Coming Soon to Planet Coaster: Thememaker's Toolkit
- Thread starter Bo Marit
- Start date
I haven't been through the whole thread and i don't know if anyone has already suggested this but it would be nice if we (well people who can actually use the toolkit) would have access to the items already created and have the option of re scaling the items has a the size of objects is a big problem in PC
So....the theme maker's tool kit....anyone out there doing "water" themed stuff?.....Hawaiian, Polynesian, waterpark themed scenery pieces, animatronics? Just curious for those of us who love water, 
[big grin]
[big grin]
disclaimer: my opinion throughout, I'm not a pro 3D modeler.
This is PlanCo's Half Prolate Spheroid 5 - Extra Large, base upward. It has 20 edges around the base, which is sharp -- the rest of it's pretty smooth, despite being low-poly. So it looks like PlanCo is using smooth shading, with some way of exempting what needs a sharp crease -- pretty standard for 3D games and programs.
In Blender (and similarly in many 3D programs and game engines) there are two main ways to do this -- I made a spheroid to demonstrate:
Mine has 130 polygons (all quads), and (like PlanCo's) 20 edges around the base. If I select the base edges and have Blender "Mark Sharp" then my spheroid's smooth-shaded except around the base, which has a nice sharp crease. But would it import that way into PlanCo?
The other way is to run a couple edge-loops around the base, close to where it should crease sharply (aka "proximity loops", "holding loops", etc):
This is more likely to import prettily regardless, but it ups the polygon count (adds 40 here), which burns more resources when it's used in the game -- as a general rule, anytime you can get what you're going for with fewer polys, you should. Which brings up the question: will we be able to import models with some form of "Mark Sharp" in them?
For those trying to get importable stuff ready for whenever the Thememaker's Toolkit goes live, this is a question it'd be really helpful to have answered ASAP. It's not just impatience, it changes how we're modeling.
This is PlanCo's Half Prolate Spheroid 5 - Extra Large, base upward. It has 20 edges around the base, which is sharp -- the rest of it's pretty smooth, despite being low-poly. So it looks like PlanCo is using smooth shading, with some way of exempting what needs a sharp crease -- pretty standard for 3D games and programs.
In Blender (and similarly in many 3D programs and game engines) there are two main ways to do this -- I made a spheroid to demonstrate:
Mine has 130 polygons (all quads), and (like PlanCo's) 20 edges around the base. If I select the base edges and have Blender "Mark Sharp" then my spheroid's smooth-shaded except around the base, which has a nice sharp crease. But would it import that way into PlanCo?
The other way is to run a couple edge-loops around the base, close to where it should crease sharply (aka "proximity loops", "holding loops", etc):
This is more likely to import prettily regardless, but it ups the polygon count (adds 40 here), which burns more resources when it's used in the game -- as a general rule, anytime you can get what you're going for with fewer polys, you should. Which brings up the question: will we be able to import models with some form of "Mark Sharp" in them?
For those trying to get importable stuff ready for whenever the Thememaker's Toolkit goes live, this is a question it'd be really helpful to have answered ASAP. It's not just impatience, it changes how we're modeling.
Last edited:
I agree! Which is why I'd like this question answered ASAP -- although proximity loops are usually considered preferable for art renders (there's pretty much no such thing as a perfectly creased edge in the real world), in gaming they're usually too costly in terms of poly count (and may have other issues, as you noted). Frontier can apparently do whatever the Maya version of "Mark Sharp" is on their models in PlanCo, but they can do a lot of things that we won't be able to -- will we be able to use this, or are we stuck with proximity loops?
Last edited:
I just tested importing a smooth/flat shaded model from Blender into Maya and it kept the edges the same. So having smooth and sharp edges in Blender should work with Thememaker’s Toolkit. If sharp edges don’t work for whatever reason, in Blender you can use the “Edge Split” modifier or in edit mode select the edges then use “V” key.
Appreciate the check, but Blender into Maya doesn't necessarily equal Blender into PlanCo. Also, once you apply Edge Split the model becomes non-manifold -- all models in PlanCo appear to be manifold, is that a requirement? We don't know yet.
I'm not saying "want the Thememaker's Toolkit NOW!" But there's basic info on what PlanCo wants models to be that it'd be really helpful if we had now instead of best-guess, like how it handles exceptions to its smooth shading. It could be they saved on resources by using a universal angle cut-off (everything more acute than X degrees left sharp, more oblique gets smoothing). If so, knowing that cut-off number would be really helpful when modeling. Yeah, some things could change before this goes live, but "subject to change" disclaimers are a thing.
They are called smoothing groups, and they are one of the oldest features of 3d modeling. if it somehow doesn't carry them into the game at first it will be because of an importing bug that will be fixed.
I think at the moment it's not sure if Blender models are supported by the toolmakers toolkit at all. So I fear it's a bit too early to ask for specific conditions for Blender models.
I really hope that Blender will be supported by the toolmaker's tollkit. But I think we will have to wait quite a while to know for sure.
I really hope that Blender will be supported by the toolmaker's tollkit. But I think we will have to wait quite a while to know for sure.
I think at the moment it's not sure if Blender models are supported by the toolmakers toolkit at all. So I fear it's a bit too early to ask for specific conditions for Blender models.
I really hope that Blender will be supported by the toolmaker's tollkit. But I think we will have to wait quite a while to know for sure.
I agree, which is why I didn't ask for that. I'm asking for Frontier to give us some more basic info about what PlanCo wants its models to be, info they have right now and don't have to translate for what the Thememaker's Toolkit's going to be able to do. Some copy'n'paste out of their PlanCo bible would probably cover this, it shouldn't be that hard. I'm an abysmally slow modeler, but there are plenty of people getting stuff ready to import now, and some currently answerable questions in this topic and elsewhere on the forums. It'd be really helpful IMHO if Frontier gave us this info soonest.
Ah, okay, I got what you mean and I agree. This would be really helpful.
Joël
Volunteer Moderator
Nothing has been said about exporting existing assets from the game. However, since game assets are copyrighted I am guessing that exporting them won’t be possible with the Thememaker’s Toolkit.
I try. Ist possible. But you need some Tools to extract it. That is not allowed.
I want to look about the characters informations. Ist difficult.
I want to look about the characters informations. Ist difficult.
Joël
Volunteer Moderator
Yes, technically it is possible to extract assets from the game, just like with RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, but it requires knowledge of the file format of Planet Coaster, and it is not officially supported at this time, so any one that wants to extract assets from the game will have to develop their own tools to do so.
Having said the above, Planet Coaster is copyrighted and there's a TOS for the game.
I'm hoping that the toolkit includes a thorough range of non-DLC scenery pieces, building walls & roofs, and animatronics so we can study the topology & design, and better coordinate with existing content.
Joël
Volunteer Moderator
Frontier will be publishing user guides on the Thememaker's Toolkit website once that is ready to launch.
Let's hope that those guides include guidelines for creating scenery that conforms with the art style and dimensions of in-game objects of Planet Coaster.