Difference between revisions of "New Art"
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| + | =Tools= | ||
| + | We will first overview the tools and their limitations before we delve into each tool's setup process. | ||
| + | ==Blender3D== | ||
| + | An well known and largely accepted 3D modeling program with numerous plugins and tutorials across the internet. | ||
| + | Rapid prototyping, excellent handling of details and easy on system resources. Community driven, open source and free of charge. Has present recent CryEngine 3 support, of limited usability for CryEngine 2 we use in MW:LL. Can export '''.cga''' (CryEngine 3D items, but only the "old" 2.49b Blender), '''.dae''' (Collada interchange format) and '''.obj''' (Wavefront, good for exchange with 3dsMax) files if properly set up, and with the help of external utilities. | ||
| + | ==3D Studio MAX== | ||
| + | An industry standard professional suite for 3D content creation and animation - one of the few carrying official plugins for export import to CryEngine 2. | ||
| + | 3DSMax has excellent support for every sort of modeling and animating. Once set up can directly export and import to CryEngine 2. Supports basic objects, animation, materials and rigging (joint animation like mech legs). 3DSmax is a commercial product, comes only for Windows and licenses can be bought only for still supported releases. There seems to be an student license lasting for 3 years. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 3DSmax 2009 32 bit is recommended | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==SketchUp== | ||
| + | The product endorsed by Google. One (wich one?) version at least can do graphics for CryEngine. It seems it recommends Collada-0.3.5 (mandating python 2.5.4) for the export. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Maya== | ||
| + | We know it exists, would appreciate any info. The only other official plugins for CryEngine2 are made for Maya. | ||
| + | ==bitmap and art editors== | ||
| + | The game and our mod heavily depends on the geometry enhancing by means of bitmap projection to the surfaces. Here we touch upon some more popular, and thus more likely to be used, tools and suites for managing that part of the work. | ||
| + | ===Gimp=== | ||
| + | Because it's free obviously, and can be used on both Windows and Linux platforms. Open source and community driven development. Gimp supports all the usual bitmap formats. There is a plugin for full (both import and export) '''.DDS''' support available on google code archives. The other bitmap file format understood by Sandbox2 is '''TIF''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Photo Shop=== | ||
| + | ''De-facto'' the industry standard, most known, advertised and has become almost the everyday term for an bitmap "redo". It is not known to me if there are any but paid-for versions out there, and if any free licenses can be obtained at all. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Inkscape== | ||
| + | Did you know that Blender can export UV layout as an '''.svg''' file? And the best program for manipulating those is Inkscape -even its own default saving format is SVG. Inkscape is an vector object application - this means you can determine the granularity of the result in the time of export to PNG (only option from Inkscape), and preserve the original art in the svg format meanwhile. Once in PNG the UV map can be presented back to Blender for the export and converted to DDS or TIF and renamed "by hand" in the MTL file accompanying the CGF. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Advanced Text Editor== | ||
| + | Really any advanced text editor would do, I picked '''Geany''' out of personal preference. It exists in both Windows and Linux platforms. | ||
| + | What counts the most is the number of "recent files" it can hold. Besides that advanced search and syntax highlighting are plus. Maybe the most important property of '''Geany''' is it's ease of setup - just install and go - it's defaults are sane for most uses out there. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Archiver== | ||
| + | It is recommended to use both '''7z''' and '''WinRAR''', note the '''7z''' file manager offers dual pane view and a sort of bookmarks(quite effort saving on occassion) while the '''WinRAR''' offers archived files "in place" editing. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Sandbox2== | ||
| + | The editor is nowadays shipped bundled with MW:LL it is enough just to point the launcher to it to be able to use it. | ||
| + | ==Import/Export tools== | ||
| + | Both '''Blender''' and '''3DSmax''' don't come out of the box ready to interact with CyrEngine 2, Various plugins are needed to facilitate this | ||
| + | ===Blender=== | ||
| + | '''ColladaCGF''' 0.3.9 (0.3.5?) | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Py-FFI''' 2.1.11 (or?) | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Python''' 2.6.6 (mandated by Collada 039) | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===3D Studio MAX=== | ||
| + | '''CryMax tools''' and plugins for 3DSmax could be obtained online back then. Recently they are obtainable only as personal copies shared privately. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Note the 3DSMax release version versus the plugin name: | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 9 32 Bit --> CryExport9.dlu'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 9 64 Bit --> CryExport9 _64.dlu'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 2008 32 Bit --> CryExport10.dlu'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 2008 64 Bit --> CryExport10_64.dlu'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''''3ds Max 2009 32 Bit --> CryExport11.dlu''''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 2009 64 Bit --> CryExport11_64.dlu'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 2010 32 Bit --> CryExport12.dlu'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''3ds Max 2010 64 Bit --> CryExport12_64.dlu'' | ||
| + | and on... | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Maya=== | ||
| + | See above | ||
Revision as of 00:31, 28 November 2017
Contents
Tools
We will first overview the tools and their limitations before we delve into each tool's setup process.
