3D Max Player Models
by Ron Yacketta · in Torque Game Engine · 03/13/2003 (5:22 am) · 6 replies
Hello all!!
I have been poking around the resource section and found a nifty little resource posted by Joel Baxter (which has been added to CVS some time ago). The basis of the resource was adding the ability to have multiple skins for any object (not just the player model).
My question lies with coming up with the right terminology to toss to a modeler so they have some clue of what I am asking for ;)
From my understanding (VERY LIMITED understanding)
1) create the model with a base.objectname.png texture file, which will be the "mask" of areas that can be replaced (re-skinned) in game.
2) create the whatver.objectname.png texture files which will be used to re-skin (overlay textures in base.objectname.png) in game.
IE:
base.objectname.png is created to "mask" the arms, legs and torso. This would be the texture used to make the model and thus what is seen in game without a being re-skinned (default texture)
purple.objectname.png would contain the same arms, legs and torso textures, but have different colors etc. This would be used to re-skin the model in game.
Is my assumption and verbiage correct? if I were to tell a modeler the above, they "should" understand what I am speaking of correct?
-Ron
I have been poking around the resource section and found a nifty little resource posted by Joel Baxter (which has been added to CVS some time ago). The basis of the resource was adding the ability to have multiple skins for any object (not just the player model).
My question lies with coming up with the right terminology to toss to a modeler so they have some clue of what I am asking for ;)
From my understanding (VERY LIMITED understanding)
1) create the model with a base.objectname.png texture file, which will be the "mask" of areas that can be replaced (re-skinned) in game.
2) create the whatver.objectname.png texture files which will be used to re-skin (overlay textures in base.objectname.png) in game.
IE:
base.objectname.png is created to "mask" the arms, legs and torso. This would be the texture used to make the model and thus what is seen in game without a being re-skinned (default texture)
purple.objectname.png would contain the same arms, legs and torso textures, but have different colors etc. This would be used to re-skin the model in game.
Is my assumption and verbiage correct? if I were to tell a modeler the above, they "should" understand what I am speaking of correct?
-Ron
#2
if it is not created with base.objectname.png and let say it is created with Skin1.png
no matter what you do in script etc Skin1.png will ALWAYS be used? that is you can not change the skin in game?
-Ron
03/13/2003 (6:17 am)
O.Kif it is not created with base.objectname.png and let say it is created with Skin1.png
no matter what you do in script etc Skin1.png will ALWAYS be used? that is you can not change the skin in game?
-Ron
#3
I changed it to base.b.png for the base skin and then other skins are called purple.b.png or red.b.png for example. By default, base.b.png will be used unless a different skin is set.
03/13/2003 (7:16 am)
Pretty sure that is correct. That's how the original blue guy was made. He was exported using player.png as the skin/texture and wouldn't allow other skins to be applied. I changed it to base.b.png for the base skin and then other skins are called purple.b.png or red.b.png for example. By default, base.b.png will be used unless a different skin is set.
#4
-Ron
03/13/2003 (7:29 am)
could you enlighten me as to the format of the base.objectname.png texture file? is their anything special in that file? alpha? or something that the engie is keying on to be used as the "mask"-Ron
#5
03/13/2003 (8:15 am)
There's nothing special about it that I know about. You can rename the player.png file to blue.objectname.png and reuse it once the max model is set to use base.objectname.png or rename it base.objectname.png and use it as the default. You could also open the png file in PaintShop or something, shade it red and name it red.objectname.png and use it as a different skin.
#6
When working with legends we had player models skinned and exported before that resource became available to the core of the Torque engine code. Even though that was the case we had no problem getting the new skin functionality working with these existing models. Just as long as you follow the guidelines for the rest of the resource I don't think you should have any problem.
Another note as well. The 'base' skin doesn't represent a mask of what can be reskinned. It is just a 'base' skin if other skins are not applied to it in script. If you make another skin and call it something like anewskin.player.png for instance, and you apply that skin to the appropriate model in game via the scripts, then it will reskin the entire model.
Hope that helps.
03/13/2003 (8:32 am)
Ron,When working with legends we had player models skinned and exported before that resource became available to the core of the Torque engine code. Even though that was the case we had no problem getting the new skin functionality working with these existing models. Just as long as you follow the guidelines for the rest of the resource I don't think you should have any problem.
Another note as well. The 'base' skin doesn't represent a mask of what can be reskinned. It is just a 'base' skin if other skins are not applied to it in script. If you make another skin and call it something like anewskin.player.png for instance, and you apply that skin to the appropriate model in game via the scripts, then it will reskin the entire model.
Hope that helps.
Torque Owner Sabrecyd