Rome : Total War Unit Card Tutorials - Total War Heaven Forum

Topic Subject: Rome : Total War Unit Card Tutorials

PrivateClark
Legionary

posted 08 May 2008 01:01 EDT (US)

Rome : Total War Unit Card Tutorials

Well, I said id make a tutorial of how to make a unit cards in 3dsmax like Creative Assembly. I'm not sure if any body's made a tutorial on this, if they have, sorry, but anyway, hope this helps.NOTE: For some reason, 3dsmax has problems opening Alexander models, consequently, this tutorial does not apply to RTW Alex.

Requirements:
--3dsmax 9 (Maybe lower, im not sure youll be able to open the files though)
--Adobe Photoshop CS or higher
--A bit of skeleton experience (knowing how to use the bone system)
--Basic knowledge of 3dsmax (though il explain most of it)
--Download the Unit Card Template File which contains the render scene.

( Pre-Tutorial )

Quoted from SubRosa:
To pose the unit, go down to the Import Menu, and import an Animation. They can be found in the pack files. When you unpack them they are in the RTW\Data\Animations folder. Then you can use the slider across the bottom of the screen to cycle through the different stages of the animation you selected until you find one you like.

Part I : 3ds Max

Step 1: First of all, start off by importing your model, for this tutorial, ill be using the Etrurian Hoplite from Marc's Rise of Etruria mod. Why? Because thats the only model i happen to have in my 3dsmax folder at the moment. You are free however to use whichever you like.

When the import has finished, you should have a screen like this:

[Image 1 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 2: This is where your "skeleton" experience (for want of a better word) comes in, i cant really explain how to get the soldier into a nice pose, rotate the circle things (bones) around until you get something good. Heres what i've come up with:

[Image 2 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 3: Now that you've got a pose you like, go to "File>Save File As". Save the scene in a folder.

[Image 3 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 4: Now, open the zip attached to this post and open "Unit Cards.max" in Unit Cards Templates. Ignore the ground textures for know. The loading should take a bit, just click OK to all of them.

[Image 4 : RTW Tutorial]

[Image 5 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 5: You should now have a scene like the image above. Now, go to "File>Merge", and merge the scene with the max file of your unit in pose.

[Image 6 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 6: Select all the items on the list and click "OK", you should now have this

[Image 7 : RTW Tutorial]

[Image 8 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 9: Resize and rotate/move your model around until it fits into the rectangle. WARNING: DO NOT MOVE THE ACTUAL VIEW OR YOU WILL SCREW UP THE ANGLE!. Check the image to see how the model should be proportioned.

[Image 9 : RTW Tutorial]

( Step 10: ) This is optional, if you like the ground texture and grass texture applied to the ground, then leave it as it is, to get rid of the grass, simply delete it. However, if you want a different ground texture, press "M" to bring up the Material editor and select a new texture (most are JPG) inside of the folder. Most are from Mount & Blade

.

[Image 10 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 11: Once everything is set up as you like it, press "F9" to render the scene, you'll notice the background color is already set and all. You'll have something like this.

[Image 11 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 12: Save the image as a TGA file and name it "Big Unit Card".

[Image 12 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 13: Now that we've taken care of the big unit card, all thats left is the small one. Open "Render>Render Scene" and change the Width to 48 and Height to 64.

[Image 13 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 14: Usually, you might want to edit the pose a bit for nicer small unit card. Again, i cant really explain how to do it, but you should leave about an inch of space between the top and the soldiers topmost point (not including Alpha textures). At the bottom, you should cut off the unit card at about 1/4 of the skirt.

[Image 14 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 15: Time to render! press "F9" again and save it as "Small unit card" TGA along with your other render.

[Image 16 : RTW Tutorial]

This concludes the 3dsmax portion of this tutorial, close 3dsmax without saving the scene and now its time to move on to Photoshop! Yay

!

Part II : Adobe Photoshop

Step 1: After you've opened Photoshop open both "Big Unit Card" and "Small Unit Card".

[Image 18 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 2: Select the small unit card and go under "Channels" near the "Layers" tab. Select the Alpha Channel layer and set your magic wand tool to the same settings as mine.

