Adding units in PC

[junk2drive]

Since this is the same for current versions of PC, I'm not leaking anything here.

People have been asking how easy it is to add units or change units in PC.

All the unit information is contained in xml files. I will post a text of how to work with xml later. The information, the numbers that make things work, come from the Panzer Wars miniatures game rules and charts. You can get the pdf files with all the numbers here

http://www.panzer-war.com/

There are a lot. I have them all including the modern series.

I don't have the skills to make new 3D models but like to do what ifs. Say that I want to put Shermans vs T34/85s. No problem. I take the Soviet Sherman 76 xml and change the country to German. It's not as simple as that but you get the idea. Now I can play as Germans and pretend that they are Americans vs the Soviets.

 

[junk2drive]

OK I had fun blowing up some tanks. Maybe the Soviets should have T44s. I find the PW stats for the T44. I open the xml for the T34 and change a few numbers and save it as a T44.

hmmm, maybe the US should have Pershings. I don't have a 3D model for that. I'll use a Panther. I create a new xml using the stats from PW and point it to use the German Panther as it's 3D model. But what about the gun? I have to create an xml for that and put it in the guns folder. As you can imagine it is starting to get more complicated. I can use the Panther MG or create a new one or use the Soviet MG from a lend lease unit. If you open enough existing xmls and look at how things work it starts to fall into place. Then it's trial and error.

I want to transport my troops but not in trucks. No one has made a Soviet halftrack yet. I'll use the SPW 251. I get the stats, create my xml, point to the 251 and a LL MG. I could probably paint a German skin green for my new unit to at least look somewhat Soviet.

Of course if you have the skill and time, you can create a 3D model and an xml to put it in the game.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

OK I had fun blowing up some tanks. Maybe the Soviets should have T44s. I find the PW stats for the T44. I open the xml for the T34 and change a few numbers and save it as a T44.

hmmm, maybe the US should have Pershings. I don't have a 3D model for that. I'll use a Panther. I create a new xml using the stats from PW and point it to use the German Panther as it's 3D model. But what about the gun? I have to create an xml for that and put it in the guns folder. As you can imagine it is starting to get more complicated. I can use the Panther MG or create a new one or use the Soviet MG from a lend lease unit. If you open enough existing xmls and look at how things work it starts to fall into place. Then it's trial and error.

I want to transport my troops but not in trucks. No one has made a Soviet halftrack yet. I'll use the SPW 251. I get the stats, create my xml, point to the 251 and a LL MG. I could probably paint a German skin green for my new unit to at least look somewhat Soviet.

Of course if you have the skill and time, you can create a 3D model and an xml to put it in the game.

Is it possible to export 3D models from, say, Operation Flashpoint or some other game?

 

[junk2drive]

Using the above method, I have created or received from other people, M60A1, T62, Japanese Ha Go, and other non East Front WWII units.

Here is my How To:

Units in Panzer Command are made up of two parts. The 3D model that is displayed on your screen and an XML file that tells the game what to do with the 3D model.
This document will tell you how to create a unit XML with Microsoft XML Notepad 2007, a free download from Microsoft.
We will start with an armoured unit. Other units are similar.
To see what a stock unit XML looks like, install XML Notepad 2007. Open in tree view. Select open and navigate to your Armoured Units folder. Select one of the tanks.
The names and numbers on the left side panel are hard coded into Panzer Command. The names and numbers on the right side panel come from the Panzer Wars rulebook.
armouredunits is info about the unit
locations is the armour thickness at different places on the unit
guns is the main gun and machine gun
attributes is the type of unit
sets are the 3D models that the game will use for summer and winter for this unit

For the unit to work in the game, there must be a gun xml that matches the gun information that you type in. That gun xml is in the Guns folder.
Additionally, there must be a 3D model that matches your unit xml. Any changes to a 3D model may effect your unit xml.


