Stinger posted a message about I Hope I Pointed you in the right direction. in reply to Point me in the right direction.
> I've just got TibEd (again) and before I try anything I want it done right.
> Could some nice person tell me (in lamens terms) how to:
> a)Use/create voxels/new units
> b)use/create/edit cameos
> c)Create countries effectively?
> That is the main stuff. (screenshots would be nice)
> Thanks in advance.
*NOTE* lots of reading ahead....
Some read-me-files floating around on how to add/use a voxel. Hope they help in the problems most are having at this time.
ADDING NEW VOXELS TO RA2
:: Welcome to the Adding Voxels to Red Alert 2 guide, before proceeding please check you have the following thing(s) ::
-> Red Alert 2 (duh?!)
-> XCC Mixer <http://xccu.sourceforge.net>
-> Wordpad/INI Editor
-> Of course the voxels <http://ara2s.virtualave.net/voxels.html> itself
:: If you have those mentioned above, we can begin now, to start you'll have to know what Voxels are, voxels used in Red Alert 2 have different purpose and diffrent names, there is the Chassis, Barrel and Turret. Chassis are mainly the main body voxel E.G 2TNK.VXL and Turret are the turret of a main body voxel, E.G 2TNKTUR.VXL while Barrel is the barrel of a turret E.G 2TNKBARL.VXL. They are regonised in the game by the last three letter of the name (BARL [xxxbarl.vxl], TUR [xxxtur.vxl]) Take note, some voxels does not have a turret or barrel. This is normal stuff, an example of a turretless unit is the Chrono Miner. One last thing you need to know is all voxels needs a .HVA file to function properly.
:: After reading the introduction, you are now ready to add those voxels!! We'll start with the rules.ini section then the art.ini and adding the .vxl and .hva to the .mix file.
STEP 1
First make sure that you have the voxels files and hva files. Open rules.ini with any .txt editor and under the [VehicleType] list, add a new entry at the end of the list, XX=NAMEOFUNIT (where XX is the next available free number and NAMEOFUNIT is the preffix of a unit) When you're done with that, add the unit's statistics, hit CTRL-F and search for MTNK, add unit statistic below the MTNK's statistics. Below is an example of how it should looks like:
[NAMEOFUNIT] ;enter unit's preffix here E.G LTNK
UIName=Name:LTNK ;use XCC Mixer to edit string table
Name=Light Tank
Image=LTNK ;this is optional, this is also uneeded if the voxels file has the same name as ; ;the unit's preffix
Prerequisite=GAWEAP
Primary=90mm
Strength=200
Category=AFV
Armor=heavy
Turret=yes ;tells the game that the unit is equipped with a turret
IsTilter=yes
TargetLaser=yes
TooBigToFitUnderBridge=true
TechLevel=2
Sight=8
Speed=9
CrateGoodie=no
Crusher=yes
Owner=British,French,Germans,Americans,Alliance
RequiredHouses=British
AllowedToStartInMultiplayer=no
Cost=600
Points=25
ROT=5
IsSelectableCombatant=yes
Explosion=TWLT070,S_BANG48,S_BRNL58,S_CLSN58,S_TUMU60
VoiceSelect=GenAllVehicleSelect
VoiceMove=GenAllVehicleMove
VoiceAttack=GenAllVehicleAttackCommand
VoiceFeedback=
DieSound=GenVehicleDie
Maxdebris=3
Locomotor={4A582741-9839-11d1-B709-00A024DDAFD1}
MovementZone=Destroyer
ThreatPosed=40 ; This value MUST be 0 for all building addons
DamageParticleSystems=SparkSys,SmallGreySSys
DamageSmokeOffset=100, 100, 275
Weight=3.5
VeteranAbilities=STRONGER,FIREPOWER,SIGHT,FASTER
EliteAbilities=SELF_HEAL,STRONGER,FIREPOWER,ROF
Accelerates=false
ZFudgeColumn=8
ZFudgeTunnel=13
Size=6
OpportunityFire=yes
Now let's proceed to the art.ini part >>
STEP 2
After you're done with the rules.ini, you'll need to create the entry inside art.ini. First Open art.ini in any text editor, assuming you have extracted it from the mix file. Once art.ini is opened, hit CTRL+F on your keyboardand type in Vehicle artwork follows once found add something which looks like this below it ::
[UNITNAME] unit's/voxel preffix goes here
Cameo=XXICON you have to create a new cameo or use existing one
AltCameo=XXICOU alternate cameo when veteran
Voxel=yes
Remapable=yes
PrimaryFireFLH=40,32,96
SecondaryFireFLH=-32,80,120 this is an optional entry, if unit has a secondary weapon
PBarrelLength=192
That is all which is needed to be done in art.ini
Now let's us proceed to where the voxels/hvas files should be placed >>
STEP 3
HVAs and VXLs file can actually can just be placed in your RA2 dir but that will mess your RA2 folder. So to get around this, you'll need the use of XCC Mixer which can be downloaded at <http://xccu.sourceforge.net> First launch XCC Mix Editor from the XCC MIxer Interface and Create a new mix file (go to XCC site on how to do this) called expandxx.mix (xx=number between 01 to 99) Now when you're done, place all you .vxl and .hva files inside the expandxx you've just created.
