total converstion with Star wolf 3 engine

[Skyeraven]

i was thinking about how hard it wold be to do a total conversion mod for Star wolf 3 Can any one say gundam? or macross i was thinking about doing it i use Maya for modeling and animation but i have no clue with programming i also don't know what software to use to change the finish maya file to format the game can understand. but Even tho i think this game engine would make great platform for a TC. if not gundam or macross an original mecha game would be cool any thoughts any one? please share your ideas

[Skyeraven]

no response?

[Trucidation]

The model modders would know best but I don't see this as impossible, all you need is the models and appropriate definitions in the various xmls. They'd just be ships in different models, basically. Is that what you were thinking about?

[Goblin Wizard]

Yes. SW is really easy to mod(compared to other games).
1. gundam or macross - sounds like anime/manga stuff. I'm not anime fan, sorry.
2. Actual engine doesn't support bump maps, displacement maps, normal maps etc so model look rather flat. Screens showed for SW3:AoV look like new engine will posses these options.
3. I don't know how to export models from Maya. I use 3ds max with IMD plugin (if you know how to compile a plugin I can give the source). Eventually, you can use IMDEditor. It supports OBJ + MTL file format. The problem is that IMDEditor doesn't export/import collision spheres, weapon hardpoints, lights, engine fires, etc. Only pure model with texture.
4. Models are easier part. You will have to find someone who can write a code in LUA for all quests.

[Trucidation]

2. Actual engine doesn't support bump maps, displacement maps, normal maps etc so model look rather flat. Screens showed for SW3:AoV look like new engine will posses these options.
Argh, more effort wasted on eye-candy changes. Can't they see there are more important things to do, like making the engine more efficient so that it doesn't lag like hell when large battles happen, un-hardcoding the XML schema, allowing missiles & skills to be used on mothership (hell, I can think of a balance fix if they implement that: add a "mothership" flag to indicate whether a particular skill should be available while piloting the mothership or not, etc), etc.

I mean, pretty visuals make even less sense than in other games: plenty of times you're zoomed out far enough that ships are tiny specs a few pixels across. I'm not saying the improvements are useless but, christ, there's a whole lot more other stuff they could improve to make the game better. Hireable pilots, for one. That didn't even take much effort to mod in, compared to rewriting the engine to handle bump maps for example.

4. Models are easier part. You will have to find someone who can write a code in LUA for all quests.
Learning the mess that is LUA is what's preventing me from doing more interesting things like fixing the random quests, adding more paths to the storylines, etc. FILETYPE MODDING will only address dialog right? A quest editing tutorial would be useful.

[Skyeraven]

Learning the mess that is LUA is what's preventing me from doing more interesting things like fixing the random quests, adding more paths to the storylines, etc. FILETYPE MODDING will only address dialog right? A quest editing tutorial would be useful.

Well that's another thing thats been bugging me if i knew how to mod the LUA could come up with original new story and can include good Voice overs. I know some people who are friends with good voice actors and actresses all need is better writers.