Ordos Anaconda

[Anaconda]

Who could code an Ordos Anaconda like this? (if you can see the picture in the signature)

- with a big rotation cannon (including 5 Cobra cannons)

- can not drive by high tower

- slower than the Cobra

please answer... *lol*

[JulesG]

Why do you want it?

As for the skills, I dont think anyone still around would be able to do it.

It would require each model component of the Kobra xbf exporting into Milkshape 3D, then merging as a single model and editing, then exporting back into the xbf format as multiple model components.

Then someone would have to edit the SFX header of the model (which no-one has ever worked out) to support 5 cannons. This last step could be replaced if you had four cannons by using the sfx header from the minotaur (can be done with the XBFVertV2K software), but you would lose the deploy capability of the kobra model.

[Anaconda]

hmm, I think the SFX is no problem... I worked on other games with SFX instertion.. and its easy to edit the special effect...  e.g. you can carry the cobra sound and but it in a musicprogramm serial together...

The Ordos Anaconda is just an excito-model for new dune emperor ideas... just fun! I knew, it isn't easy to code a new emperor character... but its possible... perhaps I code this crazy charcter by my self... *dream* *lol*...

Well, I hope a new dune 3D game like this would be made... although westwood studios are dead (or in EA) I hope EA create a new version!... As long as they didn't, I have to dream along... :((

[RA1024]

I could make the model.  I just worked on a program that reads in and renders an .xbf model.  I could write something to export it in a .obj format, read it into blender, and make the changes.

The only problem would be the animation and such as I don't have any real knowledge of those parts of the .xbf file.  I do have a resource who could help if he has time so I might be able at some point to do what you need.

This would be a low priority as I have a number of things I need to fix first on the server but it's at least feasible.

RA

[JulesG]

I could make the model.

[RA1024]

Sure, I'll be happy to post it.  It was mainly something fun to help learn OpenGL.  Right now it does solid rendering using an arbitrary texture and lets you scale and rotate the model.  It also lets you cycle through all the child objects and arbitrarily hide/unhide them.  The next part I'm going to work on is using the real textures so it should render like it looks in the game.

I tried to use XBfVertV2K but it wouldn't run on my machine so I ended up coding my own.

RA

[JulesG]

;D

Sounds fantastic! Should save me lots of work!

If we could then find a way to overide the texture scaling applied within the xbf child objects...

...many xbf child objects grab a small section of a 128 x 128 image and blow it up so when you edit the texture it looks good in paintshop pro and then you find you get a horrible blown up mess..and the only way to find this out is to open EBFD, look at the model and then shutdown, edit texture/xbf and re-open EBFD - a long winded process!

You mention OpenGL - would I need this installed - my graphics card only supports DirectX 9 at present, I have no GL drivers?

[RA1024]

I don't know about the texture scaling but if it's in there and can be adjusted, there's a good chance we can change it.

For OpenGL, yes you would need it but it's been part of Windows since 98 I think.  I don't know if the default OpenGL will work with your card or if you need a specific OpenGL driver.

If you don't have any OpenGL options, I could probably add DirectX support as the bulk of the application is reading in the file format.  The OpenGL specific calls are a small part of it.

[Anaconda]

It's difficult to make a model with rotation, which can also be lift up like the cobra and can shoot by lift down...

Also, the Anaconda must be wider than the cobra, but not to big so that the anaconda can came out of the ordos factory building... the shootsound must also be in time with rotation. It's hard... If you really can create and integrate a new charcter, you are fantastic!

I don't know programms like openGL or things like XBfVertV2K... are these special 3D-dune editors? if -yes, where to download :)?

[RA1024]

A test to see how good your renderer is, is to try to read the InfrBiker - part infantry and part unit. The xbfvertv2k cant read it.

Can't find it.  Where is it located?

[RA1024]

I don't know programms like openGL or things like XBfVertV2K... are these special 3D-dune editors? if -yes, where to download :)?

OpenGL is part of your OS and should be on your computer if it's fairly recent.  If not, check with your video card manufacturer for an openGL driver.  XbfVertV2k is an application you can find in the Dun2k files section.

[spicy]

;D hey anaconda  why dont u just give ordos minos then it will shoot 4 shots of that  ammo

i think minos and kobras are using the same shells but minos shoot them in solvos while kobras are faster and more sheilded

[JulesG]

To be honest if you write it with DirectX support then I will try it out.

If I have to mess with my drivers and possibly lose EBFD running on my MS ME O/S to support OpenGL. I wont bother.

I have enclosed the infrbiker.xbf from the 3DDATA0001.RFH file.

[attachment archived by Gobalopper]

[JulesG]

:-[

Err..I just tried InFrBiker with xbfvertv2k and it does read it, it was another file it failed with and I have forgotten which...

[RA1024]

Ok it renders it but it's just basically a flat square.  It looks like the bulk of the file deals with some type of animation data.  When the file is loaded in, it contains no child objects and only 2 faces.

Do you have any sort of screen shot of this as I'm not familiar with this unit so I don't really know what it's supposed to look like.

Also, do you know what the _L0, _M0, _H0 extensions mean for each file?

[GUNWOUNDS]

nice concept art for the new unit .... too bad its very overpowered tho or it would make a nice new unit.  Maybe if it cost 3600, needed a starport, and replaced the deviator it might be fair  ;)

[JulesG]

Ok it renders it but it's just basically a flat square.

[Anaconda]

why dont u just give ordos minos then it will shoot 4 shots of that  ammo

i think minos and kobras are using the same shells but minos shoot them in solvos while kobras are faster and more sheilded

The minotaurus bullet is weaker than one shoot of the Cobra! Test it on a neutral unit in slow-play-modus! If the ordos anaconda shoot constantly, it whould be a hard enemy. I think so abbr. 3 shoots in one second hehe.

The normal Kobra has a backstroke by each firing... i don't know if it's better to switch-off this option by a faster rotation gun?

casually: Have you ever seen an chaos-flash attact cobra? - it's look terrible, but also funny...

[RA1024]

I've got the textures loading now although they are being applied upside down.  Since the models are triangles, I don't have all 4 texture coords so I can't just rotate them around.

I'll probably have to go through each texture and swap the bytes around to get them in the correct order.

[attachment archived by Gobalopper]

[Anaconda]

I've got the textures loading now although they are being applied upside down.

[RA1024]

are you sure that the picture is the right one? it's just a atreides barrak, hehe...

I was loading the Atr barracks model so Jules could see the rendering quality.  It sounds like they don't currently have a rendering tool that can show solid models or textures.

[JulesG]

I've got the textures loading now although they are being applied upside down.

[Anaconda]

where is my anaconda? :(

[GUNWOUNDS]

its usually between your legs.

[Anaconda]

its usually between your legs.

*lol* and how can I make it digital?