Need help with 3dsMax

[Arbaces]

Hi guys.. Got some modding questions for any modeller/skinner/unit card maker among you.

First of all it seems that whatever I'd do I can't make unit cards have a professional look (as in Vanilla RTW/RTR/EB,etc) just using screenshots & Photoshop... so, I've been thinking that importing the skin & texture in 3dsmax might help unit card makers make unit cards better then I do. Am I right... ? then the question is: How do I import the texture in 3ds Max? (I know how to import models using Vercingetorix's Script) If I was not right than the question is: Is there a better way to create profesional unit cards then through screenshots?

And... another thing would be... if anybody can suggest me some good 3dsMax tutorials (not random ones from google) since I am a newbie in using 3dsMax but I've found my will to do it.

Thx .

[spirit_of_rob]

when u have imported your model press the "m" key on ur keyboard and choose the texture map u want that should do it

[Caius Britannicus]

bouis (of roma mod fame) and I did a tutorial for creating unit cards. This tutorial is the same process we used for creating ALL the cards used in RTR 6.x I have it in a txt form but I will paste the text here for you. It details 3dsmax and using gimp to create the cards. It also teaches you how to do alpha channels in max and will help get you started with modelling! Enjoy.

For this tutorial you will need five pieces of software:

1) 3dsmax. A demo version maybe downloaded at this link.

2) The Gimp. This is an image manipulation program that's free.

3) xidx. Place this in your Rome - Total War\data\animations folder and run it like this. You'll need the animations it extracts for later.

4) DXTBMP

5) cas extractor. Put this in your 3dsmax\scripts folder.

Step 1: open the skin with DXTBMP. In the top right corner is the Alpha channel. Click on the button that has an arrow pointing into a folder. This is the Export Alpha Channel button. Save the alpha channel as a bitmap

Step 2: Open 3dsmax

Step 3: Load the CAS. This is how you do it:

1) Choose the hammer in the upper right of the screen.
2) Click on the MAXscript rectangle
3) choose run script. When the dialog comes up, pick CAS_IE_b69.ms
4) click the pull down box under utilities and choose RTW Import\Export
5) Click on the plus sign next to R:TW Import
6) Choose import CAS and pick your CAS file

Step 4: Load the texture and alpha channel.

1) Press the "m" key in 3dsmax.
2) Go ahead and click on the "-" sign next to the "Shader Basic Parameters" and "Blinn Basic Parameters" to get them out of the way.
3) Click on the "+" sign next to "Maps"
4) Check diffuse color and click on the rectangle on the right side of the "100" with the up and down arrows next to it.
5) Under the "Bitmap Parameters" click the rectangle next to "Bitmap:" and choose the .tga.dds of your skin.
6) Now go up to the pull down box that currently says "bitmaptexture" and choose "01 - Default." This will bring you back to the "Maps" dialog.
7) Click the checkbox next to opacity, and click on the square to the right of the "100" and up and down arrows.
8) A new window will appear with a list of options. Choose Bitmap which should appear at the top of the list.
9) Choose the bitmap you saved from the alpha for your texture.
10) Go back to the pull down box at the top, and choose "01 - Default" again.
11) Now click the blue and white square above the pull down box once.

Step 5: Getting rid of unwanted weapons

Nows as good a time as any to get rid of the weapon we don't want. If you want to pose your guy with his javelin, left click on the sword to select it, then right click on the sword and choose "hide selection." It will disappear.

Step 6: Adding an animation

Now, go back to the Hammer button, then the R:TW Import/Export. You shouldn't have to re-run the plug-in. Choose the Import tab again, but this time pick "import animation." Now go to the animations you unpacked, and choose one that's appropriate for posing your character. There are a lot of files in here: LIS is swordsman, LIJ is javelin man, LID is archers, SLG is slinger, 2HS is for two hand weapons like axes, and SPM is spearman.

Choose an animation corresponds to the unit you are working on. For instance, if you are working a Javelin thrower choosing LIJ_07 Throw javlin_FASTER.cas would be a good choice. Notice that a slider has appeared under your 3dsmax viewing windows that let you go through the animation frames.

Things to consider when choosing an animation:

Can you see the shield?
Can you see what makes this unit distinct?
Are the feet close enough together?
Can you get a shot of the head, shield, and upper body suitable for a battle card?

To maneuver inside the Perspective Window of 3dsmax:
Now, you can zoom in and out using your mouse wheel (or the zoom button in the lower right hand corner) or adjust your perspective with the button with a circle superimposed over a 3d axis. You can also maximize the perspective window with the bottom right-most button.

Find a good pose for your character.

Step 7: Rendering the unit

Now, press the "F10" key. At the bottom of this dialog there's a pull down box next to preset; choose Load Preset and then select the bouis-unit-card.rps which I have included and load it. Now minimize this dialog.

Now press "8." In this dialog box, Change the environment map to the "#UNIT_BATTLECARD.tga" I've included this by clicking the rectangle below Environment Map and then Selecting Bitmap. Here change the file type to Targa Image File and choose the above mentioned file. You can now close this dialog box.

Now press F10 and choose "render" to see how it looks. Keep doing this until you find a suitable pose. Try to include as much of the character in the shot as you can, as long as you're keeping the proper perspective.

Once you get a good one, click the little save button on the render dialog box and save it as a tga. A dialog box will appear asking about settings. Just ignore it and click Okay.

Step 8: Making the Info Card

Now use the gimp to open this tga. Use the rectangle selection tool to choose the figure.
Once it is selected, hold down CTRL and hit C.

Now hold down CTRL and hit O.

Choose the unit card template that you want (INFANTRY_TEMPLATE_GREEN_INFO.tga or INFANTRY_TEMPLATE_ARID_INFO.tga) which have been included.

Now hold CTRL and hit V. This will paste your unit into the template. But you may have noticed it’s a tad to large. Make sure you don't click outside of the image you just pasted as this will anchor the layer and you won't be able to edit it. If this does happen just hold CTRL and hit Z, this will undo the previous action.

Okay we just have to scale the layer now. Go to the Layers pull down menu and select "Scale Layer", this will open a new window. First thing to do is go to the pull down menu were it says Interpolation and change it to Cubic. If you don't do this your unit and battle cards will look very blurry. Now you can change the height or width until the unit looks right. Once you feel happy with it anchor the layer by holding CTRL and pressing H.

Save the info card as a tga describing your character and you’re done. Now we can get to work on the battle card.

Step 9: Making the Battle Card

Go back to your original tga that you rendered in max and using the rectangle selection tool select the portion of the unit you want for the battle card. It’s best to make sure that what you are selecting allows people to quickly identify the unit. So make sure his shield or weapon is easily identifiable. Hold CTRL and press C to copy the selection.

Now open the file #UNIT_BATTLECARD.tga which has been supplied using CTRL O and then hit CTRL V. Your unit should be pasted in again. Leave it as a floating layer and go through the procedure of scaling the layer once again. Don't forget to use cubic interpolation.

Position it properly on the battle card template and anchor it. If it doesn't look right you can always undo with CRTL Z.

You’re done. All that’s left is to save the card as a tga.

To do Cavalry units is a whole other ball game and requires another tutorial all on its own.

[Arbaces]

Thanks a lot Caius & spirit_of_rob, real useful .