Spring - User contributions [en]

3DModels:Wings3DTutorial

2006-03-17T04:29:07Z

Bruski:

=== Prerequisits ===

Firstly you're going to need a modelling programme, for this tutorial I'll be using [http://www.wings3d.com Wings3D]. Its free and small so go download it now!
Also you're going to need UpSpring, so get that aswell.
This tutorial will us Photoshop but the same principles will apply to GIMP or any image editor of your choice.

=== Making the Model and UVmap ===

I'll assume you know how to model in wings and have you're model ready, I'm going to be using a three piece tank, chassis, turret and barrel...

[[Image:Creating1.JPG]]

So the next step is to UV map it, this isn't as hard as it has been made out to be.
Firstly you'll want to combine it, then UVmap->ForceSegment, this will bring up your unit in the UV mapping window, from there you'll want to Segment->Projection which will leave your model looking something like this...

[[Image:Creating2.JPG]]

The different colours show the different pieces you're model will be broken up into when its placed on the texture.
Now to get it there you'll want to go Continue->Unfolding which will make the UVmap and leave you with something that looks like this...

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1449/creating37uy.jpg

Nice pattern, but not very useful for when we want to texture it, so rightclick->CreateTexture, use these parameters for now...

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/8757/creating45wi.jpg

And that will give us this...

[[Image:Creating5.JPG]]

Thats what you'll draw your texture onto later, but for now close that window and back to the main view. Now we want to convert the model to a format that UpSpring can use, OBJ suits our purposes.

However to animate we will need to have it in seperate pieces, so seperate it to undo the combine we used to help us UVmap, now select a piece, then go File->ExportSelected->Wavefront (obj)... and repeat for all the other pieces, make sure you Export SELECTED rather than just exporting.

So now you have 3 obj files called something like chassis.obj, turret.obj and barrel.obj. Now you can close Wings3D and crack open upspring.

Load your base object by going File->LoadModel and choosing your chassis, it should now appear in the views of UpSpring, first thing you want to do with it is give it a name, chassis would be an appropriate one, so go to the Objects tab on your right and you'll see an empty list of pieces, select where it should be and give it a name so you can see it...

[[Image:Creating6.png]]

Now with that object still selected, you'll want to import the piece that will be attached to it, the turret, to do this we don't want to load a new model because that will delete the one we already have, so instead we go Object->Insert Object from file and select turret.obj.

Now you'll want to give the turret piece a name, I suggest turret, then repeat the same action but with the turret only selected and import the barrel.

The final piece you'll want to add is a fire point, click add empty and name it flare.

Now unless your model was enormous in the modeller you'll want to scale it up to make it look alright in spring and be easier to handling in UpSpring, so go to the objects tab if you're not still there, and with the chassis selected, set all the scale values to about 10 to start of with, then click apply transform.

Next to make sure the pieces turn around the right spots when you animate it we have to set the orrigins, these are represented by red dots in the upspring view windows.
To do this for the turret we select it and switch to move mode, represented by a four pointed arrow on the left side of your screen. Now move it so that the point you want it to rotate around is at (0,0,0) in the 2d views, then press apply transform and move it back to where it should actually be on the model.

For the next piece you need to move where you want the barrel to rotate around to the orrigin of the turret, hit apply transform, and move back.
For the firepoint you can just move it into place since all it is effectively is a orrigin.

Now you'll probably want to switch back to view mode so you don't accidentally move your pieces around, do this by clicking on the crosshair at the top left under File.

Remember that texture we got when we exported the model? Nows when we get that to display properly in spring. Open it in Photoshop and the first thing you'll want to do is go flip it vertically, spring requires you do this, although I have no idea why, but it can be achieved by going Image->Rotate Canvas->Flip Canvas Vertically.

The second thing we want to do to the texture is add an alpha layer and stick it at about 99% darkness, this makes sure spring displays it correctly, you can also draw lighter patches that will appear as team colour.
To Be Continued...

