I'll be using GZDoom Builder in other videos so made this very basic guide to catch up with what I'll be doing. There are a ton of GZDoom videos out there so feel free to watch them. No point making the same video others have made and polluting the Internet. Hard enough to find anything useful as it is....
Anything I've not covered will be expanded on in other videos as needed.
Textures! UI elements in the game use TGA (24 bit or 32 bit). Units mostly use the DDS format, apart from infantry which use TGA. DDS textures need to be in TGA format for RenX to apply them.
It's not mentioned in the video, but RenX will load textures if they're in the same directory as the W3D. I left it out because this can lead confusion and orphaned files. I find it best to simply apply the textures again.
We don't cover skinning or other 3D modelling features as there are literally thousands of videos already available for these. RenX is a gamepack for Gmax which is a stripped down version of an ancient 3DS Max release. I recommend not modelling in RenX. RenX can import 3DS models which are UV mapped, so any program which can export to that format would be infinitely better.
Come find us on the free and intelligent platforms:
- https://rumble.com/user/1738Creations
- https://odysee.com/@1738Creations:c
- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/yVh3u7eYhgnu
As always, most of this should work for Generals as well as Zero Hour. Use Zero Hour when you can, it adds a lot of fun and more assets to play with.
The super useful, not quite relevant, MODDB (I'll add a text download too) article can be found here:
-- https://www.moddb.com/mods/command-conquer-generals-version-20
Downloads:
# RenX and other setup instructions can be found in the tools video:
-- https://youtu.be/4VlQnJurfME
# Example files used in this video. Grouped by time index:
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DzACoG5PluAGbrlm1Yfq9Sm9eBlqJ5jY
# MODDB RenX texture guide in a text file, in case MODDB goes down:
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DzACoG5PluAGbrlm1Yfq9Sm9eBlqJ5jY
Timestamps:
00:00 - 01:44
-- General information and skippable stuff
01:44 - 04:48
-- Main menu background UI image. Differences between 16 bit and 24 bit TGA.
04:48 - 07:48
-- In-game USA command bar with transparency. Differences between 24 bit and 32 bit TGA.
07:48 - 14:34
-- Mapped images. For objects such as buttons and unit portraits.
14:34 - 28:44
-- Simple texture overwrite mod. Brief overview of RenX options for textures.
28:44 - 36:25
-- Animated textures. More scrolling than animated. Example for tank treads with start/stop animation.
36:25 - 39:47
-- Baisc transparency with 2-sided see-through example for objects such as fences.
39:47 - 41:38
-- Transparency types and glow effects for effects such as muzzle flashes.
41:38 - 43:38
-- Transparency effect for a basic 2D light. These can be found on structures such as war factories; next to the doors which open a vehicle is built.
43:38 - End
-- Notes on UV map creation in RenX (don't do it unless desperate!) and closing comments.
The initial video missed some basics which I never thought of. It also didn't contain the more complex methods of working turret spawning. The intention was to bundle them in to more videos, but it became apparent that... they should have been in the first video!
This is mostly how many broken things I've tried to get multiple turrets working. A fraction of what I tried and none of the swearing. Broken assets are included in the downloads if anyone wants to try to get them working.
There are 2 working systems for advanced turret spawning. With these methods the turrets are spawned as new objects and 100% (ish) will target accurately:
- Vehicles should use OverlordContain
-- Limited to 2 turrets, not including AltTurret (could in theory make 4)
- Structures should use SpawnBehavior
-- Unlimited turrets
-- Turrets align to ground so we need to offset the turret meshes
-- Can not be used on vehicles, the turrets won't move
...there's also the 'AltTurret' system. Thought we found out in the first video it doesn't really work.
Come find us on the free and intelligent platforms:
- https://rumble.com/user/1738Creations
- https://odysee.com/@1738Creations:c
- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/yVh3u7eYhgnu
Downloads:
# All Assets are in a single link here, hopefully named something intelligent:
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tu_7yjOiBPYa9yyfqaxWZ7H23Esj1Acv
Timestamps:
00:00 - 08:07
-- Explanation of how turrets offset from a units 0,0,0 won't target correctly
-- The fix is to not do it!
08:07 - 11:49
-- A bit more detail on why additional w3d modules won't work
-- Talks over the GLA Technical and how it spawns turrets which are slightly offset but also animated
11:49 - 21:59
-- For vehicles (woking)
-- OverlordContain using 2 turrets and 6 unique weapons
-- This could be extended with AltTurret, not recommended though
21:53 - 25:06
-- For vehicles (broken)
-- OverlordContain multiple turrets using upgrades spawning from the same base unit
25:06 - 27:44
-- For vehicles (broken)
-- OverlordContain multiple turrets using upgrades chain spawning from the previous upgrade
-- Insanity
27:44 - 29:03
-- Maybe drones can be made to work?
-- ...no they can't, do do it
-- Stupid idea with no example downloads!
29:03 - 37:37
-- For structures
-- Using SpawnBehavior
-- Only for structures but can have nearly unlimited turrets
37:37 - End
-- Summary
-- With explanation of turret firing ranges, how they're calculated and why a unit needs a dummy weapon for maximum damage
More like how the pathing system works when units spawn at a factory. There are 2 options; bones or coding. Coding overrides bones and is what the game devs used. Presumably because it saves a ton of time exporting models.
Airfields are the only unique factory. They have a more complex pathing system for aircraft moving to and from hangars. Included a few custom examples for download as the 2 in-game airfields are nearly identical.
