Converting UK Signs

[penguinaz]

I know that the Promods team has converted many of the old sign systems to the new sign system. For example, Iceland signs have recently been converted to the new sign system according to the development thread.

In my map, I require UK signs., but sadly, neither SCS nor Promods have converted these to the new sign format.
I would like to ask the team, how can I convert UK signs to the new sign format? Is it easy or is it very hard?

[MandelSoft]

You do need a particular set of skills for the conversion:
1. You need to know how the modeling software works, like Blender or Zmodeler, because you need to change some hookups for the models need to be changed to a reference ot an editable sign area hookup and some picture elements need to be removed.
2. You need to know how to work with ETS 2 definition format to define the new objects and to define the new hookups for editable sign areas.
3. You need some skills with graphical tools to make image sheets with image objects for your signs. You also need to make an "atlas" definition file that will describe which part of the image is used for what element.
4. You need to prepare the fonts for the signs. Fortunately, we did this for you already, since we converted every font that's used in Europe already.

This is a VERY global description what is required for sign conversion. So yeah, it's not just a flip of a switch...

[penguinaz]

Okay I am familiar with most of that stuff. Except, Zmodeler. After I load the old sign into Zmodeller, what parts of it must I change?

[MandelSoft]

Try to open one of the SCS editable sign models and see how these are set up. I'd keep a close eye on the names of the hookup dummy nodes, because they are important.

[cristakey]

Try to open one of the SCS editable sign models and see how these are set up. I'd keep a close eye on the names of the hookup dummy nodes, because they are important.

I'm interested in it too, but I prefer working on Blender. What should I do to create an editable space? Just a textured blank space of a sign?

[ScuL]

I'm not sure if you can achieve the same thing in Blender. It's very important the sign hookups are correctly configured, and I am not sure if Blender supports it

[MandelSoft]

Blender supports it; I made my first editable signs in Blender; the most important thing is that your hookup name references to a valid sign area item. And if the hookup you want doesn't have the correct size, make a new hookup with a new name.

I'm interested in it too, but I prefer working on Blender. What should I do to create an editable space? Just a textured blank space of a sign?

You do need to model the full sign (with an empty sign face, just like any other editable sign), but the editable area is just a hookup dummy object.

[cristakey]

Blender supports it; I made my first editable signs in Blender; the most important thing is that your hookup name references to a valid sign area item. And if the hookup you want doesn't have the correct size, make a new hookup with a new name.

I'm interested in it too, but I prefer working on Blender. What should I do to create an editable space? Just a textured blank space of a sign?

You do need to model the full sign (with an empty sign face, just like any other editable sign), but the editable area is just a hookup dummy object.

Thanks, but I didn't fully understand what hookup is. Can you tell me?

[MandelSoft]

A hookup is a dummy object in Blender or ZModeler that refer to an effect or special item in-game. Hookups are used for:
- Sign overlays (old system)
- Sign editable areas (new system)
- Particle generators (e.g. smoke)
- Light sources and flares
- Truck addons (like grills, mirrors and such)
- Wheels

All these hookups have an item name. The hookups are defined in "/unit/hookup/" in SII files. Take a look there in the base of the standard game and see how these are defined.

[penguinaz]

THanks, I'm currently trying to figure it out but I think I will get it.

You said Promods made a font for every country. Where can I find these? I need one for UK