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Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

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Deep_Blue
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Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Deep_Blue »

Can someone explain the basic process in detail to me? I'm reading C2S and Econobrick's track tut, but like a lot of others, it assumes the basic functions are already known.
This is the very first time I've ever seriously attempted to use PT2..

As I understand it, the model gets added to the map file and the noncar's text file and it's associated info in the race.txt tells the game where to put it and how it acts.

I have to remove the existing noncars, simplify them to cut down the number of components/textures needed for them and then re-import them to the same places.
I'd like to know exactly how to put the noncar model in the map and skin it with it's textures.
Any info is appreciated..
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Toshiba-3 »

A proper answer to your question would be quite long, complex, tutorial-like. It involves many aspect of how PT2 works and how it handles (or rather doesn't handle) the ACT/DAT structure. I'm sure someone like Coffeycup could answer you better than me as it's been ages since I used PT2 for noncar purposes but I'll try to cover some things anyway.

First thing, have your finished noncar in a separated SDF file. Already textured etc. Don't hesitate to make it in CarEd if it's easier for you with textures and then compile it and import the ACT in PT2 then save it as a SDF scene. Try to have it at the correct scale directly with CarEd if you can. Scaling actor/geometry can be confusing in PT2. All this would assure you to "just" have to import and place the noncars one by one in PT2. And BTW you can already name it as it should, like &52lamp.act

Once that separated SDF is done, open your main SDF scene (do a backup of it beforehand though) then go back to file - import SDF file. You'll see that you'll get a second "master object" in the component list. You'll be tempted to drag and drop it into the track's master object to make it part of its hierarchy, but NO don't do it now.
Zoom on the newly imported noncar and then use your mouse to move it along the axis. The move tool is in the left menu (crosshair icon) and you can choose on which axis(es) the move tool is allowed to operate (this is very useful). The same goes for the rotate tool. This is a long process honestly. Do it one noncar at a time. And only when the noncar is in place and rotated as you wish, may it be moved into the track's master object hierarchy. And BTW, NEVER save your SDF scene when you have two master objects in the component list: the last imported one would overwrite the original one.

After that, you'll have to do the noncar text file which defines the weigh/physics/collisions. The bbox is done like addon car ones. If your noncar object is named &52lamp.act, the text file must be 52lamp.txt and this is what you'll add in the track text file, in the noncar list.

Must leave, but I'll read C2S's tut again and come back to define other things if needed.
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Deep_Blue »

Yup. I'm somewhat familiar with the text editing part.
Thanks, man....but being entirely new to PT2....what is this 'dragging' you speak of?
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by coffeycup »

The 'dragging' is like dragging files from one folder to another on your desktop.
In the PT2 hierarchy you can drag objects onto another to group i.e. parts of a door.

I don't think I ever made a map for C1. I'm guessin' it ain't much different from C2 though.
You might want to start with a new, basic C2 map first only because with C2, the files aren't spread around in a bazillion folders.

But is this a new map or a rework of an existing? Maps that have already been preprocessed are hard to work with. The model gets chunked up and regrouped and everything renamed during the process. It's a nightmare trying to find anything - like all the noncars you want to delete.

I am confused by the statement "I have to remove the existing noncars, simplify them to cut down the number of components/textures needed for them" Why? Existing noncars are pretty bare bones already. Maybe you can explain a little better what you're trying to do?

Ain't nothing special about making noncars. Make it and texture like anything else.

The fun part is importing. When you import it goes to the coords 0,0,0 so YOU have to move it back to where you want it. I'm talking about looking at it from the TOP view selecting it and physically moving the object from the center of the map to the correct location. Then looking at it from a side view and making sure it's sitting at the right height.

THEN BEFORE YOU SAVE
"If you save right after importing, your track will vanish when you load it again. You have to drag your imported object in your track's hierarchy (Example: under Mytrack.ACT), after that you can save the track. ' (this is from C2 and Econos Tute)
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Deep_Blue »

Thanks, Coffey.

I'm just screwing around with an existing map to try and get familiar with how PT2 works. I never learned how to use it properly. I refer to the tut you linked to a lot, but the trouble I'm having is that while I can understand the procedures you guys are telling me-It's the very basic functions of PT2 I'm learning. What buttons do what, what order to do stuff in, etc. It's like suddenly being in the cockpit of a Russian-made aircraft sometimes.... Many of the controls are marked in Cyrillic and I have to find the landing gear switch...
The info you're providing is beaucoup helpful.

