[DillonCorr]

I am trying to put a picture into zero hour for an abrahms but i cant figure it out! ive looked through the skinning tutorials but they all end with SAVE AND YOUR FINISHED! i guess technicly youre finished... but its not in the game! is this some very obvious thing im missing? i have a M1ABRAMS file and an M1ABRAMS_d file..... do i need something else?!!?!

[NukeWinter]

nope, you need the model and a cameo, if you want, but you just stick the textures into Art\Textures and the model into Art\W3D.

[DillonCorr]

so is the m1ABRAMS the model or the cameo? i also have a Leapord2 thingee which is w3d- does that need to be placed some where (sorry im really new at this)

[NukeWinter]

chances are that the m1abrams and m1abrams_d are skins which go into art\textures in your Generals directory, W3D files are the models and go into Art\w3d. and don't appologize, we all had to start somewhere!

[SmokeyDaBear]

Well, believe it or not you really dont need a cameo or a cameo mapper...you could just have a picture...thats what i did for my f16s...


Art/W3D = Your Renx models
Art/Textures = Your skins, cameos, photos.

[DillonCorr]

ok so i put them in there and then on the .ini file for the abrahms how do i specify the skin? (using smokeydabears way preferably because it sounds easier!)

[SmokeyDaBear]

you have to apply the skin to the abrams? or do you want to know how to make the cameo? For both of these answers, amke sure that the skin or cameo is .tga format. [You can convert tiff, pgn, bitmap, and other image formats to tga with certain tools such as the RAD video tools (link featured on this site, under Links page), and the XXC mixer (ditto).

To apply the skin is long!



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
to apply the skin to the abrams-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
open up renx, start with your chassis and select it. Then go to [from the top menu] modifiers/uv coordinates/unwrap uvw. After this, a small selection menu should pop up on the right side of the screen. Go to planar map, then go to edit. After going to edit, a window should popup in the middle of your screen with little white dots and lines. Select all these dots at the same time by dragging and holding the left mouse botton down at the same time. After all of them are selected, move them off the center square. Now, if you look toward the top right, you should see a small entry bar with a solid line in it. Click here and a dropdown menu will spawn. From this dropdown menu go to Pick Texture. After going to pick texture, a menu will appear. Go to Bitmap. Now find your texture you want to apply with the open menu that appears. After it is found, you should notice that the central square is filled with this texture. If you want to see the progress of your work as you skin, go to pick texture again. When the menu pops up, go to "Applied" which can be found on the left hand side of the menu. Now from the dropdown of the textures you have selected, click on the you abrams texture and click the little apply icon [top right, to the left of the red ball, looks like a rectangle with an arrow coming from it]. Now go to ok. Now, with all those white dots and lines outside your texture square, you can place them where you want them to be at, and have them look nice. When you are finished, Just click the X at the top of the texture window. and you can view the results of your actions. Repeat this process for all the other parts of the tank you want to skin...such as the turret, cannon, ext... If you need further help...just pm me or visit my site at

http://www.freewebs.com/ravens_evil_.../guestbook.htm

also, if you like, you can also e-mail me the files and i will see what i can do and show you a photo of the progress...





-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to make a cameo [no cameo editor needed] -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before you start, make sure you know the length and width of your picture; E.g. 161 x 74 [thats the demisions of my f16 cameo]. Put your image into the Art/Textures folder. Now, go to one of the INI Image Interface files under MappedImages/TextureSize_512. E.g. :SSUserInterface512. Now, paste one of these:

MappedImage
Texture =
TextureWidth =
TextureHeight =
Coords = Left:1 Top:1 Right:121 Bottom:97
Status = NONE
End


At the bottom of the page. Now fill it out accordingly....lemmie give you my f16 pic example:


MappedImage F16Cameo ;this is what i want it to be called
Texture = f16cameo.tga ;this is the name of the actual file
TextureWidth = 161 ;the width of my texture is this
TextureHeight = 74 ;the height of my texture is this
Coords = Left:1 Top:1 Right:121 Bottom:97 ;really dont have to worry bout this
Status = NONE ;not quite sure about this
End


so yours could go something like:


MappedImage AbramsCameo
Texture = myabrams.tga
TextureWidth = 185
TextureHeight = 92
Coords = Left:1 Top:1 Right:121 Bottom:97
Status = NONE
End


now... you have to do this...go to command button .ini and for you abrams insert for ButtonImage = AbramsCameo. Take a look at my f16

CommandButton Command_ConstructAmericaJetFightingFalcon
Command = UNIT_BUILD
Object = AmericaJetFightingFalcon
TextLabel = CONTROLBAR:ConstructAmericaJetF16
ButtonImage = F16Cameo
ButtonBorderType = BUILD ; Identifier for the User as to what kind of button this is
DescriptLabel = CONTROLBAR:ToolTipUSABuildF16
End


and last but not lease, go to factionunit.ini, hold down ctrl + f to find your abrams, and where it says:

SelectPortrait =
ButtonImage =

put in something like

SelectPortrait = AbramsCameo
ButtonImage = AbramsCameo

here's my f16

Object AmericaJetFightingFalcon

; *** ART Parameters ***
SelectPortrait = F16Cameo
ButtonImage = F16Cameo


...and there ya have it...that should do it...i repeat...if ya having any problems, go to http://www.freewebs.com/ravens_evil_.../guestbook.htm or pm me.