Steps to making objects for BF2

Z-trooper · 2009-11-08, 02:59

The steps for creating new assets are:

Creation of geometry: Make the 3D model
UV mapping: The process of mapping all of the surfaces of the model onto a single ""picture"" where you can paint each surface.
Texturing: Painting these surfaces. Texturing also depends on what kind of game engine you are making it for. BF2 and newer engines have a "minimum" of 3 types of texture maps:
- Diffuse map: A color map. Simply painting all the surfaces the way you want
- Specular map: This map controls how shiney/matte the object is, and where. For instance, you probably want it to be shinier where you painted metal on the diffuse map, and darker where you painted wood or paint. A specular map is critical to giving the object material definition. This is usually a greyscale image (but newer engines handle 24bit color spec maps).
- Normal map: This can be explained as a way to make the object seem more detailed. What it does is using an image as displacement vectors, the red and blue channels control the two side axis displacement where the green channel controls the 'up's and 'down's. A normal map is basically an optical illusion. Its predecessor, the 'bump' map only had the info of the green channel, up/down. This was a greyscale image. Some people still call normal maps for bump maps for some reason.
Preperation for export to game engine: So you've made a sniper rifle, but how do the game know how to use it and what parts are movable? Or you've made a building, how does the engine know when it hits it without killing all of the computing power?
Some terms you may hear used in releation to BF2 (and various other engines):
- lod: "Level of detail" model. When you are 100m away it is a massive waste of computation power to 'render' a gun or building with all of its details since you can't see them any way. So we make different versions of the same model depending on distance, and in case of weapons (and vehicles); 1st person and 3rd person versions along with scoped in versions.
- col: "collision" model. To figure out if a vehicle collides with a massive detailed building does not require to know all of the details of the window and door frames and whatever ornament there is. It only needs an outline of the building. The player needs more resolution to the model, for instance holes where there are doors and the inside of the building. Bullets need almost full resolution so it can determine if you hit the wooden frame of the door or the concrete of the roof on the 2nd floor.
Export: All of these elements are now grouped and organized into a hierarchy inside the modeling environment, so that the particular game engine may recognize which models are for colision, level of detail or which parts of the guns are movable.
Animation: If it is a weapon then all of the movement of the arms, gun ect needs to be defined. Here you manipulate the so called 'bones' inside dynamic geometry (like soldiers) that then moves the model.
Coding: Here you tell the model which parts are made of what materials, what reload time, fire rate, mag size, what sound files to use, speed, place where shell casings come out, where the muzzle flash and many many other things.
Testing: testing often reveals issues which require you to go back through several of these steps to fix stuff, but it is vital to ensure good quality and game experience.

Steps vary from type of object. Static objects usually have a different way of going by the UV and texture steps, this is the case with BF2.
Dynamic objects like soldiers that need to bend and deform must have a virtual skeleton inside and have each point (vertex) of the model 'weighted' to these bones. This is known as 'skinning'. The word skinning is however sadly used in a confusing was as a lot of people call the texturing process for 'skinning'

Those are the major points of modding/game asset creation. EACH of these points is a subject to master on its own. Even on the DEV team many people never venture out of just one of these fields.

That is the basic overview. I am sorry that you had to search for this and find nothing. It was only weeks since I deleted my tutorial on this subject. I felt it was outdated and I havent gotten around to creating a new one yet.

simeon5541 · 2011-03-05, 23:43

How to code vehicles for SP and bots ?

Psyko · 2011-05-30, 23:14

if the col resolution for a building is too low does that mean the bullets wont hit in the right spots? would it affect how infantry were hit, while next to the building?

Z-trooper · 2011-05-31, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psykogundam

if the col resolution for a building is too low does that mean the bullets wont hit in the right spots? would it affect how infantry were hit, while next to the building?

The answer to both your questions is yes.

I don't really get why this post was stickied, it was a random reply to some thread waaay back. Why it has ended up looking like a tutorial sticky is beyond me. Do not follow what is written there religiously...

temexter · 2011-05-31, 14:46

Make it sticky, please.

Psyko · 2011-05-31, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z-trooper

The answer to both your questions is yes.

I don't really get why this post was stickied, it was a random reply to some thread waaay back. Why it has ended up looking like a tutorial sticky is beyond me. Do not follow what is written there religiously...

at least you noticed. why don't you elaborate if possible. all the info on making models here is very interesting and valuable.

speedazz · 2012-06-20, 11:12

Which sofware is best to create 3d models? For game like BF2? Or it includes it's own tools?

CTRifle · 2012-06-20, 14:04

3dsmax or maya with bf2 tools installed with em

Rhino · 2012-06-20, 19:11

3DsMax9, v9, not 2009.

ToonS · 2012-07-09, 23:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by [R-DEV]Rhino

3DsMax9, v9, not 2009.

