Black Shades Modding

Anything related to Wolfire Games and/or its products
User avatar
Dequire
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 12:28 am

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by Dequire » Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:26 pm

Agh.. Ah well.

If anyone ever gets any news, help, or ideas that could seriously help with this, then please feel free to contact me on a messenger.

[email protected]
[email protected] (Please note that I can't receive emails on this mail address, so please send it to another. [email protected] would be best.)
[email protected]

Or email me, whichever you like. This is more or less hopeless apparently, but, I'd still love to do this. Even if you only have a positive working import/export system, email with it and I'll give you credit, and at the least I'll be able to modify the in-game models and such. Please and thank you in advance. For now, this topic will probably die, and this'll be the last bump. Sad to see it go, but, it happens. Oh well.

User avatar
Korban3
Posts: 4146
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 9:14 pm
Location: 42nd St E, Hell

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by Korban3 » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:48 pm

I feel bad about letting it go and all. But I'll keep my eyes open for any info and e-mail you if I find anything.

User avatar
melchips
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by melchips » Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:38 pm

Hello everyone,

I have made a C program to convert solid files to obj files.
I haven't implemented the other way round (obj->solid).

The results in blender (sniper rifle has been scaled down) :
Image

Image

Source code and usage info is available on github
Note : textures are not supported in solid files.

You can download precompiled binaries of this command line tool for GNU/Linux 64bits and Windows here.

User avatar
LordMetalhead
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:04 pm
Location: Britain

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by LordMetalhead » Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:22 pm

melchips wrote:Hello everyone,

I have made a C program to convert solid files to obj files.
You freaking genius. :shock:
It's probably nothing special to a "l33tzor Pr0gr4mer" but I can't program, so it's pretty amazing.

Good job. :)

User avatar
melchips
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by melchips » Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:10 am

Thanks :wink:

I guess we all have knowledge in a particular field.
I may know a little about coding, but I won't be able to make good 3d models...so let's count on artistic skills of other people :D

The hardest part now is o implement obj->solid conversion to let people start modding for this game.
Hopefully I will have something working in the next few days...

User avatar
melchips
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by melchips » Sun Apr 07, 2013 6:16 am

There is a new version available that can now convert back OBJ to solid :D

I haven't tested the tool thoroughly, sorry for the bugs you may experience.

The main issue is that QUADS are not yet supported, you will have to force triangulation in Blender OBJ export options.

Please note that solid meshes can't have more than 1200 vertices and 400 triangles without altering and recompiling the Black Shades sourcecode.

Example in-game (a simple UV-sphere added as head and a Glock-17 made by tigg) :
Image

Source code and usage info is available on github.

Link to a precompiled version for GNU/Linux 64bits and Windows :
Download version 0.3a here.

User avatar
baldwinkids6
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:22 am

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by baldwinkids6 » Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:48 pm

Could you make this compatible with Mac please!

User avatar
melchips
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by melchips » Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:54 pm

It doesn't seem trivial to actually cross-compile it for Osx (especially because I can't test the results).
I'll see what I can do, but in the meantime, you could run the precompiled version with wine-bottler (as you did for Black Shades).

TimTheSauropod
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:11 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by TimTheSauropod » Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:17 pm

I can't for the life of me figure out how to make the damn converter work.

I run the .exe that's in the folder, a small black box pops up and then, quicker than I can read what it says, it disappears again.

Can anyone explain how the use it?

TimTheSauropod
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:11 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by TimTheSauropod » Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:22 pm

Alright, I've got the .exe running, but whenever I try to use it it tells me it can't load the Solid. How and where should the files be set up? And should I include the file type when typing it in?

User avatar
melchips
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by melchips » Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:30 pm

It's a command line tool, you will need to open a prompt (run cmd.exe on Windows) or create a batch file.

You can see the usage information in the github page.

Basically, you have to provides arguments for the command.

To convert from a solid file to an obj file, type something like :

Code: Select all

solid2obj sniperrifle.solid sniperrifle.obj sniperrifle.mtl
Warning : sniperrifle.obj and sniperrifle.mtl will be overwritten !

To convert from an obj file to a solid file, type :

Code: Select all

solid2obj sniperrifle.obj sniperrifle.solid
Warning : sniperrifle.solid will be overwritten !

gamermaster786
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:37 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by gamermaster786 » Tue Jun 11, 2013 2:15 pm

hi
i got some great ideas....
you could make this like a GTA game but with more squares ;)

you should add more characters in the game e.g different mafia members, dealers and police.(you can make it that once you kill a certain amount of people, cops come after YOU instead of your boss)

you should make extra challenges such as. kill someone (hitman) or deliver something safely ( like money or drugs).

you should also make cars (nothing complicated or that has to look good just something you can ride on and shoot out of) for getaways and later on ( in another version) you could add more veichles e.g motorbikes, boats

add stores so you can upgrade on guns (dont bother on ammo), so you just start with a hand gun but you later on upgrade (this adds more of an aim to the game instead of just repeating levels) you get the money when you kill people (points)

for weapons i reccomend more explosives like basookas, granede launchers and sticky bombs. also a big badass machine gun (like the one on predator XD) and for fun a retractable harpoon XD

a side map would be cool that shows you were to go. and like you said more buildings would be awesome.

you could add a story line like you work for a gangster as a body gaurd and you got to protect him from police, mafias or hitmans

later on another version you can add more sits e.g parks, ports

this would make it a great game for people that want more gangster an mafia games (there arent that many) and for people with old computers that cant run huge games...

i hope you like my ideas... XD

gamermaster786
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:37 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by gamermaster786 » Fri Jun 14, 2013 2:46 pm

ok
i've been working my ass off on modding this game (i also asked permision)
i've got the source code but i've hit a wall.
here are a few problems i've encountered while modding this:

im trying to open the .solid files on bender but it wont work.... i cant use that .solid to .obj thing cause im on a mac and winebottler doesnt work on my computer for some reason.

im on a mac so i have no idea what to open the animation files with and the basic figure file with

if any1 knows how to fix any of theres problems i would appreciate it alot

User avatar
Ylvali
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:04 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by Ylvali » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:03 am

Make a bootcamp windows or linux partition and convert the files in that, then either use blender for windows or move the files back to your OSX partition and work on them there.

gamermaster786
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:37 pm

Re: Black Shades Modding

Post by gamermaster786 » Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:18 am

Make a bootcamp windows or linux partition and convert the files in that, then either use blender for windows or move the files back to your OSX partition and work on them there.
thanks

Post Reply