[Image 20 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 3: Select the black portion and move back to the RGB layer, click again on the "Layers" Tab. Now right click and click "Layer from background". you should still have a part of your image selected. Now press the delete key, your left with a soldier with a transparent background. Save this over your small unit card.

[Image 21 : RTW Tutorial]

( Step 4: ) This step is optional, its how to make a preview image. Drag and drop the small unit card to the big unit card and place it in the corner. Then save the whole as a JPG.

[Image 23 : RTW Tutorial]

Step 5 (Conclusion):Well, this is the end of the tutorial, you should now have a folder with 4 files:

[Image 24 : RTW Tutorial]

Credits
--Ground Textures : Internet & Mount & Blade
--Original render scene was made by CA
--Marcus for his Hoplite Texture

Anyway, i hope you guys enjoy this tutorial.

RTW : Persian Invasion | Making Unit Cards in 3ds Max
Changing Diplomatic Responses in RTW
RTW Basic Modeling Tutorial | Adding Projectiles to RTW

[This message has been edited by PrivateClark (edited 05-09-2008 @ 07:05 PM).]

Author

Replies:

Hussarknight
Seraph Emeritus

posted 08 May 2008 11:25 EDT (US) 1 / 9

Nice. Me likes.

Hussarknight

SubRosa
Legionary

posted 08 May 2008 12:02 EDT (US) 2 / 9

Very cool! Thank you very much Private Clark (I think we should see about getting you a promotion to Sergeant...

). I am linking to this from the List of Modding Tools and Tutorials.

Could you submit the unit card template to the Downloads area? Then once it is up change the link to that in the article?

To pose the unit, go down to the Import Menu, and import an Animation. They can be found in the pack files. When you unpack them they are in the RTW\Data\Animations folder. Then you can use the slider across the bottom of the screen to cycle through the different stages of the animation you selected until you find one you like.

PrivateClark
Legionary

posted 08 May 2008 19:22 EDT (US) 3 / 9

Thanks

, il upload the file as soon as possible. Lol, hadnt thought of using an animation, ive been editing them manualy, this could be alot faster.

RTW : Persian Invasion | Making Unit Cards in 3ds Max
Changing Diplomatic Responses in RTW
RTW Basic Modeling Tutorial | Adding Projectiles to RTW

[This message has been edited by PrivateClark (edited 05-08-2008 @ 07:30 PM).]

SubRosa
Legionary

posted 08 May 2008 19:26 EDT (US) 4 / 9

With your permission, I would like to put the article up in the Modding Tutorials on the main site. In the process I will host all the images in our Gallery as well.

Hmmm, that file might be too big to upload.

[This message has been edited by SubRosa (edited 05-08-2008 @ 07:43 PM).]

PrivateClark
Legionary

posted 08 May 2008 19:39 EDT (US) 5 / 9

sure, no problem, i cant upload the file though, 30 MB is too large it says.

RTW : Persian Invasion | Making Unit Cards in 3ds Max
Changing Diplomatic Responses in RTW
RTW Basic Modeling Tutorial | Adding Projectiles to RTW

Primo
Legionary
(id: Marcus Orentius)

posted 09 May 2008 03:19 EDT (US) 6 / 9

put it in a rar then put the rar inside a zip. Rar compresses it better than zip.

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PrivateClark
Legionary

posted 09 May 2008 19:03 EDT (US) 7 / 9

I don't have Win rar, i tried 7zip but it only brought down the file size by 2 MB...

RTW : Persian Invasion | Making Unit Cards in 3ds Max
Changing Diplomatic Responses in RTW
RTW Basic Modeling Tutorial | Adding Projectiles to RTW

[This message has been edited by PrivateClark (edited 05-09-2008 @ 07:08 PM).]

SubRosa
Legionary

posted 09 May 2008 21:51 EDT (US) 8 / 9

Nevermind, we can live without that I suppose.

PrivateClark
Legionary

posted 10 May 2008 10:58 EDT (US) 9 / 9

mkay

RTW : Persian Invasion | Making Unit Cards in 3ds Max
Changing Diplomatic Responses in RTW
RTW Basic Modeling Tutorial | Adding Projectiles to RTW

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