Adding objects onto 3D Character Models

[Shaggy]

I am currently working on a brand new MOD/campiagn or whetever you want to
call it. I am asking to see if anyone could help me finding out if it is
possible and is it easy enough to add the following 3dobjects to an ofp
character model:

1) CowBoy Hat
2)Bandana
3)No Helmet or Head wear - Just a head
4) Handcuffs (for hostages handcuffed or tied with string)

And i am also looking for these aswell:

1) Minigun Weapon

2) Large Combat Knife

3) Ropes coming from Helicopter (BlackHawk) for soilders to slide down into
the forest or jungle)

4)How to edit the clothing of a soilder, I wish to give a soilder a T-shirt
with no army clothing, I did try the civilians but there clothes are really
lame.

I was also wondering if I can make a CGI (Cinematic) for the opening of my
MOD/Campiagn. I am really BIGTIME interested and I AM!!! going to release
this MOD and it WILL be a really great MOD and am sure you will all love it.

Before I can give you any information about the MOD i am also wondering how
can i copyright it or protect it in a way with the OFPEC or BiStudios
because I am terrified of someone stealing my idea.

Thanks for everyones help

Shaggy

[BraTTy]

You would have to make a soldier of your own with some hidden selections to do what you want to do.

But why should anyone help you? Stealing ideas? lol
I leave my models unbinarized for people to learn off.
You apparantly don't agree with that?

I don't believe in hiding discoveries or ideas,I share mine
Only way I know is to do it secretly, but sounds like you need help.
You want to use others ideas, but not share yours? blah

[Pathy]

Hehehe, i culd help easily, most of that is a peice of piss if u have a soldier model u want 2 modify already...however as bratty pointed out, why not share your ideas if you want us to help you...im not making stuff for something i dint know what it is  

[KTottE]

*Takes a stab in the dark and guesses it's a mod based on the movie Predator*

1) Custom items on units:
Possible, using O2. Learn how at the official forums and in here.

2) CGI:
I think you're lost on what CGI is.
CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) is what you can see used in movies such as Starship Troopers, Star Wars (Ep I and II), Lord of the Rings and numerous others.
If you want to make a 3D-animated intro-video for your MOD, go ahead, by all means.
As a fellow 3D-modeler and animator I encourage you.
But were you planning on putting it inside the game?
I'm afraid you're out of luck there, you can't put non-OFP things in OFP.
What you could do however is have the intro played during the installation, or including it as a simple movie file.


If your idea is original (I.E no-one has thought of it before) you could probably claim the copyright for it, but I hardly see that happening. If you do make custom content for your MOD, you have the copyright for that, but not the echonomic copyright. So you can't sell your stuff to people, all in accordance with the OFP EULA.

edit
And, if your MOD is based on the movie Predators you don't get any copyright for the idea...

[Shaggy]

I think everyone took me up wrong, i have posted on another topic on this forum and i said...that i am paraniod about someone creating this addon before i do. Sorry, once i successfully acomplish this addon YES people can take from it and i WILL share..its just that i am paraniod if someone makes this before i do.

kTottE: Man..you hit the nail on the head. Its Predator alright, you can see the title of it at my website: http://www.hacktech.freeserve.co.uk.

CGI: I was thinking of having the start of the movie Predator at the beginning of the campiagn. The part where predators ship departs and goes to earth. I can make the next scene myself, and already have. But i am making the faces for each character in the movie. I need to make the same clothes they wear also. And i would like to have some CGI [cut scenes from the film ruffly 10-20secs long]in between some missions.

I already downloaded Maya 4.5 PLE and O2 and I am struggling but it has to be done. I seriously aim to accomplish this addon. Could i have some advice on getting this addon copyrighted/protected so that no one else takes the idea. I dont mean to copyright it entirely, just so no one can make this addon but me because i want to do it for my future employers to look at when i go for a job designing games and thats in 4-5 years time after i graduate university.

