Close Combat Series :: View topic - Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game

Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game

through

[^/[Print]\]

Close Combat Series -> Close Combat Modern Tactics

#1: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: ScnelleMeyer,

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 4:39 pm
—
This is an attempt to give starting vehicle modders instructions on the steps necessary to put a new vehicle in the game.

I know the information is on the forum somewhere, but for the most part its spread out and for me at least it took a lot of trial and error to put my first vehicle into action.
This my way of trying to help more people becoming successful sooner and easier.

On the actual painting of the vehicles there are guides on the forum (If you search for it).
Instructions for the RTB tools are included in download.

Where do you find the stuff to get started:

CCMT/GRAPHIC folder contains Tanks.azp - with vehicles graphics and Shadows.azp - containing -YES shadows graphics.
CCMT/DATA/Base folder contains all the data from the Workbook. like "Vehicles" and "RedTeams" and "BlueTeams"

So, here it goes:
1. Download workbook for CCMT and "RTB-tool" from DL section found on this page

2. Make copies and backups of all files you are editing and place them in a safe folder.

3. Make your new vehicle graphic and use RTB tool to unpack and repack both "Tanks.azp" and making the conversion from .TGA to TEX. - You should end up with a new "Tanks.azp" file containing your new vehicle graphic. - The new Tanks.azp goes back into the games GRAPHICS folder.

4. In the workbook you need to edit the "Vehicles" and "RedTeams" or "BlueTeams" tab.
Vehicles:

- First add your new vehicle to the bottom of the (Vehicles) list (For patched CCMT this will be class number 69 for your first new vehicle.)
- Graphics name need to match exactly the title of the .tex file for your new vehicle that is packed in the "Tanks.azp" (look at the original entries and you will understand)
- The wreck file: You can use one of the existing ones or make a new one - again using RTB tool to unpack-repack just like with graphics (I didn't do this- Just used an existing wreck) Make sure your spelling is exact here as well.
- Put the data for your vehicle in the appropriate columns. If your vehicle is a variation of an existing one you might be able to copy a lot of the data from the original vehicle data.
- Now update the counter in the top left ( It says 149) to 150 - This is to account for the addition of 1 vehicle in the table.
- This is it for the vehicle tab.

RedTeams/BlueTeams

- If you want your new vehicle to be present on both sides you will have to put in both tabs. otherwise put it on the team you have chosen.
- You can put the new vehicle anywhere in the list of teams but make sure to update the "Class" numbers so all teams have a unique number.
- Put the data you want for your vehicle, but pay attention to column 72 "Vehicle CLASS" - This number HAVE TO match the vehicles coresponding number from the "Vehicles" tab. In this case when we have added ONE new vehicle it will be: 69.
- Same as on Vehicles tab - update the number in top left by one. (Right under the Name")

When this is done you Save both "vehicles" and "Teams" tabs as Tab-delimited? Text file (My system is not in English) If you hit the right option, your saved text file should look exactly the same as your backups from the game base files.

5. Put the new "vehicles" and RedTeams/BlueTeams txt files in CCMT/DATA/BASE files folder.

6 Now one thing is left: The vehicle needs a shadow. -Game will crash without it.
- So unpack "Shadows.azp" with RTB tool same as with "Tanks.azp" and put in the shadow for your vehicle. It can be made or you can copy an existing shadow from the opened file.
ONE thing is important: Make sure the naming of the new shadow corresponds (is the same) with the vehicles graphic in the "Tanks.azp"
Re-pack shadows with RTB and put it in CCMT/GRAPHICS folder.

7. Open the game, make a scenario and put your new vehicle.

8. Be proud when YOUR vehicle successfully solves its first mission.

9. Optional but highly encouraged: Share your new vehicle with the community and keep this fantastic game alive;)

If someone has additional points or want to expand on this, please do. I do not claim to know this game in and out...

SchnelleMeyer.

#2: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Aetius,

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 8:14 am
—
I'm trying to add new gun/tank graphics into PITF but seem to be a bit stuck on how to do this for 32 bit graphics.
Newest version of RTB tool doesn't support the 32 bit graphics, unpacked sprite is displayed as a black blur, can it still be used for PITF/GTC?
CCmunger can be used for packing unpacking but how can i adjust the hotpoints?
The CCmunger tool doesn't use *.TEX files but uses a texdata.txt file what is the difference between them?

If anyone with some experience in doing this for PITF/GTC could post a quick guide i would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

#3: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: ScnelleMeyer,

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 3:35 pm
—
Aetius, for PITF/GTC you use a program called CCMunger to unpack/pack the graphics - Found here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3244290

Just make sure the graphics have an alpha channel and are 32 bit tga before repacking and that they are linked in the text file that goes in the packed Tanks graphics file. (AZP and texdata files)

You adjust the hotpoints in the texdata.txt file

#4: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Aetius,

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 4:50 pm
—
Thanks for the info

It seems i was editing my original post while you where posting your reply
So if i understand correctly the *.TEX file isn't used anymore and has been replaced by the texdata.txt.

