Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 9:21 pm Post subject:
Blender templates [TD/RA & TS & RA2]
Subject description: Newest Cycles version 1.02
Since the Blender render template has reached the point where it can do everything that 3ds max does: render assets without AA against background and shadows separately. Also it can used to render animations as well. However, the workout with that is little more difficult since you have to either render both the model and the shadow into separated folders and use the video editor to create a sequence that includes them both or duplicate the animation frames for both, but I'll look into that in the future.
I require feedback and testing.
So, how to use:
1. Open the template.
2. Append your model (Shift-F1): modelfilename.blend\Object\ Select all except camera and light.
3. Move your model in YX axis so the model is above X and below Y. The zero point is the same as the zero point in SHP builder (sprite's "top corner").
4. To render model: go to Text editor and select Render.object from the list and click Run Script and hit Render. F3 to save the image.
4. To render buildup: go to Text editor and select Render.buildup from the list and click Run Script and hit Render.
5. To render shadows: go to Text editor and select Render.shadows from the list and click Run Script and hit Render.
6. To render preview image: go to Text editor and select Reset from the list and click Run Script and hit Render.
Note: 1 cell = 2 Blender units
Cycles version 1.02:
-Smoother AA, was quite sharp
-Improved lighting
-Added Denoiser (requires Blender versio 2.79)
-Added background texture to give more realistic touch with the materials and blue tint for glossy materials
-Fixed shadow cast on objects by removing a node that broke it and added gamma node to correct brightness/shadow ratio
-Fixed grainy shadow frames which also had dark blue colors
-Fixed lighting affecting other scenes (thanks to Blender Foundation) (requires Blender versio 2.79)
CnC Version 2.11
-Fixed run script error caused by wrongly named Switch node
Tip
-By default Blender has a bit blurry texture filter which makes some texture details hard to see.
This can be fixed by setting all your texture 'Filter Size:' to 0.6 in Texture > Image Sampling.
Licence: You freely to make changes of this template to match your needs.
You can use scene settings as a reference to create your own template.
You can distribute the template with your changes (please let me know what kind of changes you've done, I'm curious .)
Please credit when used.
Also stickied because I want to attract more people to use Blender to create more C&C assets and don't want it to disappear and be forgotten during time.
Hmm, I use lightwave so I will need to either find one for LW, create my own or port to blender. Might check this out as an example to see about making a LW version if that's ok?
I'll check it out soon QUICK_EDIT
Also Known As: ZivDero Joined: 23 Jul 2013 Location: Russia
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:55 pm Post subject:
Can you post that tower in SHP format and RA2 size please? _________________
DarkVen9109 wrote:
What in the name of insanity is this? I FRICKING LOVE THIS LOGICCCC!!!!!!!!!!!!OOOOOOOOHEEAWWWWWWWWWWWYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW PEW PEW PEW PEW BOOM BOOM BOOM!! Nice I love this!!!! Ferriswheel bomb, Dive bomb. New Logic discovered thanks to Kenosis
I noticed that the current lighting might be a bit off and the edge anti-aliasing removing removes too much detail so I'll try to come up with a better solution. Any feedback?
@Parasite03: Why not give a shot by yourself? (See attached file)
@Chronosfera: That's good to know, I'm glad that more people are using this
I need more feedback or otherwise I won't release version 1.07
What do you people think of combining RA2 and TS settings in one template where you just need to use script to toggle between RA2 and TS camera and lighting setup? QUICK_EDIT
It's been a year I believe since this was posted and until now I haven't got my hands yet in Blender but yeah I'll do my best to make such buildings and infantries via Blender once I got enough time to buy myself HAHA QUICK_EDIT
I second the idea of combining the two. Do the two differ only by camera distance to account for the tile size?
As for feedback, I have not encountered any problems yet in the process of learning 3D modeling/ Blender/ and using the script all at once. I could post my (embarrassingly rudimentary) attempts here if that may help you diagnose performance.
As an aside, I was wondering if you would be open to posting more Blender models appended in the scene as learning material for a beginner such as myself. I would be interested to know how turrets and building animations etc. are dealt with. QUICK_EDIT
@Palkia323: Realized that I just could use different scenes to achieve that same goal. Well, updated the first post for results.
DonutArnold: LOL!! It really felt like it was just years already. I left and forgot my responsibility as I modder. I feel like I can't do it. But I'll do my best. I'll just look for some helpful tuts in YouTube. QUICK_EDIT
I've been playing with this a bit so I figure I'll just leave this here. I probably won't make this into a SHP since I don't need it, I was just experimenting.
Any chance a template for RA/TD will be made some time soon? It would be very helpful for modding OpenRA.
@deathreaperz: I like the model, but I'm not too fond of the texturing. In time, I may be able to make some actual textures with GIMP. Right now I just textured each piece with a solid color. QUICK_EDIT
It's quite helpful, I'm just a beginner modeller so quality is bleh. I don't quite understand how buildups and animations are suppose to work, are you just suppose to render frame individually?
As for RA/TD requirements, I figure the biggest difference is the camera change since RA/TD is more vertical than TS/RA2 but not totally. Other than that, I'm not quite sure. QUICK_EDIT
Also, while working with RA/TD template setting I noticed that there's a bloody wrong mistake with general lighting settings that I haven't fixed that caused lights to overlap scenes. It's now fixed in the next version and will upload it as soon as the RA/TD scene is done. QUICK_EDIT
That looks pretty cool. I think it is still a bit off in perspective though. It's less noticeable for the silos but the barracks definitely looks off, still, it's probably close enough for buildings at least. The real test is whether units will fit.