[[Category:Unit development]]

3DModels:Wings3DTutorial

2006-03-13T03:43:41Z

Bruski:

=== Prerequisits ===

Firstly you're going to need a modelling programme, for this tutorial I'll be using [http://www.wings3d.com Wings3D]. Its free and small so go download it now!
Also you're going to need UpSpring, so get that aswell.

=== Making the Model ===

I'll assume you know how to model in wings and have you're model ready, I'm going to be using a three piece tank, chassis, turret and barrel...

[[Image:Creating1.JPG]]

So the next step is to UV map it, this isn't as hard as it has been made out to be.
Firstly you'll want to combine it, then UVmap->ForceSegment, this will bring up your unit in the UV mapping window, from there you'll want to Segment->Projection which will leave your model looking something like this...

[[Image:Creating2.JPG]]

The different colours show the different pieces you're model will be broken up into when its placed on the texture.
Now to get it there you'll want to go Continue->Unfolding which will make the UVmap and leave you with something that looks like this...

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1449/creating37uy.jpg

Nice pattern, but not very useful for when we want to texture it, so rightclick->CreateTexture, use these parameters for now...

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/8757/creating45wi.jpg

And that will give us this...

[[Image:Creating5.JPG]]

Thats what you'll draw your texture onto later, but for now close that window and back to the main view. Now we want to convert the model to a format that UpSpring can use, OBJ suits our purposes.

However to animate we will need to have it in seperate pieces, so seperate it to undo the combine we used to help us UVmap, now select a piece, then go File->ExportSelected->Wavefront (obj)... and repeat for all the other pieces, make sure you ExportSELECTED rather than just exporting.

So now you have 3 obj files called something like chassis.obj, turret.obj and barrel.obj. Now you can close Wings3D and crack open upspring.

Load your base object by going File->LoadModel and choosing your chassis, it should now appear in the views of UpSpring, first thing you want to do with it is give it a name, chassis would be an appropriate one, so go to the Objects tab on your right and you'll see an empty list of pieces, select where it should be and give it a name so you can see it...

[[Image:Creating6.png]]

Now with that object still selected you'll want to import the piece that will be attached to it, the barrel, to do this we don't want to load a new model because that will delete the one we already have, so instead we go Object->Insert Object from file and select turret.obj.

To Be Continued...

File:Creating6.png

2006-03-13T03:36:59Z

Bruski:

File:Creating5.JPG

2006-03-13T03:25:33Z

Bruski:

File:Creating2.JPG

2006-03-13T03:24:50Z

Bruski:

File:Creating1.JPG

2006-03-13T03:24:07Z

Bruski:

Game specification

2006-03-13T03:13:53Z

Bruski: /* Overview */

===Overview===

This is a specification of how Spring will support mods and switching between them.

First, Spring looks for mods in the folders "maps", "base" and "mods", and all their subfolders. It is recommended however that mods simple are placed in the "mods" folder. If the mod contains more than one archive it might be nice to put them in a subfolder. As far as the switcher is concernced it does not matter where the files are though.

To present mods to switch between, Spring will search these folders and their subfolders for archive files containing a file called [[Mod_specification "modinfo.tdf"]]. The general idea is that this file should be used as a manifest file to let Spring know what to do with the archive it is found inside, so each archive file in the mods directory is supposed to have one. Archive files that does not contain this file are ignored.

These info files will also be cached to avoid having to look inside files that haven't changed every time spring is started.

===Specification===

This is an example of what this file should look like:

<tt>
// Description of the mod control file recognized by spring:

[MOD]
{
// The name is shown in the selection interface
Name=XTA version 0.61;

// These can be shown by the selection interface
Description=XTA 0.61 beta makes stuff balanced and cool;
URL=http://www.clan-sy.com/;

// What kind of mod this is
// 0 - Hidden (support mod that can't be selected, such as OTA_textures)
// 1 - Normal, only one can be selected at a time
// 2 - Addon, any number of these can be selected. Could be used
// for single units for example.
// others - perhaps mutators and addon races that can be
// enabled in addition to xta for example?
ModType=1;

// Number of other archives this one depends on
NumDependencies=1;
Depend0=taenheter.sdz;

// Number of other archives this one replaces
NumReplaces=1;
Replace0=xta_se_v060.sdz;
}
</tt>

Most of these entries should be easy to understand. Dependencies and replacements needs some consideration though.

