Modding in Items, How would I do this?

[MrHatMans]

Hello.

I want to create a smoking pipe item, that takes the mask slot. I'm thinking this won't be too hard.

But I need some guidance at how I approach this?

For one, how would I best go about create the model and the art files? and whatever else I need?

Can anyone guide me to popular free art programs I can use to create what I had in mind?

I'd appreciate the help.

Then after that, how would I go about adding the files into the game, and telling the shop to use the model and textures instead of the default mask item?

And, how would I go about telling the game where exactly to place the item on the models face? So it looks natural? or is that going to be mostly guess work?

Anyone figure out a way to extract the model and art files of the in game face mask so I can more adequately guess the placement of the model on the face?


If you can't guess already, all these questions mean I have no experience.

Thank you.

[Sutton]

As of right now, making the model file and getting it into the game isn't overly difficult, but getting them into the right position requires a lot of patience, due to the fact that there will be a lot of trial and error. There is currently no proper way to position the items due to the lack of reference models, which would be very nice if we could get something from Chris, but he is awfully busy as is I'd imagine. If you want some assistance on how to get models into the game, let me know, and I might write a guide for it. It is a process that just takes some time to get everything together, and once you get the process down, then it is stream lined.

[MrHatMans]

As of right now, making the model file and getting it into the game isn't overly difficult, but getting them into the right position requires a lot of patience, due to the fact that there will be a lot of trial and error. There is currently no proper way to position the items due to the lack of reference models, which would be very nice if we could get something from Chris, but he is awfully busy as is I'd imagine. If you want some assistance on how to get models into the game, let me know, and I might write a guide for it. It is a process that just takes some time to get everything together, and once you get the process down, then it is stream lined.

Thanks for the reply!

Yeah, I'm trying to figure this out, but if you could assist me that would be great. This game needs some guides.

By biggest issue is say I create the model and the textures, would be how to tell the game to put together the item and its texture correctly. Then how to make it compatible with the face mask items. Does it just take any model that was created and size it correctly to fit on the face part of the models skeleton or how does that work?

I've got a rough idea of how the whole process works in my head, where the game is told to use the facemask item on the face slot, and positions it in the same spot each time, and the model is then crafted around this default position. In which case I have to case where to place the model itself during creation. Which im not against figuring out. But all this is beyond me so I do need a place to start.

For instance, what format do my files need to be save in?


Oh, and my biggest question, when you add a item to the game, doesn't each specific part need to be in a specific size to be accepted for a particular item slot?

Like a face model item needs to be sized to fit in a ##x## size or it will be invalid?

[Sutton]

Scaling the items is difficult to do due to the fact that there isn't really any references. There aren't really any restrictions on how large of an item you can put on a slot I don't believe. But the model file needs to be a .mesh file, and you can find these on the ogre3d site. The texture file you need is a .dds, and you need to know how to UVMap, and properly texture your model if you want to get it into the game well. I use Blender for my 3d modelling, and GIMP for my texturing. But I'm not sure you what you might use, you can pretty much export to ogre3d with all of the 3d editors.

[MrHatMans]

Scaling the items is difficult to do due to the fact that there isn't really any references. There aren't really any restrictions on how large of an item you can put on a slot I don't believe. But the model file needs to be a .mesh file, and you can find these on the ogre3d site. The texture file you need is a .dds, and you need to know how to UVMap, and properly texture your model if you want to get it into the game well. I use Blender for my 3d modelling, and GIMP for my texturing. But I'm not sure you what you might use, you can pretty much export to ogre3d with all of the 3d editors.

Thanks alot, I think I can figure it out from there. What is UVMapping? is that making the colors work in dark and lighted areas correctly?

Does the program automatically know (The game program) to map the texture file you've created, for that specific model? Or does it try to use which ever texture you assign to that items .mesh file, and if it fits it just comes out correctly? Because you did the fitting in a texturing program.


Sorry for the weird questions, I'm mostly trying to picture the whole process in my head, it's becoming way more clear now.

[Sutton]

Check your PMs, add me on steam, and I'll give you a little more detailed information.