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Location & island remodeling campaign

C

CouchcaptainCharles

COO (Chief Oddity Officer)
Storm Modder
Pirate Legend
By means of Inez Diaz fabulous tool for converting GM models you -yes, YOU- can easily change models by removing and/or adding model components. That way you -yes, YOU- can create landlocations and islands that look completely different from the stock ones.

Unfortunately the tool comes with only two simple housemodels and a fence for outside locations.

I uploaded a bunch of meshes for Inez' Tool on the Potc Pirates Ahoy FTP: Buildings from AOP provided by Maximus, 17th century fortifications by Captain Caceres, prominent buildings I cut out of existing locations, some forest models and some basic components like stoneblocks, planks, poles, gates and windows.
If you copy those 65 models into the "meshes" folder of the Tool you'll have a lot of possibilities to change the look of locations for good. Like this new model for Port au Prince Harbour:

[attachment=1746:poPrince1.jpg]
The obsolete medievil townwalls have been replaced by 17th century buildings and gunbastions, a drydock has been added... and to the left a gibbet with an executed pirate on display(for deterence <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/w00t.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":woot" border="0" alt="w00t.gif" /> , quite a common 17th century sight <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":yes" border="0" alt="yes.gif" /> )

And a nicely detailed tree especially for those who can't stand the Buildingset's low poly palms <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
Another advantage over the Buildingset: For this remodeled sort of "new" location you can also make proper lighting files.

Example locations and a tutorial how you -yes, YOU :wink - can create them will be uploaded soon.

I hope that all those who always called for more unique location models will now join the campaign to create a new PotC world :wink. Cause I will certainly not remodel all the "new" islands. During the next months I plan to tackle the Port au Prince and Turks townlocations and the Turks, St Martin and Antigua islandmodels.


If you are interested in creating your own locations download "Meshes4InezTool", "TxTextures4newModels" and "TgaTextures4InezTool" from the PA! PotC FTP.

-"Meshes4InezTool" contains the modelcompnents for the Tool. Unzip it into the "\meshes" folder of your Tool.

-"TgaTextures4InezTool" contains TGA textures for the Tool. Unzip it where you want and direct the "Texture Directory" option of your Tool to it.

-"TxTextures4newModels" holds TX textures that PotC needs to display the new models. Unzip it into PotC\resource\textures.
 
hey, i can hardly even recognise it anymore! that looks great! although the colors themselves seem like they where slapped on with paint at the moment, but i trust that isn't very hard to change. (and that you where planning to anyway)

seems like you're busy recruting new modders eh? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />
 
Yes, I hope to lure people out of the "passive" player role <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />

EDIT: The textures are stock PotC, but the screenshot was converted to .TGA with Paint.

I uploaded that location on the FTP, so that anyone can try how it looks on his comp:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->CONTENT
The uploaded Remodeled_Locs.zip contains locationmodels for the "new" islands added by Build13. By means of Inez Tool modelcomponents have been changed and added so that they look different from the stock locations. The intention is not to dazzle anyone with better-than-stock beauty but merely to give the new locs a unique character. IMHO Port au Prince doesn't need to look "better" than Conceicao as long as it looks DIFFERENT.

Another intention is to motivate more people for location modding with these examples. You -yes, YOU- can create such locations as well. The tools and tutorials are uploaded as well. Join the Location Remodeling Campaign <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Remodeled_Locs.zip currently contains the models for

- Port au Prince harbour

More locations will be added in the future.

This pack contains only ADDITIONAL files. It does NOT change any existing files. That means you can try it without any risk. If you don't like it you can easily restore the stock locations. The included program\console.c file already contains the code that will do that for you. Just open that file and uncomment the "Restoring Section" according to the included instructions.

INSTALLATION
This pack is compatible with ANY Buildversion that contains the "new" islands (Post Build12 ff.)

Download Remodeled_Locs.zip from the Pirates Ahoy Potc FTP, folder "Loc_remodeling_campaign". Unzip it into your PotC folder.

The textures for these and future models are in the seperate "TxTextures4newModels.zip", so that you need to download them only once. Do that if you haven't done that before, and unzip it into your PotC folder as well.

ACTIVATION
To activate the new models press F12 during the running game ("executed console" should appear on screen then). The next time that you go to the changed locations the new models will be used.

Those changes will be stored in any gamesave that you save from now on. If you load another gamesave "thread" or start a new game press F12 again.

Which means that loading an older save will also restore the stock locations if you don't like the new ones. Now if that ain't considerate modding <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
 
BTW, the first parts of the Tutorial are posted <a href="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10381" target="_blank">here.</a>

And if you can create entirely new models in VRML or GM but can't make them playable: upload them on the FTP, and I'll see what I can do with them.
 
Yes this looks really great an I would volunteer to improve new locations if not busy with another thing.
I´ve tried to follow the instructions to check the functions out:

Took an interior model (mediumtavern) & deleted the doors. OK
Now the room looked bright so I changed the 8 COL files. Still bright!
Even added 4 textures\lightning files. Still bright!

What am I misssing?
 