===Dependencies===

Listing the dependencies allows a mod to not load the OTA textures at all for example, if it only uses original textures. Only one mod of type 1 can be selected at one time. Also, if a mod of type 2 is depending on a type 1 mod, that mod has to be selected first.

Some examples on how this could be used:

* An OTA mod that restores balance to be more similar to OTA could use modtype=1 and depend on XTA. Since XTA is now in the dependency graph, type 2 mods that depend on XTA would now also be usable.
* A new total conversion with a few extra options (not sure what that could be.. but anyway) could use a hidden base package and provide several type 1 mods that are small files that depend on the base.

When playing, the files would be loaded in the order defined by the dependency graph. The files could also be checked with an MD5 checksum or similar to make sure all players have the same file.

===Replacements===

When releasing new versions of a mod it is recommended that a new unique filename is used. In this manner it would be possible for the lobby to download archives from a fast webserver based on the filename. But if a new name is used for a support archive with content for example, it would break other mods that depends on the archive. To avoid this, replacements can be used.

Replacements simply specifies which other archives this one replaces. So if a new archive specifies that it replaces old_archive.sdz, any other mod that depends on old_archive.sdz would now use the new one instead.

It is probably not always a good idea to use this for new versions of a mod however, since if you hide the old version people would not be able to switch between the old and the new version. So only use replacements when you are sure that it is what you want.

===Final words===

If a player does not have a certain mod when trying to join a game, the info in description etc could be sent to allow the player to download it.. The filename could be sent as well, so that the client could try to download it automatically from a few predefined redirect servers (similar to the system unreal tournament uses).

[[Category:Mods]]

XTA

2006-03-12T09:41:57Z

Bruski:

XTA is a balance mod for [[TA]], developed by the [[SY]] clan and is currently distributed as the default with Spring, coincidentally, also made by the [[SY]] clan... 
 
/edit/ somebody write a better description 
The basics are that all units are worth its cost and role. 
 
For some basic info on XTA go to [[http://www.clan-sy.com/download/xta/]], or check out one of the threads about it in the mods section of the forum. 

Back to [[Mods]]

[[Category:Mods]]

{{Category:Mods}}

Mods

2006-03-12T09:35:10Z

Bruski:

If you're interested in editing mods or creating your own mods, see the [[Mod Development]] page.

===TASClient-Compatible Mods===

Mods constitute additions to the game that change the way it works. The following mods adhere to the official [[Mod_specification]] which ensures that they work with the lobby Client for mod switching.

{{Category:Mods}}

===Mods in production===

Mods not yet released but actively being worked on...
* [[1943|Spring 1943]]
* [[GEM|Galactic Empire Mod]]
* [[WAR3170|War 3170]]

==="Crude" and/or Incomplete Mods===

There are also some crude mods (because they don't follow the official format or include different versions of the spring executable). You can download many of the following other, partially functioning Mods from: [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=listing&ID=92 File Universe]:

* [[Battletech]]
* [[CZTA]] by Guessmyname
* DM45Spring.exe
* [[Epic 40000]]
* [[Gundam_Annihilation]]
* Lego Spring-Still under discussion/development
* [[MAD TA]] Buildpics for Spring
* [[MiniSpring]] (Actually a code modification, abandoned.)
* [[OTAR-EVAMP]]
* [[Project Ragnarok]]
* [[Rhyoss]] for Spring
* [[UTASP]] 5 Spring

=== See also ===
* [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=listing&ID=92 File Universe] link
* "[http://www.tauniverse.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=435292#post435292 Mods, Races, TCs, Unit Packs]" entry in the [http://www.tauniverse.com tauniverse.com] forum
* [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/w/index.php?title=Category:Mods Pages in the "Mods" Category]

[[Category:Mods]]

Features

2006-03-12T09:30:02Z

Bruski:

====Spring is a project aiming to create a new RTS.====
However, some mods are based of Cavedogs's Intellectual Property, XTA, AA, UTASP etc, and you are legally required to own a copy of Total Annihilation to play them.
There are several mods out and large ammounts in development than are completely free of Cavedogs IP and you can play these without worrying.

