I'm trying to figure out how to get a new character into the game. To start with I'm just trying to get the Spectre into a mod based off of the MP game units. So far I have figured it out , but I'm having a problem when I try and play the game.
The to get the art assets into the game, I export all of the textures and models from a campaign map using the editor. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right because it seems clumsy and buggy. From the data editor, I go to the models tab, select the model I want to export, then I scroll down to it's model file and press browse. From the launched window I right click and export. This is the buggy part. For some reason the extension ends with "..*" I can't save the file with or without that, the only way I can save a file is to save it as .txt and rename it later. Is there a better way to export files???
Then I import the un-changed models and textures into my mod and link them up to the model object, then the actor, and the unit. So far so good. Everything looks good in the import window, and all of the buttons look good. The model looks fine and textured in the previewer. I can even place the unit in the editor and it looks fine. However when I test the map and mod and create the unit, all that appears is a sphere halfway into the ground!
Is there something I didn't link up right? Did the files get messed up when I exported them as .txt and renamed them? The textures seem to import fine, but I can't open then in Photoshop with the latest .dds plugin, it says invalid file or something like that. The unit wire frame and build button are also just a solid color when viewed ingame.
I'm trying to figure out how to get a new character into the game. To start with I'm just trying to get the Spectre into a mod based off of the MP game units. So far I have figured it out , but I'm having a problem when I try and play the game.
The to get the art assets into the game, I export all of the textures and models from a campaign map using the editor. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right because it seems clumsy and buggy. From the data editor, I go to the models tab, select the model I want to export, then I scroll down to it's model file and press browse. From the launched window I right click and export. This is the buggy part. For some reason the extension ends with "..*" I can't save the file with or without that, the only way I can save a file is to save it as .txt and rename it later. Is there a better way to export files???
Then I import the un-changed models and textures into my mod and link them up to the model object, then the actor, and the unit. So far so good. Everything looks good in the import window, and all of the buttons look good. The model looks fine and textured in the previewer. I can even place the unit in the editor and it looks fine. However when I test the map and mod and create the unit, all that appears is a sphere halfway into the ground!
Is there something I didn't link up right? Did the files get messed up when I exported them as .txt and renamed them? The textures seem to import fine, but I can't open then in Photoshop with the latest .dds plugin, it says invalid file or something like that. The unit wire frame and build button are also just a solid color when viewed ingame.
Any Ideas?
Thanks.
Uh you aren't supposed to export them. All of the stuff is already in your map so long as you have the dependencies set right. If you want to change a unit's model or create a new one go to the actors tab. You can change models and other goodies there.
I don't want to add campaign dependencies to my mod because then it overrides all of the multiplayer units with campaign units. For example, researching stimpacks wouldn't work for a marine because it is researched differently for the campaign mode.
I would love to be able to read all of the campaign units, models, buttons, etc. without it overriding the multiplayer stuff. Is there a way to do that?
I also found out that the reason the .dds files aren't working in Photoshop is because the .dds plugin doesn't work with the 64 bit version... WTF?
I don't want to add campaign dependencies to my mod because then it overrides all of the multiplayer units with campaign units. For example, researching stimpacks wouldn't work for a marine because it is researched differently for the campaign mode.
I would love to be able to read all of the campaign units, models, buttons, etc. without it overriding the multiplayer stuff. Is there a way to do that?
I also found out that the reason the .dds files aren't working in Photoshop is because the .dds plugin doesn't work with the 64 bit version... WTF?
Yeah I know, no .dds support for photoshop sucks. can't make my own tilesets :(
And I'm pretty sure you can do some dependency voodoo and have it work the way you want, cant remember exactly how tho.
I am having the exact same problem, though my approach might be a bit differant. I'm trying to take a few models (specifically Swans Flame Turret, Betty or whatever) from the campaign for use in a map I am working on.
I can export the model okay, and when I import it everything APPEARS to be fine, but when I fire up the map I loose textures on the model, it just looks a purpley color.
I'll keep fumbling around and try to figure it out,
On a positive note I can tell you how to export models "cleaner"
1. Open previewer CTRL+SHIFT+V
2. Select the model you want to export
3. Than goto File > Export Model File...
4. Type in and name / select a location, and done!
EDIT For Update*
It appears if I exit completely out of the editor and than open my map, the textures in the editor are also missing. If I open up a campaign map, and than go back to mine they textures reappear. Like they are being cached or something...
Figured it out. Turns out models and textures are in fact seperate, the editor must have been doing some kind of texture cacheing just to make things more complicated. If you export/import the textures as well as the models it works perfectly. Also I read somewhere that you MUST restart the editor in order for any texture changes to take effect, so keep that in mind when importing new textures.
Anywho, this is what I did:
Open a campaign map (or a map with the campaign dependencies)
Hmmm. Well, I already knew about the textures being separate. I'm going to try extracting the textures with the MPQViewer and see if that is the problem.
For me all of the build icons and wireframe are solid color, and the model just shows up as a sphere. But that is only when testing in game, it all looks fine in the editor.
No luck. Maybe there is some flag I'm not setting? I'm stumped!
