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Cannon models

mrmistophelees

mrmistophelees

Landlubber
I've been doing a lot of my own research into changing the stock cannon models into a more aesthetically pleasing one.

The conclusion that I've come to is that if I were, hypothetically, to change the cannon models of all the ships and forts in the game, it mean that I would have to load each location and ship model into my 3d modelling program, erase the cannon already there, and then add my own model where they used to be.... right?

Is there a stock cannon model from which all the locations draw their cannons from (as in they all reference the same model), and which I can replace just once and everything changes, or do I have to change every single cannon in the game (as in every cannon is an instance of itself)?

And what do the locator files for ships have to do with cannon placement? I've read the Sails, Ropes and Flags tutorial on the Wiki a couple times, but I'm not sure about cannons. Here is what Nathan says in the first paragraph:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Ropes, sails, flags, and ratlines (the rope ladder rigging on the sides of ships) are drawn by the engine based on locators in the various GM files that make up a ship. Cannons are also activated via locators, as are fireplaces (where fires can break out); and masts and yards are referenced via locators as well.
Because they are just locators, they can be modified, added to, or removed, via <a href="http://robotsdontbleed.com/wacko/wakka.php?wakka=ToolForLocationediting&v=9u9" target="_blank">Inez's Tool</a>.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

What does this mean that cannons are activated via locators... and how can they be added to or removed?

Well, I hope someone has some answers... or can point me to some answers. I'll keep messing with the files in the meantime.
 
<!--quoteo(post=163830:date=Sep 25 2006, 11:26 PM:name=Mr Mistophelees)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mr Mistophelees @ Sep 25 2006, 11:26 PM) [snapback]163830[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
I've been doing a lot of my own research into changing the stock cannon models into a more aesthetically pleasing one.

The conclusion that I've come to is that if I were, hypothetically, to change the cannon models of all the ships and forts in the game, it mean that I would have to load each location and ship model into my 3d modelling program, erase the cannon already there, and then add my own model where they used to be.... right?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":yes" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
Is there a stock cannon model from which all the locations draw their cannons from (as in they all reference the same model), and which I can replace just once and everything changes, or do I have to change every single cannon in the game (as in every cannon is an instance of itself)?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You would have to replace each one and be mindfull that very detailed cannon models might increase the poly count in a scene to the point of lagging it.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
And what do the locator files for ships have to do with cannon placement? I've read the Sails, Ropes and Flags tutorial on the Wiki a couple times, but I'm not sure about cannons. Here is what Nathan says in the first paragraph:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Ropes, sails, flags, and ratlines (the rope ladder rigging on the sides of ships) are drawn by the engine based on locators in the various GM files that make up a ship. Cannons are also activated via locators, as are fireplaces (where fires can break out); and masts and yards are referenced via locators as well.
Because they are just locators, they can be modified, added to, or removed, via <a href="http://robotsdontbleed.com/wacko/wakka.php?wakka=ToolForLocationediting&v=9u9" target="_blank">Inez's Tool</a>.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

What does this mean that cannons are activated via locators... and how can they be added to or removed?
..<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Loading a ship in GM Viewer, you can see the locators.
You can use Inez's tool to edit, add or delete locators.
These are not the cannon models themselves, but the points the game sets as origin for cannon balls and flash.
 
Thanks for that info mate!

I had finally come to that very conclusion after experimentation by deleting all the cannon locators on a ship, buying that ship, stocking it, and finding that the ship wouldn't load any cannons... there weren't any cannons to load.

*sigh*... I wonder why Akella dicided to take this much more difficult approach. Wouldn't it have been easier for them even for the development of the game to use references to models??


Oh, and my cannons weigh in at about 4k polys give or take... The couple ships that I've checked are only a little over 5k. I wonder how many poly's the engine can take before it chokes...
 
Judging by the model you show in another thread: That seems to be too detailed. I once made a pretty low-poly cannon in 3DS MAX, see attached. You might want to add a better barrel though.

I made this model to be used on the 3D model of the Santissima Trinidad for <a href="http://www.avsim.com/vs" target="_blank">Virtual Sailor</a>, that a friend of mine, an old sea captain, in Spain was working on at the time.
 
Well, <b>Inzane</b>s <i>HMS Surprise</i> has 60k polys and game doesn't seem to have problems with that <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

The thing is, that 4k poly cannons would be added to every ship, so, with more ships the game could possibly choke...
 
Thats what I thought... I had read somewhere on these forums that 70k polys was about the upper limit for a ship.

Oh, and I have found that many of the user-made ships have their own decent cannon models, so I wouldn't go replacing them. If I tinker with this at all, I would only be working on the stock cannons.

My cannon model is not quite done yet, and I can still optimize it for less polys at the end.
 
<!--quoteo(post=163925:date=Sep 26 2006, 05:23 PM:name=Mr Mistophelees)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mr Mistophelees @ Sep 26 2006, 05:23 PM) [snapback]163925[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
My cannon model is not quite done yet, and I can still optimize it for less polys at the end.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That would be a very good idea. You should try to make a model that has the least possible polygons while still looking good. This is quite possible. See the model attached to my post above. It's far from perfect, but it does look better than the stock model, doesn't it? At least it has wheels. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
 
I've shrunk my cannon down to 1.6k polys with the multires modifier. That really worked well on the barrel of the cannon which was the lion's share of polys of course. Dropped it from 3k polys to about 1k while maintaining most of it's outward appearence.

Well, it will be awhile before I can see how it acts in-game...



<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/24.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rofl" border="0" alt="24.gif" /> That cannon is SOOOOO Cute Pieter! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bow.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":bow" border="0" alt="bow.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/me.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":onya" border="0" alt="me.gif" />
 
Okay, I have found out that removing the cannon models from the ships is as easy as pie. I have already done it to the Galeoth1 ship model. I have replaced those cannons with my own, pefectly positioned. Very easy to do!

Now, I have a question before I go any farther... and this is to you coders out there. If I add a recoil animation to the cannons, can you write the code to use that animation? Is it even possible? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/boom.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":boom" border="0" alt="boom.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=164006:date=Sep 26 2006, 09:49 PM:name=Mr Mistophelees)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mr Mistophelees @ Sep 26 2006, 09:49 PM) [snapback]164006[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
Now, I have a question before I go any farther... and this is to you coders out there. If I add a recoil animation to the cannons, can you write the code to use that animation? Is it even possible? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/boom.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":boom" border="0" alt="boom.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
For all I know that is not possible. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />
 
Thats okay. I won't waste my time to make the animation then. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/poet.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":hmm" border="0" alt="poet.gif" />
 
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