Incendiary Rocket

[ajveach]

Hey everyone,

I just came across this project, and I'm interested in contributing a few models. I've been fairly active in the blender community for a while now, and I've picked up the general ideas behind low poly modelling.

I took the first model I saw on the "needs" list, and threw together a quick incendiary rocket. I was hoping someone could tell me if there was a way to just throw this into the game to see how the texture and size work in RT. The poly count is 210, but I'm just not sure how the actual physical size of the object works in exporting to the engine. I also am a little worried about Blender's md2 exporter. I've had a lot of trouble in the past with blender's export scripts.

If the dev team is interested to take a quick look at the model I can put up the files on my server. I was just planning on reworking the texture after seeing the model in action.

Thanks,
Anthony
ajveach@indiana.edu


UPDATE: Just put a new texture on the model. It's still at 210 faces. I was going to bake the raytrace and the radiosity, but it looks like it's changed spots in blender. Going to have to look into this. Internal render below:

http://ajveach.home.insightbb.com/ufoai/render01.jpg

[Bandobras]

Wow, it's way cool! However, you might want to make sure it fits the same Rocket Launcher the High-Explosive Rocket fits. I mean the looks can be different, but the sizes, shape of the parts that touch the launcher, etc. should be similar, so that it's believable both are shot from the same launcher. Incendiary Rockets require research so the futuristic look is OK. I only wonder how to make the Tachyon Rocket look even more futuristic after that one.

I have no clue about modelling and md2, but surely there is some info on the wiki at Modelling and even more here on the subforum. To get the model ingame put it (in the md2 format) in the ufoai/base/models/weapons/rpg directory as rpg_inc_ammo.md2 and swap the commented out line with the uncommented one in section "item rpg_incendiary_ammo"  of file ufoai/base/ufos/weapons_human.ufo. To see the rocket in inventory best run the test campaign as told in the "Equipment/tweak weapons" page of the wiki. (Unfortunately you still cannot load it into the launcher --- I hope it gets implemented and not scratched. Then perhaps another particle effect would also be needed for the rocket travelling across the air using your model as a basis...)

When you are finished just put the .md2 model (with source, if you'd be so kind) somewhere on the net (e.g. in the patches section of Sourceforge) and let us know.

Thanks!

P.S. One more thing, I think it is a good idea if related weapons have corresponding look. E.g., the tachyon weapons have similar colours, so I expect the tachyon rocket may have a color accent that relates it to them, just to help soldiers distinguish the rockets. For the incendiary rocket, there is currently only one weapon to relate to --- the incendiary grenade (unless you don't like its model and would propose another). See it in the test campaign, as well, and rotate in the ufopedia by dragging with the mouse. Just to let you know what soldiers are likely to complain about.

P.P.S.  I've just talked with our main coder, mattn on IRC and he said multiple ammo makes sense. So it will get implemented and will not get scratched. So we should see Incendiary Rocket in action not far away.

[ajveach]

Thanks for all the info! I had a couple problems with the process. First one was that there was no commented out section in the weapons_human.ufo file. I also found no lines about "item rpg_incendiary_ammo" so I just commented out the section calling on model "rocket" and added one in calling for my model.

When I tried to run the test campaign as described on wiki I got this error when hitting "start campaign": "Couldn't load map mask map_test_mask.tga in pics/menu"

I'm going to try just running the other campaign to see if the rockets appear in place of the normal rockets. I just need to make sure the model looks alright in the game pretty much.

As for the model itself, I actually just looked up an image of an incendiary rocket on google, and basically made a simple model of what I found. I thought the protruding fins were a little odd (as far as loading into a launcher is concerned), but I sort of assumed that they were folded into the body until springs pushed them out at a 90 degree angle once the rocket left the launcher. Is there any way to animate that, or is it even going to be noticable? I can also simply remove them if that would be more effective.

Also, I'm going to take a look at the incendiary grenade later today. I'll do a color shift for this one, and then I might model a new grenade too and use the original color scheme for both. Options never hurt anyone.

