Messages

16

User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 31, 2012, 08:48:55 pm »

Oh, it sure does look like that, hehe Is that from Princes Mononoke? Haven't watched that movie in long time, I should watch it again, if I remember right, it was pretty damn amazing. 

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 31, 2012, 07:54:50 pm »

Keep in mind that in its current state the game has no support for psionics. Without psionics, this alien would effectively be a weak, weapon-less object floating around. If you make the artwork, we'll store it for future use. But you might get more pleasure out of seeing something more immeditely applicable.

 It doesn't matter if it will take more time to get to hame, or if you deside to not use anything I make, or replace it later, If I can help any way to bring Psi's to the game a bit faster, I'm happy

I would prefer to have an alien that does not wield a hand-held weapon and is not humanoid. This is mainly because we already have three humanoid aliens that hold weapons in their hands. In terms of gameplay, that means that all three change their weaponry throughout the game. I would prefer to have more unique aliens that have "built in" weaponry and can play specific tactical roles (like the Bloodspider).

Also, we don't support flying yet, but that will not prevent us from integrating the unit. It will "fly" around, just always at ground level until we get it implemented.

As ShipIt said, we're likely to try and use anything you create because we still need more aliens. But your alien is more likely to survive in the game over the long term if it fills a good gameplay role and fits the merged bio-mechanical theme of existing aliens. There are no hard and fast rules here, but feel free to discuss any concept you'd like.

ps - were you ever able to figure out how to export the animations with the MD2 file?

Ok, I will think something. I am not very good designing new stuff, usually I prefer to have some kind of source to model/skin with. So if you can give anykind of more detailed things (shape, etc..) I'm more than happy to work with there.

Also I didn't figure out the problems I had earlier, I had some issues with my computer, and had to format it, and re-instal windows and everything, so that took some time. But I think I won't be adding these possible alien models in-game by myself, since they are for future use, and I lack the skill to do it. So I can provide models for you guys if you find any use for them. I'm going to try to solve the issues I had tought, since there is some personal modifications I would like to add to the game, and this is a game I can see play a lot in long run.

About some results, here is something I came up with as the "organig floating Psi-alien", as I stated I'm not a very good coming up stuff from my head, but it's a start. Model is about 1300 triangles, same size as human skeleton in-game. You had limitation of 1000 triangles for body, and 300 for head in you contribute section. Is this hardcoded limit, or just limitation to keep models in good size?

Textures I just throwed there to show something more presentative than colored surfaces, so it has zero details in it now. Everything you can come up with I will change, even make new totally different one.

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 31, 2012, 12:28:45 pm »

Ok, sounds good. I'll come up with something, I'll do changes as you request if you like it, and we build from there.

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 31, 2012, 09:17:56 am »

Ok, had some hardware problems and I had to format my computer.. :/ But I think I will take new look for this this weekend. Quote from your planned aliens:

"Psi-amplifier

    Role: A unit which amplifies the psionic powers of other units but is very weak itself. One idea is to have a floating, gaseous creature which might have a brain but little ability to hurt anyone.
    Implementation: None.
    Campaign usage: Late-game unit. Common at terror attacks and in bases.
    AI Concept: Should run from enemies and try to stay away if possible. Player must "corner" them. "

Do you have any art for this done yet? Or are you open for suggestions? The description fits pretty well with Tentaculat from TFD, maybe less brainy, and more "gass balloon" skin/shape? I could make the model, uv's, and skin for it, and send to you guys if you will find use for it.

Also this guy:

"Alien flier

    Role: Another aerial unit for the aliens, this time something more combat-oriented. Since the other flier is mechanical, this one should probably be organic.
    Implementation: None.
    Campaign usage: Mid- to late-game unit. Very common in all missions except alien bases.
    AI Concept: Prefers outdoors. Default attack/defense. "

Do you have any art for this done yet? What kind of look you were looking for, something like Floater from UFO: EU?

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 28, 2012, 01:14:35 am »

Thanks for reply guys, I'll take new look for this tomorrow or day after, and post log and maybe the files if I don't get it to work.

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 27, 2012, 12:28:08 pm »

Hmmm, I can convert MS3d to MD2 now by using blank qc file, and I figured how to do it without it, but when I try to implement them in-game by replacing original one (head in this case), I get crash to desktop during the first loading screen without error message.

