Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2020 21:03:32 GMT
These are some explanations recopiled from forums.
-The Workbook.
firefoxccmods.com/wp/download/close-combat-the-bloody-first-workbook/
-The Archon Tool and a 3D model example in FBX format.
www.dropbox.com/s/qo2fk2ec6r45s41/CCTBF_3D_TOOLS.rar?dl=0
It is the data used by me in the CONFIG.txt from the Archon Tool. You can use it as a example making work the tool in your computers.
-The Archon Wiki.
archonwiki.slitherine.com/index.php/Rendering_and_Shaders#Converter_Tool
-The Nvidia DDS plugin for Photoshop. It is neccesary if you want save a new dds file from 3D Model texture or a new map.
developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-exporter
-The best option is to use DDS files with the textures from the 3D Models but...
Note that you can use non-DDS texture on the models if need be. TGAs and BMPs should definitely work.
-Photoshop Nvidia DDS plugin profiles.
These are profiles for the Nvidia DDS plugin from Photoshop for the diffuse and normal maps. They can be used with 3D Models or backgrounds from maps.
firefoxccmods.com/wp/download/close-combat-the-bloody-first-dds-profiles/
-What is the Drag force descripted in the vehicles.txt?
The value used is the rectangular frontal area of the vehicle (width * height) time a 0.3 coefficient. So for an M3 Light Tank it's 2.24m wide * 1.14m high * 0.3 = about 1.4. It's a ball park estimate of drag force that is close enough for the velocities that ground combat vehicles are using in the game.
-About the pivot axes in a 3D program.
TBF expects all axes set so Y is up, X is right, and Z is forward. At theory, it is as you read but......in the practice, I have made several models where only the turret0 used this position and I could not use it for other parts from the model because things were showed bad when I convert the model. Perhaps it is a problem only from 3Dmax or my hands. I do not know.
-The vehicle textures are set in the vehicle.txt.
Texture(s) can be added by modifying the uniforms.txt data file. If you have no textures set in uniforms.txt you should get the default texture you set in the Archon tool.
Instead from to add new textures rows in the uniforms.txt data file, the best is set a number of row which it does not exist in the file. If the model has textures added with the Archon Tool, it will use them by default. The uniforms.txt file is more for special customizations for the different type of terrain.
-About all the armor values from vehicles.txt as by example hull front upper mm hull front upper angle.
The armor plate thickness and angles come from a number of sources -- some books and some online. I tried to use primary sources (like the US Army technical manuals and the Standard Army Ordnance Catalog) wherever possible. You can find this data out on the internet on various tank-related sites too. The angle value in the game is 'angle from vertical' so a vertical plate (90 degrees from horizontal) would be a 0 angle in the data file. A plate at 60 degrees from horizontal would be 30 degrees from vertical, etc.
Armor values in the older 2D games were pre-calculated based from this same plate angle and thickness data but (because of the limits of the 2D model) had to assume certain impact angles depending on the vehicle facing and high/low incoming angle.
-Good web sites with data about vehicles.
www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/Site.htm?fbclid=IwAR1zGcWx1O99Ffx9XE60FodHlRRmmk0BYOgBWhhZ_t6gVKeQDmJsM5xcsRU
wwiitanks.co.uk/FORM-Tank_Data.php?I=184
(Many of these descriptions were answered by the creators in the Matrix forums www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=1770&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1 or other people in many sources, thanks to all you.)
-What about the map editor background texture.
The saved texture is intended as a starter for painting the map terrain (if you wish to use a custom texture). You can resize it to a more generous resolution (but any more than 8Kx8K will not likely work). There is an internal DX limitation which prevents us from easily outputting a larger texture. As I say, the actual resolution of the texture doesn't matter to the game.
The expected flow is to output the texture, upscale to the resolution you are going to use, process/paint as desired, convert to DDS for space and speed.
-If I make a new map and I add a normalmap. Does the game go to use it? or must it be added from some way?
If it exists and is named correctly it will be loaded automatically. The expected name is the same as the base map overlay file name but with "_NORMALMAP" at the end. For example "MyMap.dds" and "MyMap_NORMALMAP.dds"
-Adding a vehicle 3D model, by example from my packages.
The addition from a vehicle is not very difficult, with the packages added by me, if you are happy with the scale, you do not need edit the file with the 3D file with the Archon tool and textures are correct. Just put the s4f file and textures in your mod inside the your mod folder from "Documents\My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\Mods".
Next you must add the vehicle inside the Vehicles.txt from the base files. The vehicle will need weapons, ammo. Perhaps you must create lines for new weapons and ammo.
You will need open, just without save, with the archon tool the s4f if you want know the crew additions and weapons from the 3D model.
When you have the vehicle, you can add a line inside Teams.txt. When you have a team, you can add a line or more inside scnunits.txt where you can add it as a single support unit or inside a main group of units.