====Units====
Spring reads the TA unit format after some conversion, so 3rd party units should work just as well as the original ones.

====Maps====
Maps from TA are not supported though. They are not (that) suited for 3D view, as they are not drawn from above but at an angle. This means that the far side of hills for example lose a lot of detail. This is clearly shown in some of the maps that have been directly ported from OTA. It is also not uncommen for the hieghtmap and texture to not exactly line up, creating ugly artifacts.

Here is an (incomplete) list of some of the currently implemented stuff in Spring, and also some of the ones that we have planned.

Current features:
* High resolution maps, viewable from all angles and ranges with an eight to one texture to heighmap ratio and a customisable detail texture
* Dynamic map with craters from weapon and unit explosions
* Work with unit files from Total annihilation
* Realistic 3D trajectories for weapons
* Fully 3D air combat
* Several camera modes to suit different tastes
* [[Mod switcher]]
* Lobby Client
* Spring [[Linux]] Port, and a Mac port soon after
* Several independently developed AI's that will give you a run for your money
* Dozens of mods for all your conquoring needs
* New modern unit format with UV mapping

Currently in development:
* New GUI
* New scripting engine
* Platform-Independent Lobby Client

Other plans not on any roadmap:
* [[Monthly Topic Rotation]]

Features

2006-03-12T09:25:16Z

Bruski:

====Spring is a project aiming to create a new RTS.====
However, some mods are based of Cavedogs's Intellectual Property, XTA, AA, UTASP etc, and you are legally required to own a copy of Total Annihilation to play them.
There are several mods out and large ammounts in development than are completely free of Cavedogs IP and you can play these without worrying.

====Units====
Spring reads the TA unit format after some conversion, so 3rd party units should work just as well as the original ones.

====Maps====
Maps from TA are not supported though. They are not (that) suited for 3D view, as they are not drawn from above but at an angle. This means that the far side of hills for example lose a lot of detail. This is clearly shown in some of the maps that have been directly ported from OTA. It is also not uncommen for the hieghtmap and texture to not exactly line up, creating ugly artifacts.

Here is an (incomplete) list of some of the currently implemented stuff in Spring, and also some of the ones that we have planned.

Current features:
* High resolution maps, viewable from all angles and ranges with an eight to one texture to heighmap ratio and a customisable detail texture
* Dynamic map with craters from weapon and unit explosions
* Work with unit files from Total annihilation
* Realistic 3D trajectories for weapons
* Fully 3D air combat
* Several camera modes to suit different tastes
* [[Mod switcher]]
* Lobby Client
* Spring [[Linux]] Port, and a Mac port soon after
* Several independently developed AI's that will give you a run for your money
* Dozens of mods for all your conquoring needs

Currently in development:
* New GUI
* New scripting engine
* Platform-Independent Lobby Client

Other plans not on any roadmap:
* [[Monthly Topic Rotation]]

3DModels:Textures

2006-03-12T09:09:29Z

Bruski:

Textures are stored in the UnitTextures directory. They may be Windows .BMP format at 24 bit color depth, or a Targa .TGA file in 32 bit (alpha layer) color depth.

==Rules for textures==
Ota style one texture per face has only 2048x2048 pixels of space for all the textures to be stored which can caues problems for mods with a large number of different textures.
However there is unlimited space for s3o style textures which can be upto 2048x2048 pixels each, although you will probably only need this much for the most detailed units, 512x512 or 1024x1024 would normally suffice.

The UV mapped textures can be named what you want but need to be linked to the s3o file by loading it in UpSpring.

