Importing objects into the Mapeditor?

posted on February 8th, 2011, 4:09 pm

Hi I'm currently working on a mod map or at least I'm trying to..

the map will play in sector 001 and will start with preset constructions for both sides. So far no problem but there are also some high quality objects I would like to add into the map editor for placing inside the map.

Any idea how do I do it?

I searched here and through the net for some tutorials regarding this topic but my search results turned less than optimal.

Someone should write a tutorial regarding that and add it to this website which is really good.
The Main Page - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fleet Operations

the map will be mainly for my own personal fun but if it will work like I'm planing I will probably create a small mappack and then release it public so that it is worth it downloading.

posted on February 8th, 2011, 4:33 pm

Hi mate

By mod map, do you mean a sort of mini-campaign with scripted events? Or are you just looking to import those objects and nothing else?

Currently the ODF modification section of the guide is incomplete - however, if you go to this section, it may prove of some use

Basically you'll want to add whatever objects you've put into Fleet Ops into one of the edit.odf files so that you can place it

And of course, thanks for the compliments 

[Anonymous]

posted on February 8th, 2011, 4:42 pm

Last edited by Anonymous on February 8th, 2011, 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah thats exactly what I'm looking for.. I just want to add new objects in it (stations - Planets) they shall not be buildable so that the game itself remains untouched but I want those things placeable within the Editor.

Can you gimme a little more intel on that task. While I do have vast modding experience (c&c, Half-Life, Operation Flashpoint & Arma2) I'm a total noob in here.

I'm not entirely sure where to begin. Thx.

EDIT: Aha after looking a little more into it I guess I understand the Editor System so thanks again. If you still have some hints for me feel free to add them here.

posted on February 8th, 2011, 5:59 pm

Ok I have successfully inserted a Station for testing purposes but due to the fact that I had to rename it the model can't find the belonging textures to it anymore. The Station was originally for the A2 Stock file structure meaning that it had extra folders which aren't used anymore in FO.

Is there an easy way to change the file path the model is looking for? I found only model tools on A2 filefront but no stand alone decompilers and compilers.

posted on February 8th, 2011, 6:19 pm

Ah, at the moment I don't have access to my Fleet Ops directory, but I may still be able to shed some light 

You can choose to add objects to any of the sections in the Editor - and you can of course create your own editor files as well . If I recall correctly there is a edit_planets.odf file which has all the references to planets - likewise there is one for NPC's: edit_npc_page1.odf. If you want to create your own sub section for your new files, you need only create a new submenu' in editmenu.odf, and then create your new 'submenu' - though I bet  you figured that out

It seems that you are having difficult adding the unit itself into the game, and I must warn you I'm not sure about all the parts that may be necessary for the particular unit desired (sprite files and things like that). However, the FO file structure should be very similar to A2 - if you have the instructions or have sections that you are confused about I can hopefully direct you to the correct location and the proper procedure, but I'll need more information to know what the problems are  .

Also, I'm not sure if you knew, but any mods to the ODFs will affect version compatibility

[Anonymous]

posted on February 8th, 2011, 6:40 pm

Last edited by Anonymous on February 8th, 2011, 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Well I solved the problem.. jiiipeee 

The problem was that I inserted the model successfully into the editor but it had no textures on it.
That's because I renamed the Sod file to the belonging faction fed_jup.sod,odf etc. The original name was simply jup.

To make it working I once again renamed it back to the original name it had. While it will be a bit messy in the ODF and SOD folder having no specialiest names I don't see any other way around it.

One thing is weird however. I thought that the file structure must stay the same like it was in the original. So that the model can find the texture.tga file. That however wasn't the case. It's still finding the texture in FO. The original file structure for the texture file however was:
DataTexturesRGB
And yet it still works simply with:
DataTextures
in that case I don't know why it wont let me rename the files. Anyway I'm now adding more stuff into the Editor and then continue with my mapping.

i'm adding the new stuff as npcs on the same place where the Premonition is included.

posted on February 8th, 2011, 6:48 pm

Excellent

I assume that the texture entries and ODF were renamed and still no luck?

Yup, as long as files are dumped into the correct super-folders, they'll work fine .

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

posted on February 8th, 2011, 7:51 pm

Last edited by Anonymous on February 8th, 2011, 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

What do you mean by Texture entries?

Anyway I'm having a new problem with my planets hopefully you can help me. I managed it to include the Sol system Planets into the Editor.

This pack here:

Solar System Download, Star Trek: Armada 2 Celestial Bodies

Again I have no textures but this time I haven't renamed any of the files. Maybe you can help me on this one.