I think part of the problem may be that the perspective might not be consistent across the graphics in RA and TD anyhow making it difficult for a generic template to match all the original stuff. QUICK_EDIT
That looks pretty cool. I think it is still a bit off in perspective though. It's less noticeable for the silos but the barracks definitely looks off, still, it's probably close enough for buildings at least. The real test is whether units will fit.
The problem is WW used a perspective camera not a orthographic(isometric) camera, and they rendered stuff from all over the camera view, they didn't place most of the stuff in the center of the camera, thus everything has different perspectives even the units.
The white dot for example is where the RA War Factory would be in this camera setup to match the perspective lines of the original
The area where the repair pad behind the Barracks is is where the RA conyard would be based on the perspective lines.
You can't really get it exactly right without knowing WW's camera settings and building placements relative to the camera, just approximates. _________________ Tiberian Dawn, Red Alert, Tiberian Sun ,Red Alert 2,Renegade, Command & Conquer 3,Tiberium and Tiberium Wars and Westwood related image & video archive
https://picasaweb.google.com/113361105083292812413?noredirect=1
Skype live:tomsons26
Don't forget to state who are you otherwise i'll ignore the invite QUICK_EDIT
So we just need someone to spend some time mapping out where all the buildings and units in RA and TD were rendered from then right
Regarding the off topic w3d question, a google for "export w3d files from blender" suggests its not possible, at least not well enough you can use blender for that kind of dev. Next time, start your own topic when you have a question that isn't relevant to the current discussion. QUICK_EDIT
At least all the vehicles seem to use the same perspective. The buildings are just kind of weird, although it probably only sticks out because you've recreated what already exists. If you made new buildings at a single perspective, they probably wouldn't look so out of place. QUICK_EDIT
Hey guys, I've released version 2.01beta, check the first post for version changes. It also has isometric (orthographic) camera for terrain rendering.
@Darkstorm: I made those just for a reference to match camera and lighting settings. Top of the repair paid is the "zero point" which the camera targets. QUICK_EDIT
I just released version 2.02beta which added new feature to scale output canvas which speeds up post-work that requires canvas scaling. Also fixed shadows that didn't appear at all or had wrong contrast.
Note: this template stays beta until it is properly tested by public. QUICK_EDIT
How do I get more than one frame? And how do I keep the models texture on?*edit* forgot to mention, I'm working in TD/RA
everything else is working liek a charm : D _________________ I am Zengar Zombolt, The Sword That Cleaves Evil! There is Nothing I can not Cut! Last edited by Zengar_Zombolt on Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:53 am; edited 1 time in total QUICK_EDIT
@DonutArnold: Again, great template.
Today I downloaded the latest version to find that you have included a nice readme along with render scripts (including a reset!).
Would it be possible for you to put this on github (or would you be alright with me doing so?) so other may have easier access to it?
A note I'd like to point out: In the README you state "Select correct template scene (Tiberian Sun or Red Aert 2 or Red Alert / Tiberian Dawn)" which even as an avid Blender user, I was not quite able to understand, though I did eventually figure out that it is in the Outliner as the top-level node.
Either way this is fantastic and I've had nothing but a good time using it, keep up the excellent work. QUICK_EDIT
You will want to render the animation (make sure you set the output directory), then use OpenRA.Utility to convert a list of PNGs into a SHP, given you also have the palette file to use.
Or use any other method to convert png -> shp. QUICK_EDIT
What happened to my comment that the OpenRA code for generating TD/RA shp files was (as far as I can tell) the worst option out of that, XCC and Red Horizon Tools? Database error or silent moderation? I felt it provided valid information for people deciding what tools to use.
For the record, the reason the OpenRA encoder isn't the best choice is that it doesn't attempt to implement LCW(Format80) compression correctly (as far as I can tell in the code anyhow, feel free to correct me), it's just a quick placeholder implementation that implements the simplest commands and leads to larger files than neccessary.
XCC and Red Horizon try and implement it fully (though XCC at least doesn't match the original WW encoder in efficiency). None of them seem to implement XORDelta(format40) for shp files at all so no tool that I'm currently aware of does it correctly as the WW tools did, preferring an attitude of "it works" rather than "it does it correctly" it seems. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 22 Nov 2010 Location: Iszkaszentgyorgy, Hungary
Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:33 am Post subject:
Blade, http://www.ppmsite.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39532 _________________ "If you didn't get angry and mad and frustrated, that means you don't care about the end result, and are doing something wrong." - Greg Kroah-Hartman
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Past C&C projects: Attacque Supérior (2010-2019); Valiant Shades (2019-2021)
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WeiDU mods: Random Graion Tweaks | Graion's Soundsets
Maintainance: Extra Expanded Enhanced Encounters! | BGEESpawn
Contributions: EE Fixpack | Enhanced Edition Trilogy | DSotSC (Trilogy) | UB_IWD | SotSC & a lot more... QUICK_EDIT
My apologies, didn't realize that not everyone uses "View posts since last visit" or "View your posts" from top right of the site. Next time will provide better moderation and leave a notification in the topic where the posts were split. QUICK_EDIT
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Blender templates [TD/RA & TS & RA2]
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