Bridge Commander Central
BC Forums => BC Bridge Modding => Topic started by: Nx-809 on February 26, 2011, 02:37:44 PM
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After extensive research in recent times have finally succeeded!! importing a complete model set from elite force/EF2 in 3d max :D of course, like almost all imports ,there is some problem like a double face , some pannel disappeared , ecc. currently, I import a sov bridge(with captain and observatory room) sov engine, dallas bridge, klingon bridge (from EF1 scavenger base). with a bit of work I hope to be able to import them into bridge commander.
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Frakkin' sweet!
It looks like the objects have remained separate, so that should make things a little easier when it comes to tecturing them again. I assume the EFI/II brushes, or whatever the textures are called in that engine, didn't transfer?
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whatever the textures are called in that engine
EF2 uses .dds textures :)
I'm very excited about this project, I've always wanted to see the EF2 Sovereign bridge in BC. Best of luck to you. :D
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Depending on the method of conversion, the texture co-ordinates should still be available on each brush. You would need to point the Max path to the correct folder and I think it would be ideal if the .dds texture files were converted to another format (makes it easier to work with) :)
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Sweet mother of mercy thats a helluva an achievement!
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Congratulations. Your work is very important because is a start point for all that, like me and other more good and talentous people, are working in new interiors to our ships and beyond. The new bridges are awesome, but all of us want wallk in another sets. Keep the good working and "remenber risk is our business" :)
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thank's :D you could also import a planet surface(like lurok planet bridge).. borg interiror..ecc
Frakkin' sweet
It looks like the objects have remained separate, so that should make things a little easier when it comes to tecturing them again. I assume the EFI/II brushes, or whatever the textures are called in that engine, didn't transfer?
unfortunately the import loose the uvmap!
converting format .dds to .tga it's not a big problem! :thumbsup:
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Impressed with your patience :) Experimented myself with imports but having seen results decided not worth doing. But good for you for continuing and best of luck :thumbsup: Be interesting to see further developments. Oh, and hopefully still on-topic, just curious why so many people seem to prefer the EF2 Sov bridge over the BC one?
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just curious why so many people seem to prefer the EF2 Sov bridge over the BC one?
For me 90% of it just seems to be better quality model-wise, though I personally would swap out the chairs for the one's 3E experimented with in that "high poly bridge test", and the captains chair on the FC Excelsior bridge...
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On the texture co-ordinates issue, as far as I'm aware GTK still has the brush export tool available (can export to .obj). This keeps the texture co-ordinates meaning you wouldn't have to uv everything over again.
For example:
(http://i2.bebo.com/049b/3/large/2009/06/28/13/4040126396a11120662766l.jpg)
(http://i2.bebo.com/049b/3/large/2009/06/28/13/4040126396a11120662733l.jpg)
(http://i2.bebo.com/049b/3/large/2009/06/28/13/4040126396a11120662797l.jpg)
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On the texture co-ordinates issue, as far as I'm aware GTK still has the brush export tool available (can export to .obj). This keeps the texture co-ordinates meaning you wouldn't have to uv everything over again.
I have no idea how it works! :eek
I read on the EF2files site GTKradiant work only with EF1!r
wow! are your model or imported??
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To answer Lurok's question, the BC bridge is very innacurate, far too narrow and small. The EFII bridge is much closer to the real set's dimensions and proportions.
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the BC bridge is very innacurate, far too narrow and small. The EFII bridge is much closer to the real set's dimensions and proportions.
For me 90% of it just seems to be better quality model-wise, though I personally would swap out the chairs for the one's 3E experimented with in that "high poly bridge test", and the captains chair on the FC Excelsior bridge...
Ashamed to say never really noticed before or cared :facepalm: Knew wasn't perfect facsimile but few bridges are. But you guys right: EF2 Sov bridge far more accurate. Although agree with Nero that chairs need redoing/replacing. And the textures and lcars esp will need an overhaul.
Guess it's down to NX-809 now, but with the new DJ/WC Sov ship models due soon probably about time we had a new bridge too :D
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thank's guys :D!!
the sovereign bridge is going slowly because there are parts to rebuild!
I imported some other sections of the sovereign!
i post a picture of the Dallas bridge I have reuwmap some of the walls !
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I have no idea how it works! :eek
I read on the EF2files site GTKradiant work only with EF1!r
wow! are your model or imported??
