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arma:editing_beginners [2009/11/04 14:09] – fixed few typos and corrected bisign info. snakemanarma:editing_beginners [2024/08/01 15:55] (current) – links added. snakeman
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-====== Editing Tutorial: Beginners ======+====== ArmA 1 Editing Tutorial: Beginners ====== 
 + 
 +[[https://www.pmctactical.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=42|ArmA 1 Forum]], [[:arma|ArmA 1 Home]], [[arma:config|ArmA 1 Config]], [[arma:tools|ArmA 1 Tools]], [[arma:file_formats|ArmA 1 File Formats]], [[arma:missions|ArmA 1 Missions]], [[arma:modeling|ArmA 1 3D Modeling]], [[arma:terrain|ArmA 1 Terrain]], [[arma:texturing|ArmA 1 Texturing]], [[arma:scripting|ArmA 1 Scripting]] 
 + 
 +**ArmA 1** aka Armed Assault (ArmA)
  
 **ArmA Editing Tutorial: Beginners** by PMC. **ArmA Editing Tutorial: Beginners** by PMC.
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 PBO files are addons in a packet. PBO files are addons in a packet.
  
-PBO files are located in the <arma root>\addons\ directory, or in any directory you specify to be used with the -mod parameter. More info in [[arma:startup_parameters|startup parameters]] and in [[arma:modfolders|mod folders]] pages.+PBO files are located in the <arma root>\addons\ directory, or in any directory you specify to be used with the -mod parameter. More info in [[arma:startup_parameters|startup parameters]] and in [[arma:moddirs|mod folders]] pages.
  
 Dont confuse the pbo files to the <addon_name>.pbo.bi.bisign as those are the signature key files for multiplayer purposes. Dont confuse the pbo files to the <addon_name>.pbo.bi.bisign as those are the signature key files for multiplayer purposes.
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 Config.cpp is the games configuration file for the given addon. Config.cpp can be also found in the <arma root>\bin\ directory which is the games main configuration file. Config.cpp is what makes the addon work. Config.cpp is the games configuration file for the given addon. Config.cpp can be also found in the <arma root>\bin\ directory which is the games main configuration file. Config.cpp is what makes the addon work.
  
-If config.cpp file is binarized it will become "config.bin" and cannot be read with text editor. You can create text format config.cpp file from the .bin file with unRap tool. You really don't have to worry about creating bin out of cpp file right now.+If config.cpp file is binarized it will become "config.bin" and cannot be read with text editor. You can create text format config.cpp file from the .bin file with deRapify tool. You really don't have to worry about creating bin out of cpp file right now.
  
 Config.cpp file can be (usually) found on each addon's PBO root directory. Config.cpp file can be (usually) found on each addon's PBO root directory.
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 P3D files are the 3D models. P3D files are the 3D models.
  
-P3D files can be found really in any dir, in BIS addons they are in the root of the PBO file.+P3D files can be found really in any dir, in BIS addons they are //usually// in the root of the PBO file.
  
  
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 Terrains are always in WRP files, like sara.wrp for Sahrani. Terrains are edited in Visitor 3. Terrains are always in WRP files, like sara.wrp for Sahrani. Terrains are edited in Visitor 3.
 +
 +You need to create elevation's for your terrain, this can be done either in [[:tools:wilbur|Wilbur]] or in gray scale image on your favorite image editor. Then you import this elevation into [[arma:tools:visitor3|Visitor 3]] (v3), place your objects and finally import big satellite mask and satellite texture images. Just before you bring your terrain into in-game, you need to export the actual WRP file out of v3, then pack all to pbo and you're done.
  
