Creating or Modding Building Models

[Seth Krn3ll]

I am working to improve the wonderful LOTR-TW mod by Wlesmana (http://lotrtw.com)

I made some minor addings and moddings, but now I would love to go for something more significant, that is creating custom building models to be present in battle mode inside the cities.

Adding new buildings to txt files its fine and it works perfectly, both if you use names of vanilla games buildings or if you just add new ones.The lotr-tw mod already uses some new buildings and I added a few by myself.

So the txt phase is ok, I can totally manage it. What I’m looking for is just the 3d models for the battlemap.
First thing let me admit I’m a TOTAL newby for modding models, so, here are my questions:

1. There is any tutorial for real beginners to create 3d building models? If so please give me the links, I’ve found some but they suppose the reader to be already experienced and I lost myself there.
2. Is it possible to use already modded buildings and add them to my mod? Are there any building bd available for download around?
3. Another way – maybe easuer – would be to just change the textures of existing models: are there tutorials to help me finding the right textures to modify?
4. If it all will be too hard for me, maybe some experienced modders is interested in helping me to create some new building for the specific cultures of lotr-tw mod? I was thinking to start with some orc-specific buildings, with orchish textures and appearance. I’m good at graphics, so I can create nice textures, but have no exp on 3d modeling.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Thor the Bassist]

Hi. I'm doing buildings for METW currently and one thing I'd say is that it takes a long time when you get immersed in things like accurate helms deep sets (very long story lol).

What I'd advise is getting some 3d modelling software (3dsmax gmax etc) and find a .cas exporter/importer plugin for it (I would advise Vercingetorix script for 3ds max). Then you can begin modelling and there is no possible way you can make any buildings before you have made a model to work with.

This is basically how the game works things out:

descr_building_battle.txt (or battle_building i forget which) has a full list of all buildings which appear on the battlemap. From here it specifies two basic files which describe the building in detail aswell as specifying things such as health and flamability. You will notice that most mods use an "include dbb_x.txt" entry in the actual file and then make a new folder in the descr_battle_building folder.

The item entry in here is the .item file. This is created directly from the .cas file you have created and is the aesthetics of the game (basically what you see). All the items are listed in the desrc_items.txt and creating this file is rather complicated but is documented in the scriptorium by Alpaca.

The physical info entry is the .bpi file. This is also created from a .cas file but is slightly different and has specific geometries related to collision with soldiers, platforms for soldiers to stand on and tunnels for soldiers to walk through. If you search collision in this forum you will find a thread made by Duke John called Research:... This has a full list of allowed geometries (that is known about).

If you can create just the item file you can have a model in the game but you will require a bpi file to make it solid and make it so soldiers cannot run through it.

I hope this makes things more clear. I know there is a lot to take in but it becomes clearer if you jump in and try.

I also may make a tutorial (similar to this but bulked out) and put it in the scriptorium on getting started with building models.

[Flying Pig]

Please do! Can you do that to port a BI building to RTW; ie to give Parthia (or in my case the Persian Empire) barracks to found warrior guilds and Immortals? Also, barbarian stone walls, how does one go about that (I'm thinking stratmap as well)

[Thor the Bassist]

Well I'll have to think out the tutorial more that was a bit off the cuff. I think you can port any building you want, that is the physical side of it and the looks of it. I'm not sure about recruiting and how it works in strategy map terms I have simply been doing it for Middle Earth Total War so there has to be accurate environments for battles so we dont need the upgrading buidings.

I suppose you need to say what you mean by port. If its giving the stats and recruiting options then I dont know about that but I do know about the battlemap models and the physical collision info. This is, however, really useful for fantasy mods as it allow the normal battlemap models to be changed for more appropriate models - such as accurate Rivendell and Helms Deep sets for metw.

EDIT: I'm sure you can port the building stats but I dont know anything about it. All I know about is making battlemap models and the physical info that is required for them to operate in battles.

[Flying Pig]

For stats just ctrl-c the relevant tree from EDB

[Thor the Bassist]

Actually the porting of models is easier than making new ones as you can just transfer the .item files and .bpi files as there is no difference between the game versions. You just need to add the new references in the text files and add references in the settlement plan you want the building in.