SOD Node Cheat Sheet

[JkerPlay]

SOD CHEAT SHEET
by JkerPlay

This is a cheat sheet for setting up the hiearchy in both Armadas (but mainly for A1). Informations was gathered from Westworld's Big Book of Modding and my own experiences. This in no way should replace Westworld's book, it is only a quick reference.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Node Placement


A. Damage
B. Lights
C. Hardpoints
D. Crew
E. Engines
F. Life
G. Target
H. Sensors
I. Borg
J. Geometry
K. Shield
L. Root (not needed for A2, the Scene Root is used instead of a point named Root in A2)
M. Lod1 (Level of Detail/ not needed if your mesh has a low polygon count. Use only if your polygon count is 1000 to 1500)
N. Lod2 (Level of Detail/ needed only if your mesh has a higher polygon count than 1500.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Light Sprites

Green Lights
s_greenconst_01, s_greenconstbig_01, s_greenstrobe_01, s_greenstrobebig_01
Blue Lights
s_blueconst_01, s_blueconstbig_01, s_bluestrobe_01, s_bluestrobebig_01
Red Lights
s_redconst_01, s_redconstbig_01, s_redstrobe_01, s_redstrobebig_01
White-ish Lights
s_whiteconst_01, s_whiteconstbig_01, s_whitestrobe_01, s_whitestrobe2_01, s_whitestrobebig_01
Amber Lights
s_yellowconst_01, s_yellowconstbig_01, s_yellowstrobe_01, s_yellowstrobebig_01, s_bigbillboard_01

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Damage Sprites

The first 3 are for small to large ships. The last 4 (yes i said 4) are for small to large stations.

s_crew1
s_crewfsup1, s_crew1, s_crewfre11, s_crewfre21, s_crewfbas1, s_crewfmin1
s_crew2
s_crewfsup2, s_crew2, s_crewfre12, s_crewfre22, s_crewfbas2, s_crewfmin2
s_crew3
s_crewfsup3, s_crew3, s_crewfre13, s_crewfre23, s_crewfbas3, s_crewfmin3
s_crew4
s_crewfsup4, s_crew4, s_crewfre14, s_crewfre24, s_crewfbas4, s_crewfmin4
s_crew5
s_crewfsup5, s_crew5, s_crewfre15, s_crewfre25, s_crewfbas5, s_crewfmin5
s_crew16
s_crewfsup16, s_crew16, s_crewfre116, s_crewfre216, s_crewfbas16, s_crewfmin16

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sensor Sprite

s_sensor

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emmiters

e_plasmamed_01
(plasma emitter)
e_plasmasml_01, e_plasmamed_01, e_plasmalrg_01, e_plasmaxl_01
e_steamsml_01
(steam emitter)
e_steamsml_01, e_steammed_01, e_steamlrg_01, e_steamxl_01

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hardpoints

hp01
(Hardpoints)
hp0?, hp??

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Nodes

Command nodes are special nodes that modify the export behavior of their parent mesh. They are any node whose name
begins "c_". Identifiers explain exactly what is being affected at the time of export. "tm" (Texture Material), "anim" (Texture Animation), "borg" (Replacement texture). These nodes are linked to the mesh as a child.

Examples:

"c_tm_command name"

Texture animation:
"c_anim_identifier_playback_offset_nn"

Examples:
c_anim_tex2x2
c_anim_tex4x4

The texture file will need to have multiple images for the animation similar to weapon graphics.


"c_borg_texture"
specify a borg assimilation texture for the parent node.

Specifically, the "tm" commands are:

default - seems to make things a little more black
opaque - makes something solid (sometimes)
bink - unknown
default_persp - unknown
nofilter - unknown
additive - applys a translucent type effect with additve filtering
add_nomipf - unknown
translucent - makes the parent mesh semi transparent
atmosphere - same as additive, I think
fog - additive's oppisite, has a subtractive filter
alphathreshold - tells the engine to get the texture info from the alpha threshold....
wireframe - tells the engine to display parent mesh as wireframe... usefull for making wire frames
interface - seems to work better than opaque or default for making objects solid.
font - unknown
cloaked - makes mesh look as its cloaked all the time...doesn't affect units abiilities to fire or see it though.
wormhole - this is an odd label one time it was translucent another solid ... so not sure (unknown)
alpha - tells engine to use the alpha chanell for this mesh's texture. I've seen use of this make the whole SOD go semi-transparent
alpha_nof - unknown
self_illuminating - unknown

More examples:

c_tm_translucent
c_tm_additive
c_tm_alphathreshold
c_tm_atmosphere_01
c_tm_cloaked_01
c_tm_alpha_01

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mining Stations

The docking path of a freighter is specified by a node called Dock or any hardpoint specified in the ODF. It will follow the Y-axis of the node.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shipyards

(These can be used in Starbases as well)

Build
The exit path of a ship is specified by a node called Build or any hardpoint specified in the ODF. It will follow the Y-axis of the node.

Repair
The exit path of a ship is specified by a node called Repair or any hardpoint specified in the ODF. It will follow the Y-axis of the node.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starbases

Officer's Quarters are nodes in the Starbase's mesh. Most Starbase's have 6 Officer's Quarters but more can be specified in the ODF file if the mesh has more than 6. The OQ is a null node that is linked as a child to the Geometry node. You could stop there as that is all that is required. If you want any additional mesh to be built when you upgrade, link that mesh to the OQ node as a child. This does not add Polygons to the mesh as it is exported with the Starbase model.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(I recommend using JARDRAGON'S maxscript for setting up the hiearchy for both A1 and A2. It is a real time saver.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hierarchy Mode


Link these Nodes:

hp01, hp02....

