- Open one of the sample 3DStudio Max files,
relevant to the accessory you are creating (e.g. The necklace file
if you are making a necklace, the hat file if you are making a hat).
- Build your object in 3DStudio Max. Be
mindful of the polygon count. Given the size of most accessories,
keep the polygon count below 100, where
possible. Look to cull redundant polygons,
or polygons that won't be visible when the object is placed on a character
- TIP: Don't be restricted to items identical to those in the game.
Think of clever uses for the accessory slots: A necklace can be used
to create a backpack for the character; Eyeglasses can be used to
make elaborate masks; Objects can be animated!
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- Match the position and rotation of your object to that of the sample
file.
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- When the two objects are lined up exactly, align the pivot
of your object to that of the sample file.
- With "Affect Pivot Only" turned on, use the align tool
to align the pivot of the new object to the pivot
of the sample object. Use the settings as shown right.
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- Create a texture for your object. For jewelry, the textures should
measure 32 pixels wide by 32 pixels
tall. For larger accessories, such as hats, you can use larger sizes,
in powers of 16 (e.g.. 64x64, 128x128). When developing Playboy: The
Mansion, Cyberlore made textures that were 64 wide by 32 tall. This
was to accommodate the technical necessities of cross-platform development.
In this case, square textures are more efficient. Avoid small details
on small objects. Once in the game, most accessories will only be
a few pixels tall; adding superfluous detail
to the texture "muddies" the overall quality of the object.
- Textures should be saved as 24-bit targas,
to ensure a high color quality. The user should avoid the use of alpha
channels, as they require more processing power and more finessing
to work correctly.
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- Apply the texture to your object in 3DStudio
Max. You may use whatever mapping technique works best for the
particular object. For the development of Playboy: The Mansion, Cyberlore
textured the majority of objects using a "box" UVW
Map combined with the "UVW Unwrap"
modifier.
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- Once the object has been textured, you are ready to export the object
using the Gamebryo plug-in included on this
disk.
- Make sure you delete the sample object from your scene, and save
your 3DStudio Max file with a new name!
- Export your object to the /playboy/data/accessories folder. Give
it a name as you'd like it to appear in the game. (E.g. Viking Helmet.nif
would appear in the game as "Viking Helmet.") You can use
spaces in the name.
- Use the Gamebryo settings as shown on
the right.
- You will need to create an .XML file for
each object you add to the game. Edit the .XML
file included in the sample folder and rename it exactly as you have
named your .NIF file! (e.g. Viking Helmet.nif
would need a corresponding .XML file called
Viking Helmet.xml) Follow the instructions within the .XML
file for proper placement.
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