i think cobo could tells you to modelling a bit to you

you didnt see what i pointed... lol
i said to the latest selling news as you know, i dont member when autodesk has maya
anyway maya developed by Alias Systems Corporation, formerly Alias|Wavefront
Alias Systems Corporation was formed in 1995 when Silicon Graphics bought Alias Research, which was founded in 1983, and Wavefront Technologies, founded in 1984, then merged the two companies.
Later Alias|Wavefront was renamed Alias. In 2003 Alias was sold by SGI
and In October 2005 Alias was sold again, this time to Autodesk, On January 10, 2006, Autodesk completed the acquisition of Alias for US$197 million. and Alias Maya is now known as Autodesk Maya.

and 3dsmax has simiar history 3dsmax be sold to diverse courses
3dsmax was owned by kinetix at first and they sold 3dsmax to Discreet and Finally In 1999, Autodesk acquired Discreet Logic and combined Kinetix with Discreet for several years

anyways what i saying is the present, Maya and 3dsmax both reorganized for Autodesk
and they upgrading features by interactioned eachother much more

Post has been edited 9 time(s), last time on Jul 21 2008, 6:25 am by NirvanaJung.

Yeah. Like the FBX format. That's a pretty handy format. I can throw anything into max without having to worry about cross-format problems.

Some random human ship for Orid Ibanna 2:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7651/hbc1ff4.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/1928/hbc2vm5.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5091/hbc3bi8.jpg

Untextured of course; but I actually like how this turned out, and I plan to use it in OI2.

To Corbo: I am actually glad you made me fuck up the first one, I like the second version better

Always a pleasure

*Double posts*

I know I promised this a long time ago but it's better later than never, right?
NOTE: I'm TERRIBLY sorry about the jpg quality of images, I have no idea why paint saved them in jpg.

Anyway, I'll show you what I do to render starcraft sprites in 3ds max:

First things first. I have this old Cornelius the rooster model I made a while ago so I'm going to use it.

Our goal is to get 17 frames (what a normal frameset has) out of that model without being stupid and doing it like rotating the viewport with the orbiting tool and so. We want to be smart and manage to do it automated for perfection.

If you have ever noticed (duh) the frameset is only half of the unit rotation, SC engine takes care of the rest by only mirroring the frameset so what we actually need is half rotation. I'm going to use my Arc tool under the spline menu to create an arc:


You can find this arc tool under the create menu and selecting the shapes submenu and clicking arc.


What I did with this arc is that I zoomed out a little bit so the grid gave me some idea of the proportion. I zoomed out and used the grid squared (the ones a litle more dark) as a reference. The circle, to cover all the model should be in a 2x2 square if you notice but since it's a semicircle I click the start and then the end of the arc and then I click at mid distance 1 square away from it to create a semicircle. If you don't know how to create arcs it's like this: First click defines start and second click defines end and third click defines the curvature of the arc. Pretty easy, right?

Okay, but why is this useful? Because you're about to create a camera that will use the arc as a path. You'll see.
Create a new target camera, I usually create the camera where it is going to start travelling in the path but it really doesn't matter where you place them.


With that tool, create a new camera in the top viewport and targetting the center of your model, or at least a part near your model but center would work best, other certain angle would be just weird.
Your top viewport should look kinda like this now:


Now we're going to tell that camera to use that arc as a path so it generates the rotation for us.
Select the camera if you don't have it selected and go to "Animation" menu and select constraint and then choose path constraint.


Your mouse pointer should now have a dashed line following him. Click the Arc and the camera should automatically move to the start of the arc. I'll give you 10 seconds to enjoy how awesome you feel right now.

If you are curious and have already played a bit with max you'll notice the time line in the bottom and that you can drag the button all the way from 0 to 100 and preview your animation by just draging it from one place to another. If you do this right now and if you have the camera you created active in one of the viewports you'll see the rotation of the model while you travel in the timeline. But the rotation is rather orthogonal, like, right from the "floor" it views the model. We need to somehow set it to the "right" elevation angle so it looks like in SC. The frames in SC are not really exactly viewed from top or from a side. The camera takes the frames at the very magical number of 45°. So click your arc and in the front viewport move it up at exactly 1 grid square, see why the grid is useful


Note that the "target" of the camera will still be in the floor and that the camera will go up with the arc, that's because you assigned the arc to be it's path. Now the camera (if you have the camera in an active viewport) will see the model at a certain elevation angle. Just calculate 45° if you can't use the grid. It should be like in the posted image above.


If you look at the timeline you'll see that you have 100 frames, we need to tell it to only make us 17 frames. You'll find this really cool button called time configuration.


And now a little window will pop up with the current time settings, now don't get too excited and just type 17 in the frame count.
You need to press the Re-Scale time button and in that box that pops up you'll modify the frame count to 17.


Now your time settings will be configured and the timeline at the bottom should change from 0 to 100 (as it was before) to 0 to 16.
And if you drag the button all over the bar you'll see the half rotation of your model.

