Creation of a new unit for OpenRA (alternative) - OpenRA/OpenRA GitHub Wiki

I'm using three programs - 3dsMax 9, Bulk Rename Utility and SHP Builder

3dsMax: we make a model with a shadow plane and sunlight, eventually also spotlights from opposite sides, if some faces get too dark;

  • for a usual tank, I'm using 32 cameras placed in a circle above the model clockwise; 63° from the infantry/sprite tutorial is a good angle (an example here)
  • if you're not using TS-like voxel barrels, it's good to make them somewhat larger; they tend to lose pixels in conversion

3dsMax rendering: first, as the tutorials mention, you need to turn off anti-aliasing, namely under the Rendering/Render Scene/Renderer and Customize/Preferences/Rendering

  • under Render Scene/Common Parameters I'm setting only the Output Size 420x420
  • the actual rendering is made by the Rendering/Batch Render function: here we Add 32 entries (or as many cameras you made) and for every one we set an output file (for the sake of simplicity, the example uses from 1 to 32.png; 24bit RGB)
  • if you're rendering an animated model, you have to set the output Range under Render Scene
  • clicking Batch Render button then creates you 32 .png's
  • it takes time, but a file with a preset Batch Render can be used as a template for other models
  • if the unit has a turret, do two renders: one for the chassis, the other for the turret; just make sure you don't overwrite the first output

Bulk Rename Utility: let's open the program and drag and drop all the .png's we've made inside, sorting them by name

  • under Remove we can chose the digits 0123456789; under Add/Prefix we choose the unit name; finally under Numbering we create a Suffix, starting at 0, Incr. 1, Pad 4 (important for SHP builder)
  • then we select all the files and Rename

bru

SHP Builder: now we can make a single .shp file from the output pictures; open the program, choose File/Import and select the first frame (name0000.png)

  • select the optimization; under Frame Size choose the desired frame size (e.g. infantry 50x39, mammoth tank 48x48), under Extra Settings choose Auto select background by pixel 0,0; then, click ok
  • use the fifth tool icon Replace Color to select the correct colors for team and shadow; beware the dark shades receiving the background color (0 in RA palette)
  • now we save it as SHP(TS) and put to our mod/bits