Ah, I forgot that GTKRadiant may only work with EF1, not used it in a long time so can't remember. The images above were originally part of my VoyagerRPG map for EF1. There are three ways that I can remember using to convert the .map files to something Max could read, 1. Using the .obj exported in GTK Radiant that I mentioned before, 2. Pretty sure I was able to convert the map to .obj using qmap2 with a GUI and 3. was using an old program that could read a wide range of model and map formats (forget the name unfortunately) but I was able to read in the .map files and convert to .obj. All of these methods retained the UV data.
The images above are direct imports into Max, which I placed the textures on and rendered in Max itself. There is alot of cleanup required with importing EF1/EF2 data so I commend you on your efforts. Though, I think even with the cleanup, some of the models would need to be rebuilt for canon purposes.
e.g. if you compare the Intrepid Viewscreen etc to the actual show dimensions, it's off massively XD
(http://i2.bebo.com/052b/7/large/2011/03/03/22/4040126396a12892048352l.jpg)
EDIT: The name of the program that can open .map files is Deep Exploration by Right Hemisphere. I'm pretty sure the program was easy enough to use :)
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There are three ways that I can remember using to convert the .map files to something Max could read, 1. Using the .obj exported in GTK Radiant that I mentioned before, 2. Pretty sure I was able to convert the map to .obj using qmap2 with a GUI and 3. was using an old program that could read a wide range of model and map formats (forget the name unfortunately) but I was able to read in the .map files and convert to .obj. All of these methods retained the UV data. The name of the program that can open .map files is Deep Exploration by Right Hemisphere. I'm pretty sure the program was easy enough to use :)
Thank's AdmiralKathryn! I tried all 3 methods of importation that you told me But I found the following problems:
method 1: in GTK radiant i don't found the .obj exporter in plugin section.
method 2: in qmap2 give me an error and i don't found the qmap2 with GUI
method 3: i found " deep exploration" and installed but when I go to open the files. map you can see only vague shapes or anything.
you have already used these programs? could you give me a hand :angel ?
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I'll be online later on and should be able to have a look :)
Edit:
This is the most accurate method I could come up with that keeps intact all .map structures/models etc as well as texture co-ordinates. When importing into max, all you need to do is point the materials to the correct texture files and you have your basic materials.
Basically, I used q3maptoolz (q3map2 GUI) to convert the .map file to .ase. I then imported this file into Deep Exploration and used that program to convert into .obj for import into Max. Apparantly this was the method I used in the screenshots above and it keeps all map patch brushes, models and the texture co-ordinates for everything too.
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This is the most accurate method I could come up with that keeps intact all .map structures/models etc as well as texture co-ordinates. When importing into max, all you need to do is point the materials to the correct texture files and you have your basic materials.
Basically, I used q3maptoolz (q3map2 GUI) to convert the .map file to .ase. I then imported this file into Deep Exploration and used that program to convert into .obj for import into Max. Apparantly this was the method I used in the screenshots above and it keeps all map patch brushes, models and the texture co-ordinates for everything too.
ok i tried and this work only for EF1!
Q3map2 don't convert EF2 .bsp or .map in .ase
UberRadiant have a plugin section but is empty. I downloaded the plugins for gtk radiant for export in .obj but I have no idea how to install..should also work for uber radiant!
For now an update
i rebuild some walls and uvmap most of the model!
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Good work there, NX :)
I did manage to export from EF2 ok, but as I mentioned before didn't like these results so abandoned and sadly have deleted all exporters from pc :facepalm:
But hope these links might help:
http://www.katsbits.com/tutorials/idtech/make-models-from-bsp-maps-or-brushes-advanced.php (http://www.katsbits.com/tutorials/idtech/make-models-from-bsp-maps-or-brushes-advanced.php)
https://sites.google.com/site/chongleevoxels/howtoexportq3map (https://sites.google.com/site/chongleevoxels/howtoexportq3map)
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Good work there, NX :)
I did manage to export from EF2 ok, but as I mentioned before didn't like these results so abandoned and sadly have deleted all exporters from pc :facepalm:
But hope these links might help:
http://www.katsbits.com/tutorials/idtech/make-models-from-bsp-maps-or-brushes-advanced.php (http://www.katsbits.com/tutorials/idtech/make-models-from-bsp-maps-or-brushes-advanced.php)
https://sites.google.com/site/chongleevoxels/howtoexportq3map (https://sites.google.com/site/chongleevoxels/howtoexportq3map)
thank you lurok! :P
but I am not mistaken that the procedures for converting models! with EF1 q3map2 work and are easy to import to 3d max!
these problems with EF2 are:
1 - uber radiant and gtk radiant: no plugin section (see picture1)
2 - q3map2 with GUI and Without GUI give me an error converting EF2.bsp
EF2 bsp are too new and q3map2 is too old!
for now my method is the best choice!
update from sovbridge
-added chairs and console
- for lcars i have to choose between the original EF2 or change with another.