  
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 Missions will be on two locations, in <arma root>\Missions\ and <arma root>\MPMissions\ directories, its quite self explanatory but single player missions go to "Missions" dir and multiplayer missions go to "MPMissions" dir. These dirs can have sub directories if you wish to sort your many missions. Also these dirs can have mission directories or pbo's. Missions will be on two locations, in <arma root>\Missions\ and <arma root>\MPMissions\ directories, its quite self explanatory but single player missions go to "Missions" dir and multiplayer missions go to "MPMissions" dir. These dirs can have sub directories if you wish to sort your many missions. Also these dirs can have mission directories or pbo's.
 +
 +//Please read below for Mission Editing for additional details.//
  
  
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 For beginners it would be really good to start edit a one config to modify how certain addon is working, from there you can then proceed into texture and model editing. As for mission making, its really not "mod making", its just mission editing. When you make missions, you just use the content available, if you edit ArmA in mod making way, you create new content or modify the existing one. For beginners it would be really good to start edit a one config to modify how certain addon is working, from there you can then proceed into texture and model editing. As for mission making, its really not "mod making", its just mission editing. When you make missions, you just use the content available, if you edit ArmA in mod making way, you create new content or modify the existing one.
 +
 +
 +====== What you should NOT do! ======
 +
 +Many times it happens that beginners start to edit the original ArmA files. This is not necessary or "allowed". If you mess around with original files you only harm your ArmA installation.
 +
 +**Do not edit files in <ArmA_root>\addons\ directory!**
 +
 +You can copy the pbo's from there, put them in <ArmA_root>\x\addons\ and launch ArmA with parameter -mod=x to see your edits ingame.
  
  
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 Mission editing is really easy, in game just open mission editor and off you go. As long as you have one unit selected as "Player" you can use the preview button to play your mission normally. Mission editing is really easy, in game just open mission editor and off you go. As long as you have one unit selected as "Player" you can use the preview button to play your mission normally.
  
-When you save a mission, the drop down menu gives you choices for export to missions directory or mpmissions directory, this creates the pbo file out of the mission and placed it to the proper dir for you. If you just choose the directory name, it just saves the mission into the Users\<YOURNAME>\Missions\ directory. This users dir is controlled through -profiles parameter.+When you save a mission, the drop down menu gives you choices for export to Missions or MPmissions directory, this creates the pbo file out of the mission and placed it to the proper dir for you. If you just choose the directory name, it just saves the mission into the Users\<YOURNAME>\Missions\ directory. This users dir is controlled through -profiles parameter. 
 + 
 +When you play multiplayer (MP), any played missions are downloaded from the server and placed on MPMissionsCache directory. If you want to edit or play these missions on your computer, you need to unpack the pbo and move the created directory into Users\<YOURNAME>\Missions\ directory. If you want to host MP session with these missions, copy them into MPMissions directory.
  
 Of course when you get more deeper into mission editing there is all kinds of trickery with scripts and stuff. Of course when you get more deeper into mission editing there is all kinds of trickery with scripts and stuff.
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 ====== Notes ====== ====== Notes ======
  
-As you see this tutorial is //very// beginner stuff in attempt to just orientate the newbie ArmA editor into the basic concepts, so feel free to ask more specific questions in our forums [[http://tactical.nekromantix.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=29|ArmA Editing]] area. We would like to write a bit more advanced tutorial next, to go through few specific things, your questions in the forum would really help us to focus on what is important.+As you see this tutorial is //very// beginner stuff in attempt to just orientate the newbie ArmA editor into the basic concepts, so feel free to ask more specific questions in [[http://www.pmctactical.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=29|PMC Tactical forums ArmA Editing]] area. We would like to write a bit more advanced tutorial next, to go through few specific things, your questions in the forum would really help us to focus on what is important.
  
 //In PMC Tactical no newbie is looked down upon, we were all newbies once. Its our goal to build this wiki so it will help even the complete beginner guys to learn how to edit.// //In PMC Tactical no newbie is looked down upon, we were all newbies once. Its our goal to build this wiki so it will help even the complete beginner guys to learn how to edit.//
 +
arma/editing_beginners.1257343761.txt.gz · Last modified: 2009/11/04 14:09 (external edit)
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