UT2k4 Stuff

[Zanna]

So I was wondering if the UT2k4 textures can be imported directly into the UED. Not only textures actually, even some static meshes (I don't think the editor supports them, but maybe as actors/decorations? no idea; ), etc. But mainly textures

I wanted to ask before reinstalling 2k4 again just for the textures.

[SilverSound]

I think they can. But a lot of them are set up differently. I'll go check right now.

Expect edit soon.


Nope. You can't sorry. Simple answer.


Technical answer.

Code: Select all

Log: 521929.3ms Loading: Package UCGeneric
Log: Failed import: Class Class Engine.Shader (file ..\System\Engine.u)
Warning: Failed to load 'G:\Unreal Anthology\UT2004\Textures\UCGeneric.utx': Can't find Class in file 'Class Engine.Shader'
Warning: Failed loading package: Can't find Class in file 'Class Engine.Shader'
Warning: Failed loading package: Can't find Class in file 'Class Engine.Shader'

I attempted to load "UCGeneric.utx" So no you can't.

[EvilGrins]

Textures certainly, I used to take skins from monsters outta ut2004 all the time:

Like these:

I've gotta take screenshots of that to use them because the UnrealEd for ut2k4 doesn't export to .pcx and I don't know how to edit a .dds file. Even with that, I couldn't fully use that Titan you see in the screenshot. The blue crystals on its skin are animated, it's a multi-layered texture.

It can be done!

[JackGriffin]

Almost everything can be imported from 2K4, it just depends on how much twisting you want to do. If this is something you are interested in learning I can help. Bob and I do a lot of this stuff and we've imported things from all over the place. For example: http://www.oldunreal.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/ ... 437490/4#4

As a general rule of thumb assets are assets no matter the engine.

[Barbie]

AFAIK packages can contain everything - in this case it seems that "UCGeneric.utx" contains UScript also (and with this references to "Engine.Shader").
@EvilGrins: Just try to open "UCGeneric.utx" with UnrealEd 2.0.

[SilverSound]

Yeah. You can take the textures export the pictures then re-import. But it's a long process. You have to color correct and save as a new format. then import to Ued.

[Zanna]

(can't open the link, have to register on OldUnreal; but yeah, if you have a link on some tutorial on converting meshes, textures, whatever, it's welcome )

I just wanted to get some textures from the UT2k4. Also, maybe some decorations, since 99 lacks a bit in that. There are only 2 statues and they are in pretty much every map that features statues: it's either the Nali or the Monk.

I tried opening some textures but it gives the error above described by Barbie

@Silver: hasn't someone already done that? I've seen lots of maps with 2k4 textures

[JackGriffin]

Let's do it this way: You pick something you want to import and I'll show you how to get it into the engine in a usable form. It doesn't have to be 2K4, it can be from outside UEngine if you like. Just remember that ultra-dense models with high polycount are very, very hard on our game when it comes times to compute visible polys and BSP. The simpler, the better.

[Zanna]

Let's say the statues and the textures, found in the map 1on1-Albatross (DM)

[JackGriffin]

Not being nitpicky but be specific. For example "Brush 131 in the map <whatever>". Otherwise I run the risk of typing a long response for something you don't need.

First off the result:


Excuse the FF stuff. I'm working in that right now making an MH version of the weapons. Anyway here's the process...

Importing from 2K4 is the easiest you'll find. Steps in order of what I just did...

1) open the map in 2K4 editor and find the seagull mesh.
2) select the mesh and then Convert> To Brush
3) With the seagull still selected click Polygons> To brush (nothing will happen, don't worry. This maps the texture to the brush for later.)
4) Finally do Brush> Export and save the .t3d file to your desktop
5) While you are in 2K4 editor find the texture used on the model and export to desktop too (it will be a .dds)
6) Close 2K4 editor

7) open UT's editor and your map inside it.
8 ) go to Brush> Import and select your seagull .t3d from the desktop
9) Your builder brush will be the new mesh. Place it and hit 'add' like you would any brush
10) rebuild the map. You'll have your mesh now but without texture.
11) Convert the .dds texture to BMP (I use photoshop) and import into your map's mylevel.
12) Select all the faces of the seagull and apply the texture. Since you preserved mapping earlier it will all be correct.
13) Enjoy your bird, duplicate/resize/etc as needed. You can also convert it to static mesh using meshmaker if needed because it's all correct.
14) didn't want to end on 13 steps so I'll add 'Have a nice day'.

