Hi all, I am new to 3d modeling have been cobbling together some models using a student version of 3ds max and the awesome M3 importer/exporter scripts.
However, I've had some troubles with particle emitters - namely when I import the models back into Starcraft, the particles show as completely black squares. I saw on another post that it is something to do with changing a setting in the material editor - does anyone have some n00b-friendly instructions?
Specifically, I am trying to get the particle emitter for the Viking's machine guns to render properly for this turret:
Hi all, I am new to 3d modeling have been cobbling together some models using a student version of 3ds max and the awesome M3 importer/exporter scripts.
However, I've had some troubles with particle emitters - namely when I import the models back into Starcraft, the particles show as completely black squares. I saw on another post that it is something to do with changing a setting in the material editor - does anyone have some n00b-friendly instructions?
Specifically, I am trying to get the particle emitter for the Viking's machine guns to render properly for this turret:
To show transparency instead of the black squares you need to enable the alpha mask. Alpha masks use the Alpha Channel of the diffuse map.
Finding the Correct Material
- First Select the PEmitter ( looks like a red pyramid ) and go to the modify tab
- Under Particle Parameters look for Material Settings to find the material name
- Open up your material Editor ( M key ) and select the material of the same name
Setting up the Alpha Mask
- Under Blending, Change the Blend mode to Alpha Blend
- Under Standard Material Layers > Map Layers, Go to Alpha Mask Map,
create a Starcraft II Layer and choose the corresponding map ( in this case, BulletShell1.dds)
particles are a huge pain right now.
everytime i think i've got them worked out. they work completely different. it's a nightmare. theres way too many values in there that we have no information about.
i'd say yea. wait. the easiest way is probably have good attachment points on your models and use already existing launch effect actors.
@Leruster
Lol, I've messed around a bit with Blender and I just can't bring myself to work with the interface. I thought 3ds UI was bad, Blender is 10x worse =) The M3 scripts are sweet though!
@kinkycactus
Kinky, those instructions were really good - thank you!!! My experience was slightly different though - I couldn't find the BulletShell1.dds as a map in my scene. So I created a new scene and did a fresh import of the viking asault and still didn't have the map (I did have sparks though, so I used that map as a test). The test worked great (I think) as the firing animation showed black circles instead of black squares.
I guess now I'll just need to extract the BulletShell.dds from the MPQ, and import into 3DS?
@maverck
Ha ha, everything associated with map editing feels like a huge pain right now. I love what we can do, but there is a steep learning curve. Especially trying to learning modeling concepts and tools at the same time as learning SCedit. Using launch actors is a good idea, but I want the shell casings to spit out, and there are no launch models that are simply shell casings to my knowledge. That is a good backup plan though in case I can't get this to work - thanks!
Oh thank god you said that! I thought I was the only one who hates that interface ;) Although I have to say it has improved much lately. I remember a few years ago, the only 2 things I could do was running Blender and closing it down ;)
You should also (I think) animate the BulletShell animations to fit the Viking's.
Yeah I didn't like Blender UI, and when I read some of the developer's reactions they were pretty hostile to the criticisms. At least Autodesk pretends to care :)
Leruster, quick bug report for the M3 importer (I'll place this in your thread as well): The import script typically warns you if you don't have a map for the model in the 3DS/maps directory - but this does not happen for particle emitters on the model. I re-imported the Viking Assault after I extracted the BulletShell01.dds I was missing from Starcraft MPQ. The bitmap shows up fine in the materials now. When I import the Viking Assault without the BulletShell01.dds in the maps directory, the scripts still import correctly, just doesn't add the map to the material (without warning).
@println
Nice tutorial! Stuff like that is the kind of thing that could lure someone back into Blender ;)
Thanks for all the help everyone, you folks make this forum so great!!!
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Hi all, I am new to 3d modeling have been cobbling together some models using a student version of 3ds max and the awesome M3 importer/exporter scripts.
However, I've had some troubles with particle emitters - namely when I import the models back into Starcraft, the particles show as completely black squares. I saw on another post that it is something to do with changing a setting in the material editor - does anyone have some n00b-friendly instructions?
Specifically, I am trying to get the particle emitter for the Viking's machine guns to render properly for this turret:
@tsfalls929: Go
Can't really tell you much but to wait until next version of M3 plugins comes out. You could also try using blender on that :)
To show transparency instead of the black squares you need to enable the alpha mask. Alpha masks use the Alpha Channel of the diffuse map.
Finding the Correct Material
- First Select the PEmitter ( looks like a red pyramid ) and go to the modify tab
- Under Particle Parameters look for Material Settings to find the material name
- Open up your material Editor ( M key ) and select the material of the same name
Setting up the Alpha Mask
- Under Blending, Change the Blend mode to Alpha Blend
- Under Standard Material Layers > Map Layers, Go to Alpha Mask Map,
create a Starcraft II Layer and choose the corresponding map ( in this case, BulletShell1.dds)
Formally Kinkycactus
@tsfalls929:
particles are a huge pain right now.
everytime i think i've got them worked out. they work completely different. it's a nightmare. theres way too many values in there that we have no information about.
i'd say yea. wait. the easiest way is probably have good attachment points on your models and use already existing launch effect actors.
@Leruster
Lol, I've messed around a bit with Blender and I just can't bring myself to work with the interface. I thought 3ds UI was bad, Blender is 10x worse =) The M3 scripts are sweet though!
@kinkycactus
Kinky, those instructions were really good - thank you!!! My experience was slightly different though - I couldn't find the BulletShell1.dds as a map in my scene. So I created a new scene and did a fresh import of the viking asault and still didn't have the map (I did have sparks though, so I used that map as a test). The test worked great (I think) as the firing animation showed black circles instead of black squares.
I guess now I'll just need to extract the BulletShell.dds from the MPQ, and import into 3DS?
@maverck
Ha ha, everything associated with map editing feels like a huge pain right now. I love what we can do, but there is a steep learning curve. Especially trying to learning modeling concepts and tools at the same time as learning SCedit. Using launch actors is a good idea, but I want the shell casings to spit out, and there are no launch models that are simply shell casings to my knowledge. That is a good backup plan though in case I can't get this to work - thanks!
Here are the step-by-step procedures I took (I don't know how to make the images small and then expand, sorry): http://i.imgur.com/0llt7.png http://i.imgur.com/sZ3gQ.png
@tsfalls929: Go
Oh thank god you said that! I thought I was the only one who hates that interface ;) Although I have to say it has improved much lately. I remember a few years ago, the only 2 things I could do was running Blender and closing it down ;)
You should also (I think) animate the BulletShell animations to fit the Viking's.
I made a tutorial on how to create a particle tornado in Blender for Starcraft 2:
The rotation is archived via a force.
@Leruster
Yeah I didn't like Blender UI, and when I read some of the developer's reactions they were pretty hostile to the criticisms. At least Autodesk pretends to care :)
Leruster, quick bug report for the M3 importer (I'll place this in your thread as well): The import script typically warns you if you don't have a map for the model in the 3DS/maps directory - but this does not happen for particle emitters on the model. I re-imported the Viking Assault after I extracted the BulletShell01.dds I was missing from Starcraft MPQ. The bitmap shows up fine in the materials now. When I import the Viking Assault without the BulletShell01.dds in the maps directory, the scripts still import correctly, just doesn't add the map to the material (without warning).
@println Nice tutorial! Stuff like that is the kind of thing that could lure someone back into Blender ;)
Thanks for all the help everyone, you folks make this forum so great!!!