Maya modelling? New at modding

[imported_Mateus]

Hi, I'm new to modding, it's hard to say how much experience of knowledge I have of it already, but I can say that I've recently purchased Maya 7 and I am very keen to get started modelling my first aircraft because I am working on an air combat mod.

I have BF2Editor and such, and I understand what modding is, I just have no idea where to start modelling a vehicle and importing it into the BF2Editor, so I would like someone to just either link me or guide me!

I know that you have to use an image an then model around it and then do stuff like that, but I really do need a Maya tutorial, there are tutorials out there but they aren't all that concise, like how to Model, Export and then Import ino the BF2Editor and then get it working in-game.

Tens of mods are always poping up on the TotalBF2 news showing new renders and in-game screenshots, I'm sure that I'm not far from creating my mod. BTW I have it all planned out and stuff so I'm not just modding for the sake of it.

Also, can someone fill me in on what python is? I know it's a code that BF2 uses but is it the only code you have to change? Is it easy to edit, copy and manipulate? For example giving a car the same physics as a plane and such.

p.s. Do you think it's possible for me to model my vehicle and get it working in-game in a whole day?

[jimbob]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

p.s. Do you think it's possible for me to model my vehicle and get it working in-game in a whole day?

no... mmmmmmmm.... nup really nup... not for your first go anyway

[imported_Mateus]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

Hey I've been looking at Doomlab, a BF2 modding site, and they have a page showing all the programs and tutorials needed for modding (http://doomlab.com/index.php?name=EZCMS&page_id=27) but I see various Maya tutorials and programs missing, like a Maya export plugin, theres only one for Max, and other such items like tutorials.

Can someone confirm that Maya has full compatibility for modding BF2? (Including import/export tools to BF2Editor and other such things that I'm not even aware of)


One more quick question!: Where are the tutorials to edit the in-game menu and windows like kit selection, etc?

[grolsche]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

You bought maya 7? Holy hell your pockets must be deep :) Unfortunately the maya 7 plugins dont work if I recall but Im sure they will be/have been fixed.

[imported_Mateus]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

My dad owns a computer company and he got it for me discounted.
So you're talking about what sort of plugins that don't work?

It's really funny because the Building the Car tutorial is written for modeling in Maya, and didn't DICE use Maya to MAKE BF2?

Do you know of any where that I can get the latest updates on the progress for Maya BF2Editor plugins and other tools so that they work well together?

Thanks

[N2K]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

wow they are at 7? i still have maya 4 lol

[grolsche]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

My dad owns a computer company and he got it for me discounted.
So you're talking about what sort of plugins that don't work?

It's really funny because the Building the Car tutorial is written for modeling in Maya, and didn't DICE use Maya to MAKE BF2?

Do you know of any where that I can get the latest updates on the progress for Maya BF2Editor plugins and other tools so that they work well together?

Thanks

They used 6/6.01. Some people have spoken about recompiling them to suit your specific version but I have no idea how to do that unfortunately :) Also I heard that in the versions that do work, some things dont. If I understood mel script, and what the thing was actually doing, I'd write my own on the spot, I may actually investigate this.

[Eden]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

wow they are at 7? i still have maya 4 lol

7.0.1 to be exact and they have also been bought by Autodesk.

get the bonus tools from alias, iy include a lot of handy extras http://www.alias.com/glb/eng/community/downloads.jsp

btw whats the .ext for BF2 models? ill need to look into a way of finxing that problem

[grolsche]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

.bundlemesh or .collisionmesh

[imported_Mateus]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

Hey guys you seem to have confused me, you're talking about other stuff and I don't really understand, are you saying Maya 7 fully works with BF2 modding? 3dsMax sure does. What about Maya?

[Eden]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

Maya 7 doesn't fully work with BF2 (its 6.0 & 6.1 that works) however converting Maya 7 models into a standard format would allow you to open it up into anything and convert it to the necessary format for BF2.

You could also email the guys at dice and see if they are working on a Maya 7 plugin atall.

[imported_Mateus]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

So in other words you can export Maya 7 stuff as Maya 6 stuff then it will work with the BF2Editor? I've noticed you've got a Maya 7 signature, so one way or another it must work with the BF2 editor if you're a modder and you use it! :-)

And for future reference what tools should I be looking for? Maya export plugins? I'm guessing here... :-)

Oo one last question! What are the menu files for BF2 and how do you edit them? like Kit selection screen, main menu, etc

[imported_CheetahShrk]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

So in other words you can export Maya 7 stuff as Maya 6 stuff then it will work with the BF2Editor? I've noticed you've got a Maya 7 signature, so one way or another it must work with the BF2 editor if you're a modder and you use it! :-)

And for future reference what tools should I be looking for? Maya export plugins? I'm guessing here... :-)

Oo one last question! What are the menu files for BF2 and how do you edit them? like Kit selection screen, main menu, etc

Menu files for bf2 are swf flash player files which can only be edited by DICE's special tool which they have not released they have in the 1.2 patch but guess what, no documentation and it's more complicated then you think.

[ryokukitsune]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

this is like the first choherent convesation I've found involving Maya for BF2. Now, my question is... was there ever an exporter for Maya and where was it (url plz)?

the official tutorials for building a buggy look strikingly like the Unreal tourtoment VTMs at 3D buzz (or just the crap thats on the DVDs) which uses ActorX. I haven't found any relivent information linking ActorX with Bf2 however it would make sense since it seems to be a popular exporter for more recent games

Doom and Unreal use it, granted they are by the same parent company but it seems to bridge the gap. If anyone knows anything about that please confirm or deny my claim. I really want to know If i'm on the rite track. if not we need to horde over to the coding forums and beg them to make an exporter lol

Ryoku

[Icy-Spicy]

Re: Maya modelling? New at modding

I didn't read all the posts, but I can tell you that Maya is a good place to start, it's pretty noob-friendly.
And for importing you could just export and then convert to a file that Gmax can read and from there export
I have Maya myself, but I use 3ds max for about everything