Hi TeamDeer,
this page will be dedicated as communication channel for you about your contributions.
Map editor tutorials
Please let me know here, when you are done with the tutorials, after that I will write a feedback to you, because we will have to do some consistency changes, to use similar of not same format that is already there. Namely better page naming possible previous/next page links inclusion etc.
Hi! The following tutorials are completed from me. Perhaps we could replace some of the other map editor tutorials as they are outdated? Would probably make naming new tutorials easier.
Also by chance could y'all enable the visual editor extension on the wiki? Would make writing tutorials a bit easier rather than having to do code each time. (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:VisualEditor)
Well I see you are progressing quite quickly with you topics. Now before you dive into it further I would like to discuss your plans first, because more then I skim trough your topics, more I find them as documentation, rather than tutorials. From what I saw it looks like you are showing how particular tools work in map editor. If that is the case, then we will move this into documentation section instead. If not, then we need to organize topics a bit, to make it as a whole tutorial in the sense: "How to create your first map from A to Z" and give them proper titles so that automatic listing on main tutorials page will work as expected.
So can you please make a bulletin of things you want to create first and post it on this page, thank you.
Thank you for your feedback! So, I have been looking at this wiki for a long time (since early 2018) and noticed not much have changed on it since then. You are right, my tutorials are a lot like documentation (explanation) - for now. I feel that a good tutorial isn't just composed of steps 1, 2, 3. But rather a "here, this is how this item works and why, and here is the documentation that supports it" followed by the basic steps involved in making said item road pieces, prefabs, etc.
At TruckersMP I have taught many team members using tutorials and explanations similar to this and I have had very successful results turning people with 0 knowledge of the Map Editor / Blender into knowledgeable mod makers. I have observed that the truck sim community finds the SCS wiki very outdated and not very helpful due to a overly simplified approach and lack of information. Example of this is the current Map Editor tutorials are very outdated (1 year+). I plan, with my tutorials, to provide a simple and easy approach for people wanting to do basic to advanced mod making of ETS2 / ATS to learn and increase their skills and understanding. That being said, I think my explanation followed by a tutorial is important in building ones understanding and skills of a certain topic. I have been asked almost 1,000 questions in the past 3 years about map/blender questions in Discord and steam. I try to solve all these questions with my simplified tutorial approach that I have used here.
Also, I always assumed the Documentation part of this wiki (along with others) was the connection and explanation of items used by SCS towards modders. Basically, the Documentation section was for SCS only and I actually thought the tutorial section was only made by SCS. (We can blame modern generations for not knowing how wikis work I guess) For example, people wanted to know how the ETS2 winter 2023 portals worked but SCS have not yet shared how this works. Many people think the SCS wiki is dead. I worked for years editing the Source Engine wiki from Valve software to help modder make mods for that game - and look at it now! Anyway, I think the entire Tutorial section should be revised for a more modern age.
Sorry if my message has jumped all around, I work overnight, and in the US, so I'm a little bit-tired right now but a fine sacrifice for a game and community I support. Anyway, here is my basic outline of tutorials but, of course, I plan to update as things change or as my interest/education in said topic increase/wane
Map Editor
- Intro (setup, load, save, run, basic info)
- Roads
- Prefabs
- Additional Items (Weather area, models, buildings, curves)
- Performance Items ( Vis areas, cut planes)
- External Map
Working with SII files
- Creating custom truck dealer
- Creating custom trailer dealer
- Ferry/Rail Connections
- Custom Cities
- Custom trailers parts and chain types
Shared (Blender/SII/Map Editor)
- Custom Companies (2 types)
- Model looks #color_variants and more
- AI navigation network (paths)
- Mover models
- Interior Animation (dashboard)
- Custom vehicle (truckersmp scout car)
- Suggested working files and folder structure
- Using SCS models to make static parked vehicles (truckersmp)
- Paint job and paint job settings + paint job accessories
- Custom accessories
- Modification (hacking) of middle game formats to produce low file size mod changes
- Company portals (xmas 2023)
- Wheel settings/setup
- Local file modding (truckersmp)(convoy mode)
- Unit hookups
Blender
- Creating a basic prefab (company)
- Custom road pieces
- Custom prefabs (joints, splits, textures, alpha blending, hookups)
- How to setup blender (modern version)
- Examples of the look and variant system
- Basic AO on models using Blender
- Practical use of SCS Blender RFX settings
FMOD
- Creating new env sounds and point sounds
- Creating accessory sounds (horns)
- Creating engine sounds (complete)
That should cover it for now. I am welcome to feedback and if y'all want to modify my tutorials or have suggestions in where this info should go I am welcome to it. Oh yes and what about the visual editor extension? I am currently working on another tutorial: Roads. Let me know if this is what you mean by up to standards and part description?
