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[Stainless]

Thanks to a lot of testing by SAS~Storebror, I have finally got FBX export working.

A new version of the mod tool has been uploaded in the usual place http://stainlessbeer.weebly.com/downloads.html.

It exports textures, materials, groups, and of course the mesh itself.

I had to play with the UV coordinates a lot to get it to work, and it took several attempts to get the overlays to work, but it is finally working. I think this now means we have closed the circle.

You can export from 3ds max into the game, and import a HIM into 3ds max again.

You load the HIm into the modtool, make any changes you need to get it to display properly (I often have to sort out the alpha values on textures and the lighting settings), then click "Mesh->Export as FBX"





In the dialog that pops up. Click browse to pick an output directory. Make it a unique one as it will be full of FBX files.

You can click on the check box if you want a binary mode fbx

Then hit "do it" and sit back for a while.

When it completes you will have a directory with one FBX file per msh file, and all the textures.

The textures are converted to png files to get around the problems with IL2's none standard TGA file format.

I don't have 3ds max, that's why Mike's help was SO important, but I have tested it in Maya and apart from the glass not being transparent, it's spot on.

Have fun guys.

[Dreamk]

Ok - It took me some time but here is the first feed-back on the Effects editor:
First I must state that I am working with a WinXP SP3 on a 1280x720 monitor resolution, while there is a need to have at least a 1280x768 resolution to see all the effects editor window.
Opening the program and loading an effect file brings up 3 windows:
One "Spawn particles system" aimed apparently at showing the difference between effect on ground an in air (quite relevant for smoke effects that give often really different effects in ground and in air)  - is apparently not functional (at least I have not have been able to see any differences when pushing the buttons of this screen)
One "Material editor" window - with very limited functionality - shows the material name and display the bitmap used for it. I have played with the various input scales and boxes in this menu but have been unable to see changes in the effect.
One "SAS EFF Editor" window - the main one and apparently the only functional one.

A preliminary observation about the display of the effect - there is no possibility to move on the screen the point of origin of the effect, and as some display at the bottom of the screen this limits the possibilities to "play" with the effect.

One strange phenomenon about the imported material is that sometimes the Alpha property of the bitmap is respected and the the effect displays fine (RocketSmokeWhite using whitesmoke.mat for instance),
However, for some materials this is not the case and we have then to deal with black squares turning on themselves (FAB_100(Circle).eff using Smoke.mat for instance).
Some effects do not display at all though the material is loaded (firesprite.eff using rcktflamsprite.mat for instance)

The class box allows to change the java class involved - but I have been unable to see any change in the effect by doing so.

The colour boxes are fully functional

The parameter boxes:
N Particle  - functional
Finish Time - functional
TranspTransitionTime - no influence on the effect
MaxR - no influence on the effect
PhiN - no influence on the effect
PsiN - no influence on the effect
LiveTime - not sure
EmitVelocity - functional
EmitFrq - functional
Wind - functional but very low influence on the effect if any (the wind activate box seems to be not functional)
Size - functional
GasResist - Functional
Vertical Acceleration - Functional
Rnd - Functional
Emit Theta - Functional
Fixed velocity = not functional
Fake alpha box - not functional

Conclusion - a most promising tool, already useful for modifying some effects but still at a early devlopement stage.

[Stainless]

There is a check box called "fake alpha"

Turn that on and re-import your effect and the black boxes will go away.

At the bottom are two buttons, these switch between 2D mode and 3D mode.

In 3D mode the spawn particle system dialog spawns particle systems. Either close to the ground so you can see the effect interacting with terrain, and in the air so you can see it against the sky.

Very important to have that option if you want the effects to look correct.

I have seen many effects that don't display anything. At first I thought it was a bug in the editor, then I noticed a lot of them have things like a max particle count of 0 or a particle size of 0

I really don't know why they are in the game if this is correct.

What I need to know is, do the effects look reasonable. Do they look like they do in the game. If not then I am on a hiding to nothing.

[Dreamk]

When they display, the effects look more than reasonable. They are a realistic representation of what to expect in the game. I am already using this effect editor to adjust some of the new effects I a making.
 
Concerning the effects that don't display anything - it may be related to the effect duration - they include a lot of "almost instant" effects such as sparks.

Checking the "fake alpha" box indeed solves the problem I mentioned.
I have tested the 2D/3D and it's a very nice tool - just one thing - can you include a possibility to "fix" the 3D screen under a given angle at choice (it keeps rotating) it would be easier to study the modified effect.

[Stainless]

Yes, I can stop the rotation of the camera.

If you think it's close to what you see in the game, I can come back to it in a few days and start finishing off all the various boring editor functions.

[Dreamk]

It would be perfect if you find time to complete its functions. It's a tool that really can be a great help.

[Stainless]

This week I've done more work on the effect editor and published it.

Done more work on the mod tool and published it.

And I've worked on the flight model some more, still not happy with it yet.

[Dreamk]

Stainless Hi! I'll post later this week my remarks on the new effect editor. I have began to test it, but needs to do that more extensively. Thanks for all your work

[Stainless]

This week I have been really stuck on the FBX exporter.

It's kicking my ass.

I have no idea why it isn't working.

[Stainless]

Big break through this morning.

Managed to get the base meshes for all aircraft parts in a HIM to export to FBX correctly. It was a rotation order problem.

Of course it's broken LOD's and shadows, but at least I am making progress again.

New release of the mod tool later this week.

[Stainless]

Finally started working in terrain and hit a problem.

I'm using the western front map as a starting point and noticed a problem.

In the INI file no textures are defined for a couple of slots, but those types are used in the map_T.

So say Wood0 is defined, but Wood1 isn't.

WTF should I do in this case?

[SAS~Tom2]

My tip: Pm SAS~Boomer.

IIRC, if there is a map texture slot not defined by the load.ini, it will automatically get one assigned in form of one of the textures below that slot, same if more than one is not assigned. The details, TBH, I forgot completely.

For the forest:
Usually only RGB 24 is painted, that is the texture that carries the forest as defined in the first set of wood entries in the load.ini.
But also RGB 26 can be painted on the map.
I never saw RGB 25 or 27 assigned on map_t.tga, again, someone with more map painting experience can give a deeper insight.

I also cannot remember if I ever checked on a map if missing load.ini entries are actually painted on map_t.tga.

But I know they will be filled anyway.

Hope that helped a bit increase the confusion..

PS:
You will never see Wood1= and Wood3= be assigned on the Slot in a load.ini, at least I never did see that.
It is Wood0= and Wood2= that are used. On the load.ini.