Just a final point, in the vehicles.txt, there is a uniforms column. You must add a value higher than the last uniform if you want the vehicle taking the default textures for it. If not, you will need add a uniforms line for this vehicle with customized textures for each terrain.
The best web site from all your recomendations asked before by me where you can find data about vehicles is www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/Site.htm... I have used the data inside this web adding almost everything. But in many vehicles I have not added the AA machine guns because they would be useless. The best option for 4 or 5 crew members is always two weapons. More will not be used if the other weapons are online and when you lose weapons, usually, you lose crew. At the end, they were useless.
Of course, new units can need new text, text files descriptions can be edited or added inside Text1.txt, this file should be added as you can see in the Documents\My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\Mods\yourmodname\Data\Text
-Armor and angles.
The armor angle depends from your data. If your data source is giving the angle 'from vertical' then you can just use those values. If it is 'from horizontal' then you need to do 90 - angle. If you're not sure then you need to look at the vehicle in question. Is the 35 degree plate in question closer to 'straight up and down' or 'lying flat?' If 'up and down' then it's 35 degrees from vertical. If the plate is closer to 'lying flat' then it's 35 degrees from horizontal.
If the angle is giving from vertical, a 50º angle is a 50º angle inside the game code. In web sites as www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/Site.htm?fbclid=IwAR1zGcWx1O99Ffx9XE60FodHlRRmmk0BYOgBWhhZ_t6gVKeQDmJsM5xcsRU you can find many armor values from the horizontal, with these the angle would be 90 - angle.
-Common problems editing base files with the workbook.
Be careful editing the data inside the workbook. Perhaps by default you did not set Excell with the . instead from the , and it will convert many values as 0,01 when they should be 0.01. Next if you copy and paste values inside your mod files, you should past only the data, never formulas and other things from the workbook.
Other bad point from the workbook is how the file counts lines starting in 1 (perhaps it can be changed) but the game starts lines with 0. It can be a stupid problem if you add bad values for the number or lines.
The workbook has the names from the teams and other things with the text description entries. Probably you must replace these descriptions with data inside text1 file. It will help you editing the files.
-The Workbook.
firefoxccmods.com/wp/download/close-combat-the-bloody-first-workbook/
-The Archon Tool and a 3D model example in FBX format.
www.dropbox.com/s/qo2fk2ec6r45s41/CCTBF_3D_TOOLS.rar?dl=0
It is the data used by me in the CONFIG.txt from the Archon Tool. You can use it as a example making work the tool in your computers.
COREPATH K:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Close Combat - The Bloody First\
CUBESIZE 5
[TEXTURES]
PATH K:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Close Combat - The Bloody First\Data\Battle\MODELS
PATH F:\CCBF_Textures\Maus\All_Textures
[LIGHTS]
DIRECTION 0 -1 0
COLOUR FFFF0000
AMBIENT FF003300
DIRECTION 1 0 0
COLOUR FFFFFF00
AMBIENT 0
CUBESIZE 5
[TEXTURES]
PATH K:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Close Combat - The Bloody First\Data\Battle\MODELS
PATH F:\CCBF_Textures\Maus\All_Textures
[LIGHTS]
DIRECTION 0 -1 0
COLOUR FFFF0000
AMBIENT FF003300
DIRECTION 1 0 0
COLOUR FFFFFF00
AMBIENT 0
-The Archon Wiki.
archonwiki.slitherine.com/index.php/Rendering_and_Shaders#Converter_Tool
-The Nvidia DDS plugin for Photoshop. It is neccesary if you want save a new dds file from 3D Model texture or a new map.
developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-exporter
-The best option is to use DDS files with the textures from the 3D Models but...
Note that you can use non-DDS texture on the models if need be. TGAs and BMPs should definitely work.
-Photoshop Nvidia DDS plugin profiles.
These are profiles for the Nvidia DDS plugin from Photoshop for the diffuse and normal maps. They can be used with 3D Models or backgrounds from maps.
firefoxccmods.com/wp/download/close-combat-the-bloody-first-dds-profiles/
-What is the Drag force descripted in the vehicles.txt?
The value used is the rectangular frontal area of the vehicle (width * height) time a 0.3 coefficient. So for an M3 Light Tank it's 2.24m wide * 1.14m high * 0.3 = about 1.4. It's a ball park estimate of drag force that is close enough for the velocities that ground combat vehicles are using in the game.
-About the pivot axes in a 3D program.
TBF expects all axes set so Y is up, X is right, and Z is forward. At theory, it is as you read but......in the practice, I have made several models where only the turret0 used this position and I could not use it for other parts from the model because things were showed bad when I convert the model. Perhaps it is a problem only from 3Dmax or my hands. I do not know.
-The vehicle textures are set in the vehicle.txt.
Texture(s) can be added by modifying the uniforms.txt data file. If you have no textures set in uniforms.txt you should get the default texture you set in the Archon tool.
