I've noticed a few posts about unit selection radius and how its often off. I would like to give you some info on what to do about this in 3d studio max:
I would also like to explain to newbe modelers what to do if you want to add a turretZ attachment.
This is using the .m3 scripts avaible on sc2mapster:
A few things we learned the hard way:
-For the bounding sphere to work properly, so your selection radius isn't screwed up, you need to first create the bounding sphere, and then link it to the mesh, if you do not link it the bounding sphere will not actually be applied.
-Attachments: Be sure to link all attachemnts, besides TurretZ, to the mesh. I have noticed a weird model attachment "sliding" issue with attachments that are not linked to the mesh. Also make sure all attachemnts are oriented vertical (unless you have something else in mind). They are a pyramid shape and the point is the direction the attachement is facing. Otherwise you get to use explicit rotation actors.
-TurretZ attachment: You need to use the name, whereever it has a field: "Ref_TurretZ". If is not this exact name the turret Z will not work. Also, like the other attachments, make sure the TurretZ is oriented with the point facing "up" (unless you do something else), otherwise your brain will rotate 90 degrees to the side in your head. Also, for any part of the model that rotates about the turretZ attachment: you need to link all attachments, and meshes to the TurretZ attachement. Otherwise funny stuff starts happening.
-Model Latency In-Game: Due to the nature of the SC2 graphics engine (Ie it being fairly shitty) any overlapping or intersecting geometry will cause an inordinate amount of memory leaks. Those, of course, cause the game to lag. So it is important to make sure that either all your geometry is one object or multiple objects that do not overlap or touch or intersect.
Thats about it for the critical parts. Theres other stuff we've learned but most of us novices have already figured out how to fix.
If anyone else has any more tips I personally would be more than happy to read them!
I have actually no idea about 3D modeling and everything, but this is really nice information, and after reading it I have some questions (which are actually more about the game part than about the actual modeling part, and probably already answered a lot of times in this forum, but I'll still ask):
Is there an easily reproducable (even for someone unexperienced) way to add additional attachment points to extracted SC2 models? Does this also work for Turret Z attachments? Lets say I want to split a marine in half so his upper body part works like a turret. Is this possible to do with already existing models? Or would it be very stressful to do something like this?
How do animations with Turret Z models work? Lets say I use a goliath. If I want to use the general attack animation, it only uses the upper part of the goliath. The walk animation only uses the lower part. The actor/model/game/whatever realizes that and it is possible that both animations run independently at the same time. Is it hard to set up animations like that? Or is this the default way of 3D-models handeling animations? I have so little clue about 3D-modeling :/ It's a shame.
Any observations concerning graphical perfomance of the models? What affects it? Are there any ways to reduce model computational height without changing the amount of surfaces?
Well, the nature of my question is to apply to your experience in model creating. You're making models to increase your map's perfomance, right? So, if you create like 50 of your new cruisers made in 3d max, and look at them within one screen, and then you create 50 of your old cruisers, made of attached models, and look at them within one screen, you can realize the difference in fps between these models. Probably, your new cruiser will work faster.
But you may try to compare your model and usual sc2 model like thor or something else, and it may be interetsing for you, you my ask yourself a question, how to decrease the amount of fps, consumed by 3d max made models. So, maybe you answered this question yet, and that's why I'm asking.
Hey all
I've noticed a few posts about unit selection radius and how its often off. I would like to give you some info on what to do about this in 3d studio max:
I would also like to explain to newbe modelers what to do if you want to add a turretZ attachment.
This is using the .m3 scripts avaible on sc2mapster:
A few things we learned the hard way: -For the bounding sphere to work properly, so your selection radius isn't screwed up, you need to first create the bounding sphere, and then link it to the mesh, if you do not link it the bounding sphere will not actually be applied.
-Attachments: Be sure to link all attachemnts, besides TurretZ, to the mesh. I have noticed a weird model attachment "sliding" issue with attachments that are not linked to the mesh. Also make sure all attachemnts are oriented vertical (unless you have something else in mind). They are a pyramid shape and the point is the direction the attachement is facing. Otherwise you get to use explicit rotation actors.
-TurretZ attachment: You need to use the name, whereever it has a field: "Ref_TurretZ". If is not this exact name the turret Z will not work. Also, like the other attachments, make sure the TurretZ is oriented with the point facing "up" (unless you do something else), otherwise your brain will rotate 90 degrees to the side in your head. Also, for any part of the model that rotates about the turretZ attachment: you need to link all attachments, and meshes to the TurretZ attachement. Otherwise funny stuff starts happening.
-Model Latency In-Game: Due to the nature of the SC2 graphics engine (Ie it being fairly shitty) any overlapping or intersecting geometry will cause an inordinate amount of memory leaks. Those, of course, cause the game to lag. So it is important to make sure that either all your geometry is one object or multiple objects that do not overlap or touch or intersect.
Thats about it for the critical parts. Theres other stuff we've learned but most of us novices have already figured out how to fix.
If anyone else has any more tips I personally would be more than happy to read them!
I have actually no idea about 3D modeling and everything, but this is really nice information, and after reading it I have some questions (which are actually more about the game part than about the actual modeling part, and probably already answered a lot of times in this forum, but I'll still ask):
@Bommes: Go
Adding attachment points is *fairly simple* in 3ds. Beyond that you start working with bones. There are plenty of tutorials but we are not there yet.
And as far as animations, we are still learning those too so... ya.
I'm not much father along than you are frankly.
Any observations concerning graphical perfomance of the models? What affects it? Are there any ways to reduce model computational height without changing the amount of surfaces?
@Zolden: Go
I'm not sure of the nature of your last question but I'll modify the post above with what I do know.
Well, the nature of my question is to apply to your experience in model creating. You're making models to increase your map's perfomance, right? So, if you create like 50 of your new cruisers made in 3d max, and look at them within one screen, and then you create 50 of your old cruisers, made of attached models, and look at them within one screen, you can realize the difference in fps between these models. Probably, your new cruiser will work faster.
But you may try to compare your model and usual sc2 model like thor or something else, and it may be interetsing for you, you my ask yourself a question, how to decrease the amount of fps, consumed by 3d max made models. So, maybe you answered this question yet, and that's why I'm asking.
If you are talking about editing sc2 models you have 2 choices:
-Lower the texture resolution of the texture. Normally it is 1024x1024 pixels.
-Redo the geometry such that there are no overlaps, especially during animations.