Making SketchUp models brighter ingame

[Puma06111991]

Okay. This tutorial is for SketchUppers, because SU-models usually turn out very dark ingame, even if they're prelighted. In this tutorial I'll show you how to fix this. No worries, it's super easy.

 

Step 1. Import your model into 3dsMax. First we check if your textures are still OK. Push the F10-button and click on "Render". If you don't get an error about missing textures and a render, you continue to step 2. It is possible that you get an error. In the error-screen you can see the names of the missing textures. First you need to check if your .3ds and your textures are in the same folder. If so, be sure that the names of the textures in SketchUp are the same as the .bmp:

 

 

If this is allright and you still get an error when trying to render, you click "browse" in the error-screen, click on "add", search the folder where the textures are, double-click on one of the textures and click on "OK". Now the names of the missing textures in the error-screen should be gone. Click "Continue" and check out the render with the (hopefully) textured model.

 

Step 2. Push the m-button on your keyboard to open the material-editor. Click one of the spheres, click the pipette and then click on your model:

 

 

You'll get a list of all textures that your model uses. The second-to-last 'thingie' in every line is a square with a color. Click on this square, put the color all up to white and click "OK". This must be done for all textures. Screen:

 

 

If that's done, you select your model and click "Assign material to selection" in the material-editor-screen:

 

 

Your model will turn white in the viewport and you won't see any changes on the renders, but ingame it should be as white as the original SA-models. This doesn't only work for map objects, but also for peds, weapons and vehicles.

 

You're done! After this you just export your model as usually. If you want to prelight if first, you can do that now. Remember, this works for all kinds of models in SA.

[_Rob_]

Ahh finally i always wondered why, it never happens when you do a full map but on individual files it does, thanks puma very helpful this is one i will surely use

[Spider-Vice]

f*ck. I'm a a Sketchupper and now I know why it never appeared decently in game. Sometimes it appears only with white textures for some reason and everything is on the txd.

[Wonderbro]

Nice, there's more and more tutorials for Sketchuppers lately.

[Puma06111991]

Ok, but has any of you guys tried it out already?

[kal-el5676]

my models actually usually turn out pretty bright, but this is good to know.

[Puma06111991]

Well than you could try to set the diffuse color ( "the colored square's" ) a bit less bright, a greytone.

[ParoXum]

Have you any pic with before/after ingame ? I'm eager to know, but almost sure this trick doesnt change a thing.

[Puma06111991]

Sure. Ped:

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Works for me...

[supermortalhuman]

You get a brighter model, but you don't get any shadows or definition. Since you're going into max you ought to light the models. You can do that with tutorials on here (I think in that lighting release ParoXum made that led me here you didn't have a new enough version) and lots of tutorials online about how to setup a radiosity. There is one in the hosted section, under myriad islands that will give info and tutorials here that extend it to action too.

 

Also, I think that lighting solution in the myriad section is for max 7.

 

Edit: I see now, you are clearing colors sketchup puts on the vertex before applying light. nice fix.

Edited June 27, 2009 by supermortalhuman

[_Rob_]

hmmn tried it on a ped and no change look exactly the same, im confused

[ParoXum]

It does work on PEDs because peds can export (& use) a value of diffuse color like vehicles (what you're changing here) since they're dynamically lit objects.

 

This definately wont work on map objects which are totally static for the lighting part. The equation for the prelighting which does not take in consideration the diffuse value of the objects materials :

 

It's simply a product around these : Vcol*TextureSourceCol

 

[JostVice]

This definately wont work on map objects which are totally static for the lighting part. The equation for the prelighting which does not take in consideration the diffuse value of the objects materials :

 

Actually, it will work, and it can brighten up the model, but its cheating. Watch out for how the ambient colors will multiply by the diffuse colors when ingame, on differents timecycs

 

Anyway, use vertex colors, leave diffuse colors gray

[ParoXum]

Yeah it will work, until you use proper vertex color assignment. Which will overwrite those.

 

Also timecyc is another thing. It's something modulated by the game. But yeah the equation could look more like this :

 

TexSrc*Vcol*TimeCycDiffCol..

 

 

Puma: i'd like to see it confirmed on static objects tho, and static objects using prelighting

Edited June 30, 2009 by ParoXum

[Puma06111991]

Check my colosseum then

[_Rob_]

Any idea why it didn't work on my ped then?

[supermortalhuman]

I think maybe you forgot to check "vcol" in the script, maybe?

[_Rob_]

vcol isn't mentioned in the tut, when do i do it and how

[JostVice]

vcol is used to export Vertex Color data. if you didn't assign any vertex color, the vertex color are most likely to be white (bright model)

[_Rob_]

Nope my models too dark

[OrgesProductions]

Sure. Ped:

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Works for me...

textures are sweet but 3d models not great