Nexus Skirmisher

Nexus Modding => Game Assets => Topic started by: Blazar on March 20, 2011, 12:15:15

Title: Adding hardpoints to ship model
Post by: Blazar on March 20, 2011, 12:15:15

Hi guys, i am very sorry to bother you again. :-[
I tried the whole day yesterday to add hardpoints to a ship model in Lightwave.
In the manual, 2.2 Game Parameters says;
#blink# to place flashing lights.....etc.
I have tried in Lightwave with: Add Luxigons, but no light in the model viewer or when converterd in the mod.
The syntax can be added via: Add Powergon, but then my knowledge ends, how the syntax / script should look like in the command window.
I have tried numerous variations and serached the web for answers, but without luck. :(

So, can someone please help me with this item?
I know it is a basic moding subject, but i am brand new to this area so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: Adding hardpoints to ship model
Post by: Arparso on March 20, 2011, 12:46:40

If you've installed the sample mods, you can find a sample ship in the "SAMPLE 02  Everything Change" mod in the __work\art\meshes\earth\Spacetech\obj folder. I believe, it is also included in the mod tools you can download separately at moddb, but in a different folder.

You don't need Luxigons or Powergons, just a polygon consisting of only a single vertex - so it's just a point, not a triangle, quad or anything more complicated. Follow these steps, if you don't know how to create 'em:

• Use the "+" hotkey or click on Points->Points with the "Create" tab selected at the top
• Click somewhere in your views to create the point and hit Enter
• Make sure, the point is selected (you need to be in Point selection mode - "CTRL+G")
• Hit "p" or click "Polygons->Make Polygon" with the "Create" tab selected to create a polygon out of this vertex
• switch to Polygon selection mode by hitting "CTRL+H" and make sure, this new polygon is now selected
• hit "q" and assign a new material to it ... the name should be "#blink# XXX" where XXX can be any name you deem appropriate ... the XXX is only important for you to distinguish different blink lights, the game only cares about the "#blink#"
• open up the material browser, select the new #blink# material and adjust color, luminosity (will be size of light), diffuse (will be switched-on duration with 100% meaning 1 second) and specularity (will be switched-off duration with 100% meaning 1 second) - play with these parameters until you're satisfied with all the blink stuff

After I've created one blinking light, I usually just copy and paste that polygon to create more lights - so steps 1-5 are only required once for your first light.

Don't know if it's the most simple approach, but it works for me.

Title: Re: Adding hardpoints to ship model
Post by: Blazar on March 20, 2011, 19:08:33

Arparso,
Thanks a lot. It works LOL ;D
Already experimenting and trying things out.
I also did the full install of the game and i now have all the Sample mods.
Great. Now continue modding, trying out engines.