More questions about the hotpoints of guns:
Do you know what every digit of a gun sprite in the texdata.txt stands for?

example:
a57mmM1A1_norm.tex
0 ---->?
1 ---->?
20, 35, 20, 35 ---> These are the XY coordinates of the hotpoint, 4 coordinates is this because of the 2 images (image and alpha channel?)

The hotpoint should always be the center of tjhe gun itself, where the game engine "aims at" when fired upon?

Thanks in advance

#5: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: ScnelleMeyer,

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 10:13 pm
—
Yes, there is now only Texdata.txt.

a57mmM1A1_norm.tex - Name of the graphic as per in azpdata.txt
0 ---->? - Dont know, but all are set to 0
1 ---->? - Number of images for this graphic - One is enough for both guns and vehicles, even though PITF uses 17.
20, 35, 20, 35 ---> These are the XY coordinates of the hotpoint, 4 coordinates is this because of the 2 images (image and alpha channel?)

I think these are hotpoints for Hull graphic and for shadow. - Cant be much else really.
They are definitely not different for the image and alpha channel - As the alpha channel follows (Are on top of) the image.

Yes, hotpoint in center of the gun or center of tank-turret placement on tank hulls.
There is a trick to use of CCMunger: If you make a large image of say 500x500 pixels with vehicle/gun hotpoint that you want in the center of this, rest of image and alpha masked.
Use this center hotpoint in your texdata when packing and CCMunger will automatically cut down image and rewrite the hotpoint too if IIRC.
This info is somewhere on Matrix forums...

#6: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Aetius,

Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:04 am
—
Thank you very much for the explanation.
Now it makes makes sense.

#7: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Sapa,

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 3:14 pm
—
Just a note Wink

I dont know if its the same for the "newer" games
There was a problem with mods for CC5 that the game crashed sometimes when you tried to play single battles...

Tejszd found out that you need to have a wreck name on the same lines in the data as the orginal game, good work on that one Very Happy

As i sad, just a note Smile

#8: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Aetius,

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 11:46 am
—
Thanks for the tip.
I'll keep it in mind when i look at the wrecks file.

#9: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Aetius,

Posted: Tue May 05, 2020 1:15 pm
—
Another question about hotpoints:

Where are the coordinates of the muzzle flash of a tank gun defined?
I've created a new tank image but the muzzle flash has a slight offset.
Where can i adjust this?

Aetius

#10: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: ScnelleMeyer,

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 6:33 am
—
There is no specific coordinate for the muzzle flash as far as I know. I am not sure how it is controled, but it might be connected to the hotpoint of the graphic and size of the graphic.

#11: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Aetius,

Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 11:18 am
—
Thanks for your reply,

Posted the same question in the matrixgames forum, not really expecting a reply there.
Got the feeling old cc games are abandoned by the devs Sad

Aetius

#12: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: arvigna, Location: arvigna

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 2:59 pm
—
Bonjour,
Happy new year !!

In the case of a new vehicle.

All phases are completed,

But when it comes to creating a scenario and adding the new vehicle, the game crashes. (only with it)

I suppose this is due to Shadows.azp.

I didn't create a new file, but copied an existing one and renamed it with the name of the new vehicle.

But does this file have to be the same size (pixel) as the vehicle?

If not I don't understand the crash, I compiled with CCMunger...

Thank you for your help.

#13: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Pzt_Kanov, Location: México

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 4:28 pm
—
What version of Close Combat are you trying to mod.

CCMunger works well with Gateway To Caen and Panthers in the Fog. For the other versions it does not extract the tank files correctly.

use Mafi's RtB tool for extracting tanks from CC2, CC3, CC4, CC5, CoI, TLD, WaR, LSA.

#14: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: arvigna, Location: arvigna

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 4:44 pm
—
Hello!

CCMT version,

For the shadow file, I tried both. CCMunger and RTB ...

It made no difference.

I copied a .spr file and renamed it ....

#15: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: ScnelleMeyer,

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 5:59 pm
—
Did you use the RTB for BOTH unpacking and packing? If not then make sure you do.

#16: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: arvigna, Location: arvigna

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 6:08 pm
—
Hello!

find the error.

1 vehicle too many on the list ...

sorry for the inconvenience. Embarassed

#17: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: ScnelleMeyer,

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 6:54 pm
—
No problem - the forum exists to help out each other.

#18: Re: Guide on how to put new vehicles in the game Author: Hartinez,

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 3:42 am
—
how is it?

Close Combat Series -> Close Combat Modern Tactics

output generated using printer-friendly topic mod. All times are GMT

Page 1 of 1