Blender3D
An well known and largely accepted 3D modeling program with numerous plugins and tutorials across the internet. Rapid prototyping, excellent handling of details and easy on system resources. Community driven, open source and free of charge. Has present recent CryEngine 3 support, of limited usability for CryEngine 2 we use in MW:LL. Can export .cga (CryEngine 3D items, but only the "old" 2.49b Blender), .dae (Collada interchange format) and .obj (Wavefront, good for exchange with 3dsMax) files if properly set up, and with the help of external utilities.
3D Studio MAX
An industry standard professional suite for 3D content creation and animation - one of the few carrying official plugins for export import to CryEngine 2. 3DSMax has excellent support for every sort of modeling and animating. Once set up can directly export and import to CryEngine 2. Supports basic objects, animation, materials and rigging (joint animation like mech legs). 3DSmax is a commercial product, comes only for Windows and licenses can be bought only for still supported releases. There seems to be an student license lasting for 3 years.
3DSmax 2009 32 bit is recommended
SketchUp
The product endorsed by Google. One (wich one?) version at least can do graphics for CryEngine. It seems it recommends Collada-0.3.5 (mandating python 2.5.4) for the export.
Maya
We know it exists, would appreciate any info. The only other official plugins for CryEngine2 are made for Maya.
bitmap and art editors
The game and our mod heavily depends on the geometry enhancing by means of bitmap projection to the surfaces. Here we touch upon some more popular, and thus more likely to be used, tools and suites for managing that part of the work.
Gimp
Because it's free obviously, and can be used on both Windows and Linux platforms. Open source and community driven development. Gimp supports all the usual bitmap formats. There is a plugin for full (both import and export) .DDS support available on google code archives. The other bitmap file format understood by Sandbox2 is TIF
Photo Shop
De-facto the industry standard, most known, advertised and has become almost the everyday term for an bitmap "redo". It is not known to me if there are any but paid-for versions out there, and if any free licenses can be obtained at all.
Inkscape
Did you know that Blender can export UV layout as an .svg file? And the best program for manipulating those is Inkscape -even its own default saving format is SVG. Inkscape is an vector object application - this means you can determine the granularity of the result in the time of export to PNG (only option from Inkscape), and preserve the original art in the svg format meanwhile. Once in PNG the UV map can be presented back to Blender for the export and converted to DDS or TIF and renamed "by hand" in the MTL file accompanying the CGF.
Advanced Text Editor
Really any advanced text editor would do, I picked Geany out of personal preference. It exists in both Windows and Linux platforms. What counts the most is the number of "recent files" it can hold. Besides that advanced search and syntax highlighting are plus. Maybe the most important property of Geany is it's ease of setup - just install and go - it's defaults are sane for most uses out there.
Archiver
It is recommended to use both 7z and WinRAR, note the 7z file manager offers dual pane view and a sort of bookmarks(quite effort saving on occassion) while the WinRAR offers archived files "in place" editing.
Sandbox2
The editor is nowadays shipped bundled with MW:LL it is enough just to point the launcher to it to be able to use it.
Import/Export tools
Both Blender and 3DSmax don't come out of the box ready to interact with CyrEngine 2, Various plugins are needed to facilitate this
Blender
ColladaCGF 0.3.9 (0.3.5?)
Py-FFI 2.1.11 (or?)
Python 2.6.6 (mandated by Collada 039)
3D Studio MAX
CryMax tools and plugins for 3DSmax could be obtained online back then. Recently they are obtainable only as personal copies shared privately.
Note the 3DSMax release version versus the plugin name:
3ds Max 9 32 Bit --> CryExport9.dlu
3ds Max 9 64 Bit --> CryExport9 _64.dlu
3ds Max 2008 32 Bit --> CryExport10.dlu
3ds Max 2008 64 Bit --> CryExport10_64.dlu
3ds Max 2009 32 Bit --> CryExport11.dlu
3ds Max 2009 64 Bit --> CryExport11_64.dlu
3ds Max 2010 32 Bit --> CryExport12.dlu
3ds Max 2010 64 Bit --> CryExport12_64.dlu and on...
Maya
See above