Come find us on the free and intelligent platforms:
- https://rumble.com/user/1738Creations
- https://odysee.com/@1738Creations:c
- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/yVh3u7eYhgnu
Downloads:
# All Assets:
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tsbnHks5IR2qlKas-AeUy10gX3VU7sw2
Timestamps:
00:00 - 04:44
-- Regular structures like war factories, barracks and command centers. They're all the same.
04:44 - 19:02
-- Airfield aircraft.
19:02 - END
-- Airfield helicopters.
Ultra basic video on how to get started with ZSScript. Just creating a couple of files and a test script. Actual code will be covered in other videos. Separating this so I don't have to repeat it every video!
Assets:
======
Test pk3:
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zG7tSmUAVx97xXXG0AzegHT3lYG4ZUl3
Links:
=====
GZDoom:
- https://zdoom.org/downloads
- https://github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom
GZdoom wiki:
- https://zdoom.org/wiki/
ZScript Basics:
- https://jekyllgrim.github.io/ZScript_Basics/
SLADE:
- http://slade.mancubus.net/index.php?page=downloads
- or
-- https://github.com/sirjuddington/SLADE/releases
Builder:
- https://github.com/m-x-d/GZDoom-Builder
Ultimate Builder:
- https://ultimatedoombuilder.github.io
- https://github.com/UltimateDoomBuilder/UltimateDoomBuilder
All videos in this series are for Forged Alliance. Supreme Commander isn't much different, but the Seraphim were obviously only in FA.
Unit textures aren't as simply as some more popular strategy games but they're easy enough once you understand the layers. Apart from the tangent space map which doesn't make any sense in-game.
Covering albedo, normalsTS and specteam. I don't think transparent textures on units are possible. Animated textures for treads also covered.
Do not use assets at the same time, they all have the same GUID and will overwrite each other.
Links:
- Bit of info on normal mapping
-- https://www.cs.utexas.edu/~fussell/courses/cs384g-spring2016/lectures/normal_mapping_tangent.pdf
Assets
- #1 - Shaders. 4 versions of UEL0401; tu_aeon, tu_cybran, tu_seraphim, tu_UEF
-- https://drive.google.com/file/d/18zSZcwREuABmtbj5fDjJcBtaykpBmlmL
- #2 - normalsTS. Simple unit with a square normals/tangent space map.
--https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ajPfjYCVStVcpYZshxwpyVwTpc6dSANZ
- #3 - specteam red/metallic. textest1 no effect, tettest2 full effect, texttest3 moderate effect
-- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jTzoWVtNMuZ7A1xDYGBNXnt8x04HD1jK
- #4 - specteam green/shine. textest1 no effect, tettest2 full effect, texttest3 moderate effect
--https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SO0rG41fuY8hTpuoXXIanw6hChoOO1cv
- #5 - specteam blue/glow. texttest1 quad effect.
--https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yQfc28EoEIpzDIqOM2C1jAm2fmWT_NWL
- #6 - specteam alpha. texttest1 single effect.
-- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xF6wg7lLUyRhzSIB8294IBRRB5hVzPpN
Timestamps:
00:00 - 02:19
- Opening and shaders
- ...I don't know how to create or edit the shaders
02:19 - 04:16
- Unit file explanations
04:16 - 06:24
- Albedo
06:24 - 12:32
- Normals / Tangent Space (normalsTS)
12:32 - 16:18
- Specteam
-- 13:13 - Red, metallic
-- 14:15 - Green, shine
-- 14:59 - Blue, glow
-- 15:32 - Alpha, team colours
16:18 - 15:55
- Animated Treads
18:55 - End
- Effects and UI ultra-brief explanation
This is the first of the reboot videos which has taken surprisingly long to make.
Come find us on the free and intelligent platforms:
- https://rumble.com/user/1738Creations
- https://odysee.com/@1738Creations:c
- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/yVh3u7eYhgnu
This video covers the setup of tools required for modding Command & Conquer Generals/Zero Hour. Zero Hour adds a few more moddable features and units so all the videos are from a Zero Hour perspective. However, most of this should also work with the base Generals game.
Downloads:
# CSF Editor (executable)
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ERqjj3U2EATSfb05GzrLSgMGg8axl8hv
# CSF Formatter (executable)
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1N70Z8otjSHXGZja9LIqPjxp5iPMKTA4n
# CSF Formatter (Ruby script)
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ExQrVOKlVUN5XZywMry7Rcktj4ImifOQ
# CSF text file for direct editing
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1amtuaMC40PvJjZnnStEGqi1MD6vdphvX
# DDS Plug-ins
-- https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop
# FinalBig
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1orSPOosKtI3w68mXV2noraaUeSKFzNUB
# GMax download link (register for free key)
-- https://www.turbosquid.com/gmax
# Renegade Tools Installer
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LpADwErXdLs158tVhag4_N4Y6S4D9u5S
# W3D Importer script
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ebwczJAbseQd4zsb5otoiS36b-BW496k
# W3D Importer script (with animations - coolfile)
-- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fuNGPnDRgvI7ZU2X4dHh5QOopKercJ36
Timestamps:
00:00 - 02:47
-- General information and skippable stuff.
02:47 - 10:01
-- FinalBig with INI and general file layouts.
10:01 - 16:32
-- Making the game boot faster. Shortcut switches and deleting movies.
16:32 - 19:09
-- DDS textures.
19:09 - 26:39
-- GMax, RenX and W3D models.
26:39 - 36:11
-- CSEditor and adding text to the game (UI, unit names, menus...).
36:11 - end
-- Talking nonsense and finishing up.