New Vehicle

Hi All,

I have an idea for a new GC vehicle for the beginning of the game...

I wanted a light weight scout so early levels can be cleared quickly for those replaying the game (early levels can be a bit tedious on the second or third play through).

The vehicle would quickly become obsolete due to lack of heavy armour, so it would not unbalance later levels.

It will be a dune buggy style remote piloted vehicle...(which should work proportionately with the 3x3 square tiles).

I am no experience making these vehicles, however I found a 3d model that I can just purchase and put in my game...(As long as its not for commercial use..blah blah.).

Looks like I would have to colour it myself.

The big question I have is, will I be able to just import this and use the blender template to rotate it and produce the 2d images I would require?

Or even better If I purchased the model, would anybody be able to produce the images.

If it turns out half decent we could share with modding community.

Well from what I remember reading you just need to put the 3D Model into your program of choice and then produce all the renders needed to be used as Xenopedia, Garage and GC sprites/entries etc. Of-course remember to have the Alpha Channel set so that you get only the model so it sits onto the game backgrounds cleanly.

Some ppl tried 2x2 vehicles but game didn't like that idea. I think there is no problem at 1x1 vehicles.

So if I don't see a point to make another vehicle for scout if you can't add 2x2 version. För 3x3 hunter is enough. But if you want to use a probe for 1x1 it's maybe worth it..

Some ppl tried 2x2 vehicles but game didn't like that idea. I think there is no problem at 1x1 vehicles.

So if I don't see a point to make another vehicle for scout if you can't add 2x2 version. För 3x3 hunter is enough. But if you want to use a probe for 1x1 it's maybe worth it..

Thanks Drages,

Sorry I meant 3x3...

I like your new picture by the way.

So u want a scout 3x3.. so what would be different then hunter?

And for your main question, I can make the renders probably..

I found a good jeep more militaristic and futuristic then hunter and an advanced tank with energy cannon. But I got tons of coding to do.. I am not at a coding mood these days..

Why don't you all put a avatar? You are all modders here.. not a passing by visitor..

Some ppl tried 2x2 vehicles but game didn't like that idea. I think there is no problem at 1x1 vehicles.

So if I don't see a point to make another vehicle for scout if you can't add 2x2 version. För 3x3 hunter is enough. But if you want to use a probe for 1x1 it's maybe worth it..

So 1x1 vehicles are possible? Very nice.

So 1x1 vehicles are possible? Very nice.

U will use this at manufacture soldier, isn't it.. I can see your evil smile. I am not sure about this. I only say this from the forum archives I remember.

So u want a scout 3x3.. so what would be different then hunter?

And for your main question, I can make the renders probably..

I found a good jeep more militaristic and futuristic then hunter and an advanced tank with energy cannon. But I got tons of coding to do.. I am not at a coding mood these days..

Why don't you all put a avatar? You are all modders here.. not a passing by visitor..

Yeah, I think Its about time I put an avatar....I will have to create something.

The Dune buggy will complement the hunter, however the hunter is kind of a light weight tank for fighting.

My scout vehicle with have very light armour and maybe even no weapons at all..

But it will have very high AP. So it can scout ahead and find enemy units so that player can quickly navigate to the crashed craft.

I have the buggy model now, but blender is something I have never used, it very confusing and I only have a tiny laptop screen.

So if you want to have a go at making the renders then I can sent you my buggy model.

U will use this at manufacture soldier, isn't it.. I can see your evil smile. I am not sure about this. I only say this from the forum archives I remember.

At first my idea was to give players a variant of the light drone. It could work for the soldier idea but the soldier would live in the garage and that would be weird. Another thing that came to mind now is that buildings can have "alien room" values in Buildings.xml, can we use that for anything? Man I think I should try to control Ilunak's mind for my objectives.

And I'm using a helmet, you can't see me smiling through it, can you?

I have the buggy model now, but blender is something I have never used, it very confusing and I only have a tiny laptop screen.

So if you want to have a go at making the renders then I can sent you my buggy model.

I have experience with Blender. I could try to render it if you want. We have a template around here for that don't we?

There is something important. An 3x3 vehicle will have a very hard time to scout a crowded map as space.. I mean he won't have enough free space to reach to ufo before destroyed. And probably get destroyed at every mission. Thé idea is like my awacs one. A scout without weapon and easy to die is not so usefull for most ppl. Players will choose to have hunter. It can take more fire and fire back at least.

För this reason I prefer a 1x1 prop for this jop even with a light machine gun with it. With much ap at least it can reach far at map.

3d programs are like a supersonic plane cockpit for first time users . I can try to check your buggy at my 3d program if it works in..

Edit: give it to soul. Blender is better and got template.

Hi Soul, I sent you the link to my Buggy file..

Hopefully you can do something with it.

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or there's something actually wrong with the tires. Here is a screenshot.

You need to tell me the size, as I need to resize it to what you want. It looks like its 2x3 (in game) right now.

Is the camera angle directly 45?

I'm using the cameras from the template, but it doesn't include the angles used by vehicles (straight up, down or sides), so I'd have to figure how to add those too.

