[DeeZire]

Lots of speculation, so here ya go;-

.w3d - 3D models (one file format is used for all game objects). The format is slightly different from Renegade to allow for vertex shading and possible inclusions resulting from the release of the DirectX9 API.

.tga - TrueVision Targa is used for skins on the models and pretty much most other images in the game, in the format of single textures and texture pages.

.dds - compiled object image data (skins).

.pso - shaders.

.mp3 - music

.wav - IMA ADPCM is used for sound effects and other audio.

.bik - Bink video format for movies.

.csf - string file (may possibly revert to .str which is easier to edit as you can use WordPad)

.map - maps, both multi and single player. May be possible to use WordPad for map mods although the 3D terrain and map data will probably be compressed base64 fashion into one section of the file again as the 3D data is based on LightWave .3do format which bloats the file.

.wnd - menus and dialogs (can all be edited).

.ini - INI files.

[CannisRabidus]

.wnd - menus and dialogs (can all be edited).

What sort of editing seems to be possible here, aside from appearance? Can new shell options be added?

Not on the topic, but how does it look for adding new Factions?

[DeeZire]

You can change anything regarding the appearance/color/text/positioning etc etc although a program capable of editing .wnd files is needed - Im hoping GUIEditl will be released as one of the tools along with WorldBuilder - its tricky to get used to but it does all you need. Not sure on adding new shell options, although there appear to be none to actually add over and above whats there already.

New factions are possible but tricky to do and much editing of several files is needed to achieve this - early on, it could simply be done through the Faction.INI file although the core code for the BETA and therefore the final release will not read that file

[Godwin]

perhaps we need an ini editor to link all the files together so that u dont have to open them all

and what are these 'shaders'? not familiar with 3d engines....

[CannisRabidus]

shaders are sorta kinda lightmaps on steroids, but more... but unlike lightmaps they are calculated on the fly

they were a big deal new gee-whiz stuff when Quake3 came out, here check this:
http://qeradiant.com/manual/Q3AShader_Manual/

also some info on how they are handled hardware-wise
http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic/20020116/

But, the use of shaders in Generals is kind of curious to me, considering the very limited lighting effects and the low-detail infantry... I'd like to know exactly what they are using it to do. Maybe mainly for the terrain?

[DeeZire]

Originally Posted by Godwin

perhaps we need an ini editor to link all the files together so that u dont have to open them all

and what are these 'shaders'? not familiar with 3d engines....

I cant find it now, but Im sure Olaf and Koen were discussing the possibility of such an editor on the XCC forum - for once, it may be a good idea because so much of Generals' functionality (and thus editing it) depends very very heavily on the interdependancy of several INI files.

In simple terms, in RA2 you could do everything for a unit in one file (RULES) then add its display parameters in another file (ART). In Generals, you'd have to make amendments to several files just to do something as 'simple' as adding a unit - FactionUnit.INI, Weapon.INI, Armor.INI, ObjectCreationList.INI and then some - trying to remember what you did and where can be a real pain at times and if you forget one small thing or forget to change one file then you've had it.

The shaders are used for stuff like water surfaces and other instances where the terrain should be kinda 'deformed' in a way - for example, a tank shell hitting a cliff may just generate a surface explosion (some sort of DamageFX like a lighting effect perhaps with some debris in the form of small rocks) but if it hit water it needs to create ripples. In this instance, a shader is used to create the visual effect on the waters texture image. A shader can also be used to create the effect of the water 'moving' (i.e. the surface of the water bobbing up and down rather than staying static). The downside of shaders is the impact on processor cycles, so they are restricted to stuff like the water, although Im sure you could add more/redfine how the existing ones are used via GameLOD.INI (Game Level Of Detail INI file has replaced the relevant detail setttings from the RULES files of previous C&C games).

[RVMECH]

csf was only used in the Beta. The current build still uses str

[Pepsolman]

I'm sure they'll have something close to Gmax for Generals... and maybe somebody cool will make converters like the great 3ds2vxl. Just as long as the units are easier to make than making 200 plus frames for a simple new infintry unit like on RA2. :tard:

[mad ivan]

Originally Posted by Pepsolman

I'm sure they'll have something close to Gmax for Generals... and maybe somebody cool will make converters like the great 3ds2vxl. Just as long as the units are easier to make than making 200 plus frames for a simple new infintry unit like on RA2. :tard:

Ahem.From what i understood from smurfbizkit it will be that hard (and perhaps harder) to make an infantry.The soldier it self will be easy but the Bones will be a real pain in the....ermm...booty .

[Sypher_5]

Surley cloning an exsisting units bones and modifiing them for the height and "stretch"/"snap" would be all thats needed ? Whats the point in creating a new skeleton from stcratch unless it has more joints/limbs ?

Unless of course the units mesh model is not able to be brought back into an editor. ( reverse engineering as such )

With what some have been doing with adding new units such as a mech ( no evidence it walks or moves though ), It seems that the bone structure system is the same as that in RenX, the only thing not figured out is the skinning of textures isnt it ?

I"m curious to know wether I should download the RenX pack if I was going to make models or use the "world editor", of which little has been said. I also wonder if Discreet released that WS was going to use the W3D format in up coming games.

In respect to shaders, I've had some basic use of them in Q3A, and once you learn the format they seem relitively easy to use. If you cant figure out how one works, pull a working one apart until you figure out what makes it tick.

Thanks for the info Deezire.