Thanks again for the help,
Anthony

[Bandobras]

First one was that there was no commented out section in the weapons_human.ufo file/ [....]
When I tried to run the test campaign as described on wiki I got this error when hitting "start campaign"[...]

So you have no SVN trunk, apparently? Oh well, you would have to compile it yourself, since there are no binaries with the new weapon and campaign scripts, yet...

I'm going to try just running the other campaign to see if the rockets appear in place of the normal rockets. I just need to make sure the model looks alright in the game pretty much.

You should be succesful, but this way you cannot compare the normal rocket and your rocket in ufopedia almost side by side. OTOH, by simply substituting your model for the standard rocket you should be able to see how it looks in flight...

I thought the protruding fins were a little odd (as far as loading into a launcher is concerned), but I sort of assumed that they were folded into the body until springs pushed them out at a 90 degree angle once the rocket left the launcher. Is there any way to animate that, or is it even going to be noticable?

Yes, with particle scripts (similar to those for the normal rocket, see ufoai/base/ufos/ptl_weaponsfx.ufo). But it should not be noticable, unless the fins are visible cutting through the launcher when the rocket starts appearing from inside the tube.

I can also simply remove them if that would be more effective.

We are not in such a hurry.

Also, I'm going to take a look at the incendiary grenade later today. I'll do a color shift for this one, and then I might model a new grenade too and use the original color scheme for both. Options never hurt anyone.

Great. The grenade is very nice, if somewhat simple. We have already some very involved grenades, so a simple one does not hury, but just do what you feel like --- you are the modeller. You can also think about the incendiary mine (the last of the three incendiary weapons planned), just to make sure your design is general and extendible. High-explosive mine is not modelled yet, AFAIK, unlike the High-explosive rocket and the description in the wiki is rather sketchy. If you are at it, thinking a little bit about the Tachyon-Beam Warhead Rocket would not hurt either.

[Bandobras]

Correction: to see your model in flight, you should probably substitute your model for

ufoai/base/models/weapons/rpg/rocket.md2, not only rpg_ammo.md2.

This is what base/ufos/ptl_weaponsfx.ufo suggests.

[ajveach]

I did that, and I'm not getting a model to appear in front of the particle effect when the rocket is flying. I'm getting the error "can't find //rocket"

Any idea what I'm doing wrong here?

EDIT-- I got that message to stop appearing, but in the inventory windows the model is still red.

-Anthony


Oh, after I get this one to be functional I was hoping to send it your way (and upload it onto sourceforge if that's necessary) to make sure you can get it to work. Once I know I have the process working I'll be happy to work on those other models you mentioned.

[Bandobras]

I did that, and I'm not getting a model to appear in front of the particle effect when the rocket is flying. I'm getting the error "can't find //rocket"

I guess I'm getting a crash course on modelling (without yet seeing any modelling program in action, ever).

Any idea what I'm doing wrong here?

Let me guess, "rocket" is your texture file? If not how is your texture file named?

EDIT-- I got that message to stop appearing,

How?

but in the inventory windows the model is still red.

No texture or broken model (wrongly connected triangles)?

Oh, after I get this one to be functional I was hoping to send it your way (and upload it onto sourceforge if that's necessary) to make sure you can get it to work.

Either mail or Sourceforge, but the latter is easier, just open a Patch ticket, upload the file and write that this is yet untested new model. Then I (and perhaps others) download it, test and put a comment it is working OK for me. Then mattn (perhaps) decides to put it in, and I include weapon script support for it in my next patch.

Once I know I have the process working I'll be happy to work on those other models you mentioned.

That would be great. Just make sure it's fun for you, so that we can get you onboard for longer.

[ajveach]

Let me guess, "rocket" is your texture file? If not how is your texture file named?

Well this is what I know so far. When I export I'm given 4 options: "Scale Factor"(slider), "MD2 file to save:" (save dialog), "Frame List file to load" (save dialog), and "Texture Path:" (Text Input).