I'm using the cameras from the template, but it doesn't include the angles used by vehicles (straight up, down or sides), so I'd have to figure how to add those too.

Wow looks good already.... I guess we need to get it to same dimensions as hunter.

Not sure why there are bits of tyres missing tho, however we if we cant get them to show, I guess we could touch them up later.

I'm using the cameras from the template, but it doesn't include the angles used by vehicles (straight up, down or sides), so I'd have to figure how to add those too.

Can you check the camera angle for me? If its 45 or not. I am working with another program and when i make camera angle 45, its not looking good.. It could be my eyes or the angle..

Just turn and render for other dimensions for vehicle. You need to make 8 for all of them.. and you need to someone sit i it to be honest.

Wow looks good already.... I guess we need to get it to same dimensions as hunter.

Not sure why there are bits of tyres missing tho, however we if we cant get them to show, I guess we could touch them up later.

Yeah, fixing the image later wouldn't be hard I guess. Nice avatar image by the way, I wonder where the inspiration came from.

Can you check the camera angle for me? If its 45 or not. I am working with another program and when i make camera angle 45, its not looking good.. It could be my eyes or the angle..

Just turn and render for other dimensions for vehicle. You need to make 8 for all of them.. and you need to someone sit i it to be honest.

The way the template is set up in Blender isn't like that, so I can't tell you the exact angle, instead of rotating anything it actually has different cameras at certain points to get those view angles. And because of that it will be a big problem to make the angles that are missing. Maybe Aaron could make a new version of the template for vehicles?

EDIT: Apparently trying to move a 1x1 vehicle in the dropship screen breaks the game.

So by by 1x1.. but i see somewhere at forum they somehow did that 1x1.. anyway...

Yeah your avatars are so cool.. i need one too..

I wish I had seen this thread earlier... I could have helped save some pain. Soulfilcher, through my many experiments with vehicles I can attest the following things:

• The game only wants square models. 2x3, for example will be quirky and difficult to implement. 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 is preferable.
• The game was designed specifically for 3x3. The dropship screen (as you've already found) only likes 3x3 sized vehicles. While it will display 2x2 and 1x1, it will not allow you to move them around the dropship.
• Grenades no longer work at all well with vehicles. It was once possible to make up for the lack of a strength stat with a specific stat from the grenade stat list, but that doesn't work any more.
• You cannot give vehicle armour solider armour stat boosts or soldier armour special rules.

I have a bunch of Maya files for soldier armour with the correct angles from an armour project which is waiting on some renders. Would the reference files for one of them help?

EDIT: I won't be able to respond until tomorrow. Got long travel times to work, and long hours at work.

So max.. if we dont touch at dropship screen, will there no problem at all with 2x2 or 1x1 vehicles?..

and i hate that grenade weapons dont work any more... my artillery project is waiting it to return...

• The game only wants square models. 2x3, for example will be quirky and difficult to implement. 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 is preferable.
• The game was designed specifically for 3x3. The dropship screen (as you've already found) only likes 3x3 sized vehicles. While it will display 2x2 and 1x1, it will not allow you to move them around the dropship.
• Grenades no longer work at all well with vehicles. It was once possible to make up for the lack of a strength stat with a specific stat from the grenade stat list, but that doesn't work any more.
• You cannot give vehicle armour solider armour stat boosts or soldier armour special rules.

I have a bunch of Maya files for soldier armour with the correct angles from an armour project which is waiting on some renders. Would the reference files for one of them help?

Thank for the input. Yeah, I'm already testing my 1x1 vehicle in game. The dropship bug isn't a big issue though and maybe the CE team can fix it? Another small thing: the square cursor for selecting and moving vehicles is the 3x3 one even for my 1x1 vehicle.

I don't use Maya so I guess those won't help me, but some 3d files for armors to get something started would be nice.

I think the problem is game only knows 3x3 vehicles for Xenonauts. So there is nothing like other type of sizes special treatment. To add this, CE coders need to add all the vehicles system for those types. Not so possible..

Maybe if we can get some money together, we can hire Ilunak for a month ..

I think the problem is game only knows 3x3 vehicles for Xenonauts. So there is nothing like other type of sizes special treatment. To add this, CE coders need to add all the vehicles system for those types. Not so possible..

Maybe if we can get some money together, we can hire Ilunak for a month ..

I'd say the dropship bug shouldn't be hard to fix as we already have soldiers using 1x1 space, this is the main issue I've found so far because it breaks the game, the others are just small UI issues.

Ilunak got a word about this situations. "The bug is so easy to detect at code, but it's a hell to handle it."...

There are some huge issues about modding and bugs to handle first. The ammo count (if you make manufacture ammo for your weapon and go to GC with them, you return with more ammo then you begin) and autolooting problem after GC (new ammos/grenades mostly cant autolooted) are my nightmares for examples.. Did you every wake up in the middle of night screaming "BUT I LOOTED THAT ALIEN FOR XXXXX RESEARCH!!!" ?...

There will be many problems when you are trying your mod tests.

Ilunak got a word about this situations. "The bug is so easy to detect at code, but it's a hell to handle it."

Ok, at least the part of finding it isn't a problem. I hope they take the time to work on it for future CE versions.