YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZx2h...Zx2ha5q0Oo
The video above is a short version of the Tutorial, which covers the basics of making equipment, so please watch it before reading this guide, as explaining things twice might be good in this case.
This Guide works for every version of Pro Cycling Manager
Important Notice
We at PCMdaily's Database Team are currently looking for fresh new equipment designers, as we're in the progress of making 2016 models for the upcoming for PCM2016. This tutorial might hopefully spawn at least one new equipment maker out there, so please contact me or Haasje for more information if you're interested in helping out!
sgdanny's Guide on Equipment
1. Knowing the Basics
Each type of equipment that you find in the game (Frame, Wheels, Glasses and Helmets have one thing in common and that is they use the same file setup. This means they have 4 files located in C:/Game Folder/3D/Cyclists/Equipments. Throughout this guide we will refer these files as the NIF, D, N and S-file.
The NIF File
The NIF file is the 3D model which each specific type of equipment is based on. When making equipment we use the NIF files currently in hand, so learning how to make NIF files is not something that is needed. The NIF file then decides the shear shape of each model and therefore the D,N and S files will have a sligh variety between each other.
The D file
This is the bread and butter part of making equipment and this is the file which features the graphics you will see in the game and each D file is unique to one another based on their NIF files. You will spend the most time on this file and figuring out each type of equipment is what seperates equipment making from jersey making.
One important thing to notice is that because each file is different, this means the D file will be scattered into bits and only feature parts of the equipment into small areas of the 1024x1024 pixel file. One last thing to notice is that because Frames have to sides, the frame will be split into mirrored parts between each part of the Frame ( as shown in the picture downbelow)
The green arrows showcase that the above is correct and that you must adapt to every type of model and I advice you to use the Cyclist Editor to help you locate where the edges of the D file will go from one part of the equipment to another.
The N file
In short you will never have to edit this file, but I can say that this file is what brings shadows on the in game model and also what parts of the equipment lightning reflects on in the game.
The S file
Say your teams kit has a different team colour than the one used by default in the equipment and you would like to have your team colour instead on a specific part of the equipment, then that is what the S file is for. Simply mark the shapes on the D file and copy/paste on the S file of the same pixels size, then make the shape plain white (this will tell the game that autocolor must be filed here)
Of course you don't want to have the whole equipment covered by the autocolor, so the areas you don't want autocolor you add either Black or Green with low opacity and the game will not add autocolor on that specific part.
2. Naming the Equipment
It is hard to come around the fact that equipment is named rather weird, well allow me to explain.
Frm Road Race Frame
FTT Time Trial Frame
Gls Glasses
Hlm Road Race Helmet
HTT Time Trial Helmet
Whl Road Race Wheel
WTT Time Trial Wheel
Now follow this with an "_" and you will now add a 6 letter abbreviation of the brand your equipment has. Then add another "_" and here its recommended to add "XXXXXX", but you can also use a 6 letter model name. Then followed by "_" then the number (starts from 00 to 01 etc.) and finally the D,N or S (depending on which file you're editing)
Example
I have a Road Race frame with Jorbi as sponsor and the model is named TTTest (and I'm editing the D file), the name of the file will be Frm_JorbiX_TTTest_00_D
The D, N and S files are saved in dds. format and put into it's respective folder depending on what type the equipment is. To save dds files with Photoshop, you'll need to download and install Nvidia Texture Tools.
3. So what about the other Types?
In short making equipment is about adapting between every model and equipment type. Say we compare a Frame with a Wheel, the two is usually split up by the Frame being on smaller bits and usually being more prominent in terms of size and use of logos. Then Wheels will be whole files where you have to bend logos more and make shapes fitting a round setup.
This part is where you figure out how good you are at a specific type of equipment and this is something I cannot teach you, this is all up to yourself.
Hope you liked the Tutorial and maybe it just helped you understand how the process of making equipment is done.
Edited by haasje33 on 08-07-2018 22:34
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