3D model question

[Methoddan]

OK, I'm a complete noob when it comes to modding.

 

But I am curious about something. How, in a nutshell, do you get a custom car model into the game?

 

Is it necessary to import and 'adapt' a car from a different game - or can you, if you had the time and patience, completely make up your own car? That seems sensible to me, seeing as all the cars in the game were made from scratch by the developers - so why should somebody else not be able to?

 

Say I had a 3D model of a car. I'm a noob with 3D modelling too, so I have no idea whether this model includes/can be made to have animations, spinning wheels etc - but what file format(s) would it have to be to turn it into a TDU2 car, and would one go from 3D model to finished in-game car that you can drive?

 

- Dan

[Nobby76]

I'm surprised this wasn't answered sooner... but ill do it now, so anyone else wondering will have an idea

 

No you don't have to convert a model from something else, as you said all models are made from scratch at some point, so you can do exactly the same, or a combination of both using existing parts and modeling some of your own.. ALL models can have animated parts, its just a case of setting up the model correctly. If you have used photoshop before you will be familiar with layers.. ALL objects work like that as well, you can have many parts (layers ) all within the same 1 file. Like you have a Body, Doors, wheels, Steering wheel. But they are all saved as 1 object, CAR. The animations are mostly controlled by using Null objects, which just designate where the pivot points are for those parts, like you would use a pivot point on the door hinge to allow the door to rotate around that point.

Regarding what format to use. To be honest it doesnt matter much what format you build the car in ( so it doesnt matter what program you use to model the car either ) You might as well just export from your modeler in the most common format around though, wavefront OBJ. Everything can export as that format and everything can import it as well. Most importantly you need to have a copy of Zmodeler2 as that is one of ( if not the only ) program that can export files in TDU format ( it can also import OBJ so thats handy).

The specifics of how you set up a car in Zmodeler i do not know, what i just explained was a very basic look at how its done, but it should help get people started...

 

Good luck.

 

Nobby

[Methoddan]

Thanks for the info, has helped :)