Open XML Notepad 2007 in tree view
Select Insert >Element >Before
You see a blue ball and a space to type in to
Type armouredunit and press enter
Select Insert >Attribute >Child
Type the word type and press enter
In the right side panel type the name of the unit you want to make
Continue adding Childs with the following
side
mass
size
stun
speed
turretrotation
month
year
points
movetype
endservice
medservice
medprev
When you have finished click the element armoured unit at the top
Select Insert >Element >Child
Type locations and press enter
Click the element locations and select Insert >Element >Child
Type location and press enter
Click the element location and select Insert >Attribute >Child
Type position and press enter
In the right side panel type the number
Continue adding childs for
location
front
side
rear
Continue adding the Element Childs location to the Element locations and adding the Attribute Childs for each position.
Typically there are 12 or 13.

Next we do the Guns, Attributes, Set and Set.

When finished you save as... and give your unit a unique name.

You may edit an existing unit. Be sure to save as... and give it a different name.
You may copy and paste from another xml to yours.


Valid attributes:

Units may have more than one attribute such as Halftrack and Open Top

INF

Squad
Team
Sniper

GUN

InfantryGun
LightGun
MediumGun
HeavyGun

MORTAR

LightMortar
HeavyMortar

MG

LightMG
MediumMG
HeavyMG

TANK

LightTank
MediumTank
HeavyTank

AFV

Recon
Halftrack
Scoutcar
Truck
AssaultGun

OpenTop
Amphibious

Fragile
Unreliable

Radio Spotter
CommandRadio

Staticfire Stabilizer

TowLight
TowMedium
TowHeavy

ARTY

Indirectfire
Rocket

PLANES

Fighter
Divebomber
Fighterbomber
Bomber

TacticalAntiair

 

[junk2drive]

Is it possible to export 3D models from, say, Operation Flashpoint or some other game?

Probably but I'm not the expert. I tried taking free models from turbosquid and working with them in blender and just didn't have the brains for it. fragmotion seems to be the 3D program of choice. The model from another game has to be in a format that can be imported into fragmotion and then you need to know how to scale it and export it to direct x. Then there is the animations and all the other things that 3D does.

 

[mOBIUS]

A number of people have been inspired to learn how to make 3D models. For the most part they can invest in a $20 program called fragmotion that can make models for the game good as $4000 modelling software.

The game has to ability to run two types of order systems. The 'art of war' order menu system that Germany, the US and UK used. The other is the 'science of war' which is what we call the method the Soviets used. But you can select in the scenario editor if you want to change this and make both the same. In effect blue on blue or red on red. A blue on blue might be Germany vs. US or UK. If you have added the models and the data.xml you coulld run most any front or era.

 

[junk2drive]

The caveat is that you are stuck with the German and Soviet hardcoded items like text in game.

 

[Redwolf]

BTW, Wings3d is a quick to learn free 3D modeler which probably has been used for CMx1.

Texturing sucks in it, though.

Blender is a very powerful suite with a crazy UI that is also free.

 

[Redwolf]

Is it possible to export 3D models from, say, Operation Flashpoint or some other game?

These 3d models, if they are user-made mods, have originally been made in some kind of 3D editor. You should be able to export from that editor if the author sends you the original file.

The polygon count of a OFP model might be too high for use in a battalion sized game. But then maybe not a problem since OFP is so old.

 

[JMass]

A number of people have been inspired to learn how to make 3D models. For the most part they can invest in a $20 program called fragmotion

fragMotion is a very good investment (but $50 USD, not 20...).

 

[JMass]

Blender is a very powerful suite with a crazy UI that is also free.

Unfortunately Blender don't load PC directx files, I could be wrong, maybe.

 

[Redwolf]

Unfortunately Blender don't load PC directx files, I could be wrong, maybe.

Uh, that sounds like a lousy idea in the first place.

But you can at least export models that you either make in Blender, or that you imported into Blender, into Direct3d files.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

BTW, Wings3d is a quick to learn free 3D modeler which probably has been used for CMx1.