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Reckon you're right there which is probably reason why abandoned my attempts, lol :)
- for lcars i have to choose between the original EF2 or change with another.
From what I remember of ef2 bridge not very canon so would change. I think the lcars that come with the SovereignAdvanced bridge are pretty good and look better.
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From what I remember of ef2 bridge not very canon so would change. I think the lcars that come with the SovereignAdvanced bridge are pretty good and look better.
Comparing those to the EF2 LCARS, it looks like the 3E Sovereign LCARS were adapted from the EF2 ones and should be easily compatible with the EF2 bridge.
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some update picture
it's good with adv sov lcars :P ??
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it's good with adv sov lcars :P ??
I'd definitely say so. :)
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*salivates*
must say looking forward to this, even more than own bridges, lol :)
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Small update:
exported bridge from max9 and imported in max 3.
try to get lightmap with a tool directly in max 3!
I have tested the model ingame for verify if bc crash... :facepalm:
but works great :yay:
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Good news! :yay:
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Good Great news! :yay:
:dontcare: Seriously, I love the idea of this project. Any bridge projects really, but especially this one. Words cannot describe how amazing it is to see heavy interest in bridge projects again. With you and Lurok on the scene, things are shaping up to be something special in BC's future. :thumbsup: Now if only I could actually put enough time aside to get back on the SoasE project, as well as a couple of others... But damn if you guys don't inspire me! :funny Have a cookie, mate.
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:dontcare: Seriously, I love the idea of this project. Any bridge projects really, but especially this one. Words cannot describe how amazing it is to see heavy interest in bridge projects again. With you and Lurok on the scene, things are shaping up to be something special in BC's future. :thumbsup: Now if only I could actually put enough time aside to get back on the SoasE project, as well as a couple of others... But damn if you guys don't inspire me! :funny Have a cookie, mate.
Thank's Villain :D one day we will see your stargazer bridge ingame :thumbsup:
A picture sov-ingame
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Hell yes dude! Awesome!
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Looks like it comes complete with the Joystick! LOL Like it! :)
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more pictures :D
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A picture sov-ingame
wow! i would have never thought id see the day!
impressive :thumbsup: :)
more pictures :D
yes please :D
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wow! i would have never thought id see the day!
impressive :thumbsup: :)yes please :D
oook More Picture :)
But this model ingame is my test model for set the characters location for now stock animation work fine! i know some textures are not loaded and no lightmaps! only self illumination and various spot light
observatory lounge is w.i.p and now i have 2 question:
1.I do not understand how to put red alert with redbar blinking ?
2 add a 2 viewscreen looking towards the rear of the ship for observatory?? is possible?
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1.I do not understand how to put red alert with redbar blinking ?
2 add a 2 viewscreen looking towards the rear of the ship for observatory?? is possible?
Question 1 - set up the bridge as green alert and in the plug you can specify which textures to swap under yellow and red alerts.
Unfortunatly at this time (when I did the refit bridge) you can not swap animated IFL maps.
Question 2 - As far as I know any hole is a looking outside the ship but won't have the Hud overlayed.
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From what I understood, having two viewscreens wasn't possible. Though as you currently have it it certainly looks fantastic. Ought to help give a little more feel and scale. :thumbsup:
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure if you put a viewscreen in the back, the engine will try to "stretch" the picture across all the viewscreen models present, and it will result in mega-distortion, and, since the player's viewpoint is between the screens (and the engine will try to stretch a 2D image through 3D), possibly a crash.
Still, try it, perhaps if the second screen is totally out of the player's field of view (as they would be, being diametrically opposed to one another) most of the time, it'll work, though I'm not convinced.
Perhaps some script could be devised so that when you're in the observation lounge, or on the bridge looking backward while the doors are open, the viewscreen model could be hotswapped to the skybox model to envelope the nacelles? Has anyone ever explored that idea?