I am not selling this addon, thats stupid. Its freeware just like every other addon

Please dont lock this topic as I am in serious need of help and i wish to start a team to work on it even though i said before about my future employers and all that. But after this addon is created i wish to make lots of missions and hopefully create new scripts for OFPEC because OFP is the only game i like to edit..as it is the best  

Edit:

*Spelling Corrections*

[Planck]

Sorry, but there is no way you can stop someone making a similar addon if they so wished.

Anyway, how would you enforce it, you don't own the copyrights to Aliens or Predator.


Planck

[Noon416]

Could i have some advice on getting this addon copyrighted/protected so that no one else takes the idea. I dont mean to copyright it entirely, just so no one can make this addon but me because i want to do it for my future employers to look at when i go for a job designing games and thats in 4-5 years time after i graduate university.

Sorry fella, but because you're already using an existing idea that someone else has copyrighted, its not legally possible in any way, short of owning the copyrights to Predator and the legal rights to OFP.

The best you can do in this situation is make the best darned Predator mod out there, so that any other attempts are lacklustre in comparison.
And if its good enough, those that were thinking of making their own mod will flock to yours instead to help out.

Also worth considering is 4-5 years is a very long time in the PC world.
By then, anything made in OFP now, will seem primitive compared with whats available then. (like what the original Quake is like compared to OFP now).
Not exactly showcase material for your employers in the future.

[KTottE]

For your 3D-ing needs I suggest going to:

www.3dlinks.com
www.3dcafe.com
www.eatpoo.com/phpBB2/index.php (3D-modeling section)

Look at what other people do, and try to recreate it. If you want a job as a 3D artist for a game developer, you should concentrate on making a demo-reel instead of addons for OFP. Of course, I don't want to stop you making addons for OFP, but do not use these for your demo-reel.
Instead try learning how to model low- to middle-polygon models, as this is what you see in computer games.
Low poly would be anywhere from 10 - 2000 polygons, and mid-poly would then go from 2000 - 8000.
Also, something that will be invaluable, is the capability of texturing your own models. As with the OFP community, the game development industry lacks good texture artists, and any modeler who can texture his own models immediately stands out in the heap of job applications.

Suggestions for a demo-reel:
Have one section dedicated to an original character you create. Create a character in both low and high-poly versions. Rig him using FK or IK, then place him in some different poses. That's with the high-poly one, render some stills of those poses, then use the low-poly version (also rigged) and make an/a few animations. Good ideas for animations include:
A scene, I.E "Character walks into a bar, walks over to the counter and orders a beer" or "Character fights Agent Smith on a rooftop". (Humor is a good one here, if you make it funny you're halfway in)
Sequences:
I.E make a walking animation that loops seemlessly, one for running, one for holding a gun and shooting it, one for putting away the gun and so on.

If you don't know how to animate or texture, learn
If a game dev can get a full package deal (modeler, texturer and animator in one) they'll be all the happier. After all, paying one wage to get the job of three is a killer deal

And like Noon said, 4-5 years is an eternity in the world of computers. I won't be surprised if low-poly is considered 5000+ in 5 years, and the world of texturing (shaders) grows by the minute, just look at HL2.

[Shaggy]

Thanks guys for replying with great information its really nice to see people care

I do agree with you both the gaming industry has evolved so much in the past 3 years nevermind 4-5 I played Doom (very first one) then i played OFP..and LOL..yes i really do know what you mean. Thanks for the links there much appreciated, after my college subjects i heard about a university in England that only specify in game dev. So..thats where i will be headed in the future.

Having all 3 gaming designing skills as you said is a great deal for any game dev and i wish to for-fill that as I love creating my own games and images. It is really hard to find a good texture creator as you said, i always thought taht a good idea for textures would be to take actaul pictures with a high quaulity camera and then extract it onto the image. Though i think they have already done that years ago

Those links will come nice and handy, i hope they have great and interesting tutorials. And I got the E3 preview of Half-life 2 and Halo 2 and also have the ALPHA of Doom3 for the last 2 months. I must say...it is amazing and i cant wait to see OFP2 and how the graphics and physics will be like in that...OMG..i cant wait  ;D

Thanks everyone :cheers: