FAQ - 3D and Models

Q: How do I animate my own FPSC models?
A: Use the file AnimationTemplate.txt to determine the animation requirements of an FPSC character. The first part shows the numbers of all the animations and their respective names for reference. The second part actually stores the frame start and frame end values for each of those animations. So for example, the walk animation is animation 2 (anim2) and the start end frames are 235,259 (see further down file).
Q: I have modelled my character animation for a death sequence, but it jitters, why?
A: The death animation works by performing animations 11,12,14,15,17,18,20,21. To keep the character lying on the ground, the last frame of the animation is looped, so it is important the last two frames of the characters death animation remain the same so the character does not jitter. For example, animation 11 (frames 0,19) show the character being hit from the front and falling back to the floor and frames 18 and 19 are the same to prevent jitter. In the engine, the command is "loop object obj,finish-0.001,finish".
Q: What format are the models in?
A: Microsoft DirectX .X files with DDS or TGA texture files.
Q: Can we change the models supplied with FPS Creator and put them back in to the game? Say if I was to change a British soldier and turn him in to a German.
A: Yes, you could either re-texture the model or import it into a 3D application and totally change it.
Q: Does FPS Creator include a model editor within the program?
A: No. We recommend using a package like 3D Canvas Pro or gameSpace.
Q: Is it possible to create games in third person perspective? (like Tomb Raider or Prince of Persia?) and in general, will it be possible to customize the camera in this way?
A: You cannot have a 3rd person camera. You could not make a Tomb Raider perspective game (but then it wouldn't be an FPS if you did!)
Q: I'd like regular looking walls to break apart after being shot a few times.
A: You can do this by simply using an entity wall (a wall that looks just like the static walls). You can then blast it apart to reveal a secret room etc.
Q: Can we use animated textures for scrolling skies, water, lava, sewage, security camera screens etc?
A: Yes, you can use animated decals for things like smoke, fire, acid pits, etc.
Q: Can we create wall tiles to import into our games?
A: You can import ANY sort of 3D object into your games as long as it's in the required format.
Q: Instead of enemies being human is possible to have them be other things such as gun turrets, tanks, perhaps a plane?
A: Enemies can be any 3D object you have imported into the game.
Q: Can you use models from DarkMATTER?
A: Yes you can, but the character models would need to be rigged and re-animated if you need them to move in-game. The DarkMATTER web site can be found here: darkmatter.thegamecreators.com
Q: When a game is built two files are placed in the built game folder (.DBO and .BIN) what are these two files built off of?
A: DBO is produced from the X file, and BIN is produced from the FPE text file.
Q: Is there a specific file format that the texture files have to be in?
A: The texture files must be in TGA format, or DDS file format if you want compression.
Q: Do objects in the game get built according to the .fpe file or the .x?
A: The FPE starts the process by describing the object, for which the X/DBO file provides the geometry and TGA/DDS file provides the textures.
Q: Does the engine have a set limit of textutres it will accept for each kind of object?
A: The model can have as many textures as it needs, but by default the FPE specifies only one. If the model uses (and specifies) more than one texture, leave the FPE field for texture name blank, and the object will be loaded using the models own textures. NOTE: Remember to delete the DBO and BIN files each time to change the X file or FPE file, as these residual files are merely fast-loading representations of the original media.