals on plugins) http://www.mootools.com/plugins/us/polygoncruncher/index.asp It has some excellent options to virtually eliminate texture problems after reduction , such as maintain texture boundries so that you don't cut off textures. keep border vertices etc. Oh btw, there is no need to get sarcastic, we are having a nice discussion about this stuff , don't ruin it by getting all high and mighty.

When I do a model for Arma, I make sure that the model has less than 15000 polys and 4 or less textures. I agree that some FSX, FS2004 models have a ton of textures. I also use PERFHUD from Nvidia to look at how the model is performing. I guess what I am saying is that it is 'easy' to get a good model from FSX/FS2004 into O2 and have decent performance in Arma if you are carefull. For example the UH1 Huey I worked on some time ago, was very good...unfort I could not get the permission of the author to release it.

I should have made note that I was referring to 3ds Max when I said the weld command. It allows you to weld vertices that are close together , in this example .001 meters of each other. @Rocket: I should have also detailed the full thing that I do. I break up the model by textures (actually by sub materials). This prevents things being welded that shouldn't be welded and allows each 'object' to have only 1 material (texture) per object. There is a max script that you can download that populates the material editor , making each texture a seperate sub material of one single multimaterial. I have taken FSX (also FS2004) models that were over 20,000 polys down to under 15 using this method along with multires and no noticeable loss of resolution. BTW, when I say it is easy, I mean that you can get the model ready for Oxygen in a matter of minutes, including having all your materials ready , decently reduced polys, and the shadow lod ready as well. Of course the work required inside O2 will need to be done regardless of method and nothing will change that. The "easy" part is making the model ready for O2. Also, I tested a model I made for FSX, checked the polys on source and after captures, they are exactly the same. Remember I capture the model from the main screen not INGAME, not sure if this will make a big difference or not.

MR Misty, A guy by the name of Mustang60348 created a series of video tutorials for Arma and O2. Have a look at those perhaps they might help http://forum.armedassault.info/index.php?showtopic=69&pid=47203&mode=threaded&start=#entry47203 Here is a start

The UH1Y has 17,770 Osprey 17,258 LHA 112,058

No CheyenneAH used 3dripperdx I believe. Plus if you want to convert any of those to .3ds for example, I can do that for you. I can also export OBJ files and the you should be able to find a bunch of converters for other formats from both .3ds and Obj. Remember O2 imports .3ds files

3dripperdx is a very good way to go IF you have FS and 3ds Max of course. It is simple to do and you don't lose anything in the process.

Think of Alpha channels just like you would a stencil in real life. The 100% black parts are the holes in the stencil, the 100% white parts are the cardboard. When you have something between 100% and 100% white, say for example 50% black and white, this means the holes will be like putting something over the hole that you can partly see thru but not completely.

Alphasim actually gave permission for people to convert them into other games, so I am not sure why you are so negative about this.

OF course it does. It is still easy. You seem very negative about this method. Of course it assumes you have FS and Max. Is there are reason that you don't like this method because all your posts in this thread have been of a very negative nature.