Insert the voxel in your Red Alert 2 root
(e.g.:C:\westwood\ra2)
Now all you need to do is enable your new unit in the
rules.ini and art.ini files so that RA2 knows to use it
in the game. These can be found for download all over
the place, including here.
Open art.ini. Scroll down until you find the text ";
Vehicle artwork follows". Click one line below that and
hit enter. Our new unit will be called THINGY2, so
type "[THINGY2]". Now, to link the voxels to this unit,
hit enter and type "Image=THINGY2", "Voxel=yes", and if
you have a turret, "Turret=yes". This is all that is
needed for the art.ini file, though more can be added if
you know how. This is what you should have:
[THINGY2]
Image=THINGY2
Voxel=yes
Turret=yes
Now open the rules.ini file and scroll or search
until you see the words "[VehicleTypes]". Continue
scrolling to the bottom of this list and add another
entry to the end. Type "xxx=THINGY2" where "xxx" is the
number that comes after the previous one, and THINGY2 is
the name of our new unit. Now find the text "unit
statistics" and scroll to the bottom of this list, and
the unit code thereafter. There, type "[THINGY2]", then
to link the unit to the art.ini equivalent,
type "Image=THINGY2" and add in the rest of the needed
code below that, which for a simple unit, is:
; Eclipse Thingy 2
[THINGY2]
Name=Eclipse Thingy 2
Category=AFV
Primary=none
Secondary=none
Strength=200
Armor=light
Turret=no
TechLevel=1
Sight=5
Speed=4
Owner=GDI,Nod
Cost=500
Points=40
ROT=5
Crusher=no
SelfHealing=no
Crewed=yes
Explosion=TWLT070,S_BANG48,S_BRNL58,S_CLSN58,S_TUMU60
VoiceSelect=25-I000,25-I002,25-I004,25-I006
VoiceMove=25-I012,25-I014,25-I016,25-I018,25-I022
VoiceAttack=25-I014,25-I022,25-I024,25-I026
Locomotor={4A582741-9839-11d1-B709-00A024DDAFD1}
Weight=2
MovementZone=Normal
ThreatPosed=0 ; This value MUST be 0 for all building
addons
DamageParticleSystems=SparkSys,SmallGreySSys
MaxDebris=2
DebrisTypes=TIRE
DebrisMaximums=4
Now save the file, and place both the rules.ini file
and the art.ini file in the TS directory. Also, make
sure the needed voxels and their support files are also
in the Tiberian Sun directory.
Steps (in case you already have a SHP file, for example downloaded it from a website):
1. In TibEd, right-click on the Section tree (on the left side of your screen). Select "Add file(s)..."
2. Locate your SHP file, select it, and press Open. Remember the name of the SHP file (in our example: MADICON.SHP).
3. If you want to change the cameo of an existing unit, you have to look up it's Art Object entry (in the Art.ini).
Looking up the Art.ini entry for a unit
---------------------------------------
You can do this by going to the Vehicles/Infantry or Aircraft of the Rules.ini, and selecting your unit.