I want to use some noncars I made that are based on C2 cars, but they're more complicated than just the 'ice cubes' in C1, So I'm re-making them as just six-sided boxes (only requiring 6 or 7 textures (6 sides + 1 wheel texture) so I don't need a ton of pixies for a noncar.

:smile:
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by coffeycup »

Well PT2 is kinda mysterious.For the longest time I only used it to make reflective or two-sided materials.

If you hover over the buttons in PT2 there's a tooltip with the name.

Mostly just using the 4 buttons in red. Select, Translate, Rotate and Object.

When I use PT2 for maps, the model is done and textured when I import it.
I'm not moving vertices or selecting faces. So not using Vertices of Faces tools.
(smoothing groups is a different lesson)

Image

Translate and Rotate work in conjunction with XYZ in green
In example X and Z are selected, object can only move NSEW not UP and DOWN

If you wanted to ROTATE a street sign select just Y
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Deep_Blue »

OK. So I would use those buttons to put objects in move or resize mode? Then the actual moving takes place manually in one or more of the view windows by actually dragging/turning the object?
Translate I assume brings up a dialog box for entering info?
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by coffeycup »

Deep_Blue wrote:OK. So I would use those buttons to put objects in move or resize mode? Then the actual moving takes place manually in one or more of the view windows by actually dragging/turning the object?
Translate I assume brings up a dialog box for entering info?
Actually no. Those buttons are for manually moving objects.

We're talking two different processes.

The process described above is for importing an already properly scaled noncar into a map.
(A noncar that has a TXT with a BBOX ready to go)

If you're now talking about the creation of a noncar, you would SCALE and TRANSLATE from along the top menu bar using:
Object >> Modify model >> Modify geometry
That gives you a dialog box.

You would use this to center your noncar and get it to the proper scale.

I have found using the dialog box to move noncars around a map does not work.
It might look like it moved in PT2, but when you get in game it's not where it should be.
I need to manually get them positioned to work correctly for me.
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Toshiba-3 »

I have found using the dialog box to move noncars around a map does not work.
It might look like it moved in PT2, but when you get in game it's not where it should be.
I need to manually get them positioned to work correctly for me.
And it is normal: you are moving the mesh but not the actor. If you're talking about the Modify geometry (SHIFT+T) dialog box, that is. To move the actor it's the Translate object (ALT+T) dialog box.
The manual object moving/scaling/rotating tools always only fiddle with the actor (they change the transformation matrix). The actual model stays at the origin but you can't see that. However if you move the actual model, you won't notice it directly but you'll move the mesh from the origin without changing the position/transformation infos of its instanced actor. This results in placement offsets ingame and/or offsets with collision bboxes.
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Deep_Blue »

Ah. OK...(I think).

So lemme get this straight-to move an object, ya have to move the ACTOR *and* the actual mesh, otherwise you end up with a physically transparent model in the place and attitude ya want it in and it's attributes in the place it started from? If so, that makes sense. So both need to be moved to the same coords for it to work right.

How do you actually move an object around the map? (The actual procedure). Do ya do it with the buttons or do ya actually hafta grab it in a viewport and drag it somewheres?

*banghead*

I only ask because I've never done it before.
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by coffeycup »

Deep_Blue wrote:Do ya do it with the buttons or do ya actually hafta grab it in a viewport and drag it somewheres?
It's not OR it's more of an AND. You click buttons to get cursor in correct mode then you grab object and drag it around the viewport.

You gotta go in and poke around. It's like trying to explain how to tie a shoe.
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Toshiba-3 »

No no, you only need to move the actor as the model *must* stay at the origin. But seriously, making a difference between actor and model doesn't matter in this case. Just follow Coffeycup's instructions and you'll be good. Import, manual moving from topdown view, then manual moving on the vertical axis (y axis) from side view, then dragging the noncar in the track's hierarchy in the component list (simple drag n drop with the cursor).

And I agree with Coffeycup too that you need to get your hands dirty to get the whole picture :)
Maybe you could try with a test track for C2 first? Really simple stuff, a giant square and you place a couple of noncars on it to see the procedure.
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Re: Importing a noncar to a C1 map in PT2...

Post by Deep_Blue »

OK thanks fellas.
Guess it's time for me to go screw some stuff up to see how it works.

'Preciate the info.
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