[Overdrive]

Hi. I'm interested in making a mod or total conversion for C&C Generals Zero Hour. I dont know a lot about the coding but I could help with modeling and skinning. I may need some instructions on how to do these things though. Help is much appreciated. I have some ideas and I would like a modeler to model it for me. If you are interested with any of the ideas below please private or normal messenge me. Thank you.
-Ideas:
-Add more factions(Russia, Iraq, British, Nomadic, etc.).
-Add realism to tanks and infantry.
-Ability to build sandbags, towers, bunkers, pillboxs, and tanktraps.
-Ability to go prone, crouch, stand(that is standard), and run.
-Add engineers.
-Ability of engineers: dig trenches, foxholes, place mines, repair vehicles, repair buildings, etc.
-NEW generals: Propaganda, terrisom, bounty and mercenary(more later).
-NEw defense buildings: AA placement, rocket bunker, cliff bunker, automatic turret defense, stealth bunker, lockdown position, pillbox, etc.
-NEW units: artillery positioner, nomads, raid officers, raid cavalry, raid soldiers, strike teams, surgical strike teams, S.W.A.T.,etc.
-Ability of civilians: make the civilians more active, buy them guns and let them fight for their country!
-NEW capturable buildings: AA bunker, fortress, underground tunnel, battle bunker, TNT site, radio station, terriost meetings.
-NEW mini-generals: I like to call them that, further explanation needed? Contact me.
Lots more, but I cant think of them right now. Conatact me if you are interested!


Does it sound a good idea for a mod?
Please leave comments!
Thank you.

[Ambershee]

I'd suggest actually getting some practice before tying to embark on a big mod project. It might actually give you some idea of what you can and can't do in the engine, and just how much work is required to do things.

-Add more factions(Russia, Iraq, British, Nomadic, etc.).

Remember that even a single faction requires a tremendous amount of work. Ten or twelve structures, four or five infantry and ten or twelve vehicles is going to keep your artists busy for a long time. If we assume that it takes three weeks on average to get a unit fully modelled, textured, rigged and animated, then you're looking at at least eighteen months work.

-Add realism to tanks and infantry.

"Realism"? What is realism? How do you intend to add it? Just saying "realism" is meaningless.

Ability to go prone, crouch, stand(that is standard), and run.

Firstly, this isn't really feasible in Generals. Secondly, what's the point? It's a strategy game, not a first person shooter. Doing any of those doesn't confer any benefits and just adds pointless complexity - if it could be added, of course.

Ability of engineers: dig trenches, foxholes, place mines, repair vehicles, repair buildings, etc

The map geometry cannot be modified in real time, so trenches and foxholes are effectively out, although potentially they could be modelled to some extent, but I don't think that's what you're after. Also, what's the point of trenches and foxholes if you can build bunkers and such?

NEW generals: Propaganda, terrisom, bounty and mercenary(more later).
-NEw defense buildings: AA placement, rocket bunker, cliff bunker, automatic turret defense, stealth bunker, lockdown position, pillbox, etc.
-NEW units: artillery positioner, nomads, raid officers, raid cavalry, raid soldiers, strike teams, surgical strike teams, S.W.A.T.,etc.

This is going with the above enormous amount of work quote. You also haven't mentioned what any of these actually are or what the point of including them is.

-Ability of civilians: make the civilians more active, buy them guns and let them fight for their country!

I'm not sure what you intend to do, but other than making "civilians" a buildable unit, it's not possible.

-NEW capturable buildings: AA bunker, fortress, underground tunnel, battle bunker, TNT site, radio station, terriost meetings.

This is going to require even more work, but is feasible. You'd also have to produce a large quantity of maps to make them useful, which will take even more time.



I think you need to sit down and familiarise yourself with the game more, work out what's possible and what can be achieved in the span of a normal human lifetime. You also need to come up with far more solid ideas before anyone is going to be particularily interested.

[Slye_Fox]

Well you better get started on your mod.

Just to let you know, you won't get ANY help without having any work done allready.

And when you do have some work done, it's not a garentee you will get help.

I've been makign my mod (Generals: Condition Red) for four years now, and it's only been in the past few days I've acctuly got any help (this does not include beta testers).


So once again, you better start learning to do some modding for yourself.

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

Firstly, this isn't really feasible in Generals.

Yes it is. You of all people should know that. :P

[Ambershee]

Not really, you can't implement it short of it being nothing more than a collection of animations. It doesn't have any game-wise implementation at all.

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

Locomotor / Weaponset changes. Which is usually all prone-use is in RTS games.

[Ambershee]

Locomotor changes aren't reversible in Generals (and the different states are useless in this regard because they can't be voluntarily triggered) like they are in BfME, you should know that :P

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

Oh come on, bike logic! I use it all the time for this sort of thing.

[Overdrive]

Like I said, they are only *ideas*.

Can you get me started by telling me how to skin, and what programs I need?

[Ambershee]

If it's just re-skinning models, something like GIMP will do you just fine. You can google it quite easily. Otherwise you're going to want 3dsmax (needs to be purchased) or Gmax (available from Turbosquid) with the relevant plugins. You can get those from http://www.the3rdage.net (BfME and Generals are quite similar).