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3dMeditor

# Modders support

TA3D is modders-friendly. Some of TA3D features are listed below.
1. Model changing
Now it`s easy to change models in TA3D !
TA3D supports all TA model formats and have own - 3dm. This format stores model information and texture in one file.
There is TA3D 3D model Editor (3dmeditor.exe), which always can be found in /ta3d/ directory.
3dmeditor support different operations with *.asc *.3do *.3ds models and converting them in TA3D native format - *.3dm. Also 3dmeditor allow texturing (adding alpha-channel for transparency), scaling, and many other operations with model.
3DMeditor is still in it`s early stage of development, so many features are lacking, but the main tasks of converting formats, adding animation to static map objects, and setting transparency for objects are work fine! When loading, TA3D looks if there is a replacement model for TA resources (*.3dm then *.3do), it will look for a file named [the_file.gaf]-[the_image_name].3do/3dm in the objects3d directory.
If you want to make a model for the metal01 image in moonmetal.gaf you'll have to call it moonmetal-metal01.3dm for TA3D to load it instead of the gaf image. You can also use one model for more than one image. There are a feature in TA3D to load an alternate model when reading a file, like a link, the first byte of the file must be set to 0 then the name of the replacement model in the form: objects3d\model_name.3dm (it must be a 3dm!!).
2. Sky texturing
There are several sky types in TA3D. You can change texture, speed, texturing style in ta3d/sky/ *.tdf files.
Just open with any text editor.
3. New GAF support
TA3D have support for 24/32bits GAFs (alpha channel is saved only if needed).
It's an extension of the GAF format specific to TA3D, you cannot read those HD GAFs with TA.
24/32bits gafs can be used for everything normal GAFs are used:
* cursors animation
* explosions animation
* unit textures
* in game GUI (build menus, buttons, backgrounds, ...)
* everywhere where they can be :)
Currently there is only one tool to make those GAFs: hpiview which has been directly integrated in ta3d
You have to use it that way:
./ta3d create_gaf gaf_descriptor
or
ta3d.exe create_gaf gaf_descriptor
where gaf_descriptor is the name of the text file that describes the file you want to create. It's made like this:
Code:
[gadget0]
{
entries=the number of anims you want to put in the file;
filename=the destination file.gaf;
}
[gadget1] // The first animation
{
frames=number of frames;
name=the name of this animation; // has to be set otherwise you won't be able to find your animation in the resulting GAF
[frame0] // The first frame
{
XPos=the offset on the x axis;
YPos=the offets on the y axis;
filename=the image file to use as this frame;
}
[frame...]
...
}
If you want an example of this syntax you can extract the content of a GAF (any GAF type is supported) with hpiview:
./ta3d extract_gaf anims\\cursors.gaf
this command will extract all the frames within anims\cursors.gaf (note the \\, if you don't want to type \\ you can type "anims\cursors.gaf"), and it'll create a anims\cursors.gaf.txt file with the above syntax so that you can modify the frames and then put them back into GAF format (but it'll be 24/32bits GAF not TA 8bits GAF).

-=TA3D=-