To this Node:

Hardpoints

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_crew1 & e_steamsml_01

To this Node:

Life

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_crew2

To this Node:

Crew

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_crew3

To this Node:

Target

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_crew4 & s_sensor

To this Node:

Sensors

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_crew5

To this Node:

Shield

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_crew16 & e_ plasmamed_01

To this Node:

Engines

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

s_greenconstbig_01

To this Node:

Lights

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

Engines, Crew, Life, Target, Sensors,
Borg, & Shield

To this Node:

Damage

Also, a mesh can be used to show damage. The damage mesh needs to be arranged slightly above the area where the damage would show. Link the damaged mesh to the appropriate node as a child. This would not add Polygons to the model as it is exported with the main mesh.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armada1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Meshes and nodes:

(Main Mesh), Lod1, & Lod2

To this Node:

Geometry

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

Damage, Geometry, Hardpoints, and Lights

To this Node:

Root

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Borg assimilation textures)
Must make your own texture from bcruise1.tga or other Borg texture with an Alpha Channel, and Bglow1.tga .They must both be seperate meshes that cover the same space over the original mesh.These are the names of the meshes used in the standard v1.2 game:

Borgsmall, Borgsmallglow
Borgmed, Borgmedglow
Borgbig, Borgbigglow

Multiple meshes of the same size would be named like this:

Borgmed1, Borgmedglow1
Borgmed2, Borgmedglow2
Borgmed3, Borgmedglow3

The meshes with word glow in them need to be linked to the main borg mesh like this:

Borgmedglow1 will be linked to Borgmed1.

Then the main borg mesh will be linked to the Borg node like this:

Borgmed1 will be linked to the Borg node.

***An alternative to creating borg assimilation textures is to use borg sprites assigned in Damage.spr file. These sprites are created and positioned the same way as the damage sprites. These sprites will be attached to the Borg node. The borg sprites are:

s_assimbig
s_assimmedium
s_assimsmall


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Team Colors

After creating your mesh and it has been textured, select the faces that you want to have team color. These faces must be detached from the main mesh and renamed Team_???. Make a copy of the material and rename it Team_???. Assign this material to the detached faces. There is no need to unwrap the texture coordinates as these are retained from before detaching these faces.

These will be linked to the Geometry node.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armada2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

Lod1 & Lod2

To this Node:

Geometry

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link any Borg Meshes to this node: (If it is not a borg ship. Borg ships do not require any of these meshes)

Borg

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link these Nodes:

(Main Mesh)

To this Mesh:

Geometry

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This has been updated with MaP's use of Officer's Upgrades.

[cecilzero1]

ask Adam to see if u can put this in the new forum that was set up

[Bubba91873]

I second that!
Thanks for the info jokerplay!

[nOOb]

so can you edit these in storm 3d(A1)? If so how?

[MajorPayne]

Useful stuff JP. Moved. Although you missed out the OQ node which I posted about.

[JkerPlay]

Thanx MaP.
I will be sure to update for the Officers Quarters.

[JkerPlay]

Sorry for the double post. I have updated the Cheat Sheet above to include OQ's and some other small updates.

[pepperman]

JkerPlay,

This information is very, very useful. Thanks for thaking the time to compile it and sharing it with the rest of us.

One question, has anyone gotten the e_plasmamed_01 thingy to work in Milkshape. Whenever I have tried this all I end up exporting is the default cude. The e_plasmamed works fine but when I tack a numerical value on the end (i.e, _01, _02, etc) the exported model doesn't turn out (ie., default cube)

Regards,

Pepperman

[Terradyhne]

JkerPlay,

This information is very, very useful. Thanks for thaking the time to compile it and sharing it with the rest of us.

One question, has anyone gotten the e_plasmamed_01 thingy to work in Milkshape. Whenever I have tried this all I end up exporting is the default cude. The e_plasmamed works fine but when I tack a numerical value on the end (i.e, _01, _02, etc) the exported model doesn't turn out (ie., default cube)

Regards,

Pepperman

e_plasmamed_01 wont work, those nodes have to be all named e_plasmamed if you want to make more than one, this would cause the same thing if you name the node in max

[MajorPayne]

JkerPlay,

This information is very, very useful. Thanks for thaking the time to compile it and sharing it with the rest of us.

One question, has anyone gotten the e_plasmamed_01 thingy to work in Milkshape. Whenever I have tried this all I end up exporting is the default cude. The e_plasmamed works fine but when I tack a numerical value on the end (i.e, _01, _02, etc) the exported model doesn't turn out (ie., default cube)

Regards,

Pepperman

e_plasmamed_01 wont work, those nodes have to be all named e_plasmamed if you want to make more than one, this would cause the same thing if you name the node in max

Sorry to disagree with you terradyhne but I've added in the nodes using the numbered extension reference and it still exports fine.

[Terradyhne]

you are right if its set like this e_plasmamed_01 it should work but if its like this e_plasmamed01 than it dont work

[MajorPayne]

No need to add in the references in that manner. I tried, tested successfully and included in my tutorial that adding a numbered reference to the end works in this manner:

e_plasmasml_1
e_plasmasml_2

etc.etc

[nOOb]

i also agree with pepperman jkerplay, this is really really helpful

[Atlantis]

Ok, team colours, how do you do them?