3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Patchmaking tutorials for NBA 2K13.

3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:06 am

This is a very basic tutorial and will not be covering the ins and outs of modeling and techniques. If any CF patchers would be gracious enough to share their techniques it would be much appreciated.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlX5y_yVuaI
phpBB [video]


____________________________________________________________________

FIrst off you need to download the following.

(if needed) Java - http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

NBA2KX Mod Tool (2K12 Supported)

Blender 2.49b - http://download.blender.org/release/Blender2.49b/ (you want "blender-2.49b-windows.exe")

Python 2.6.2 - http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.6.2/

As you may have noticed, those are the old versions of Python and Blender. I was unable to get the import/export scripts working in the latest version of Blender and that Python version is what worked for me in 2K10. If anyone gets the newer versions working, please let me know.

____________________________________________________________________


Install Python, and once that is finished install Blender. When Blender Is Installing it will ask you where you want to have stuff stored, either in appdata, the program directory, or some other place. For simplicity and accessibility, I chose the program directory (i.e program files). This choice will affect where you put the mod tool scripts.

After Blender is installed, extract the Mod Tool to a directory of your choosing. In that rar file there are two .py files called ble_n2km_export and ble_n2km_import. Copy those two .py files and place them in the Scripts folder for Blender. That location depends on where you installed the data during the Blender installation.

The Blender's Scripts Folder, (.blender/scripts) will be in either,
C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\.blender\scripts
or it will be in,
for XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\Brendon\Application Data\\Blender Foundation\Blender\.blender\scripts
For Vista/Win7:
C:\Users\Brendon\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\.blender\scripts

Once the py files are in the proper folder we can actually start playing with 3D Models.

The rest of this tutorial is copy and pasted from 2K10. The overall procedure is the same, but 2K12 courts don't look the same and the Mod Tool looks a bit different.


I will be using a court as an example (f005.iff)

With the 3D tool open find the model you want to open

Image

then click Export Res


save the n2km file somewhere and start up Blender

Image

you will see this block and a couple other of objects, we dont want those in there so press "A" to select all and press the "Delete" key to delete these objects.

Image

Click to confirm the delete.


Goto File Menu, Import, then Import N2KM.

Image

Find your exported "Res" file and import it

Image

your screen should look something like this

Image

notice the new thing on the left and right of the screen. The middle section is your viewport, you can zoom in and out with the scroll wheel, the middle button will orbit the view, and panning is done with Shift + Middle Click.

Image

You will notice that you cannot see the entire court, we need to edit the view properties to view it all.

Image

So edit the Clip End value to as high as it will go and you will see the maximum amount the program will allow you to see

Image

Now, similarly to Ebodit or the original EBO Editor you can select certain parts to edit. This can be done by expanding the NBA2KM menu on the left, or by simply right clicking the part you want to edit in the viewport.

I'm going to remove the charge circle lines.

Image


Now that we have them selected notice that we are in object mode...we can move stuff around in object mode but when we export, it will not save those changes. We need to get into Edit mode. So either click that object mode drop down and switch to edit mode or press TAB.

Image

Now that we are in edit mode, notice that the 3D faces are pink and the vertices are yellow, that means everything is selected right now. Since we dont want to edit the 3pt line and other things selected in this "part" we want to press "A" to deselect all. Once everything is deselected press "B" to select vertices. Select the Charge half circle with the box you create with your left button.

Image


Now, to move/rotate/scale objects we can do different gestures by clicking with the left mouse button and drawing something.

[list=][*]We can draw a straight line to initiate the move command.
[*]We can draw a half circle to initiate the rotate command.
[*]And we can draw a V to initiate the scale command.[/list]
For more gestures
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:M ... n/Gestures

So initiate the move command by drawing a straight line with the left mouse button and letting go of the button.

Image

Now that we are in the move command you can see that you are moving the selected vertices around. Moving them around like this is very imprecise and not ideal for most work. To help with keeping things organized you can lock the axis you are moving on and specifically tell the program how far you want to move the part.

To lock the axis, start moving in the direction you want to move and click the middle button. If you got the wrong Axis try orbiting a bit and middle click again. To move the vertices a specific distance just type in some numbers. Selecting specific axis' and dimensions work for scale and rotate commands as well.

If you mess up, you can press backspace to delete your numbers and you can retype them. Remember that you may have to input a negative value to move in the opposite direction.

Image

When you are finished editing your lines, press TAB to go back into Object Mode. Either right click to select then edit other parts or if you are finished goto File, Export, Export N2KM file. Save it and then go back to the 3D tool.

In the 3D tool, select your model again and on the top click Import Res. Select your N2KM file and then look at it in game. And you're done.


Those are the basics. For those that was TL;DR, tough, if you want to learn how to use this program to do 3D editing in 2K12 you need to at least read that.


Keyboard Shortcuts I know of:
    Select All: A
    Select Box: B
    Select Part for Editing: Right Click Part
    Toggle Edit mode: TAB
    Move Command: Draw Straight Line with left mouse button
    Rotate Command: Draw Semi Circle with left mouse button
    Scale Command: Draw V with left mouse button

REMEMBER. Never Delete or Add objects, we have to maintain file sizes.