Worst comes to worst, you could sling a box of stars around the nacelles and the Observation Lounge windows (on closer inspection, it appears you have already done that).
Another, more constructive suggestion is that you swap out the nacelles for some higher quality nacelles from one of the newer Sovs around.
I see you have scaled the model to the stock Bridge's floor plan. This highlights how dinky the old Ebridge was, as a more properly proportioned model now makes the NPCs look like giants!
Excellent work! It's a joy to see that bridge finally done justice in BC. And the Obs lounge is simply awesome.
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure if you put a viewscreen in the back, the engine will try to "stretch" the picture across all the viewscreen models present, and it will result in mega-distortion, and, since the player's viewpoint is between the screens (and the engine will try to stretch a 2D image through 3D), possibly a crash.
Still, try it, perhaps if the second screen is totally out of the player's field of view (as they would be, being diametrically opposed to one another) most of the time, it'll work, though I'm not convinced.
Perhaps some script could be devised so that when you're in the observation lounge, or on the bridge looking backward while the doors are open, the viewscreen model could be hotswapped to the skybox model to envelope the nacelles? Has anyone ever explored that idea?
Worst comes to worst, you could sling a box of stars around the nacelles and the Observation Lounge windows (on closer inspection, it appears you have already done that).
Another, more constructive suggestion is that you swap out the nacelles for some higher quality nacelles from one of the newer Sovs around.
I see you have scaled the model to the stock Bridge's floor plan. This highlights how dinky the old Ebridge was, as a more properly proportioned model now makes the NPCs look like giants!
Excellent work! It's a joy to see that bridge finally done justice in BC. And the Obs lounge is simply awesome.
Uhm Bren...those look like CG's nacelles LOL
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yes is an image in observatory, it's a CG sov render in 3dmax!
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yes is an image in observatory, it's a CG sov render in 3dmax!
I think that will work beautifully. Have a cookie.
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Uhm Bren...those look like CG's nacelles LOL
:eek
Statement retracted! I honestly thought they were modelled out there - I had forgotten that they were 3d skyboxed into the scene in EFII anyway!
*looks at screenshot again*
NOW I GET IT! The pixelation on the bussard frames made me think they were the low-res nacelles from EFII.
Apologies.
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*Looks at BC Bridge Modding topic for the first time in over 6 months*
Well, this is an interesting development! If you manage to pull off that lounge window to show the ship and skybox, you'd have done something many of us have only dreamed about! I'll be watching this thread for sure! ;)
And sorry for being unable to help. I'm a lover, not a fighter a modeler, not a scripter. :P
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Excellent work?. With regard to use two viewscreens, as far I know, the bridge scripts allows only one. That is the reason that my little project to create bridge sets that has its viewscreens (my sovereign ready room by example, and after the lounge room). Of course you can try with a generic star field but, for me, don?t match with the view from the space set that you have in the main viewscreen in the main bridge. Meanwhile (because in BC all we know that all is posible if we like it so) would be aceptable the generic star field, so give it a try. Good luck my friend and keep the good working. :yay:
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thank's fraher! :D
no update for sovbridge!
i study the method how did they put redbar in previous bridge (like intrepid or 3rd era sov)
the redbar work with tga alpha and gamma!
i found this thread at niftools forum http://niftools.sourceforge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=845&start=60
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I was just about to jump in and say its all down to the grouping, but looks like my 19 year old self did that already :P
Best bet is to load up one of the stock bridges in MPE and you will get a pretty good idea of the groups you could use, they dont necessarily work as you might expect but you will figure it out. The combination of these groups and map swapping with bridge plugin can be quite potent.
Edit: Also, I have some replacement furniture for the Sovereign bridge which was donated by an EF2 modder called TiM I think, if you are interested I can send them over.
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I was just about to jump in and say its all down to the grouping, but looks like my 19 year old self did that already :P
Best bet is to load up one of the stock bridges in MPE and you will get a pretty good idea of the groups you could use, they dont necessarily work as you might expect but you will figure it out. The combination of these groups and map swapping with bridge plugin can be quite potent.
Edit: Also, I have some replacement furniture for the Sovereign bridge which was donated by an EF2 modder called TiM I think, if you are interested I can send them over.
mmmm interesting :) what kind of replacements ??