WOW! NIIIIICE! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/w00t.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":woot" border="0" alt="w00t.gif" />

I hope some people will jump on the occasion and do some improving of the current towns. It would be great to have all towns look different. You sure have proven that it IS possible to modify the looks of the towns quite a lot without actually remodeling them from scratch. Nicely done! Make sure Pirate_KK adds your improved Port au Prince to the next modpack update!
 
what i especially like about this is that you won't walk through stuff and that you don't see some odd things, like in the antigua port. that port just looks really wierd to me. probably because you can still see what it was like. this new port doesn't have that at all.
 
<!--quoteo(post=190668:date=Apr 21 2007, 09:04 PM:name=Jack Rackham)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Rackham @ Apr 21 2007, 09:04 PM) [snapback]190668[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yes this looks really great an I would volunteer to improve new locations if not busy with another thing.
I´ve tried to follow the instructions to check the functions out:

Took an interior model (mediumtavern) & deleted the doors. OK
Now the room looked bright so I changed the 8 COL files. Still bright!
Even added 4 textures\lightning files. Still bright!

What am I misssing?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I haven't tried interior locations yet, but Inez made this tool with roomdesign in mind, so it should work.

What colour did you select for the .col files?

Are the .col files in the same folder as the model, and does the spelling match?

MODELFILENAME.GM -> MODELFILENAME_DAY1.COL

( The Tool adds an _x to the filename if you save. )

If nothing helps, upload the room model, and I'll try to make .col files.
 
<!--quoteo(post=190264:date=Apr 18 2007, 09:55 PM:name=morgan terror)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morgan terror @ Apr 18 2007, 09:55 PM) [snapback]190264[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->although the colors themselves seem like they where slapped on with paint at the moment, but i trust that isn't very hard to change.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It seems that the Tool actually actually swallows some lighting data. If you store a changed modelfile it has a smaller filesize than the original, and there are e.g. no shadows.

So whenever possible one should work with superimposed models (leaving the original model alone and adding a different model with additional buildings, see tutorialthread )

I'm currently working on Port au Prince town that way, and I have to admit that it looks better. Only you can't delete any existing stuff that way. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />
 
Er, as far as I know, no building can cast any shadow. Game cheats instead and places appropiately colored map on the ground, darkening and lighting the ground texture where apprioprate.
 
yes, i noticed. it certainly explained the massive faults in it. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> at the greenford amin street, there is sun where there's a building in front of the sun, for instance.
 
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It seems that the Tool actually actually swallows some lighting data. If you store a changed modelfile it has a smaller filesize than the original, and there are e.g. no shadows.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yes and this goes for inside locations too. So I´ll try superimposed models instead.
 
<!--quoteo(post=191068:date=Apr 23 2007, 09:30 PM:name=Kazeite)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kazeite @ Apr 23 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]191068[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Er, as far as I know, no building can cast any shadow. Game cheats instead and places appropiately colored map on the ground, darkening and lighting the ground texture where apprioprate.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ah, that would be done by means of the .col files, I assume? Well, Inez explicitly states that her Tool creates only simple monochrome lighting files. So that's where the mock shadows get lost.
 
Er, no, I don't think so. Shadow maps are .tga.tx textures, containing top-down "view" of the area. Look into <i>RESOURCE/Textures/Lightning/</i> subdirectory with TX Convertor and you'll see how they look like.

So, theoretically, I think one would have to import appropriate location into any 3D program, render top view with appropriate lightning, edit it a little in graphic program, and then export as tga.tx. This should give us working shadow... theoretically. I have no idea how the engine does this stuff. I don't even know what .col files do <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />
 
I'm not really surefooted there either (so I'm very grateful for your hints <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/onya.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":onya" border="0" alt="onya.gif" /> ), but by trial and error I learned what happens if you DON'T have those files: missing shadow textures in the lighting directory cause an unnaturally bright FLOOR, missing .col files in the model directory cause unnaturally bright WALLS.
 
Retexturing a location can do a lot to change it's character and appearance, as Swindler has shown with his excellent retexturing of Santo Domingo: that the formerly dark brickbuildings are now whitewashed adds a lot of Spanish atmosphere.

Here is another example: Port au Prince town had the stock Conceicao town model. FAIK 17th century PaP was a rather simple, provisional settlement, so walls of timber and boulders would be more appropriate. Also the magnificient townhall is a bit out of place (the 14th century Gothic architecture is absurd anyway). Retexturing can change that.

Retexturing with a Hex editor leaves the camera collision and lighting files intact. On that preserved original model an additional one is superimposed which adds a gate building that matches the new port location, a keep that hides the former church, cranes and loadingdoors that turn the townhall into a warehouse, and trees and a windmill just for a changed look.
Shipyard and townhall got another interior model appropriate to the exterior buildings(warehouse and keep)
The walkpatch is slightly amended so that you don't walk into the keepwalls.
Reload locators were moved according to the new buildings, and some chests added for plundering.
The shopsigns are translated into French, and a gate to the fort added.
 
hey, that's a very nice change indeed! but maybe the roof-tiles in the governors mansion should be a bit darker. now, it seems as if the roof and the walls are one piece, which spoils it a little.

i have to say, the mansion looks a little like a barnyard now, but that's not nessesarily bad. it looks nice to me.
 
Well, what used to be a mansion in Conceicao is supposed to BE a warehouse in Port au Prince. So it is great to hear that it looks barnyard like <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
i see. well, i imagined the roof-tiles to be made of slate, but if it's a wharehouse, it could be too expensive. so i think the rooftiles might be right for a shop.
 
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