Company of Heroes Model Exporter

Directories

There are three directories which are important when making & exporting models:

  • DataSrc\YourMod - Home to max scene files and raw textures (un-burnt files)
  • DataGeneric\YourMod - Home to the output of the model exporter script (semi-burnt files)
  • YourMod\Data, YourMod\DataArtHigh, YourMod\DataArtLow - Home to game loadable models (fully-burnt files)

DataSrc and DataGeneric are created during the installation of the burner tool. If they do not exist for your mod, then place Pipeliner into the root Company of Heroes folder and run it (or failing this, consult the Burner Tool documentation). Data, DataArtHigh and DataArtLow are created by Mod Studio when you create a mod. The Art ones are typically not used by modders, but will be used when using the model exporter.

Model files

Within the DataSrc folder, the directory structure has to be correct.


For environment models:

DataSrc\{modname}\Art\Models\Environment\{terrainsetname}\{modelname}

With {modname} being the name of your mod, {terrainsetname} being the name of the terrain set you wish the environment model to be part of and {modelname} being the name of the model. For example, an environment model called 'blue tree' for the terrain set 'strange trees' for the project 'My_Mod' would be located in:

DataSrc\My_Mod\Art\Models\Environment\Strange_Trees\Blue_Tree


For unit models:

DataSrc\{modname}\Art\Models\Races\{racename}\{unittype}\{modelname}

With {modname} being the name of your mod, {racename} being the name of the race you wish to add the unit model to, {modelname} being the type of unit (Soldiers, Vehicles or Buildings) and {modelname} being the name of the model. For example, an Axis building called 'house' for 'My_Mod' would be located in:

DataScr\My_Mod\Art\Models\Races\Axis\Buildings\house

Within the {modelname} folder, two folders must be created; 'Model' and 'Animations'. As the names suggest, the Model folder will contain the model data and the Animations folder will hold animations. The Model folder should contain a max file called 'Reference.max'. This file should have no animation, but all of the meshes, markers, bones and physics. The Animations folder should contain each animation in a seperate max file, for example, the idle animation would be in 'idle.max'.


Remember: Files names and paths should not contain spaces. Use underscores instead. Names are not case sensitive.


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