Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:41 am
It's called a .SUR file.
There's supposedly, a new program in the download section, that will help a modeler make a custom SUR file for their ships.
I'm not a modeler, so I use the OLDE method:
You need to find a Freelancer ship that's about the same general shape as your ship.
Copy it into the directory that the ship's cmp/mat files are in.
Rename it to match your ship's name.
Open the model using HardCMP.
IMPORTANT!!!
Open HardCMP, and use it to open the model, don't right-click on the model, and have it "Open with" HardCMP, doing so, you won't see the SUR file.
(A minor bug in HardCMP.)
Click on the model, in HardCMP, then hit the "s" key.
The SUR file will appear as white lines all over the place.
If it doesn't, repeat the procedure with another ship, until you DO see the SUR file, and then reopen your model.
(Another minor bug in HardCMP.)
Use the aforementioned Model Tool, to resize the model/SUR file as required.
For a standard sized fighter, I like to use the (Dagger's) BW_Fighter.sur to resize the ship to be where it should be.
After the ship's resized, re-open it in HardCMP to check it against the Dagger's SUR, or whatever ship you use as a size template.
Then, use the SUR of the Freelancer ship that's closest in shape to yours.
With Model Tool, you can start by having it resize the SUR to generally match your ship.
You can also, later resize the SUR in any axis; X,Y,or Z.
One important note:
The SUR file serves three purposes...
1) Where your ship gets hit.
2) Where your ship's shields get hit.
3) What part of your ship is visible.
When you look at the SUR file, you will see the shape of a ship deep inside.
The more of your ship, that's inside that ship, the better it will show up in cinematics, and on-screen, in general.
Another note, the Nomad's SUR files are actually smaller than the ships, which makes them harder to hit.
Hope some of this helps, or at least, makes sense.
Watch your 6!
Edited by - warzog on 3/28/2006 4:48:59 AM
There's supposedly, a new program in the download section, that will help a modeler make a custom SUR file for their ships.
I'm not a modeler, so I use the OLDE method:
You need to find a Freelancer ship that's about the same general shape as your ship.
Copy it into the directory that the ship's cmp/mat files are in.
Rename it to match your ship's name.
Open the model using HardCMP.
IMPORTANT!!!
Open HardCMP, and use it to open the model, don't right-click on the model, and have it "Open with" HardCMP, doing so, you won't see the SUR file.
(A minor bug in HardCMP.)
Click on the model, in HardCMP, then hit the "s" key.
The SUR file will appear as white lines all over the place.
If it doesn't, repeat the procedure with another ship, until you DO see the SUR file, and then reopen your model.
(Another minor bug in HardCMP.)
Use the aforementioned Model Tool, to resize the model/SUR file as required.
For a standard sized fighter, I like to use the (Dagger's) BW_Fighter.sur to resize the ship to be where it should be.
After the ship's resized, re-open it in HardCMP to check it against the Dagger's SUR, or whatever ship you use as a size template.
Then, use the SUR of the Freelancer ship that's closest in shape to yours.
With Model Tool, you can start by having it resize the SUR to generally match your ship.
You can also, later resize the SUR in any axis; X,Y,or Z.
One important note:
The SUR file serves three purposes...
1) Where your ship gets hit.
2) Where your ship's shields get hit.
3) What part of your ship is visible.
When you look at the SUR file, you will see the shape of a ship deep inside.
The more of your ship, that's inside that ship, the better it will show up in cinematics, and on-screen, in general.
Another note, the Nomad's SUR files are actually smaller than the ships, which makes them harder to hit.
Hope some of this helps, or at least, makes sense.
Watch your 6!
Edited by - warzog on 3/28/2006 4:48:59 AM