Texturing sucks in it, though.

Blender is a very powerful suite with a crazy UI that is also free.

I've worked with Wings3D before; learning curve seemed ok - definitely a lot of work putting all the details together and my respect for the modellers is very high.

I was just wondering if you could - Un-PBO an Op Flashpoint mod and "dig out" the model somehow and import it into PzC:O.

Your later response suggests that it might be.

 

[Laryngoscope]

I've worked with Wings3D before; learning curve seemed ok - definitely a lot of work putting all the details together and my respect for the modellers is very high.

I was just wondering if you could - Un-PBO an Op Flashpoint mod and "dig out" the model somehow and import it into PzC:O.

Your later response suggests that it might be.

You can probably do this. Many of these 3D editing programs will import lots of different formats and provided that they export directX it will work.

The development team used fragMotion (fM) which has lots of different import formats (which was $20 but now recently increased to $50:freak. Milkshape can do it too, it is cheaper but not as flexible as fM. Blender which is free (if you can get past the UI) can probably do it as well.

There are a whole bunch of payware 3D model sites out there with models of the appropriate poly count which would be compatible with PCO (some have a ridiculous number of polys tho' and are really modelling show pieces not working game models).

For the model to fully work with PCO it would need to be rigged to work in the game (things like animations, firing and mount points etc). These things are not hard to do per se (not as hard as modelling and texturing), but still would require extra work.

For example one of the beta team members took a model from another game (I won't mention which) and converted it over to PCO format (complete with animations and rigging) with just a couple hours work. NOTE: This was done as a test only! Said model does not appear in the game, all models for PCO were either developed exclusively inhouse or legally purchased with full distribution rights.

So in answer to your question MD, yes it is very possible. I don't know anything about the "Un-PBO" format of Op Flash, and how compatible it is with 3D editors, but I would say in general yes

L.

 

[junk2drive]

Just to add to the above, we had to stick with things that Matrix had the rights to or were made from scratch.

All the sounds that I used were from games that Matrix owns. BBC BA uses the voices from the CC series. It is funny to hear them again after so many years since I had played them.

You all however, can use whatever you want and share it if you choose. As long as Matrix doesn't include it in official release, no problems.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

You both raise an excellent point about copyright, of course. Thanks for the detailed replies.

 

[Geordie]

Excuse me for being a thikie here.

Does this mean that PCO can be modded like other games? Could a group of people create a 6 Day War game for example?

If so, this could be a game that guys can Mod to play the conflicts they want to....

 

[mOBIUS]

Excuse me for being a thikie here.

Does this mean that PCO can be modded like other games? Could a group of people create a 6 Day War game for example?

If so, this could be a game that guys can Mod to play the conflicts they want to....

Pretty much. Other than riverene, helicopters and ATGMs. ATGMs would be modelled like a gun and not be a slower moving rocket propelled object.

 

[Mad Russian]

Excuse me for being a thikie here.

Does this mean that PCO can be modded like other games? Could a group of people create a 6 Day War game for example?

YES! PCO is moddable on all levels except the base code.

Units, weapons systems, stats/data, vehicles, textures, structures, it's all moddable!

If so, this could be a game that guys can Mod to play the conflicts they want to....

YES!

Good Hunting.

MR

 

[Palantir]

So we're talking Pacific Theater and WW 1 type mods being able to be made with PC-O? :crosseye:
:joy:


:hmmm:, those are the areas that BFC is NOT considering doing with their super-easy to do modular system. :whlchr:
Oh wait maybe those wil come AFTER :bored: the limited CM:N base game & its two equally limited modulars then on to the limited East Front game & it's two limited modulars then...

{Please check back in 2011 for further updates on a new screenshot for CM:N then 2012 for its possible release, then 2015 for their East Front Game - assuming PC-O hasn't buried them deep by then}