==Logo Textures==
Unknown value in spring, edit later 
In the case of logo textures, you must edit the file teamtex.txt in the UnitTextures/tatex directory. It is easy to understand. Just add the name of your texture to the list, without the "00" as previously detailed. For example, if you wanted to add ArmLogo00.bmp to the team color list, you would put ArmLogo in the teamtex.txt file. As team colors are sequential, you must have a file for each different color. If you have ArmLogo00.bmp, there must also be an ArmLogo01.bmp, ArmLogo02.bmp, etc which match the colors of the other team textures available (it would look weird if the paint job was blue but the logo was red!).
End unknown value 

==Reflections==
Unknown value in spring, edit later 
To make a texture reflect its environment, you must create a Targa file with an alpha layer with a program such as the [http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html GIMP] or [http://www.adobe.com/products/tryadobe/main.jsp#product=39 Photoshop]. Targa textures follow the same rules above as bitmaps, however, Spring will display reflections on the texture in game if the user has that graphics option enabled and available to him. In the alpha layer itself, a darker shade will reflect less, whereas a lighter shade will reflect more.
End unknown value 

It should be noted that some image editors have trouble setting alpha layers to 100% and cause Spring to display the image as completely black, hence it is suggested you make it about 99%.

==Conversion from .gaf==
In Total Annihilation textures were stored in /Textures/*.gaf. If you're porting an old TA mods, there will be hundreds of textures to convert to Spring format. There is an easy way to automatically extract all the texture from all the .gaf into well named .bmp : Download [http://www.planetannihilation.com/bsr/downloads/GAFDump.zip GAF Dump]. Then run GAFDump.exe, from inside the folder your textures are, and with the '''-b''' commandline option.

[[Category:Units]]

3DModels:Textures

2006-03-12T09:05:26Z

Bruski:

Textures are stored in the UnitTextures directory. They may be Windows .BMP format at 24 bit color depth, or a Targa .TGA file in 32 bit (alpha layer) color depth.

==Rules for textures==
Ota style one texture per face has only 2048x2048 pixels of space for all the textures to be stored which can caues problems for mods with a large number of different textures.
However there is unlimited space for s3o style textures which can be upto 2048x2048 pixels each, although you will probably only need this much for the most detailed units, 512x512 or 1024x1024 would normally suffice.

The UV mapped textures can be named what you want but need to be linked to the s3o file by loading it in UpSpring.

==Logo Textures==
In the case of logo textures, you must edit the file teamtex.txt in the UnitTextures/tatex directory. It is easy to understand. Just add the name of your texture to the list, without the "00" as previously detailed. For example, if you wanted to add ArmLogo00.bmp to the team color list, you would put ArmLogo in the teamtex.txt file. As team colors are sequential, you must have a file for each different color. If you have ArmLogo00.bmp, there must also be an ArmLogo01.bmp, ArmLogo02.bmp, etc which match the colors of the other team textures available (it would look weird if the paint job was blue but the logo was red!).

==Reflections==
Unknown value in spring, edit later
To make a texture reflect its environment, you must create a Targa file with an alpha layer with a program such as the [http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html GIMP] or [http://www.adobe.com/products/tryadobe/main.jsp#product=39 Photoshop]. Targa textures follow the same rules above as bitmaps, however, Spring will display reflections on the texture in game if the user has that graphics option enabled and available to him. In the alpha layer itself, a darker shade will reflect less, whereas a lighter shade will reflect more.
End unknown value

It should be noted that some image editors have trouble setting alpha layers to 100% and cause Spring to display the image as completely black, hence it is suggested you make it about 99%.

==Conversion from .gaf==
In Total Annihilation textures were stored in /Textures/*.gaf. If you're porting an old TA mods, there will be hundreds of textures to convert to Spring format. There is an easy way to automatically extract all the texture from all the .gaf into well named .bmp : Download [http://www.planetannihilation.com/bsr/downloads/GAFDump.zip GAF Dump]. Then run GAFDump.exe, from inside the folder your textures are, and with the '''-b''' commandline option.

[[Category:Units]]

Gamedev:Buildpics

2006-03-12T08:56:05Z

Bruski:

The buildpic is the small picture of a unit which appears in the build menu of its constructor. It is always 96x96 pixels regardless of the format used (see below), and it must always be located in the unitpics directory.