Now we need to render the frames. This is easy.
Click the render button. The one that looks like a teapot and then another box should pop up and you'll change the time output in common parameters to a "Range from 0 to 16".
And now you'll go to render output and click the "files" button. by pressing this it will ask whatever format you want to save it as. For SC it should be 8 bit BMP, although it is an optimized pallete and has never really worked for me. You still need to apply the SC pallete with PS or your favourite image editing software.
Now you'll see that the "save file" box next to the button is enabled, you can either check it or un check it if you're going to test it our before and so. If not, leave it checked and just press the big "Render" button there and it should save your frames in the path you previously selected.



And that's pretty much it. The rest of the work is up to you, modelling, palleting, iscripting it and so on...
I hope this is useful for somebody else than me
If you have any more questions post them.
EDIT: There's also a method of doing this with a full circle but it's waaay more complex and it has the same effect.
Also, I used 3ds MAX 2008 (9) for this but I'm pretty sure you can do this since whatever version max started supporting cameras which should be Max 4 or something

Post has been edited 3 time(s), last time on Aug 3 2008, 8:49 pm by Corbo.

that is pretty a wise way to render 17 angles of SC graphics, however that is apply to just static models that doesn't animating frames
when model has multiplicity of animations which has more than 17 frames, you can't get animations also the angles doesn't match
so baiscly should set 17 cameras for each directions in the scene, then can get all frames for each directions and it renders as right to fit each angles

Anyways you showed a useful the knack, it could applied to set 17 cameras with simple and easy way

Erm.. no...
You don't need to do the 17 camera thing at all.
Also, yes, that's only for static models, but you can also apply the same principle for non static models.
All you have to do is render everything twice or more times like this:

-You have the model of a human standing still and render 17 frames out of that and then you want it to walk.
-You move the left arm and right foot so it appears to be walking and render 17 frames again
-You move back the left arm and right foot and move the right arm and left foot so it makes the walking look smoother and render 17 frames again.

It's the same principle and all you did is make modifications to the model. I haven't done it before but I'm pretty sure mesk has and he used the exact same thing I just said. And the angles do match
That's because it's a target camera so the camera angle will change depending on the camera position in the path.

17 cameras is more reliable, since you only have one timebar. You'd use the animated rotation of the camera over 17 frames to establish each camera smoothly, but after that you want your timebar for the actual animations (unless your modeling application is capable of defining independent animation sets).

1. There's no possible way to determine the position of the 17 cameras. Actually, there is but to do 17 cameras you have to do my process first and then do some nice trick by going time+1 and pressing alt+c to create a new camera and so. That just means that you have to do this process AND 16 more processes...
2. My way's faster, it works, and it's already being used and not by me.
3. Doing 17 cameras also means that you have to press render 17 more times too as well as changing rendering setup for file name 17 more times too.
That, is, only if you're both talking about the same I'm thinking about, which pretty much sucks... I wouldn't use it for SC that's all.

Something I made really quick. I need to pimp out the engines and the wings and I'm adding a laser gun on the bottom. We'll see how it turns out.


Here's the final version of the model:



Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Aug 5 2008, 7:47 pm by A_of-s_t.

cobo, you failure to notice that frames, most animations has difference numbers of frames
if follow your setting then animations must made up with 17 frames its really nonsense
Also As you know SC grp made up based on 1 angles by 1 frames of 1 animations
so when you get render out the frame numbers are messed up this mean you can't get right frames for 1 frames of 1 animations
it takes troublesome work much more even if make the GRP with that camera which has rotating 17 frames
becuss next frame move next angle, 1 animation should keeps 1 angle that is better for next level

and you said that's already being used and not by you, then you and they would get trouble much more when rename frame number to fit 17 angles of GRP unless have one of wise solution for renaming Automatly
so Doing 17 cameras that is beuczz the 1 animation has frame set which starts first frame with 17 directions and next frame set has second frame with 17 direction thats mean 1 animation should keep 1 angles when animates

and there are many knacks to determine the position of the 17 cameras 3dsmax calculable any object by variety tools
Also dont have to make accurate angles for SC graphics
The original SC sprites they have no absolute angle of degreed Acutally
The Video Game is not kind of CAD

Also if you wouldn't use that for SC why you said that is useful for SC sprite its really nonsense

Post has been edited 15 time(s), last time on Aug 6 2008, 2:44 am by NirvanaJung.

You're really not understanding. I said I wouldn't use the 17 camera crap for SC. I'd go with my method.

Yes you have. That's why most mods with custom models suck.

Yes they do. One wouldn't start making a game and randomly throw crap in it and expect to sell it like blizzard sold SC.

Of course it is not, why would it be?

Some models for the Mechana in Orid Ibanna:

Spearhead Cruiser:


Enforcer:


Dreadnaught:


??? Capital ship yet to be named:

Name it "The Badonkadonk".

