Modelling Progs For NS2

Bullet_Force

I am wondering what is the best modelling prog to use to make models for NS2 and which ones are compatable. I have tried using 3DS Max Studio but it generates an error upon attempting to open a .model file from the game.

Evil_Ice

This.... is a rather complicated question, and you're not going to find all the answers you are looking for here...

Short answers:

1) You cannot open .model files in any model application, it is a compiled format and would have to be decompiled into some kind of editable format before you could retrieve any data from within them. A decompiler does not exist at this time.

2) At this time 3DSM 2009 is the only application you can use due to the nature of the Collada plugin included with NS2 that has to be used to compile for the Spark Engine.

3) I'm going to venture out onto a limb and say you are new to this process, and NS2 is NOT the friendliest place to learn to get into it, I recommend checking out Source engine modelling and compilation first maybe, or the UDK (Unreal engine), or many others, but Spark is particularly finicky at this time, there are no source files for models released publicly, and the tools are under-developed. This is not a good starting point.

Good luck to you on this though, as an active modelling hobbyist of over a decade, it's an excellent vent for your creative urge.

extollo

i was able to use blender to create a bowling pin model that worked. used the native collada export.

Nasdero

i had the same question on my mind but the answers so far even if best intended havent been very helpfull...


so i form a couple of questions:

- first of all where can i access the good old development area the viewer the builder all of it scince the release it disappeard for me


- if i got a model in the fitting format collada .model what ever, how to FIX textures to it? dds? psd? what can spark read?

- are there poly limits i have to watch?

- if i want to edit the model of something animated (marine, phasegate and so on) how do i adjust the bones and animation properly? (not every step just the tool)

so thats it for the beginning, if someone would tame some time to answer this i guess it could help a lot to many people that got fascinated by ns2

extollo

<!--quoteo(post=2028975:date=Nov 19 2012, 12:49 PM:name=Nasdero)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nasdero @ Nov 19 2012, 12:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028975"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i had the same question on my mind but the answers so far even if best intended havent been very helpfull...


so i form a couple of questions:

- first of all where can i access the good old development area the viewer the builder all of it scince the release it disappeard for me


- if i got a model in the fitting format collada .model what ever, how to FIX textures to it? dds? psd? what can spark read?

- are there poly limits i have to watch?

- if i want to edit the model of something animated (marine, phasegate and so on) how do i adjust the bones and animation properly? (not every step just the tool)

so thats it for the beginning, if someone would tame some time to answer this i guess it could help a lot to many people that got fascinated by ns2<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

you're looking for launchpad? it isnt on the steam menu anymore (not sure why) - go to the ns2 install directory & make your own shortcut.

builder will convert psd to dds. i wasnt able to use any texture other than psd when i tried.

re poly limits - i only ran into limits on the physics model (256 vertices i think)

animation tools: sorry. havent tried to mess with that. btw. if you search the forum the ns2c guys have model source files for old NS1 objects in collada format. they import into blender, but i didnt try to edit and re-export the animations there (may not be feasible).