Huh, big plans there nice, so let's work on it gradually:
- Map Editor section is fine as long as you structure it as you did Roads tutorial. And yes, Roads tutorial you've created is what I meant by putting it into more parts.
- However Road tutorials are still missing the links to go to previous and next part of the tutorial, please take a look at: Tutorials/Beginners/Simple_cube/1._How_to_prepare_tools_for_mod_creation on the top and the bottom you will find navigational elements <- Previous Step | All Steps | Next Step ->.
- Additionally Bridges and Tunnels should either be extra part of tutorial or left out from main Roads tutorial page.
- Create Intro tutorial and move your existing 00 prefixed tutorials into it and remove numeric prefixes from titles if possible. (Yes I know some of them preexisted, they will be moved to graveyard or renamed after yours will be ready for approval)
- Blender and FMOD sections should be okay too, so go for it! Rest I need to figure out first on how to place them within current main tutorials page and I'm sure by the time all the Map Editor, Blender and FMOD tutorials will be done, I will have a clue where we want rest to be placed.
Sounds good!
- Intro tutorials should now be on 1 page like I did roads tutorial + added page links
- Roads tutorials should have page links
- What do you mean about point #2? Should I just move bridges and tunnels to their own then under Roads? Removing "Advanced Road Construction" basically giving roads/tunnels their own page?
Currently, I'm working on the prefabs tutorial.
TeamDeer
- Ok, I will approve those and do minor fixes.
- Ok, will approve them too and do fixes if needed.
- I will fix it. I just mean that on page Tutorials/Map Editor/Roads we should not have extra links section. This kind of pages should only use TutorialPartEntry templates and no custom linking.
- Now after checking the tutorials I noticed two things:
<br>tags, please don't use them at all, if you need new line do it with double enter. Custom spacing is sth we try to avoid because: consistency in formatting and unknown appearance glitches. So please go over you pages and remove/replace all br tags either with double enter or if needed new paragraphs. Do not hesitate to use third titling level if needed instead.<big>tags, please remove them too, text shall not use any magnification using tags.- Overall please, if you want to use any non standard formatting tags ask first and you should be directed. Basically you should strive to use markdown formatting and only use code and nowiki custom formatting tags if possible. Funny thing I had to use both of them in this post to visualize big and br tags :D
--50keda (talk) 15:57, 19 April 2024 (UTC)
Why is "big" not allowed? I like bigger text and without the code, text looks way to small across many platforms. Also, you haven't spoke on the visual editor extension? Can you please elaborate? It would make it easier for me to create these tutorials using this extension.
Intro tutorials are ready and the other tutorial is ready with BR and BIG removed.
- We try to keep all topic with same formatting aka consistent and the same goes for big formatting. And big is not suitable for the usage you cited above, it could be used to make individual words stand out more.
- As for extensions, it's similar, we don't want to use any extra extensions that are not essential, to keep things as tidy and as bare bone as possible (from user and maintainability point of view).
- All submitted pages were approved, thank you for the changes.
--50keda (talk) 14:43, 23 April 2024 (UTC)
How was the office move? I plan to start writing some more tutorials soon. Took a break while y'all were moving - wiki was moving slow and we were busy with TMP 10 stuff.
- Deer