When I make the model objects, I use field values, copy from (Ghost in this case) And then I change the M3 file to the one I imported. Same with buttons. Is there some global option I'm missing? The textures and models are all in the same file structure as when they were in the MPQ file.
If things are okay in the map editor but not in game it's likely you have a campaign based map open at the same time, or had one open previously. The map editor seams to be less specific about where it gets it's assets from.
Try this:
Close all open maps (File > Close), repeat until you have nothing open
Exit the editor
Open the editor
Open your map (It should only have the 'Liberty' and 'Liberty Multi' dependencies)
If everything still looks okay, than your problem is differant than the one I was having, I was able to get my editor in sync with the game by doing this. If you ended up with funky (or completely missing) models/textures in the editor now, than it's likely your asset paths are incorrect.
I checked all of the dependencies, and I even tried moving my mod to the top of the map's dependencies list.
Here is a picture so you can see exactly the problem I'm having.
You can see in the editor window, the model looks fine but in the game window the model, portrait, and wireframe (also the build button) are messed up. They all look fine in the editor. I have had the problem you describe with the missing textures, but I fixed that when I imported the textures at the same time as the model.
I also tried loading up GIMP and made myself a simple icon following the tutorial on this site, again it looks fine in the editor, but is blank in the game.
The map I'm testing is just a standard multiplayer map that shipped with the game, all that is different is that I loaded my mod into the dependencies list. Does the mod have to be in a specific directory, or loaded in a specific way? I'm also using the test document button with the map loaded to test.
I did some experimenting and found out two interesting things.
First I made a new map with normal multiplayer dependencies. From there I modified the command center to add another liftoff button with my icon. I ran the game and it worked! Interesting, so I can get art into the game. I later tried with the Spectre's icon and that worked, too.
Another interesting thing was when I went back to my mod (It was already open, I just switched windows) The spectre unit I had placed in the map, pictured above had changed into the sphere that it looked like ingame! Defiantly some weirdness going on here.
So on a whim, I imported all of the spectre's textures and models into the map I made to test the buttons. I clicked on the spectre model and it was glowing like it was missing textures. "Hmmm It must be because I haven't saved yet..." Save, reselect and *boom* it is showing up in the viewer as the dreaded hemisphere of death! "WTF?" I repeat the process by removing all of the files, saving and re-importing, but this time it just stays like it doesn't have textures!
I tried resetting the map editor and reloading the map and behold the unit appeared fine in the previewer! So I closed the editor once again and opened my original map with the mod and the spectre unit is back to normal. -_- Everything is still messed up ingame mind you.
So to sum it up, it looks like there is something messed up when I import the assets into a MOD and then set the map's dependencies to include that mod, but if I import them directly to a map it appears as if it works. And THAT leads me to believe that I'm not applying the mod correctly...
Ah, yes. I'm am not using a mod, that explains the disconnect between our two issues.
I'm unsure how mods work, but your issue does appear to be in the games inability to find your model/textures. Try publishing your map to b.net and than running it online, see if that gives you differant results.
I had tried to upload the mod to Bnet and use that file with my map. It didn't help anything. I may try and upload the map, too but it seems like it would be a huge PITA to have to upload each time I want to test. Why did Blizzard have to go and ruin such extreme modding potential with this BS system for publishing maps and mods? Seriously, how did we EVER get by with going to a website and downloading them. Good they FIXED it and made it EASIER! *facepalm*
Looks like I'm still on the hunt for a solution to this problem.
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Hi everyone I'm new here :)
I'm trying to figure out how to get a new character into the game. To start with I'm just trying to get the Spectre into a mod based off of the MP game units. So far I have figured it out , but I'm having a problem when I try and play the game.
The to get the art assets into the game, I export all of the textures and models from a campaign map using the editor. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right because it seems clumsy and buggy. From the data editor, I go to the models tab, select the model I want to export, then I scroll down to it's model file and press browse. From the launched window I right click and export. This is the buggy part. For some reason the extension ends with "..*" I can't save the file with or without that, the only way I can save a file is to save it as .txt and rename it later. Is there a better way to export files???
Then I import the un-changed models and textures into my mod and link them up to the model object, then the actor, and the unit. So far so good. Everything looks good in the import window, and all of the buttons look good. The model looks fine and textured in the previewer. I can even place the unit in the editor and it looks fine. However when I test the map and mod and create the unit, all that appears is a sphere halfway into the ground!
Is there something I didn't link up right? Did the files get messed up when I exported them as .txt and renamed them? The textures seem to import fine, but I can't open then in Photoshop with the latest .dds plugin, it says invalid file or something like that. The unit wire frame and build button are also just a solid color when viewed ingame.
Any Ideas?
Thanks.
Uh you aren't supposed to export them. All of the stuff is already in your map so long as you have the dependencies set right. If you want to change a unit's model or create a new one go to the actors tab. You can change models and other goodies there.
I don't want to add campaign dependencies to my mod because then it overrides all of the multiplayer units with campaign units. For example, researching stimpacks wouldn't work for a marine because it is researched differently for the campaign mode.
I would love to be able to read all of the campaign units, models, buttons, etc. without it overriding the multiplayer stuff. Is there a way to do that?