Spring supports multiple image formats for buildpics. These formats are PCX, JPG, BMP, and DDS. By default, Spring will load unitname.pcx, where unitname is the short name of your unit. To override this and use a different format, use the Buildpic tag in the FBI file.

Here's a detailed list of the formats supported:

<div align="center">
<table width="90%" border="1">
<tr>
<th width="10%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Requires Buildpic tag</th>
<th width="10%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">File Extension</th>
<th width="30%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Color Depth</th>
<th width="50%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Description</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">No</td>
<td width="10%">PCX</td>
<td width="30%">8-bit (256 colors) Lossy (palette)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A PCX file. You're not limited to the Total Annihilation palette, but only 256 colors pcx are supported. Quickest to use if you're converting TA units since it's what TA uses but not recommended for use in Spring.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">JPG</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Lossy (compression)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A standard JPEG file. Excessive compression is not recommended since it will reduce quality, but much smaller than BMP</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">BMP</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Non-Lossy</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A standard Windows bitmap file. Recommended because of the high color depth and no loss due to compression or palette. However, BMP files are notorious for having large filesizes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">DDS</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Slightly Lossy (compression)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">Nvidia's DirectX-enabled .dds format. This is how the maps in Spring are stored. It offers compression, but it can be lossy. It is also difficult to work with. Other formats are still recommended.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

Although JPG will lose some quality compared to BMP its file size is drastically smaller even on the lowest compression settings, this will drastically reduce the size of your mod especially if it has a large number of units. Also it has been noted that since spring loads things on the fly large buildpic files can create lag when you first select a factory or construction unit.

[[Category:Units]]

Gamedev:Buildpics

2006-03-12T08:55:49Z

Bruski:

The buildpic is the small picture of a unit which appears in the build menu of its constructor. It is always 96x96 pixels regardless of the format used (see below), and it must always be located in the unitpics directory.

Spring supports multiple image formats for buildpics. These formats are PCX, JPG, BMP, and DDS. By default, Spring will load unitname.pcx, where unitname is the short name of your unit. To override this and use a different format, use the Buildpic tag in the FBI file.

Here's a detailed list of the formats supported:

<div align="center">
<table width="95%" border="1">
<tr>
<th width="10%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Requires Buildpic tag</th>
<th width="10%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">File Extension</th>
<th width="30%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Color Depth</th>
<th width="50%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Description</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">No</td>
<td width="10%">PCX</td>
<td width="30%">8-bit (256 colors) Lossy (palette)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A PCX file. You're not limited to the Total Annihilation palette, but only 256 colors pcx are supported. Quickest to use if you're converting TA units since it's what TA uses but not recommended for use in Spring.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">JPG</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Lossy (compression)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A standard JPEG file. Excessive compression is not recommended since it will reduce quality, but much smaller than BMP</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">BMP</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Non-Lossy</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A standard Windows bitmap file. Recommended because of the high color depth and no loss due to compression or palette. However, BMP files are notorious for having large filesizes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">DDS</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Slightly Lossy (compression)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">Nvidia's DirectX-enabled .dds format. This is how the maps in Spring are stored. It offers compression, but it can be lossy. It is also difficult to work with. Other formats are still recommended.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

Although JPG will lose some quality compared to BMP its file size is drastically smaller even on the lowest compression settings, this will drastically reduce the size of your mod especially if it has a large number of units. Also it has been noted that since spring loads things on the fly large buildpic files can create lag when you first select a factory or construction unit.

[[Category:Units]]

Gamedev:Buildpics

2006-03-12T08:55:06Z

Bruski:

The buildpic is the small picture of a unit which appears in the build menu of its constructor. It is always 96x96 pixels regardless of the format used (see below), and it must always be located in the unitpics directory.

Spring supports multiple image formats for buildpics. These formats are PCX, JPG, BMP, and DDS. By default, Spring will load unitname.pcx, where unitname is the short name of your unit. To override this and use a different format, use the Buildpic tag in the FBI file.