So, does the latest version not work, or is it a lot of stuffing around to get it to work with BF2?

2009-11-08, 02:59	#1
Z-trooper Retired PR Developer Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 4,108 Denmark Location: (0,0,0) Blog Entries: 13	Steps to making objects for BF2 The steps for creating new assets are: Creation of geometry: Make the 3D model UV mapping: The process of mapping all of the surfaces of the model onto a single ""picture"" where you can paint each surface. Texturing: Painting these surfaces. Texturing also depends on what kind of game engine you are making it for. BF2 and newer engines have a "minimum" of 3 types of texture maps: Diffuse map: A color map. Simply painting all the surfaces the way you want Specular map: This map controls how shiney/matte the object is, and where. For instance, you probably want it to be shinier where you painted metal on the diffuse map, and darker where you painted wood or paint. A specular map is critical to giving the object material definition. This is usually a greyscale image (but newer engines handle 24bit color spec maps). Normal map: This can be explained as a way to make the object seem more detailed. What it does is using an image as displacement vectors, the red and blue channels control the two side axis displacement where the green channel controls the 'up's and 'down's. A normal map is basically an optical illusion. Its predecessor, the 'bump' map only had the info of the green channel, up/down. This was a greyscale image. Some people still call normal maps for bump maps for some reason. Preperation for export to game engine: So you've made a sniper rifle, but how do the game know how to use it and what parts are movable? Or you've made a building, how does the engine know when it hits it without killing all of the computing power? Some terms you may hear used in releation to BF2 (and various other engines): lod: "Level of detail" model. When you are 100m away it is a massive waste of computation power to 'render' a gun or building with all of its details since you can't see them any way. So we make different versions of the same model depending on distance, and in case of weapons (and vehicles); 1st person and 3rd person versions along with scoped in versions. col: "collision" model. To figure out if a vehicle collides with a massive detailed building does not require to know all of the details of the window and door frames and whatever ornament there is. It only needs an outline of the building. The player needs more resolution to the model, for instance holes where there are doors and the inside of the building. Bullets need almost full resolution so it can determine if you hit the wooden frame of the door or the concrete of the roof on the 2nd floor. Export: All of these elements are now grouped and organized into a hierarchy inside the modeling environment, so that the particular game engine may recognize which models are for colision, level of detail or which parts of the guns are movable. Animation: If it is a weapon then all of the movement of the arms, gun ect needs to be defined. Here you manipulate the so called 'bones' inside dynamic geometry (like soldiers) that then moves the model. Coding: Here you tell the model which parts are made of what materials, what reload time, fire rate, mag size, what sound files to use, speed, place where shell casings come out, where the muzzle flash and many many other things. Testing: testing often reveals issues which require you to go back through several of these steps to fix stuff, but it is vital to ensure good quality and game experience. Steps vary from type of object. Static objects usually have a different way of going by the UV and texture steps, this is the case with BF2. Dynamic objects like soldiers that need to bend and deform must have a virtual skeleton inside and have each point (vertex) of the model 'weighted' to these bones. This is known as 'skinning'. The word skinning is however sadly used in a confusing was as a lot of people call the texturing process for 'skinning' Those are the major points of modding/game asset creation. EACH of these points is a subject to master on its own. Even on the DEV team many people never venture out of just one of these fields. That is the basic overview. I am sorry that you had to search for this and find nothing. It was only weeks since I deleted my tutorial on this subject. I felt it was outdated and I havent gotten around to creating a new one yet.
	"Without geometry, life is pointless"

2011-03-05, 23:43	#2
simeon5541 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 476 Europe	Re: Steps to making objects for BF2 How to code vehicles for SP and bots ?
simeon5541 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 476 Europe

2011-05-30, 23:14	#3
Psyko Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,372 Ireland	Re: Steps to making objects for BF2 if the col resolution for a building is too low does that mean the bullets wont hit in the right spots? would it affect how infantry were hit, while next to the building?
Psyko Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,372 Ireland

2011-05-31, 14:46	#5
temexter Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 392 Finland Location: Helsinki	Re: Steps to making objects for BF2 Make it sticky, please.

2012-06-20, 11:12	#7
speedazz Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 95 Lithuania Location: Panev?žys	Re: Steps to making objects for BF2 Which sofware is best to create 3d models? For game like BF2? Or it includes it's own tools?

2012-06-20, 14:04	#8
CTRifle Retired PR Developer Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,044 Canada Location: Ontario! Blog Entries: 1	Re: Steps to making objects for BF2 3dsmax or maya with bf2 tools installed with em

2012-06-20, 19:11	#9
Rhino Retired PR Developer Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 47,448 United Kingdom Location: Somerset - UK Blog Entries: 45	Re: Steps to making objects for BF2 3DsMax9, v9, not 2009.