How to make a book into a note item? and another re texture grunt question.

[Sammi79]

Hi,

for my first request for development support, I would like to make a copy of one of the ornamental books into an item that is picked up like a note, and adds to the journal. How would I go about this using the model editor? I have several working notes with an extra_english.lang file, but am unsure about how to proceed in this endeavor.

Also, I have looked at the re texture grunt thread, and I have tried to do the same without success. I have:

1) created a new folder named shadow_grunt, with copies of all the original files, renamed appropriately.

2) edited the .ent file to reference the renamed files and paths.

3) edited the textures shadow_grunt/_nrm/_spec using Photoshop, but I am unsure about wether or not I am saving the files in the correct format, as the material editor does not seem to be functioning properly. The diffuse is saved as .dds using DXT1 format to avoid having an alpha channel (otherwise I can't get it into the editor at all), the normal and specular are saved as .dds using DXT5 format following the wiki. All are saved with 8 mip maps and they are identical in size to the original files.

4) Using these modified texture files I load into the material editor and the preview is as I expect, so then I save over the old .mat file - but this is now a different size file ??.

5) loaded shadow_grunt into the model editor, and but grunt still has the original texture ??

All files shadow_grunt files are saved in redist/custom_stories/(mystory)/entities/enemy/shadow_grunt/ folder, and I have made the folder redist/custom_stories/(mystory)/entities/item/diary_book/ to keep my files separate from the originals, is this wrong?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Regards, Sam.

[Statyk]

For the book being a note. Open the book model of choice in the ModelEditor and go to "Settings > User Defined Variables" and change the Type to "Item" and the SubType to "Note". Save as a new entity with a different name.

As for the retexture. Have you renamed the textures? The .dae is the base model itself and follows the texture directory and you have only changed the .ent, which are basically variables applied to the model. open the .dae in Notepad or Notepad++ and hit "Ctrl+F" and search for the ORIGINAL name of the texture, in this case, it will be "servantgrunt_dds". You will see it like this:


<library_images>
<image id="servantgrunt_dds" name="servantgrunt_dds">
<init_from>file:///E:/Frictional_2/animations/mutant_Project/servant_grunt.bmp</init_from>
<extra>
<technique profile="MAYA">
<dgnode_type>kFile</dgnode_type>
<image_sequence>0</image_sequence>
</technique>
</extra>
</image>

________

Change the bolded part to YOUR directory, save as your "shadowgrunt.dae", and open in ModelViewer.

---

Also be sure to make the .mat follow the correct directories as well.

[Sammi79]

For the book being a note. Open the book model of choice in the ModelEditor and go to "Settings > User Defined Variables" and change the Type to "Item" and the SubType to "Note". Save as a new entity with a different name.

As for the retexture. Have you renamed the textures? The .dae is the base model itself and follows the texture directory and you have only changed the .ent, which are basically variables applied to the model. open the .dae in Notepad or Notepad++ and hit "Ctrl+F" and search for the ORIGINAL name of the texture, in this case, it will be "servantgrunt_dds". You will see it like this:


<library_images>
<image id="servantgrunt_dds" name="servantgrunt_dds">
<init_from>file:///E:/Frictional_2/animations/mutant_Project/servant_grunt.bmp</init_from>
<extra>
<technique profile="MAYA">
<dgnode_type>kFile</dgnode_type>
<image_sequence>0</image_sequence>
</technique>
</extra>
</image>

________

Change the bolded part to YOUR directory, save as your "shadowgrunt.dae", and open in ModelViewer.

---

Also be sure to make the .mat follow the correct directories as well.

Wow, thank you, that was really quick. And your instructions are very concise, perfect for me, many respects. I shall try these in an hour or so after me dinner! yeah I missed the .mat and .dae files derrrp!

Kind regards, Sam.

[Statyk]

I have seen this asked a few times, So I am recording a tutorial as well if needed. Will be up later.

[Sammi79]

OK, my re texture now is working, and I have saved the booknote, thanks Statyk.

My issue now is how to use these new things in the level editor... I guess they must be placed in the original game directories as opposed to my custom story analogues...

but that's questions for another time, Cheers!

Sam.

[Statyk]

There are 2 solutions.

1) Make a folder in the "entities" folder and place all your new entities in that folder. They can be picked from the level editor from the entities tool.

2) Add a directory to the resources.cfg that leads to your custom story folder. Then open the level editor, place any entity down, and click the "..." button at the bottom of the tab on the right and locate the new entities. This way is a bit more complicated and inconvenient, but it's possible.

I usually just use the first solution.

[Sammi79]

Sweet, Thank you once again Statyk.

I go with the 2) method for now - I only need custom objects very rarely for the moment, and it works well enough.

This community is all the better for members like yourself, *military salute*

Regards, Sam.