Ok the original ODF didn't work so I copied the FO Planet settings to my new planets. So far so good I can place them in the editor but like i said without textures.

The original code looked like this:

Code: Select all

#include "planet.odf"

unitName = "Earth"

tooltip = "Class M Planet"
verboseTooltip = "Earth is the primary focal point of the Earth Federation."

maxHealth = 150000
maxCrewGain = 50000

//Rate at which shield recharges (points per second... we think)
shieldRate = 5000

// maximum military garrision (crew)
maximumCrew = 50000

relativeAtmosphereSpeed = 1.2
//turbulence = 10

// maximum civilian population
// can be unpopulated, sparse, light, medium, or heavy
maxPopulation = "heavy"

// modifier to base rate at which a planet gets civilians
civilianPopulationModifier = 1.5f

ambientSound = "pb_clssm_am.wav"
// make min bigger or smaller to change volume, leave max=1
ambientMinimumFactor = .25
ambientMaximumFactor = 1

resource = "ResourcePlanetM"

atmosphereTextureName = "PA_ECFR0"
groundTextureName = "PB_GC00M"

isColonizable = 1
requiresTerraform = 0

//**********************************************************************
//**********************************************************************
//PLANET NAMES

//Possible Craft Names
possibleCraftNames =
   ""

scaleSOD = 0.9

And the new code looks like that:

Code: Select all

classlabel = "background_obj"
unitname = "Earth"
avoidme = 0
avoidanceclass = 0
scalesod = 0.55
mapicon = "mapicon_empty"

maybe there aren't any textures because those 2 lines

atmosphereTextureName = "PA_ECFR0"
groundTextureName = "PB_GC00M"

are missing in the new code.
But I copied it already to see if it makes a difference. Unfortunately it didn't.
Do you have any idea what to do next?

Greetings 23-down

posted on February 8th, 2011, 8:49 pm

This is the part of the ODF guide that isn't complete yet, so you'll have to excuse me if I make a few errors along the way

Although I'm by no means sure, I think that the ODF name of the planet has to match that of the ODF and the SOD in order to correctly display . At this point I'd rather not continue guessing as I think I'll just confuse things however - I'd recommend waiting around for a real modder to help you from here on out 

posted on February 8th, 2011, 11:00 pm

Alright well it's not so bad.. then I will just go without the planets.. My main idea was it to create a map like in Armada 1 in which you must defend Earth against invading forces... I'm now using standard planets.. But at the moment I'm experiencing a crash bug with my map.

I'm not really sure what's causing it. First I thought my new ships and stations may cause it but even without them the map wont load. Then I started by deleting ship by ship in like 60 steps still only 1 standard ship remained on the map but I still got the crash bug.

Then I deleted all background things and 75% of my ships to see if that makes a difference. Well guess what it's still crashing. it's really weird. Any idea what could cause it?

I changed the hight and angular of specific stations and ships maybe that's causing it? But even here I did test that on another map and it doesn't give me any problems at all weird. I'm pretty clue less right now. Well I keep investigating.

posted on February 8th, 2011, 11:07 pm

Ah, next time I suggest adding in one ship at a time and testing - and when getting a crash, checking the Crash/Bug List

If you want planets that act as they did in A1/A2, you'll have to re add them in the same manner, but I am not familiar with the methodology I'm afraid. I'd recommend contacting Blade/Apoclaydon if you wish to do so . I believe that you will need the A2 sprites, but I'm not sure 

posted on February 8th, 2011, 11:34 pm

I've found the bug and you wont believe it... but my Latinum and Dilitcium moons were responsible for the crashes... What the hell...


It's working now I hope if I rebuild the moons it will still be working otherwise I'm having a large and weird problem. The most important thing in the game is causing crashes very strange.

posted on February 8th, 2011, 11:46 pm

Cool

There are a few ODF commands that are renamed in FO, so keep an eye out for those, as they may be causing the issue you are experiencing 

ODF Commands - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fleet Operations

posted on February 9th, 2011, 2:31 am

Nice command list thx where would I be without you..

Any way good news my map is finished and seems to be working at least in the Editor that is.

There is only 1 remaining problem actually a big one... How do I get the stations and ships under my command and the same ai player his stuff. Right now I'm starting on a empty map.

In Armada 1 there was a nice option called map units on but that doesn't exist in A2 or FO... Pls don't tell me my entire work was for nothing ?

posted on February 9th, 2011, 2:37 am

I'm a tad perplexed at what you are trying to do here - are you just trying to place units and stations and then cause them to be assigned to the AI or to you? Or is there something else I'm missing?

If you can describe what it is exactly you want out of your map and new stations and ships, we can work it out from there