New Models for 3.0, that make use of the mask feature wanted

[Buginator]

With the merging of the shaders branch into trunk, we are now looking to populate trunk with the new, improved models.

In short, if you want the model to be used in trunk, then we must get permission, and a valid license agreement so we may distribute the work as part of the game.

More details will soon follow.

Forum member Berg has fixed all of the original models to use TCmask. This job is done! A big should out goes to him!

For *new* models, we are still looking for a complete set...

[i-NoD]

Here is a small guide for TCMask #851 feature. To use it you must have at least a 3d model file (.3ds or similar) and a diffuse texture. You'll have to make a .pie file from your model and a special mask from diffuse texture. Plus you'd make some modifications to game's .wrf files if you're going to test your work.

• If you have a .3ds file then you'll need to convert it into PIE format with 3ds2pie. Grab renewed 3ds2pie win-tool (requires VC++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) to run) or compile it from source by yourself. Just check 'Enable TCMask texture' during conversion to activate the feature for your model or it will not work.


• If you got a .pie file by other means then you'll need alter it to enable masking. Open .pie file in your favorite text editor and change standard type from

  Code: Select all

  TYPE 200

  to

  Code: Select all

  TYPE 10200

  It's unlikely to happen, but you will need to add 10000 to any other value. Consult with PIE3 format specs, if you'll detect something unusual.
  

Now you should prepare a diffuse texture. For example I'll take some standard WarZone texture .

After you've identified some area that will use team coloration make this area monochrome (try to keep you color range with decimal values 96+-48). In fact, this feature could take 3-rd frame from old team animation and give you all the other colors. Here I've converted 1-st 'green team' frame to monochrome colors:

Diffuse texture

page-16-droid-drives.png (41.78 KiB) Viewed 3716 times

Using the same area you'll need to create a special TCMask texture. It will only utilize alpha channel:

• Coloration area should be filled with opaque black color #000000FF
• All other pixels should be completely transparent #00000000

TCMask texture

page-16_tcmask.png (370 Bytes) Viewed 1919 times

You may save it as 1-bit alpha .png file.

[i-NoD]

TCMask texture name is expected to be in form of 'page-<diffuse page number>_tcmask'. For previous example it's the following pair: 'page-16-droid-drives.png' and 'page-16_tcmask.png'.

To test your model in-game:

1. Add as new one or replace some existing model with your TCMasked .pie
2. Add/replace diffuse texture into 'texpages' folder
3. Add mask texture into the same 'texpages' folder
4. Modify limiter_tex.wrf and vidmemX.wrf files (grab them from mp folder for skirmish mods) with TCMASK line:

   Code: Select all

   file      TEXPAGE   "page-16-droid-drives.png"
file      TCMASK   "page-16_tcmask.png"

5. Run current trunk version of the game and check for results

Here is a windows trunk build based on revision 10396. Please post all TCMask related issues into this tread and bugs into #851.

Both diffuse and mask textures could be up to 2048px x 2048px is size. However it's best to keep some proportions between model's element size and its texture island size, so when textures will be downscaled in-game (for gfx adapters with small amount of video memory) it won't be too much blurred, like factory on the screenshots below
The fact is that both factory and the lab do have same sized 1024px textures. All is fine when you set up game to use 1048px textures, but feel the difference when they are downscaled to 256px. If you can, please check you work at 512px at least.

[Buginator]

Some screen shots of a sample of what is going on...

Note: don't mind the fps, this is from a linux box using a very old radeon 9600.

[MaNGusT]

Note: don't mind the fps, this is from a linux box using a very old radeon 9600.

No, you just forgot to turn off a shadows.

[Olrox]

Whoa, nice truck
Hey, sorry if that's off-topic, really.

I guess that the best way to avoid problems with license would be to publish the models under CC0, right?

BTW, I can adapt the truck model so that the "container" is larger (and thus, making it more distinguished as a *truck*). I've almost forgot about that model. Right now I'm able to handle game files. Or do you think it's good enough as it is? That wouldn't represent changes to the tex page, most probably.

~Olrox

[MaNGusT]

I've almost forgot about that model.

I have the modified version of your truck model. I've reduced a polycount and bla bla bla...

[i-NoD]

Bump...
A small guide has been added as second and third posts. I hope it is understandable enough..

[Olrox]

Bump...
A small guide has been added as second and third posts. I hope it is understandable enough..

Very interesting info, thanks. I'll study it indepth as soon as I have a good opportunity

~Olrox

[Crymson]

Bump...
A small guide has been added as second and third posts. I hope it is understandable enough..

Nice mini tutorial.
Can you guys make it so that we can pick our own team colors instead of the defaults that warzone uses by putting that data in some external file warzone can read in?

Are the buildings & units the only things that will get this mask treatment, or will the UI also do something with the masks? I was looking to change the flags, but I rather use the masks and not the old way.

[MaNGusT]

Bump...
A small guide has been added as second and third posts. I hope it is understandable enough..

Nice mini tutorial.
Can you guys make it so that we can pick our own team colors instead of the defaults that warzone uses by putting that data in some external file warzone can read in?

Are the buildings & units the only things that will get this mask treatment, or will the UI also do something with the masks? I was looking to change the flags, but I rather use the masks and not the old way.

already done. look palette.txt in base.wz

[Crymson]

already done. look palette.txt in base.wz

I totally missed that!

[macuser]

I like the new mask feture and the new models and all... but the bottom pad thingy is asynchronous with the new model. and the "dirt" on the team colors could be reduced a bit.

-regards macuser

[i-NoD]

I like the new mask feture and the new models and all... but the bottom pad thingy is asynchronous with the new model. and the "dirt" on the team colors could be reduced a bit.

ow, baseplates... I guess elio's intension was to remove them completely or to use semi-transparent ones.


I don't remember anything about 'dirt'...
Could you hint me with some details?

[Zarel]

ow, baseplates... I guess elio's intension was to remove them completely or to use semi-transparent ones.

Baseplates can be rendered the same way as decals... that should prevent problems like z-fighting.