How to create simple city

This instrucion shows how to create simple city using MM2CT and 3DStudio (you can also use ZModeler). You have to know how to use 3d software, because this tutorial won't explain it! Before you start, you should also read objects description.

City and textures for tutorial

City structure

First, we have to prepare directories structure for your city. It will make the work easier.

Run MM2CT


and click Tools/Create directory structure for new city


New windows will be opened. Click Browse and select directory for your projects.


Then type directory for your city, city basename and city name. After that click Create


Directories structure will be created, it should looks like this


Close program, first stage is over.

Textures

You need textures for grass, roads, sidewalks, buldings, etc. They must be in TGA format (24bit or 32bit) and saved in D:\SampleCity\_texture. You can use textures for example from sample city.

Create 3d objects

We are going to build small city which contains: traffic, police cars, few roads, some offroad terain and two buildings.

First, we create roads. Because there is problem with road without sidewalks (ROAD_), we are going to use roads with sidewalks (ROADS_). Don't forget that outer vertices must be higher than inner (check objects description for details)


Next we create other roads and intersections (everything in one object)


and fill space between roads


Now, we have to divide object in smaller pieces


Remeber that outer vertex for roads and sidewalks must be higher than inner


We set names for objects (check objects description for details). Don't forget that:
1. Count of CWn_ (crosswalks) must be equal to count of roads connected to the intersection
2. Count of SWn_ (sidewalks) must be equal to count of roads connected to the intersection


Next, we want to assign textures. For roads we need 3 textures (but we only assign first texture), for intersections also 3 and 1 for ground.


We use multi/submaterials so we need to assign material id for faces


We assign materials for objects (only assign, we don't need to use UV Mapping, because MM2 ignores it)

Next, we are going to add some buildings. Building is object like car, etc. You have to create it, map with textures (you should also use UV Map) and call PH1_ (it's high body)


Copy it and rename to PB1_ (it's bound for object)


We want to have the same building but in another position. We don't need to create it once again, we can just copy object, move and rotate to position we want to have it. After that, we just name building in new position as PA1_ (it's alias for original building). You can have as many aliases as you want.


Now we are going to add cop cars for our city. They are simple boxes named COP1_


At the end, we add some offroad terain and name it GROUND_

The whole map should look like this

Important informations!

Export to 3ds, import in MM2CT and build MM2 city

Export city to D:\SimpleCity\simplecity.3ds. Then run MM2CT and click Advance/Import 3DS/ASE


Click Open 3DS/ASE and select D:\SimpleCity\simplecity.3ds


Type new prefix simple_city and click Make a city and AR archive


Program will ask which type of police car use with COP1, type vpcop (it's standard cop car from MM2)


MM2CT will ask where you want to create AR archive, select D:\Games\MM2\SimpleCity.ar, where D:\Games\MM2\ is game directory.
After that you should see information message.


Test in game

Close MM2CT and run the game


Summary

This small tutorial shows how the process of city creating looks like. It describes how to make really simple city without any advanced structure but it should be enough for beginning.

City and textures for tutorial