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Custom Models Question

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Im not familiar with modeling nor I know anything about it. Keep it in mind.


I was wandering if quality of SCII models is greater, so is the poly count.
Avarge modeler will have to work hard to make a SCII quality models.

Because of greater model quality, model size will be greater, thus Editor should support much more than Wc3's 8Mb.

But great size, isn't it gonna hurt online games alot, cause Wc3 maps with much imported content sometimes used to load long time...

Enlighten me... ( or +rep me )


( just kidding )
 

Dr Super Good

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Yes the models are bigger. They use 1024*1024 skins and have multiple layers.

Generic models should be imported via mod into a map and not via the map itself, thus they will not eat up any of your 10 MB restriction or any of your 20 MB total (they will eat someone elses space but you can use them).

As the maps are hosted on battlenet, downloading will not be a problem as their servers should let you reach high speeds, simlar to that of some good WC3 host bots.

Models will take longer to make than WC3, however they should be slightly easier to make in some aspects. As you are expected to use more resources, you do not have to spend as much effort making sure it looks goot at low poly or with an ingame texture. Also as you have bumpmaps and other such texture layers, it should be easier to make models that look good as you do not need to work around not having them.

Thus I say it will take more time to make a SC2 model than a WC3 one, however the time will not be entirly linear with the work increase (will be less than linear) and the finished products are capable of looking a lot better than anything WC3 had.

The average unit model has 1000+ vertixes with larger ones comming in at 2000+
 
The thor has 8000 plolys

the ling has 800

the zealot has about 2500


but polys mean so much less in sc2 because of the new lighting, maps, and textures.

Diffuse
specular
bump
normal

are 4 of the different map types that really make sc2 different.

so yes, models will be bigger, they will take up size, but they will be much better for their size because of model type and engine enhancments...
 

Triceron

Hosted Project: W3CSW
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Polycounts are most affected when animation is taken into account. Every animation you make calculates vertex (point) movement data, which means the higher vertex count you have, the more information has to be recorded for each animation. This increases the filesize as well as takes up more processing power. While this is very minor on an individual basis, this is in the context of an RTS with many many units on screen at a time.

The hydralisk is about a 500kb .m3 file. There are also multiple death animation .m3's (Fire, acid) about about 250kb each. Then there are the .dds files that are about 3mb. We're looking about about 4-5mb for just the Hydralisk with multiple death animations. This isn't even including the Hydralisk's portrait .m3 or textures.

One complete unit with all the bells and whistles can potentially take up 8mbs of space, I would say.

And yes, the 10mb custom map limit for SC2 does bite.
 

Dr Super Good

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Why? As custom maps have only a few loading screens and sounds, its no problem. All models are imported to a map via a mod I think. The result is that they are not actually part of the map file limit, but of someones mod file limit. For example you could release a model as an individual mod, and all maps who want to use that just attach that mod. The result is that their maps are small, the model is downloaded only once and that everyone can use it.
 

Triceron

Hosted Project: W3CSW
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You think or you know? This is the first time I heard of that method.

How are 'mods' distributed through bnet if they're not a part of the map? And will this even work simply by sourcing files from an external folder? I've had to import my models into a map before they show up in the editor.
 
ah, okay, then i misunderstood you, sry...


well, it depends on the useage of the editor!
as its more flexible and versatile i think we cant really talk about THE polycount, but rather of suitable polycounts for different game types (a top down shooter wouldnt need so many polys as a fps)

also i think we will moce on to 1024² textures now..
though i wouldnt defend this theory till death :p

also, the bike, Oo, uhm...
$ 45000.00
??
wtf?
 

Dr Super Good

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You download the mods when you download the map. The mods are used in the map but are not part of the map. Lets say I used a model mod from you in map map, my map will still be small but it will have to download your mod for the map to play. However any other map using your mod will not redownload it. The result is saved space and a work around for the file limit.
 
Level 11
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LoL, the price, didnt notice that... it must be a joke...

http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm?id=300852 this one looks great :D .

If it will work like you said DSG, then we are fine, maybe. Tho this brings lots of garbage mods :) .
So I hope peopel realize that they will have to showoff their maps if they want to become popular, coz people wont DL 20mb maps just to try them out.
 
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