I've noticed that anything I type into the "texture path" input ends up in front of the "//rocket" when the game tries to call on the texture. I even added just ".jpg" once to try it out, and when I looked at the console the game was trying to call on "jpg//rocket."

The texture file in this case is rocket.jpg. I saw on wiki that the game assumes that the texture file has the same name as the .md2 file. I also copied the texture and renamed it "rpg_ammo.jpg" when I changed the "rpg_ammo.md2".

How?

I should have written this down. I did this late last night, and I'm having trouble remembering exactly what it was. I want to say that I simply left no path in the "texture path" input on exporting. I'll try to retrace my steps when I get home tonight to figure that one out. My mistake.

No texture or broken model (wrongly connected triangles)?

Almost positive the triangles are all connected properly. The exporter should have given an error if the UVs were correct, or if the mesh itself had a problem. I saw someone else uses Blender to UV map and export their files. I think I'm going to try to track them down later today.

Either mail or Sourceforge, but the latter is easier...

I feel like the most useless person at the moment. I'm even managing to have trouble getting an account with Sourceforge. It's been going on for a few days now. Every time I request an authorization email the page just refreshes and no email is sent.


It's starting to look like it would just be a smoother process for everyone if I just posted the source (in this case .blend file and texture) or an .obj file and let whoever wanted to use it convert it to their preferred format. The modelling and texturing is what I really enjoy doing here, so if it gets to the point where I can't figure this out, I may just resort to uploading source files and getting more useful work done.
[/quote]

[Mattn]

no, the texture file don't has to be the same name as the model.

you can try the md2.pl script in src/tools to set or get a texturepath from an existing md2

[Bandobras]

Hi ajveach!

I've just managed to get my own sf accound. I though I'll let you know. I took a lot of patient klicking (I've counted around 20  cases of accepting the same things again and again). Are you succesful?

I'll be away for several days, but sure people will help you here, just ask.

Cheers!

[ajveach]

Hey again, sorry about the delay. I was away for a wedding.

I finally managed to get a sourceforge account. Do I need to be added to the project to be able to upload anything to the sourceforge shell? If so, how do I go about that?

For now, I'm going to put up the model and the texture at:

http://ajveach.home.insightbb.com/ufoai/rocket.md2
http://ajveach.home.insightbb.com/ufoai/rocket.jpg

If someone wants to take a look at the file and figure out the problem, I'll put the solution to use in the rest of the models that I put together.

Thanks,
Anthony

[Bandobras]

I finally managed to get a sourceforge account.

Do I need to be added to the project to be able to upload anything to the sourceforge shell? If so, how do I go about that?

You just log in, choose Patches submenu, then Submit New, name the patch "My wonderful but broken model of ...", describe your problems, attach the file, submit. If you have many files you can attach them later, just make sure to log in. You can also update the existing ones...

[Bandobras]

http://ajveach.home.insightbb.com/ufoai/rocket.md2
http://ajveach.home.insightbb.com/ufoai/rocket.jpg

I've looked at them. I needed to rename rocket.md2 to rpg_ammo.md2 so that I can see it in ufopedia (the rocket.md2 is the model seen when the rocket is fired, but they are usually the same). The model is a classic broken model, just as all the ones De_Nis repaired (see a relevant thread below). The size of the file is way too big and the model has lots of holes and no texture. We have to repair it (I don't know how and De_Nis is on vacations, perhaps ask mattn, you can also submit this as a bug. Really, isn't it explained on the wiki? Why?).

[ajveach]

Are the holes a result of the exporter? I had different results when using a different exporter that was written for Blender 2.41, but that was the one specifying a texture path that screwed up the game. Maybe I'll check out a completely 3DS max procedure to see if I can make this work better.

I'm not nearly as familiar with UV mapping in 3ds as I am with Blender. Would anyone be interested in taking my models to texture them? That would make things much quicker on my end.

-Anthony

[Mattn]

yes, they are the result of the exporter. the max exporter produces 10 times smaller files.. without holes. the "repair" them you only need to import to max (with our importer) and export them again