ALSO. Know that stadiums and blacktop courts may take a while to load in blender. Possibly 10-15 minutes. Blender did not crash, it is just taking it's dear sweet time.

IF YOU ARE EDITING ARENAS - the first thing you should do when the parts load into blender is scale everything down by 0.01. Make sure you selected all the parts and that you are NOT in edit mode. It will help with the view properties issues.
Opinions are my own.

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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby Like A Boss on Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:12 am

TUTORIAL History:

2010-Present

CONGRATS JAO!!! 3-Peat for the tutorial (Y)
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby DukeW74 on Sat Dec 08, 2012 9:06 am

you will see this block and a couple other of objects, we dont want those in there so press "A" to select all and press the "Delete" key to delete these objects.


Or you can do it the first time only, once you have deleted the camera and default box go to File>Save Default Settings or Ctrl U, If you ever want them back its File>Load Factory Settings

BIG NOTE: Do the Save Default Settings before you import anything or it will always try to import the same file on open.

More tips as I remember them and I am planning on doing a video tutorial on converting 2K11 to 2K13 CF's but I don't have a mic, was kinda hoping someone with a mic would do one before I got to it :)
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby mrblakevincent on Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:33 pm

Question...

When I go to the link to download Python 2.6.2 the page opens and at the top it shows this...

[[
Python 2.6.2

Python 2.6.2 has been replaced by a newer bugfix release of Python. Please download Python 2.6.6 instead.
]]

Should I download Python 2.6.6 instead or what should I do exactly?

Big time newb here
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:04 pm

try it, see if it works
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaketheFlake on Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:56 pm

men what if i want to remove a goatie, what should i do?
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby ngwilli411 on Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:48 am

JaketheFlake wrote:men what if i want to remove a goatie, what should i do?


Shave It :cheeky:
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby Geno3883 on Tue May 07, 2013 1:18 am

I am completely new to all of this stuff and have zero idea where to begin. I want to be able to create my own head model in blender to use in the game, and I don't know the way everyone does stuff like this.

I have Blender, I downloaded the 2KXX mod tool, thats all I know right now.

I see the tutorials for 3D model editing for 2K13 but I am just kinda...lost on all of this.
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby Lakerfan79 on Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:56 am

so i edited a headshape in blender and exported it but i keep getting and error idk what it says cuz its in chinese but it wont let me import it back into the mod tool. Any solutions?

edit: i am using the 3dm mod tool which is in chinese i heard it is glitched somewhere on the forums, i tried the nba 2kx mod tool but cant seem to find out how to start it? there is application or .exe file in it.
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:46 pm

its a .jar you need to use to launch it. Its like a Java version of an exe
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby Lakerfan79 on Thu Jul 25, 2013 1:07 pm

i couldnt find any .jar files either,. i do have java btw
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Thu Jul 25, 2013 1:32 pm

its called Nba2KXModTool.jar you have to be able to see file extensions to see the .jar part

I cannot help you double click a file any further, sorry.
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby bertzkie0000 on Fri Sep 06, 2013 8:21 pm

Sir where the scripts
???
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Fri Sep 06, 2013 11:57 pm

in the download with the 2Kx Mod Tool
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby Khyy on Sun May 25, 2014 3:37 pm

First and foremost great video man. I got everything setup with minor issues that were easily fixed when I ran through the process again. My only issue I find (don't know if this is a common occurrence) when I export the models it destroys the mapping. So if I want to completely redesign a stadium I have to literally map every single piece of texture back onto the object.

Is there a way to export models with the proper mapping? I thought at first it could possibly be that I needed to render the maps from Blender. That's not the case because like I said the exporting process is completely destroying the maps.
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Sun May 25, 2014 10:32 pm

unfortunately that happens, pretty sure whoever made the tool for 2K files added that "Only Import XYZ" because of that. There is no way to fix it that I know of.
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby Khyy on Mon May 26, 2014 5:31 am

JaoSming wrote:unfortunately that happens, pretty sure whoever made the tool for 2K files added that "Only Import XYZ" because of that. There is no way to fix it that I know of.


Ahh okay. Thats probably why custom arenas are one of a kind to find then? Thanks for the response as well!
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Mon May 26, 2014 5:32 am

Pretty much. Can't do a whole lot when we are limited like that
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby TGsoGood on Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:34 pm

Image

Sorry to bump this thread, but Jaosming did you ever figure out the above issue? If so please let me know. I am trying to convert the warm up top, the casual myplayer shirt from 2k13 and a polo shirt that can be worn as jerseys but I have a similar issue to the above picture. I import models to 2k12 mod tool and it connects vertices randomly.
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Re: 3D Editing: Getting Started with Blender

Postby JaoSming on Thu Jul 24, 2014 8:37 pm

its because the vertices loose their order, #1 becomes #3, #, becomes #5 etc.

only solution is to take the time and trace the other model with the one from the native game, using snaps or something.
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