I also found out that the reason the .dds files aren't working in Photoshop is because the .dds plugin doesn't work with the 64 bit version... WTF?
Yeah I know, no .dds support for photoshop sucks. can't make my own tilesets :(
And I'm pretty sure you can do some dependency voodoo and have it work the way you want, cant remember exactly how tho.
Hey,
I am having the exact same problem, though my approach might be a bit differant. I'm trying to take a few models (specifically Swans Flame Turret, Betty or whatever) from the campaign for use in a map I am working on.
I can export the model okay, and when I import it everything APPEARS to be fine, but when I fire up the map I loose textures on the model, it just looks a purpley color.
I'll keep fumbling around and try to figure it out,
On a positive note I can tell you how to export models "cleaner" 1. Open previewer CTRL+SHIFT+V 2. Select the model you want to export 3. Than goto File > Export Model File... 4. Type in and name / select a location, and done!
Woot,
Figured it out. Turns out models and textures are in fact seperate, the editor must have been doing some kind of texture cacheing just to make things more complicated. If you export/import the textures as well as the models it works perfectly. Also I read somewhere that you MUST restart the editor in order for any texture changes to take effect, so keep that in mind when importing new textures.
Anywho, this is what I did:
I copyed the path of my model and texture to match how they would appear in the campaign so
I'm not sure if step 6 is required, but I figure the texture paths are probably hardwired in the model.
Hmmm. Well, I already knew about the textures being separate. I'm going to try extracting the textures with the MPQViewer and see if that is the problem.
For me all of the build icons and wireframe are solid color, and the model just shows up as a sphere. But that is only when testing in game, it all looks fine in the editor.
No luck. Maybe there is some flag I'm not setting? I'm stumped!
When I make the model objects, I use field values, copy from (Ghost in this case) And then I change the M3 file to the one I imported. Same with buttons. Is there some global option I'm missing? The textures and models are all in the same file structure as when they were in the MPQ file.
If things are okay in the map editor but not in game it's likely you have a campaign based map open at the same time, or had one open previously. The map editor seams to be less specific about where it gets it's assets from.
Try this:
If everything still looks okay, than your problem is differant than the one I was having, I was able to get my editor in sync with the game by doing this. If you ended up with funky (or completely missing) models/textures in the editor now, than it's likely your asset paths are incorrect.
@Xenocide85: Go
Ugh, still no luck =/
I checked all of the dependencies, and I even tried moving my mod to the top of the map's dependencies list.
Here is a picture so you can see exactly the problem I'm having.
You can see in the editor window, the model looks fine but in the game window the model, portrait, and wireframe (also the build button) are messed up. They all look fine in the editor. I have had the problem you describe with the missing textures, but I fixed that when I imported the textures at the same time as the model.
I also tried loading up GIMP and made myself a simple icon following the tutorial on this site, again it looks fine in the editor, but is blank in the game.
The map I'm testing is just a standard multiplayer map that shipped with the game, all that is different is that I loaded my mod into the dependencies list. Does the mod have to be in a specific directory, or loaded in a specific way? I'm also using the test document button with the map loaded to test.
Thanks for all the help so far!
I did some experimenting and found out two interesting things.
First I made a new map with normal multiplayer dependencies. From there I modified the command center to add another liftoff button with my icon. I ran the game and it worked! Interesting, so I can get art into the game. I later tried with the Spectre's icon and that worked, too.
Another interesting thing was when I went back to my mod (It was already open, I just switched windows) The spectre unit I had placed in the map, pictured above had changed into the sphere that it looked like ingame! Defiantly some weirdness going on here.
So on a whim, I imported all of the spectre's textures and models into the map I made to test the buttons. I clicked on the spectre model and it was glowing like it was missing textures. "Hmmm It must be because I haven't saved yet..." Save, reselect and *boom* it is showing up in the viewer as the dreaded hemisphere of death! "WTF?" I repeat the process by removing all of the files, saving and re-importing, but this time it just stays like it doesn't have textures!
I tried resetting the map editor and reloading the map and behold the unit appeared fine in the previewer! So I closed the editor once again and opened my original map with the mod and the spectre unit is back to normal. -_- Everything is still messed up ingame mind you.
So to sum it up, it looks like there is something messed up when I import the assets into a MOD and then set the map's dependencies to include that mod, but if I import them directly to a map it appears as if it works. And THAT leads me to believe that I'm not applying the mod correctly...
Ah, yes. I'm am not using a mod, that explains the disconnect between our two issues.
I'm unsure how mods work, but your issue does appear to be in the games inability to find your model/textures. Try publishing your map to b.net and than running it online, see if that gives you differant results.
I had tried to upload the mod to Bnet and use that file with my map. It didn't help anything. I may try and upload the map, too but it seems like it would be a huge PITA to have to upload each time I want to test. Why did Blizzard have to go and ruin such extreme modding potential with this BS system for publishing maps and mods? Seriously, how did we EVER get by with going to a website and downloading them. Good they FIXED it and made it EASIER! *facepalm*
Looks like I'm still on the hunt for a solution to this problem.