Modding Assets

[Quasar]

http://www.speciesgame.com/Downloads/Sp ... Assets.zip

Includes: uncompiled versions of models and textures for Body parts, Trees and Biomes.

Models are in *.fbx format.
Textures are in *.jpg and *.png formats.

To compile these the *.xnb format the game uses, import them into an XNA Game studio 3.1 content project and build them with Visual Studio.

Recommended settings (you can set these in the properties panel in Visual Studio)
Textures - Powers of 2 width/height (256, 512, 1024, etc), Format set to DXTCompressed, Generate MipMaps set to True.
Models - No texture applied when exporting.

[mw3modderman]

I keep getting compatibility error when running XNAGS40 setup

[wildmyron]

I keep getting compatibility error when running XNAGS40 setup

Quasar is using version 3.1, not 4.0.

[mw3modderman]

I keep getting compatibility error when running XNAGS40 setup

Quasar is using version 3.1, not 4.0.

o thanks

[AnarchCassius]

I get

Error loading "Environment\Tree Types\Norfolk Pine\Norfolk Pine". File contains Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.Model but trying to load as Species.InstancedModel.

when I try to make the Norfolk Pine and use it in game. Do I need some special templates?

[Quasar]

I get

Error loading "Environment\Tree Types\Norfolk Pine\Norfolk Pine". File contains Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.Model but trying to load as Species.InstancedModel.

when I try to make the Norfolk Pine and use it in game. Do I need some special templates?

Oh crud, I completely forgot about the Custom Model Processors. They're necessary for Trees, Head Types and Animated Limbs.

I shall have to investigate the best mechanism by which to send these to you.

[AnarchCassius]

I assume this took a backseat as you are currently reworking the formats? I would like to get the data at some point but if things are going to change soon I'll just wait.

[Quasar]

Oh sorry. It completely slipped my mind. Hmm... I've got an idea. Let me try something.

[edit] Nope, referencing them as a dll didn't work: they didn't appear in the VS property bar. Looks like it's source code or nothing.

I've attached the cs files for the Tree Processor. Getting it working isn't a particularly complex process, but it can be horribly tedious. If you're keen, you can try following the steps below.

1. Open up the XNA project you've been using to compile textures.
2. Right click the Solution (topmost node) in the Solution Explorer. Select "Add => New Project".
3. Select "Content Pipeline Extention Library" and click OK.
4. Import the three *.cs files into the newly created project. I've adjusted their namespace to use the default "ContentPipelineExtension1" namespace, so you shouldn't have to edit them at all.
5. Right click the original project you were using to compile stuff, and select "Project Dependancies".
6. Check ContentPipelineExtention1 in the "Depends On" box, and click OK.
7. Open the "Content" node under your project, right click on "References", and select "Add Reference".
8. Go into the "Projects" tab and select ContentPipelineExtention1.
9. Finally, press "F6" or use the Build menu to build the solution.

With that done, all you need to do to compile a model with the processor is select it in the solution explorer and change the "Content Processor" to Instanced Model (which is what the trees use).

The processor might also go looking for the InstancedModel shader: I've attached a copy of it just in case. If it does, just copy the file into your Content project alongside the model.

[AnarchCassius]

Finally got a chance to try it. Got the Norfolk Pine working. I can see why you haven't included it, it has odd alpha issues on the branches, only really bad far away.

I have two remaining bugs/issues with biomes.

1. Terrain shading stops working when I add them, possibly another incorrect texture setting.

2. I know of no way to define preview map colors. Are these hard-coded? It'd be kind of fun if each biome had an RGB or HSL value definable that could later be checked against camouflage colors in vision.

[Quasar]

Finally got a chance to try it. Got the Norfolk Pine working. I can see why you haven't included it, it has odd alpha issues on the branches, only really bad far away.

Aye, I've actually addressed some of those since then, and it actually looks better than the Bunya in the most recent development version. I'm planning to include the Norfolk Pine in 0.6.1 to add a bit more variety to the larger trees.

1. Terrain shading stops working when I add them, possibly another incorrect texture setting.

Odd. Is this specific to biome count? (ie. does it happen when you add more than X number of biomes?)

2. I know of no way to define preview map colors. Are these hard-coded?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are. Put that one down to me being cheap when I was originally implementing them: should be easy to fix for 0.6.1.