Spring RTS Engine

Hi everyone

Im wanting to learn how to make models for TASpring and get to see them in game. Now I can make the model my self and create uv maps (though they arnt very good) for it. Then when it comes to texturing I can do it (very basicly) but I heard you need to do certain things to make it Spring compatible which I dont know how to do. After all that and getting it out of Upspring as a .s3o I dont know what to do, so I have some questions.

1. What is an Alpha layer/channel and how do I create it and put it over my uvmap in Photoshop? What other things do I need to do to see it ingame?

2. Once I get my .s3o file out of Upspring what do I do with it?

3. How do I create this .FBI file to store all the unit info?

4. Where are all the units that are currently in TASpring so I can take a look at them so I have a better idea whats going on. eg. their stats so my models have a comparison.

5. Is Maya a good tool for making the models? Is it better than wings?

I hope my post wasnt too long and that I havnt ask any dumb questions. I did try alot of the tutorials but I could only get so far.

Thanks in advance for any useful answers and knowledge you can give me.

Alpha channel is photoshop's transparency channel. I'm not familiar enough with PS to tell you how to use it.

Can't help you with the scripting stuff

Maya is a very powerful modeling tool. I would imagine it's probably acctually somewhat overpowered for spring modeling. I'm really not sure weather I would reccommend sticking with maya or switching to wings, I'm not very experianced with the paid modeling suites...

Vulcan wrote:Hi everyone

Im wanting to learn how to make models for TASpring and get to see them in game. Now I can make the model my self and create uv maps (though they arnt very good) for it. Then when it comes to texturing I can do it (very basicly) but I heard you need to do certain things to make it Spring compatible which I dont know how to do. After all that and getting it out of Upspring as a .s3o I dont know what to do, so I have some questions.

1. What is an Alpha layer/channel and how do I create it and put it over my uvmap in Photoshop? What other things do I need to do to see it ingame?

There'll be a button at the bottom of the channels tab, create new channel or something, it'll create your alpha layer, then you colour the whole thing in at 99% darkness except the parts you want to have team colour.

Vulcan wrote:2. Once I get my .s3o file out of Upspring what do I do with it?

Put it in the objects3d folder of your mod.

Vulcan wrote:3. How do I create this .FBI file to store all the unit info?

Just rename a text file.

Vulcan wrote:4. Where are all the units that are currently in TASpring so I can take a look at them so I have a better idea whats going on. eg. their stats so my models have a comparison.

Use 7zip or winrar to extract the archives in your spring mods folder, rename sd7 to 7z and sdz to zip.

Vulcan wrote:5. Is Maya a good tool for making the models? Is it better than wings?

Maya is more a animating/move making tool than a game dev one, stick with wings.

all questions are answerd. A lot on info and tutorials can be found here: http://taspring.clan-sy.com/wiki/Create_units

I use Maya for modeling units for spring. It indeed isa very powerfull tool and has loads of options you won't use for Spring. Use maya if you are used to it and are new to Wings. I'f you're used to wings, stick with it. It's good.

I also seriously doubt any of you bought maya...

There is the Maya PLE, which is free. Sure, you cant export to anything, and any renders you make have a big 'Maya PLE' stamped on them, but its free...

Maelstrom wrote:There is the Maya PLE, which is free. Sure, you cant export to anything, and any renders you make have a big 'Maya PLE' stamped on them, but its free...

And useless because it can't export.

no Maya can export unless the plug-ins are enabled.
Or is the entire export option blocked?

As for buying it, some people have Maya becouse of studies or work.

Thanks guys for the help. This should get me alot further.

Also yes i have the free version of Maya.

I think you can export if you have plugins, but there is no s3o plugin for maya, so it doesnt really matter. It can export to the UT2003 format though, if thats any help...