Nice models guys... I really wish I could model, I tried it once and couldn't understand it at all. I did make one nice looking box, though.

What a obstinater
you go with your method that's just your will
however, i think you're really need to learn deeper 3dsmax
you still dont get how make animating model for SC animation which turned 17 directions
let me show you one deal ,

for example, if there is just 1 carmera that animates by rotating with 17 frame
the model has animation with 10 frames or any numbers of frames whatever frame number doesnt matter
then model should get 17 frame set, each frame set has 17 directions with same frame of the model

when render out frames the first frame will ok beuczz anyhow first frame is same with all kinds of settings
but the 2nd frame will messed up becuzz 2nd frame is not first frame of the model
also it could not get 2nd frame of the model inthe first angles of camera
so if there is just rotated 1 camera probably it will mess up in such wise inthe animating model excepted static model

how could get all frames of the model in rotating camera ? if there is a way, probably need to handle the model's body every time of rendering
Basicly humanical model made up the animation with Bones and Biped, it makes possible to apply to use same animations for other models without add touch up for animation

you said about reason most mods with custom models suck. you pointed off what is related angles to demerit of beauty ?
angle is just point of view Actualy if models suck that reason is just made up as shoddy model and textures

i really dont get why you be unduly stubborn have you ever make a animating humanical models which has variety motions and frames ?
and have you ever make GRP with use kind of that models ? if you'd try make SC GRP, you should work upon due consideration

Let me add a few words in conclusion
Especialy there is a super simple way to rename numbers of BMP name to fit for SC engine but if go your method you could get annyoing times inthe renaming time

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Aug 6 2008, 9:19 am by NirvanaJung.

I can teach you, its really not that hard, just drop me a line on MSN

I think showing the guide you learned from would be a lot easier for us all.

Yeah, if I had one. I taught myself, and I am still learning.

3Ds Max rendering tips

This is basically a part 2 to Corbo's above tutorial. Here, I will go over how to get the best look out of your 3d renders.
Programs used:
3dsmax (any version should work, as long as it supports cameras)
GIMP\Photoshop

Alright, so, you render your unit and it comes out looking like shit, with black transparency holes and all that lovely stuff. Well, let's fix that.

Tip # 1:
Now this is before you render and after you create the camera. Select the camera, and go to the modifiers tab. HUGELY IMPORTANT: CHECK ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION!!!!!!1111one. In fact, that is so important I cant believe Corbo didnt mention it. Anyway, all SC units were rendered with an orthographic projection, so its best to use it. Not using ortho could make units appear to have an odd angle ingame. Another thing you want to make sure of is that the camera's FOV is 45 degrees; its like that on default, but if it could get changed for some reason.



Tip # 2:
Now, before you render, here's an option you will definitely want to check:

For those who cant see the image, at the common tab in the render panel, there is a group called Options, and inside there is a check box called Superblack. Check that. What that does, is forces the renderer to not fill in black ANYWHERE on the actual model, thus, getting rid of transparency you have to fill in manually.
Here's the difference (Might be hard to see, but its there):




Tip # 3:
Go through all that, but your render still looks pretty bad? Have no fear, here's where GIMP comes in! (Or photoshop)
Im sure we all have our methods of image enhancing, like sharpening, and the normal stuff. But sometimes it takes rather complex actions to achieve a better look. Here's what I do to make my stuff look better:

Ok, before we start, make sure you have your unit decompiled into a full 17 frame (Or, how every many frames you have) bitmap. You can export every frame into one .bmp with SFGRPConv.

Alright, you have your full 17 framed BMP open in gimp.

Now, change the image mode to RGB to you can use a lot of advanced filtering on it. (Image>Mode>RGB)
Next, duplicate the current layer (Layer>Duplicate Layer)
Now, go to Filters>Distorts>Emboss
Change the Emboss function to Bumpmap. Leave the sliders how they are. Hit OK.
K, now, go to Dialogs>Layers You should see a window pop up showing you the two current layers you have.
Click on the top layer, which is the one you should have embossed. If its not the top layer, just move whatever one was embossed to the top.
Change the layer mode to "Overlay"
Now, see the layer opacity slider? Toy around with that until you get the look you want.
Then, merge the layers. Right click on the top layer, >Merge Down. You should now have one layer.
Then save it, or whatever you do to get the palette on it and get it ingame.

All that SHOULD have brought a little added detail to your render, if not, well, your render must REALLY suck.

Hope these tips helped

PS: A full 3D modeling tutorial is coming soon.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Aug 13 2008, 4:09 pm by Polaris.

Dear Polaris:
Great job bringing up Superblack and Orthographic Projection.

---

Dear Corbo:
I had already mentioned that.


Your way is fine for a static model. By itself, however, it just isn't practical for an animated model. Though I was refering to timebars and animations in my original message, I realize I wasn't clear on this point.