Now, go to the General #1 page and look for the "Image=" setting (top-right). If this is not empty, then this is the name of your Art.ini entry. If it is empty however, then it's the unit identifier.
What does this mean? If you select the Grizzly tank, you will see MTNK - Grizzly Tank below it's current icon -'MTNK' is the unit identifier. But remember the "Image=" setting - what is it for the Grizzly tank? Correct, 'GTNK'. So, the Art.ini entry for the Grizzly tank is called 'GTNK'.
4. Now, select "Vehicle Object Art" under the Art.ini. You're looking for the name you just looked up - 'GTNK' in our example. The cameo is controlled by the "Cameo=" setting (and the veteran cameo by the "AltCameo=" setting). Change the "Cameo=" setting to the filename of the file you just added, without the .SHP extension. So, for our file MADICON.SHP, give it the value "MADICON" (without quotes).
5. That's it. Now, save your mod (through File->Save), so you can add more things later. Note that this saving does not apply your changes to the game yet - that is done by selecting File->"Save changes to game"! After you've done this, TibEd will ask whether you want to run the game. Select yes, and see for yourself if the Grizzly tank cameo has changed!
I am here to tell all the confused mod makers how to add in shps to the game. I am guessing that voxels are the same except you also add in the hva's for them. Anyway, here is what you do. You do not need Tibed, but it makes the process much easier.
Before we begin, u will need: XCC Mixer, XCC Mix Editor (if you download mix editor and u double click it after you extract it and nothing pops up, you have a bad version. Download a new version and try again).
1. Start XCC Mixer
2. Extract Conquer.mix and Conqmd.mix to Ra2 folder
3. Launch the XCC Mix Editor
4. Minimize the XCC Mix Editor window. (This makes it easier)
5. Click open, and open conqmd.mix if you have yuris revenge, or conquer.mix if you just have Ra2.
6. Drag your shp into the List of the other shps.
7. DO NOT CLICK SAVE!
8. Click compact, and then click close.
9. Start Tibed
10. Open your mod file.
11. Go to art.ini, select either infantry art or buildings art (you cannot select vehicles/ships or aircraft because they use voxels and not shps)
!!!CRITICAL PART AHEAD!!!
12. Add in a new Art section, BUT MAKE SURE IN THE IDENTIFIER BOX, YOU ENTER THE SAME NAME AS THE SHP YOU WANT TO USE!!! (PUT THE NAME IN ALL CAPS!!!)
Example: your shp is barett.shp
you would put in BARETT in the identifier box.
13. Now add in the rest, make sure voxel is no because it is a shp not a voxel.
14. Pick a sequence or add in a new sequence of your own and use it.
15. Pick a cameo and an alternate cameo (This is for whenever one of your spys enters an enemy battle lab and your units become veteran).
16. Tweak the rest to suit your shp. The numbers for PrimaryFireFLH, etc., can be changed to suit your shp.
17. Add in a new infantry or building in the rules.ini section (you can not add in vehicles/ships or aircraft because they use voxels, not shps.)
18. In the identifier box, add in the name of your unit instead of inf001 or etc. (this will help to prevent confusion later. It does not have to match the name of your shp)
19. Add in all the info you want for your new unit, BUT MAKE SURE FOR IMAGE YOU PUT YOUR NEW ART YOU ADDED!
Example: Barett
blah blah blah
blah blah blah
Image=BARETT
This should be all you need to add in a completely new unit to the game! Not so hard once you understand it, right! Good Luck! and Happy Editing. __________________________________________________________
Hope someone can read my problem about the sensors. 
-Stinger- “In the thick of battle, you must keep your wits about you. Yelling a lot helps, too.”
| Subject | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Re: I Hope I Pointed you in the right direction. | Chookbob | 05:24 07-06-2002 |
| Re: I Hope I Pointed you in the right direction. | Stinger | 06:54 07-06-2002 |