Backwards Model

posted on December 14th, 2009, 10:48 pm

Right now, I'm trying to convert the well-known DJ Curtis Galaxy-Class model to my Armada II game for my personal use. I have no intention of distributing it; DJ has said to numerous people that he does not want it released on A2. I intend to honor this by keeping it with me.

Anyway, I've used Milkshape to try and convert it over. I tried a quick test, without adding any hardpoint, and the result is the pic below: The model is converted backwards.

I know there are some experienced modelers out there. Can somebody tell me how I can reverse the model so it comes out the way its supposed to? Any help would be appreciated.

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posted on December 14th, 2009, 11:51 pm

So, this is backwards as in facing-the-wrong-way backwards, so it travels in reverse?

Huh... Surely you could just select everything and rotate, but then you might have to re-apply the textures :S

posted on December 14th, 2009, 11:55 pm

there is n axis in ms3d that shows what direction it is facing (I think its yellow)  just look for the line facing backwards twards the naclles, and make sure it is changed to face twards the saucer section

posted on December 15th, 2009, 12:27 am

I should restate this, I don't think I said things properly. The model itself is backwards when I import it to MilkShape, BEFORE I export it to SOD format.

When I say backwards, I mean that the model is flipped on the Y-axis, not so that it's upside-down ingame, but so that the model looks like it would if you held it up to a mirror. I really have no experience when it comes to using modeling programs, so as for the actual flipping it back, I'll seriously need a step-by-step how to do that.

posted on December 15th, 2009, 1:31 am

Select all and then rotate. U will have to rotate z and y. basicly what is front in ms3d is gonna be what is front when exported to sod. What i generaly do is have a window set for viepoint top and then one for viepoint forward and then rotate as neccesary. Make sure u use "select all" from the edit menu. hope that helps. also u can seelct a front part of the ship in one view and see if its orientated towards the front in the top view as well to help give u a clue.

posted on December 15th, 2009, 2:55 am

I still don't think I'm explaining myself properly. I tried what RIDERSTORM said, and it just rotated the model around. Thats not what i'm trying to do.

Pic 1 shows how the model looks like just importing it into Milkshape

Pic 2 shows how I want it to get. The pic is just reversed, like how I want to get the model

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posted on December 15th, 2009, 10:59 pm

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......Ok the only thing I can think of off the top my head is a pain in the ass to do.....basicly ur gonna have to bisect the model first then under vertex editing there will be mirroring options. Basicly ur gonna have to tear apart the model then mirror over half the model then the other half while deleting what was in place. If u attempt this I highly advise u make several seperately saved files as u progress so if u mess up u can just reload ur last step. But doing this may screw up any uv mapping done to the model. Milkshape is kinda funny about that sometimes.

posted on December 15th, 2009, 11:01 pm

ooh, I'm sorry I didn't realise that was your problem. *facepalm*

listen to ryder.  he obviously understands it better

posted on December 15th, 2009, 11:35 pm

LOL. I was gonna do what ryder said. I selected the entire model and looked for bisecting the model. While I was looking, I found what I had been loking for: the mirror button.  >:( After a moment or two of raging, I mirrored her, exported a sample, and it worked. Thanks for your help, guys. All that's left to do now is adding hardpoints, and I'll get that done easy. 

posted on December 16th, 2009, 3:10 pm

May I sogguest a few things.

When adding hardpoints. It is necessary to put as little space between the hardpoint and the part of the hull it represents. Though how about you lend me a copy and I can attempt to HP it. Though I would need textures to help guide me through (getting the phaser arrays and such correct).

Oh... I just found some images that can really help you with texturing. Hope these help.

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posted on December 16th, 2009, 4:32 pm

I think he has the textures, they were just backwards.

If ISS Enterprise sends you a copy, I would be intrigued to see who would do better

posted on December 16th, 2009, 7:32 pm

sorry gamer, but my money is on ISS. 

actually he mentioned already that this was only a personal mod that he has no permission to give it out, so I don't think that it is gonna happen

posted on December 16th, 2009, 11:30 pm

Yeah what the others said. And wow I was having dumb moment or something.....sugesting to bisect the model when all u have to do is miror the entire model. Just dont forget to make sure everything is centered up nicely on x,y,z zero absolute. Glad you fixed the model all up

posted on December 18th, 2009, 12:22 am

Nice to see people have a lot of confidence in me 

actually he mentioned already that this was only a personal mod that he has no permission to give it out, so I don't think that it is gonna happen

Yeah, thats the case unforunately. Originally, Dan1025 (hope those numbers are right XD) had a Galaxy-Class model for his personal A2, but the textures he used were that of DJ's galaxy. When I e-mailed Dan to see if he would let me have a copy of it, he told me the reason why he hadn't already released it was because DJ had denied all permission to released converted versions of his work.

May I suggest a few things.
When adding hardpoints. It is necessary to put as little space between the hardpoint and the part of the hull it represents. Though how about you lend me a copy and I can attempt to HP it. Though I would need textures to help guide me through (getting the phaser arrays and such correct).
Oh... I just found some images that can really help you with texturing. Hope these help.

Believe me, I would LOVE to send you a copy of this. I'm getting stuck on just one step of HP adding. Something to do with adding an m_ to each group of meshes or something.... The only thing thats keeping me from sending it is my respect for the permission system. I might need help with this HP adding too, if you can help me here, and I post screens of what confuses me

[RYDERSTORM]

posted on December 18th, 2009, 9:26 pm

Last edited by RYDERSTORM on December 18th, 2009, 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ok the mesh hardpoints.

Every model has a mesh group. some only one some have many. if ur model has 5 meshgroups then u will need 5 mesh hardpoint nodes.

If u have say 5 mesh groups named

saucer
engine
launcher
party
xmaz

then ur mesh hardpoints would be...

m_saucer
m_engine
m_launcher
m_party
m_xmaz

also sometimes milkshape does not like mesh group names to be longer than 8 charecters. so basicly ur mesh groups names need to be either 8 charecters or less.

Another thing is mesh hardpoints are not linked traditionally. Usually what I do is add the scene root then the mesh points (m_) then the lights hardpoints sprites excetera. The mesh points kinda exist outside the "hirearchy"
Also sometimes it helps to stack the mesh points all at absolute zero and other times this does not work. Basicly ms3d can be lil wonky.

Next to texturing and uv mapping hardpointing is the most tedius task there is.

Oh one more thing. with out mesh nodes or points the model will not show at all in storm3d or in game. so u do have to have them.