scenery importer tutorial

[jonwil]

here is a simple tutorial for the scenery importer, it doesnt cover a few things like texture sharing/references and a couple other things but it covers the basics.

Firstly, get the latest version
http://users.tpgi.com.au/adsloptd/rct3imp111.zip
and the example .sid files
http://users.tpgi.com.au/adsloptd/sids.zip

Open the importer
You should see this dialog

Select which theme you want this to be (this determines which icon it appears under)
and what name to call your theme (this should be reasonably unique to prevent clashes with other themes with the same name)
Next, press the "scenery" button
Then press "add"
You should see this dialog, we will come back to all that soon.

Then press "Create OVL"
You should see this dialog

now press "open ASE file"
Then open your ASE file.
Now press "add texture"
You should see this dialog.

Type in a texture name.
Open the texture file (and the alpha file if you have an alpha texture) and set the recolorable settings.
Do this for all your textures.
Next, select the entries in the "mesh list" and for each of them press "mesh flags".
You should see this dialog.

If you do not want the mesh to be imported, press "dont import mesh" (meshes called root are automatically set to "dont import mesh")
Select which texture and texture style you want for the mesh as well as any other settings you want to change.
Once you have done this for EVERY mesh, go to the file menu and select "save scenery file". Save the .scn file. If there are meshes that DONT have a texture and texture style, there will be problems.
Now, press "save scenery ovl" and save the scenery ovl file. (one warning, once you create the scenery ovl, do not rename the ovl file, if you want a different name go back to "save scenery ovl" again and save under a different name)
Then close the "create scenery" dialog.
If you have more ovl files to create, repeat the above process.
You will be back at the "edit scenery settings" dialog
press "cancel" for now and close the scenery settings dialog.
then press "icon textures" and "add"
You will see this dialog.

give the icon texture a name and open the texture file (a RGB or RGBA PNG file)
If you want, you can have more than one icon texture. but be aware that each icon texture takes up RAM so dont use more than you need.
Next, go back to the main window and press "Icon References" and "add"
You will see this dialog

Give the icon reference a name, select the icon texture for it to use and fill in the top, left, bottom and right items.
These items represent a rectangle from the texture that will be used as an icon.
If you want more than one icon, add them all now.
now press "text strings" and "add"
You will see this dialog

fill in the text and name for the text string.
Do this for all the text strings.
Now, go back and press "scenery" and "add"
Press "select ovl" and select your scenery ovl.
Then fill in the location within the theme, group and scenery icon and string (press "disable group" if you dont want it to be in a scenery group). Fill in "cost" and "refund". And select "supports type". For all the other fields, you can fill them in manually or open one of the .sid files I dumped from stock items (and then tweak manually if you want). Press "open SID" to open a .sid file.
Once all the fields are filled in, you can press "ok".
Repeat this for all your scenery items.
Then go back to the main window and select "file-save theme file" and save the .thm file for your theme.
Then you can press "install theme" to install the theme.
Now open RCT3 and see your new scenery im the scenario editor.

If you have any questions or anything isnt clear enough, let me know and I will try to clarify.

[Pyros]

Very nice job, makes it even easier to use

[marnetmar]

Thanks for the info Jonwil, I know this will help a lot of people.

[sebar]

Thanks if you can.

[nicknam_4]

what is an ASE?

[marnetmar]

Originally posted by nicknam_4
what is an ASE?

It's a model file nickham, if you have 3dsMax you can export in this format to use with Jonwil's importer program. If you don't have 3dsMax, you need to convert the file with the Biturn converter program to this format.

[Jamie P]

Why is it when ever I go to the save scenary OVL the program crashes and comes up with "This program has encounted an error and needs to close"

[tikitiki]

^^ same here. Perhaps the tutorials will enlighten me

[shapiro]

Hi! Jonwil,


I readed those Scenery Editer adn these tutorial. I don't understand.. Let me try find to these pics for step. I can't find "ASE" in open file. And I don't know what's it "example sid file" ????
here is a simple tutorial for the scenery importer, it doesnt cover a few things like texture sharing/references and a couple other things but it covers the basics.

Firstly, get the latest version
http://users.tpgi.com.au/adsloptd/rct3imp111.zip
and the example .sid files
http://users.tpgi.com.au/adsloptd/sids.zip



I little confused... Anyone able to help me with chat messenger for explain me. I just learning it

Please....



Alec

[iceatcs]

I have updated Klinn's old tutorial,
Now it is attend the new orders from many new features of JonWil's new Importer.

Hope it is easy to read.
http://www.iceatcs.co.uk/RCT3/Tutori...rogramV111.htm

[shapiro]

iceatcs,

I'm gladed you get other new tutorial. I readed those Importer. I little understand right now. But. I don't know what's it one thing " ASE" and REDBOX? I can't find it. where I can get it? And so I'm not sure those 3D editer or 3D max mmmm?? I'm not sure. But I have a Gmax.....

Let me know more clear information..