Instead from to add new textures rows in the uniforms.txt data file, the best is set a number of row which it does not exist in the file. If the model has textures added with the Archon Tool, it will use them by default. The uniforms.txt file is more for special customizations for the different type of terrain.
-About all the armor values from vehicles.txt as by example hull front upper mm hull front upper angle.
The armor plate thickness and angles come from a number of sources -- some books and some online. I tried to use primary sources (like the US Army technical manuals and the Standard Army Ordnance Catalog) wherever possible. You can find this data out on the internet on various tank-related sites too. The angle value in the game is 'angle from vertical' so a vertical plate (90 degrees from horizontal) would be a 0 angle in the data file. A plate at 60 degrees from horizontal would be 30 degrees from vertical, etc.
Armor values in the older 2D games were pre-calculated based from this same plate angle and thickness data but (because of the limits of the 2D model) had to assume certain impact angles depending on the vehicle facing and high/low incoming angle.
-Good web sites with data about vehicles.
www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/Site.htm?fbclid=IwAR1zGcWx1O99Ffx9XE60FodHlRRmmk0BYOgBWhhZ_t6gVKeQDmJsM5xcsRU
wwiitanks.co.uk/FORM-Tank_Data.php?I=184
(Many of these descriptions were answered by the creators in the Matrix forums www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=1770&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1 or other people in many sources, thanks to all you.)
-What about the map editor background texture.
The saved texture is intended as a starter for painting the map terrain (if you wish to use a custom texture). You can resize it to a more generous resolution (but any more than 8Kx8K will not likely work). There is an internal DX limitation which prevents us from easily outputting a larger texture. As I say, the actual resolution of the texture doesn't matter to the game.
The expected flow is to output the texture, upscale to the resolution you are going to use, process/paint as desired, convert to DDS for space and speed.
-If I make a new map and I add a normalmap. Does the game go to use it? or must it be added from some way?
If it exists and is named correctly it will be loaded automatically. The expected name is the same as the base map overlay file name but with "_NORMALMAP" at the end. For example "MyMap.dds" and "MyMap_NORMALMAP.dds"
-Adding a vehicle 3D model, by example from my packages.
The addition from a vehicle is not very difficult, with the packages added by me, if you are happy with the scale, you do not need edit the file with the 3D file with the Archon tool and textures are correct. Just put the s4f file and textures in your mod inside the your mod folder from "Documents\My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\Mods".
Next you must add the vehicle inside the Vehicles.txt from the base files. The vehicle will need weapons, ammo. Perhaps you must create lines for new weapons and ammo.
You will need open, just without save, with the archon tool the s4f if you want know the crew additions and weapons from the 3D model.
When you have the vehicle, you can add a line inside Teams.txt. When you have a team, you can add a line or more inside scnunits.txt where you can add it as a single support unit or inside a main group of units.
Just a final point, in the vehicles.txt, there is a uniforms column. You must add a value higher than the last uniform if you want the vehicle taking the default textures for it. If not, you will need add a uniforms line for this vehicle with customized textures for each terrain.
The best web site from all your recomendations asked before by me where you can find data about vehicles is www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/Site.htm... I have used the data inside this web adding almost everything. But in many vehicles I have not added the AA machine guns because they would be useless. The best option for 4 or 5 crew members is always two weapons. More will not be used if the other weapons are online and when you lose weapons, usually, you lose crew. At the end, they were useless.
Of course, new units can need new text, text files descriptions can be edited or added inside Text1.txt, this file should be added as you can see in the Documents\My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\Mods\yourmodname\Data\Text
-Armor and angles.
The armor angle depends from your data. If your data source is giving the angle 'from vertical' then you can just use those values. If it is 'from horizontal' then you need to do 90 - angle. If you're not sure then you need to look at the vehicle in question. Is the 35 degree plate in question closer to 'straight up and down' or 'lying flat?' If 'up and down' then it's 35 degrees from vertical. If the plate is closer to 'lying flat' then it's 35 degrees from horizontal.
If the angle is giving from vertical, a 50º angle is a 50º angle inside the game code. In web sites as www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/Site.htm?fbclid=IwAR1zGcWx1O99Ffx9XE60FodHlRRmmk0BYOgBWhhZ_t6gVKeQDmJsM5xcsRU you can find many armor values from the horizontal, with these the angle would be 90 - angle.
-Common problems editing base files with the workbook.
Be careful editing the data inside the workbook. Perhaps by default you did not set Excell with the . instead from the , and it will convert many values as 0,01 when they should be 0.01. Next if you copy and paste values inside your mod files, you should past only the data, never formulas and other things from the workbook.
Other bad point from the workbook is how the file counts lines starting in 1 (perhaps it can be changed) but the game starts lines with 0. It can be a stupid problem if you add bad values for the number or lines.
The workbook has the names from the teams and other things with the text description entries. Probably you must replace these descriptions with data inside text1 file. It will help you editing the files.
