Cormyr - new module development [video]

I have created tools for unpacking and packing binary formats to xml:

• skmc, from skm to xml and backwards;
• mobc, from mob to xml and backwards;
• secc, from sec to xml and backwards;

I had to modify SKM's mdf reference to replace skin on some doors and sceneries. That's why I had to browse T+ cpp SKM structure files and port it to c#.

Now base map and grounds for Armory, the last dungeon in the Shattered Gates are ready.

 

What does this mean for model/animation files? Last time I looked into models, I had to mess with .SKM's. What does this allow people to do that they couldn't do before or as easily?

 

Example - I want to create new door "Portcullis", by taking a door, copying it into new mesh files and replacing skin (tga).

Steps:
1) Copy and rename files to: portcullis.mdf, portcullis.ska, portcullis.skm, portcullis.tga, portcullis.txt.
2) Convert portcullis.skm to xml -> portcullis.skm.xml
3) Edit xml by replacing reference of art/meshes/Scenery/portals/13_201.mdf to art/meshes/Scenery/portals/portcullis.mdf;
4) Convert this xml back to binary skm format;
5) replace tga file by my desired skin;
Voila!

portcullis.skm.xml content (part):

Code:

<mesh >
  <header boneCount="8" boneDataStart="40" materialCount="1" materialDataStart="840" vertexCount="140" vertexDataStart="968" faceCount="82" faceDataStart="12168" padding="AAAAAAAAAAA=" />
  <materials>
    <material id="art/meshes/Scenery/portals/portcullis.mdf"/>
  </materials>
  <bones>...

It's the fastest way to have a portcullis in 5 min.

 

I read the comments about building 3d isometric maps and decided to give it a try. I built a 3d map of "A Dark and Stormy Knight" in blender. I just had a question about camera placement. Does anyone know what the isometric camera angle TOEE would be? I'm using true isometric angles of 35.264 and 45 degrees at the moment. Also, what is the preferred pixel resolution of the map? Right now I have it set to ~5,760 x 3,240.

 

See this one: https://co8.org/community/threads/toee-isometric-transformation.12139/

 

The exact camera angle is arcsin(0.7) = 44.27 degrees.

 

Thanks anatoliy and Sitra Achara. Here's my first-ish render. I'm not an artist but I hope its passable. I had to drastically shrink the resolution to get the file size small enough to load it here, but the full render is close to what I mentioned earlier.

 

This is nice. I'd be very interested in seeing this in action in game to compare to the 2D module art anatoliy has. My biggest concern is with the transparent camera blocking walls, and how to get that to work in game to be in front of characters like other parts of maps do now.

 

Very nice. The cool thing about having a 3d model is that you can also export the geometry to create clip art data (.dag files). I think xvicious had a relevant tool for that. Although I guess for simple 90° angle walls you could recycle existing assets, which does 90% of the job.

 

@Sitra Achara, why do we even need these dag files?

 

@Azmodeous if you are interested in ToEE modules development, please consider working on maps from Return to Temple of Elemental Evil. I would like to start working on it in Autumn 2020.