View Full Version : imma go out on a limb here...

23rd Apr 2003, 21:47
and ask for some help. basically right now what i need is two custom objects, basically made for my next fm. they are simple objects.....i need:
a sign. i was thinking just a white sign that says "Sheb's" in red cursive writing. i mean a sign like a simple baker sign becuase the sign would be on the wall outside of a building.

the second object again could be modified from an existing object. i would like a gate, i vision a double door type of thing. a see through one just basically a porticullis. i just wanted the left one to have a "G" engraved on it.

i have absolutely no object modification skills :) if there is anyone who can do these two objects and explain me how to implement them into my level, and has the free time to make them please respond. i posted here first, if no one wants to try i will post on ttlg next.

these are for thief 2. i think the gate would be the hardest to make. i want it to look like a grave yard gate or something(i cant remember what kinds of gates are in thief 2 at the moment)

l __l__l__l__l
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l big g in here
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l l l l l l l

kinda looks like that ...i also need it to work normaly like any door...

25th Apr 2003, 12:33
I think the sign would be quite simple, you could just replace the GIF from one of the existing signs.

As for the gate, good luck.

25th Apr 2003, 20:40
about the gate......

i have another idea for it if no one can make it. i could make it so that istead of the big g being on the gate, it could be on the side or top of the wall where the gate is. i could make that with solid brushes.

about the sign......

since ive never used custom objects, could anyone tell me how to "replace the gif used for an existing sign" as Zaccheus mentioned. i could make the gif in psp...but i dont know what i need to do to put it in the level...

edit: also, ive never understood how to reskin an ai. i want the "g" on the guards' uniforms.....i mean i know how to edit a gif but never understood how to put it into the level...:confused:

25th Apr 2003, 22:14
In the Thief folder, there is a folder called 'res', containing 'obj.crf'.
You can open the .crf file with winzip.
Now, in that zip archive is the gifs which you can see on the objects in thief, such as the baker sign etc.
Simply unzip the given gif into "Thief 2/obj/" and edit the gif in DromEd. Now when you load the FM, the sign should be using the gif in the obj folder, instead of the gif in the crf.

26th Apr 2003, 00:28
Yes, I think you should just use a custom gif to replace an existing one for the sign. Also, remember that you can use different objects (not just signs) by changing the texture. I made a nice big pub sign by changing the gif of the wall mounted weapons display case. Just look at the shape of an object and think about what else it could be used for. You might come up with some creative ideas.

Also, if you need to know the exact textures/gifs that go to make up a single object, you can open up it's properties in DromEd and look under shape/model to find the model name. Then look at the obj.crf to find the model, and open it up with a text editor to find all the gifs that make up the object. They will be close to the top. This came in very handy when I was changing all the objects in Thief Noir to grayscale.

Edit: You may also want to change the material of the object if you are using a custom wooden sign to replace a metal one etc...Again just open up the properties field and add the new materil...like with custom textures.

27th Apr 2003, 01:24
and edit the ai skins the same way? perhaps i could extract an ai skin and edit it and then put it in a folder and it will change in dromed. i was confused on how dromed looks for the skins and gifs for objects. so its much like custom textures.

i thought it over and i think im going to use a custom texture for the big g at the front gates.

oh the big "g" stands for garrett....erm lord garrett :p

27th Apr 2003, 23:05
The AI skins are in mesh.crf, not obj, so you'll need to extract to a folder called mesh, but apart from that the process is the same.

Except that you don't have to overwrite the AI skin.
First, find the skin the AI uses, and make the necessary changes, but when you save it, give it a new filename, something reasonably short, remembering that it has to be a .gif, and make a note of the original filename.

In dromed, create the AI, and click Properties. Then Add > Renderer > Mesh Textures.

In the 'texture in model' field enter the name of the original gif, you don't need the path, just the filename including the .gif extension.

In the 'replace with' field, enter the name of the custom skin, no path and include the extension.

There are a number of 'texure in model' and 'replace with' fields, usually it's just the first ones you need to deal with.

(The mechanists with X-bows use thier own skins, except for thier right hands, which all use the same skin)