Here's a detailed list of the formats supported:

<div align="center">
<table width="85%" border="1">
<tr>
<th width="10%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Requires Buildpic tag</th>
<th width="10%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">File Extension</th>
<th width="30%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Color Depth</th>
<th width="50%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">Description</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">No</td>
<td width="10%">PCX</td>
<td width="30%">8-bit (256 colors) Lossy (palette)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A PCX file. You're not limited to the Total Annihilation palette, but only 256 colors pcx are supported. Quickest to use if you're converting TA units since it's what TA uses but not recommended for use in Spring.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">JPG</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Lossy (compression)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A standard JPEG file. Excessive compression is not recommended since it will reduce quality, but much smaller than BMP</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">BMP</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Non-Lossy</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">A standard Windows bitmap file. Recommended because of the high color depth and no loss due to compression or palette. However, BMP files are notorious for having large filesizes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="10%">Yes</td>
<td width="10%">DDS</td>
<td width="30%">24-bit (16.7 million colors) Slightly Lossy (compression)</td>
<td width="50%" valign="top">Nvidia's DirectX-enabled .dds format. This is how the maps in Spring are stored. It offers compression, but it can be lossy. It is also difficult to work with. Other formats are still recommended.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

Although JPG will lose some quality compared to BMP its file size is drastically smaller even on the lowest compression settings, this will drastically reduce the size of your mod especially if it has a large number of units. Also it has been noted that since spring loads things on the fly large buildpic files can create lag when you first select a factory or construction unit.

[[Category:Units]]

3DModels:Wings3DTutorial

2006-03-12T07:18:58Z

Bruski:

=== Prerequisits ===

Firstly you're going to need a modelling programme, for this tutorial I'll be using [http://www.wings3d.com Wings3D]. Its free and small so go download it now!
Also you're going to need UpSpring, so get that aswell.

=== Making the Model ===

I'll assume you know how to model in wings and have you're model ready, I'm going to be using a three piece tank, chassis, turret and barrel...

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/7200/creating10rq.jpg

So the next step is to UV map it, this isn't as hard as it has been made out to be.
Firstly you'll want to combine it, then UVmap->ForceSegment, this will bring up your unit in the UV mapping window, from there you'll want to Segment->Projection which will leave your model looking something like this...

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/3885/creating28az.jpg

The different colours show the different pieces you're model will be broken up into when its placed on the texture.
Now to get it there you'll want to go Continue->Unfolding which will make the UVmap and leave you with something that looks like this...

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1449/creating37uy.jpg

Nice pattern, but not very useful for when we want to texture it, so rightclick->CreateTexture, use these parameters for now...

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/8757/creating45wi.jpg

And that will give us this...

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/3701/creating55xc.jpg

Thats what you'll draw your texture onto later, but for now close that window and back to the main view. Now we want to convert the model to a format that UpSpring can use, OBJ suits our purposes.

However to animate we will need to have it in seperate pieces, so seperate it to undo the combine we used to help us UVmap, now select a piece, then go File->ExportSelected->Wavefront (obj)... and repeat for all the other pieces, make sure you ExportSELECTED rather than just exporting.

So now you have 3 obj files called something like chassis.obj, turret.obj and barrel.obj. Now you can close Wings3D and crack open upspring. Load your base object by going File->LoadModel.

To Be Continued Tomorrow

Map, Game, And Unit Development Programs

2006-03-12T01:58:58Z

Bruski: /* 3d Modeling */

A Comprehensive list of tools to make Spring content.

*Those that are Open Source are marked with a *
*Those that are Free are marked with a *
*Those that Cost are marked with a *'''

=== Image Editing ===
# '''[http://www.gimp.org/ Gimp]'''** -> Pre compiled Binary files(or installer files) can be found here: '''[http://www.gimp.org/downloads/] -> The DDS plugin for Gimp can be found at [http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/dds/ http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/dds/]
# '''[http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Products/Display&pfid=1047024307383&pid=1047025487586 Corel Paint Shop Pro]'''* -> Jasc was recently bought out by Corel.
# '''[http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Products/Display&pfid=1047024307335&pid=1047022690654 Corel Draw]'''* -> This is Corel's orignal graphics program. Very easy to work with. I have used an older version of it, and love the photoshop it has.
# '''[http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html Adobe Photoshop]'''* -> The most widely used image editing program ever.