Alec

[iceatcs]

Redbox is an example for in the tutorial... you need to make one for to follow the redbox in the tutorial to get success imported. Of course, you don't have to be naming as redbox,


For ASE,

You need to save the ASE of your model before you start the Jonwil's Importer v11.1
Get the ASE file, you might need to convert to the right format,
BUT, i dunno about Gmax, so I dunno if you can export ASE file by Gmax.
If can then it will be easy way, but if not you need to convert by other program for you.
I used Biturn for convert the 3D model file and it is free... Try search on Google 'Biturn' and normally it is on the top list.

In Biturn,
If you can't export ASE in Gmax, You can save any other 3D format like 3DS, which it is better.
Then use biturn for 3DS to convert ASE. That's it!

[shapiro]

I understood everything.. Let me look at Biturn for search..



Thank you very much!


Alec

[shapiro]

Originally posted by shapiro
I understood everything.. Let me look at Biturn for search..



Thank you very much!


Alec

[shapiro]

I'm not sure those Biturn in search. I see those many Biturns.

I don't know which's one. Pls give me find it. I may click link for me.



Alec

[iceatcs]

Biturn webpage Look at the 2nd list - Biturn

Direct Link for download Biturn v0.85

http://mirex.mypage.sk/FILES/bi085.rar

[shapiro]

I got it!

Oh no! These have to with 3D studio max... But I haven't get those yet..

Let me try send to Gmax support email. Find out They will send me email. If not.. I could get it 3D studio max as soon..

I understand everything right now. oh shot!!!!


It's 3Dstudio max have to pay$$$$$$$$????


Alec

[SixFootGeek]

I don't understand the structure of the themes and icons. Can you explain them in more detail please?

(edit) Never Mind!

SixFootGeek

[W1ckeD]

When i say Save Scenery OVL
It says: No Meshes to export.
But i clicked
Dont import mesh

In the mesh list is a word: Box01

Can some one help me?

Edit: I maked a new one and i called it Logo
Now it says by meshes: logo
But when i click Mesh flags i dont understand what i need to fill in there

[jonwil]

That error means that you told it not to import any of the meshes from your 3D file (which means there is no geometry to put into the output ovl file)

As for the mesh flags, it should be reasonably obvious what the settings do, just play around with them.

[W1ckeD]

Ok got it
Edit Scenery settings:

I need to select a Scenery icon but there is no Scenery icon!
I made one but it's not on that list

When i click ok
It doesn't save it

[W1ckeD]

When i add a Icon Textures it says: Icon Texture not square True color image with heigt /width a power of 2
What to do?

And i don't understand the Icon References

Can some one help me please?

[Gibdo]

True color would mean its 24-bit. (eg. 24-bit Bitmap)

A power of 2 means just that. (eg. n²) The texture I assume would have to be square. So make you images 2x2, 4x4, 8x8, 16x16, and so on. I made mine 64x64.

[iceatcs]

True color would mean its 24-bit. (eg. 24-bit Bitmap)

only for lowest version of jonwil import like 10 or lower.

[W1ckeD]

Ok got 11 now but it's still saying it

I can't make Icon Texture and i don't understand the icon references.

That's all i need to know!

[uncle_adolph]

Originally posted by jonwil
Once you have done this for EVERY mesh, go to the file menu and select "save scenery file". Save the .scn file.

^ I can't find a file menu or a save scenery file button... Only save scenery OVL....

-Ben

[Gibdo]

Originally posted by W1ckeD

Ok got 11 now but it's still saying it

I can't make Icon Texture and i don't understand the icon references.

That's all i need to know!

Your Icon files have to be in PNG format. Assuming you have Windows XP, then MS Paint will do that for ya, so you don't need any special program or anything.

The Icon references is where you reference your icon. To save space, its good to have one icon image. To take up less memory. You typically want a little picture of the scenery piece for each one of your pieces. When you create a icon file, you can create one that is say 512x512, like this.


This is an icon file created by Battor77. *Hope you don't get mad for me using it

In your Icon references, you give names to each icon and its location in the icon image. The Logo's top left pixel is 0,0 and the bottom right pixel is 63,63. The next image of the wizard hat is 64,0 and 127,63.

When you set up your scenery file, you just pick among the names to show which each piece looks like. This method is much better then having a small 64x64 PNG file for each and every piece you have. Hope that clears things up.

uncle_adolph, If your using v11.1 then the file menu its referring to is in the same Window where you create the OVL. You have the Save Scenery OVL button that you're referring to, then in the uper left corner is the File Menu that has the Save Scenery File in it.

[marnetmar]

I'm still getting errors for the icons, I've tried every kind of png format I can make & still get the error that it's not a png file. I've made them with Paint & also with Photoshop & everything gives the same error.

[jonwil]

marnetmar, can you send me some examples of the PNG files that my program wont recognize?

[marnetmar]

Originally posted by jonwil
marnetmar, can you send me some examples of the PNG files that my program wont recognize?

I have 1 left that wasn't working that is a 24bit png file Jonwil, I deleted the others already. I'm not sure what happened but it saved at 4.12kb & I got one working that saved at 4.44kb. I'll e-mail it to you.