Tweet
3D Unit tutorial 1
3D Studio Max
By Level
First create the unit model (this tutorial will not tell how to make the unit, I used one I made for fun)
Prepare the scene
Set the environment background to a unused color (usually magenta)
Create a floor object with the same color and about 50% self-illumination (the floor will not have shadows but will receive them)
Set the civ-specific color to a less used or unused color (usually blue)
Add two default lights to the scene
Set the upper light to cast shadows
Add a targeted camera at an angle of about 45 degrees
Add a dummy centered below the unit and link the camera and lights to it (this allows you to rotate the camera and lights easily)
Set the lights to cast shadows at the right place
Turn on show safe frame in the camera view port and adjust the camera position and render size to what is appropriate for the unit (check other units)
Save
Animate
Make the animation for one FLC (Default, Run, ect.)
Tip: if you want to have a better walking animation, make it walk then link the dummy and floor to the unit with sliding joints only in the direction it is moving
Turn off the animate button
Select the dummy and lock selection
Rendering
Set which frames and how many to render
Name the file something like “Unit_Run_SW_”
Save as .BMP with 8 bit optimized palette (256 colors)
Render each direction then roatate the dummy 45% and change the direction in the name
When done make animation for the other FLCs either as other files or as a sequence in the same file
Render the unit_32.pcx (usually a default SE view) with a size of 32x32
You can also make the UnitLarge.pcx 128x128 and the UnitSmall.pcx 32x32 pose the unit any way you want (it does not need civ-specific colors and is best without the magenta background, not sure about size) you can also use a real picture or anything else you want
3D Studio Max
By Level
First create the unit model (this tutorial will not tell how to make the unit, I used one I made for fun)
Prepare the scene
Set the environment background to a unused color (usually magenta)
Create a floor object with the same color and about 50% self-illumination (the floor will not have shadows but will receive them)
Set the civ-specific color to a less used or unused color (usually blue)
Add two default lights to the scene
Set the upper light to cast shadows
Add a targeted camera at an angle of about 45 degrees
Add a dummy centered below the unit and link the camera and lights to it (this allows you to rotate the camera and lights easily)
Set the lights to cast shadows at the right place
Turn on show safe frame in the camera view port and adjust the camera position and render size to what is appropriate for the unit (check other units)
Save
Animate
Make the animation for one FLC (Default, Run, ect.)
Tip: if you want to have a better walking animation, make it walk then link the dummy and floor to the unit with sliding joints only in the direction it is moving
Turn off the animate button
Select the dummy and lock selection
Rendering
Set which frames and how many to render
Name the file something like “Unit_Run_SW_”
Save as .BMP with 8 bit optimized palette (256 colors)
Render each direction then roatate the dummy 45% and change the direction in the name
When done make animation for the other FLCs either as other files or as a sequence in the same file
Render the unit_32.pcx (usually a default SE view) with a size of 32x32
You can also make the UnitLarge.pcx 128x128 and the UnitSmall.pcx 32x32 pose the unit any way you want (it does not need civ-specific colors and is best without the magenta background, not sure about size) you can also use a real picture or anything else you want
Comment