=== 3d Modeling ===

# '''[http://www.wings3d.com/ Wings 3D]'''** -> Probably the most popular modeller for Spring. -> Easy to learn modelling and UV mapping environments. -> Excellent introduction to using it can be found [http://www.wings3d.com/doghouse.php here]. -> For help on how to UV map with it just ask around.
# '''[http://blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html Blender]'''** -> The most used opensource modeler that has it's own way of doing things.
# '''[http://www.anim8or.com/main/index.html Anim8or]'''*'''
# '''[http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=5659302&siteID=123112 3DS MAX]'''* -> The most widely used and aclaimed modeling programs ever. Used in creation of many games and movies(The Matrix). One of the 2 major model programs used by professionals. -> The s3o plugin for 3DS MAX can be found here. NOTE: This is not backwards compatible with versions older then 7. Also this only exports: '''[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/temp/s3oexport.dle]'''
# '''[http://www.newtek.com/ Lightwave]'''* -> A popular modeling program thats been around a long time. One of the 2 major model programs used by professionals.
# '''[http://www.rhino3d.com/ Rhinoceros]'''* -> A farely new comer to the world of modeling, uses a lot of nurbs surfaces.
# '''[http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax GMAX]'''* -> Great for learning as it is 3DS MAX v4 without rendering, and has game packs for a fair amount of games, is locked in exporting, though there are a few workarounds.

===3d Model converters/Assemblers===

# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=305 3DO Builder]'''** -> The most widely used program for converting models to the 3do file format of TA. Follow the tips on the main page in the above link and it will run just fine.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1892 UpSpring]'''** -> Help information, manual, and tips can be found here: '''[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2839&start=0] -> This is the only other way to get files into the s3o file format for Spring other then the s3o plugin for 3DS MAX.

=== Scripting And Unit Stats files ===

# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=70 Scripter]'''** -> The by far best compiler for your handmade .bos scripts into endless lines of letters and numbers that the TA engine reads. The program is large, easy to operate and with a broad error tracing (well, better than the other two alternatives). While other versions of this program sometimes refuse to compile on-off functions, this download is guaranteed to work in every condition.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=65 Cobbler]'''* -> This is a very simple script compiler that converts your newly written .bos files understood by humans into a hexadecimal .cob gibberish used by the TA engine. Beware, however, that this program is a lightweight, which means that it doesn't provide especially much error tracing, not to mention that it is in French.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=193 Servo]'''* -> Rhad's awesome but somewhat buggy animation scripting program. It features keyframed animation script generation from a 3D positioner.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=62 Brain]'''* -> The Brain is a scripting utility that converts your newly written code rows into incomprehensible hex codes used by the game. This program is in english and can sometimes give you the most wondorous error messages, so it's only reccomended as a backup scripting program.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=194 UnCobbler]'''* -> The first (I think) uncobbling utility. Bad english and brute force approach make this one outdated, but here it is for completeness sake.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1680 Excel FBI editor]'''** -> Lets you quickly edit all your FBI files in an Excel spread sheet. Made by Maelstorm. '''NOTE:''' Microsoft Excel is NOT FREE. -> Help information, manual, and tips can be found here: '''[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2596]'''

=== Map Compiling ===

# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1421 mothers MapConv]'''** -> The map compiler used by most people. Supports feature placment.
# '''[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1507 mothers MapConv special]'''* -> The normal MapConv does not work for some people. If you are one of them, try this one.
# '''[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2420 SMD Creator]'''** -> Maelstroms SMD creator. Has a few bugs, but a new release should be out in a few days.

=== Documentation and Tutorials ===

# '''[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2660&start=0 S3O file format for Spring]'''*** -> The above link is to the form were this currently being disscused, and feed back is being provided. Also includes tips and helpful information.

[[Category:Development]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Units]]
[[Category:Mods]]