Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Terrain Editor => Topic started by: jimson on February 09, 2012, 08:37:24 PM
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So I have this pre-made object that I got online and can open it up in AC3D and save it there but I cannot find a way to get it into the OE. I've saved it as a .ac file and then tried to "convert AC3D object" in the OE, but it never shows.
I don't have much 3D modeling experience, but I figured I might could do this if all the extrusions and such were done already.
Here is a photo with the object info and hierarchy properties that I start with before I do anything.
Can anyone help point me in the right direction? Or can you only modify existing AH objects?
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff457/avacmstaff/3d.png)
Tried with another imported from a different format.
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff457/avacmstaff/3d2.png)
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This is the ReadMe in your Editors folder. Not sure if it'll help or answer any questions:
Creating Shapes in ac3d
The Aces High Object Creator Uses a specific hierarchy to build master shapes.
As follows:
===========
World
Group "Model"
Group "Objects"
Group"STR0"
Object "WHATEVER" /* this can be a living
shape */
Object "WHATEVER2" /* if there is a dead shape,
it would be this object
with the DEAD flag set */
Object "STR1"
Object "STR2"
.
.
.
Group "Ground"
Object "anything"
Object "anything"
Object "anything"
.
.
.
.
To create this hierarchy in ac3d it is easiest to just create all the end point objects and the group them together when you have finished.
The various object types available to you are as follows:
VOD This shape is static with no special meaning or game functionality
TWR Every field must have a tower. This is a tower type.
RWY Runways.
HGR Hangar.
ARM Rearm Pads.
GNG Auto Gun.
RDR Radar.
BMB Bombable.
FTE Fighter Entry Point.
MPR Map Room.
OFC Officer Club.
AMB Ammo bunker.
FUB Fuel Bunker.
BAB Barracks.
CIT City.
HQT Headquarters.
AMF Ammo Factory.
FUF Fuel Factory.
RDF Radar Factory.
AAF AAA Factory.
BAF Grunt Training Facility.
BME Bomber Entry Point.
VHE Vehicle Entry Point.
FTH Fighter Hangar.
BMH Bomber Hangar.
VHH Vehicle Hangar.
SHP Ship.
BTE Boat Entry Point.
BAT Gun Battery.
TRN Train.
CNV Road Convoy.
BAR River Barge.
STA Station.
TWN Town.
BRR Barrier.
STR Structure.
GMS Group Master.
BAS Soft Gun Battery.
BAA Armored Gun Battery.
GNH Hard Auto Gun.
GNA Armored Auto Gun.
BAH Hard Gun Battery.
In our example we used "STR", which is a structure. The benefit of defining your objects in this manner allows you to redefine them in the Object Editor as they have no attributes associated with them.
You must always add a number immediately after the object type and this number must be unique within that type.
For example, if you have 4 "STR" types and 2 "BRR" types, they would be named as follows: STR1, STR2, STR3, STR4, BRR1, BRR2 and so on.
Materials.
==========
Aces High Has a fixed material list that can be used and imported into ac3d. Just merge the file "material.ac" into your shape from the ac3d file menu.
The Aces High materials will show up as materials with a value of 17 and greater. Any materials other than the imported ones will be ignored.
Flags.
======
MinDist=10
MaxDist=100
------------
The MinDist and MaxDist values control the range at which you can see an object.
As an example, if you set the MinDist value to 10, then the object would disappear from view if you get within 10 feet of the object, in the game.
When the MaxDist is set to 100, the object will remain in view until it is more than 100 feet away, in the game.
If you have a large or complex object, you may want to create simpler versions of those object that can be used as the player gets farther away. To do this, you would have the high detailed model show up, say between 10 and 100 feet, then to have the game switch to the next lower detail model, you would set the MinDist to 100 and the MaxDist to 1000, for example.
This would cause the game to drop the high detailed model from view at 100 feet and switch to another lower detailed model from 100 to 1000 feet.
StencilAlpha=1
---------------
Terrain=1
----------
This tells the Object Editor that this is a terrain shape. Terrain shapes are special shapes which get included with a terrain and are not standalone objects.
For example, if you wanted to add a small berm or hill to a terrain, you would use design the shape, then tag it with this flag.
DoNotSmallCull=1
-----------------
Culling is a process which allows a game engine to ignore drawing things which do not need to be drawn. Such as objects you cannot see from your view in the game.
This flag controls whether or not an object should be culled down to its basic shape. If set to "1", the object is treated as a unit during culling and if it is set to "0", it it is broken down to smaller elements of the object for culling.
Obviously this can have performance impacts.
As an extreme example, you would not want to cull a simply box, but you might want to small cull a 1000 foot long building.
PolyID=20001
-------------
Runway 20001
Rearm Pad 20002
Crater 20003
Road 20004
Dirt 20005
Water 20006
Tree 20007
Bush 20008
Wall 20009
Model 20010
Train Track 20011
Dead=0
-------
NoCollide=1
------------
This flag tells Aces High is an object can be collided with or not. For example, a shape type of "Bush" would have this flag set to "1", so the "Bush" can be run over without causing damage or stopping a moving object.
While a "Tree" shape type would have this flag set to "0", to tell Aces High the shape can be collided with.
ZBias=0
--------
When you have two co-planar polys, the video card needs to know the order they should be drawn in. ZBias sets this order. The higher numbered poly will be drawn last.
Hidden=0
---------
This defines whether a poly is hidden or not. 0=it is not hidden, 1=it is hidden
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I read that but don't know what to make of it, I don't see any way to change what I have to that. I can only select one object and can't get a "group."
I can't even figure out how to make a "material.ac" file.
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So if I have to have more than one object can I just duplicate it? I'll be putting a bunch together anyway.
If I do that I get this:
(http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3126/107144jsq07qiq.png)
But I don't see any way to get this:
World
Group "Model"
Group "Objects"
Group"STR0"
Object "WHATEVER" /* this can be a living
shape */
Object "WHATEVER2" /* if there is a dead shape,
it would be this object
with the DEAD flag set */
Object "STR1"
Object "STR2"
.
.
.
Group "Ground"
Object "anything"
Object "anything"
Object "anything"
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Wow jimson, I thought you wanted to keep it simple. Clearly I misunderstood! :rofl
First, you'll need some things: Install the htcac3d.p plugin. It's located in your Aces High Editors folder and it goes into you ac3d plugin folder, drag and drop. If you don't have it, be sure to download the ac3dman68.pdf and have it handy. It's very good.
In the OE, Export rs100 and load it into ac3d, any OE exported shape has the materials built into it btw. After you've played around a bit with the rs100 shape, look for the next simplest shapes you can find in the OE and do the same thing until you're comfortable with the general look of the hierarchy. Then look in the OE for something similar to what you are trying to build and see if you can use it as a template for your build. You will need to over-ride some of the names that ac3d installs by default, especially in new builds, and this is the best way to learn where to do that.
After you've played with it awhile, re-read the readme you and Ranger were talking about, it will make a lot more sense.
Good luck
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jimson I would suggest you do some looking around youtube, and find some tutorials, and learn the basic and interface for AC3D before
you start making/converting objects for Aces High.
Here are a couple basic ones to start with but there are many more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8fZ99pv7-g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCEDnq_ZuUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSkZYjOEYd4&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL32DF17DD428C6FCE
:salute
midi
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Actually, nevermind. I found a standard object I can use, that I didn't know existed :)
What a dumazz I am. :lol
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff457/avacmstaff/TTRAP.png)
Thanks for the replies all.