[Zanna]

Not being nitpicky but be specific. For example "Brush 131 in the map <whatever>". Otherwise I run the risk of typing a long response for something you don't need.

No worries, I was asking for the general procedure, nothing in particular I need. I just want to be able to convert some stuff which I like or I find without always asking for help or looking for premade decorations (which I just found an animal pack and some indoor stuff anyway).

Few concerns that maybe can be answered

a) Trying to use Mesh Maker. I need to set the texture to something UT99 has by default, like one of the base in the Ancient pack. This way when using Mesh Maker I don't get the error "missing texture" or something like that. Is this the correct solution? Because, other than this, I can only think of exporting the UT2k4 texture and then build an .utx file for ONLY one texture, which isn't really practical I guess. Then, of course, when the mesh is in game (through an .u file or imported from command line) I can use the "multiskin" property and change that to the appropriate one.
b) Related to the above: what happens if one of these meshes has multiple textures on it? I tried the Sphynx and the Pharaoh static meshes, and they work fine since they only have one texture that fits and wraps. But how about the ones with two or three materials? How do I make sure they all line up and how does the procedure change? (one example would be Egypt_Techmeshes_epic, under deco: there's a techpassagesec6 that has two materials; it's a little column/ square pillar; just an example)

I was using Mesh Maker because the brush adds a lot of polys for a small thing and they look a bit like crap unless there's a perfect light or something.
I was going to ask another thing, but I'm pretty sure there's no way to export multiple textures from the 2k4 editor

Thanks a lot

BONUS: where's the wireframe texture located if it's a default one? me wantz it

[JackGriffin]

a) You can always use a default texture for the meshmaker creation. I do that all the time then just apply a multiskin to it. It won't hurt anything.

b) remember when we did polygons to brush above? That maps the texture setting to each poly. This includes material, orientation, scale, etc. For example if your mesh was a square and each square had a distinct texture from different utx files then your exported brush retains the setting that "Side one of the square uses material one, side two uses material two, etc. I've seen models in Rune that export with 20 material settings and I've had to combine them down to the usable 8 that we have. Anyway if your brush was saved with multiple materials then it will remember that when you import the brush back in.

If this is something you are interested in then you need to install MilkShape and start getting to know it. Also install Unreal 227 from Old Unreal since it allows .obj import natively. Once it is inside Unreal's 227 editor you can convert the obj to static mesh and begin your import that way too.

Getting content into UT is somewhat specific to the type of content as well as it's native engine. I've ran into very little that you can't import though, just depends on how many steps you can tolerate.

In case you don't have them, you will need to get these tools because at some point you'll have to use them if you do a deep dive:
wotGREAL
UModel
UnrealFX
UTPT
UMake

I also have some custom tools depending on the needs.

[Zanna]

I am interested. You know I'm always up when there's an editor or some "creation" process involved. I tried lots of different things and less limits = more fun; sadly this is really tedious just to import a couple of images and a mesh. 4 textures? Jokes on you, you have to do export 4 of them separately then convert them from dds and then re-import them (I am pretty sure and suspect someone already did a whole package of 2k4 textures but just for private purposes, which is a shame); then the Mesh Maker thing is also annoying (especially when I have multiple installations of UT and it puts the files God knows where )

But it seems like it's going to be worth.
Milk Shape looks really cool and "easy" to use (although I have never modeled anything lol). The idea of creating the level in Milk Shape or making decorations sounds juicy yum

I know some of the other softwares already, will look into the others.
At the moment I'm trying to look at some documentation about this stuff, but it seems there's virtually none (or very, very little; there's some prefabs brush exporting in the comprehensive guide, some Mesh Maker, but that's it).

Thanks for the help mate ps i left you a msg on discord about that thing the other day, sorry!

[EvilGrins]

Excuse the FF stuff. I'm working in that right now making an MH version of the weapons

brief detour

Relatively speaking, FF works in MH okay but the weapons don't have quite the same "punch" as most other weapons:




Against basic monsters it's more or less fine, you just gotta be a bit more patient...

...although against the bigger ones, you're fairly screwed:


Unless you were gonna add something specific for MH like... a pepper grenade, which temporarily confuses a monster into a sneezing fit or something.

We now take you back to your previously interrupted thread!

[JackGriffin]

@EG: As for your aside....things are....ummm...afoot.