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It will be really selfish of me but i'll say : send those over no matter what :P
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mmmm interesting :) what kind of replacements ??
Just replacement chairs:
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They look far better than originals :thumbsup:
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oook mark :P send me the replacement :thumbsup:
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OK, just sent them to the email address on your profile.
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Thank's Mark! :thumbsup:
Now I'm going on vacation for a week :angel!
The Sov Bridge Project is on hold , it will resume upon my return :thumbsup:
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Im back guys!!
update: change the original chairs with the tim chairs (thank's to mark :))
correct some part.
i delete the observatory lounge for rebuild totaly from scrath.
but first i tried to add the sky box with "fisical nacelle" and when i stand up from the captain chair the game freeze! :facepalm: ni
some picture in nifskope
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Stunning work! I can't wait to get my hands on it! :D
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searching in the BC SDK for make red alert blink i found this:
Bridge Models:
Bridge models were built and textured in Max 3.1, much the same way as the ship models were. They were then brought into Lightscape (an architectural rendering program), which has a radiosity renderer that Max lacks. We were able to apply more realistic lighting than in Max, which allowed getting good vertex coloring and (with some specialized tools) generate light maps to be applied across sections of the model (floor map, wall maps, roof map, etc.). Theoretically you could use this to "bake" shadows into the existing texture maps, but this tends to make for large maps where you would be better off tiling a small map with a shadow pass separate. When bringing models into Lightscape, the bridge models had to be completely "bulletproof". That means no double faces, un-welded vertices, etc. Lightscape always seemed to find these glitches and magnify them since it tesselates the mesh when it renders and would produce some unpleasant results. It was not the most streamlined process, but the final results looked good. Many small and somewhat throw away tools were designed for solving minor problems on each of the bridges that looking back don't make sense to release. These tools had to do with the fact that Lightscape doesn't preserve the hierarchy of the Max model, and so we had to make a tool that took the heirarchy of a non-Lightscaped model and graft it onto the Lightscaped model exported as a hierarcy-less .nif file. There are also special organization issues and naming issues needed to get the lightmaps to dim and brighten for red alert lighting, as well as other maps to glow and flash (red wall lights).
I have Lightscape and I'm trying to create the lightmaps from this program
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in Max 3.1 it was basically a case of texturing the objects correctly (alpha channels were a bit of a pain to set up if I remember since it was tetchy), and then putting everything in the right groups.
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After so much time here I am at work on the import of the sov bridge!
my real life has taken me so long but sometime i continue my work!
Studyng a method for make a blinking red alert bar for sov bridge because I can not figure out how to put parts of the model in the right group, gave me an idea and luroks works inspired me :P
I tried using the prometheus TMP bridge and the result is this:
this is only a test! the black parts is no lightmapped caused for the importation in 3d max!
if it works I'll make a tutorial :P
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So how did you create that effect? The only way I've got flashing red alerts is using mapswap in the bridge autoload script.
As for changing bridge state on red alert, that's quite easy: in max3, creat two dummy helpers, Normal and Gamma. Link objects in mesh you want to darken at red alert to Normal dummy. Then link the Normal dummy to Gamma. When you export nif, you'll find red alert change objects sub-grouped under Gamma/Normal and these are elements that will darken when you go to red alert.
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So how did you create that effect? The only way I've got flashing red alerts is using mapswap in the bridge autoload script.
As for changing bridge state on red alert, that's quite easy: in max3, creat two dummy helpers, Normal and Gamma. Link objects in mesh you want to darken at red alert to Normal dummy. Then link the Normal dummy to Gamma. When you export nif, you'll find red alert change objects sub-grouped under Gamma/Normal and these are elements that will darken when you go to red alert.
:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: Thanks a lot ;) i create a dummy but for link objects where is the menu in max 3?
as you know map swap don't support animated ifl-tga but only single tga for state (green - yellow - red)
but work with opacity(alpha channel)
I added a second wall behind the main map with red alert animation
and I changed the alpha channel in the main map so that when the green status you not see the red alert animation but switching in the red state you see the animation!
| <-map swap with opacity |<-red alert animation
i know it's a stupid trick but for tmp bridge work perfectly!
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simple but not stupid! Must give that a try....
Here's a link that explains linking and shows buttons etc...
http://www.3dmax-tutorials.com/idh_tb_link.html (http://www.3dmax-tutorials.com/idh_tb_link.html)