Not sure what I'm missing here;
1.) I opened the animations file in MS
2.) Exported original MD2 head
3.) Merged with my own head model
4.) Edited the model
5.) Merged all in to one group, and assigned material for textures
6.) Rigged the group to head-bone (MS requires it)
7.) Exported as MD2
8.) Copied the file to pk3 file and overwrited original one one
9.) CTD when loading the game..

It's propably something obvious, but something I have missed since working with MD2 files or engine like this is totally new for me.

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 26, 2012, 06:41:28 pm »

Hmmm, thanks for reply. I found that same post, but I'm not sure what it means. I'll look if I can find a workaround for this.

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 26, 2012, 03:43:17 pm »

Ok, I think I have figured most things out, there is just one thing I can't seem to figure out.

When I try to export ms3d file (with animations, and such intact) to md2 one, I get error "no md2.qc file found.". This is where all the anims and skins info is stored, right? But I have no idea how that should look like, and where to add that in the model before extracting it to md2, in model's comment, or..?

Thanks again if you can help with this.

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User modifications / Re: Alternative 2d-content

« on: March 25, 2012, 05:38:56 pm »

I wasn't sure if the game allows for transparency, and I really didn't spent much time with these, just made some replacement quick.   But I can work them more.  Do I have to work with alpha channels, or could I just use a file format that uses transparency?

Making the continents more clear shouldn't be a problem, and only pic I used from net for this was some random earth pic which I edited and added the color. I can find a pic that is quarantied to be free to use, or use own one. Making them bigger too propably if I remake them totally and spend more time with them.

You also have to chose a license to release this under:
* Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
* GNU General Public License 2.0 or later

Oh man, I know nothing about that.. hehe. What ever suits the best, if someone finds use for them, I'm more than willing to share.

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User modifications / Alternative 2d-content

« on: March 25, 2012, 03:46:17 pm »

If I'll do some alternative 2d stuff, I'll post it here.

Here's a quick small change, the rank icons. I found them a bit hard to distinguise from each other, so I made them a bit easier to figure out straight away the rank. I kept the same style.

The folder "ranks" inside the zip file goes to "ufoai../base/0pics.pk3.
Inside the pk3 file overwrite the folder "pics/ranks" with the one you downloaded here.

Download from gamefront:
http://www.gamefront.com/files/21465880/ranks.rar

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 24, 2012, 06:33:09 pm »

That explains it, thanks for clarification. I'll see what I can come up with.

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 24, 2012, 02:55:14 pm »

I was just testing the ice to the moddability of this game, I just made couple textures a bit sharper and bigger for the player characters. I was playing the stable 2.3.1, and now I tryed out 2.5 dev one, and noticed they have been improved already. I have to say, 2.5 is huge improvement to 2.3, specially in visuals department, I simply love the light-effects and sounds, awesome job.

About modelling, the anim file works great, and skeleton and all bones are intact. MS can open MD2-files too, but few things troubles me. I opened basic soldiers MD2 file, and I noticed it didn't have skeleton, groups, or bone assignments at all, how does this engine work with them?

Are they suposed to be in MD2 file with the model, are they assigned some other way, or maybe they disappear when opening the file in MS? I checked the link H-HOUR provided, but couldn't find details on this matter, or maybe I just missed the info?

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User modifications / Re: Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 24, 2012, 02:11:08 am »

H-Hour, thanks for reply, exactly what I was looking for. Sounds good, I'll take a look for this this weekend.

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User modifications / Hi, few questions about modding Ufo:AI

« on: March 23, 2012, 03:04:41 pm »

Hi, first of all, amazing work with this game. It's the "X-Com" game I have always wanted, really makes justice to the original.

As I sayed, I'm enjoying the game awfully lot, it's amazing, and I got spark to do some own modifications to the game. In modding, I'm mostly modeller/skinner/2d-artist, but I'm not familiar how modding this game/engine works.

I tryed reskinning already included textures and it was fairly easy to do, but I tought ask couple other things from forum directly.

1.) Models. Is it possible to use Milkshape for modelling in this game? If not, which program is the right way to go?

2.) Uv-mapping. Anyone knows if Lithunwrap works with U:AI?

3.) Also, Is it big process to add for example new alien race or civilian variations in the game?

Thanks in beforehand if someone finds time to answer