Hello everyone!
I recently found this awesome community and decided to share something "Sort Of" related to Unreal.
Have you ever heard about the game that never was - Jazz Jackrabbit 3D?
Well, if you haven't, it's the unreleased third installment in the Jazz Jackrabbit series. And by no suprise (It was something like 1998) they decided to use the Unreal engine to build this title.
Sadly, as I already mentioned, this game is unreleased. It was quickly cancelled because of various reasons (Epic didn't find a publisher, if I am not mistaken.), however, the game was actually leaked some time after the cancellation, but had been barely discussed or touched afterwards... until now!
I've been working on a "little" project for the past couple months, you can check it's progress over here:
http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showthread.php?t=19325
In short, this is pretty much an enhancement patch - it makes the game far more enjoyable to play by fixing and improving a lot of the content.
The idea is to also rebuild unfinished concepts and add more levels. Make no mistake though, I do not plan on finishing the game, just create a proper playground for those who want to play this.
Since the game is based off of the original Unreal engine, it does have online multiplayer capabilities, however, that will take more time to fix, because my new code (I changed a lot in the character's physics and such), broke it, and made it nearly unplayable.
Why I'm here? Well, I hoped someone here might be interested. I can do a lot - code, build maps, model and animate, but my skills with UnrealEd are limited. While I understand most of it, I can't seem to be able to load meshes in it.
The game uses the exact same 1.0 Unreal Editor (In fact, I had to download an official fixpatched version of it to make it to work) that the original Unreal came with, and no, I can't just update it to 2.1, because the Dll files seem to be kind of different - Maybe some of you have any clever ideas how to deal with that?
My biggest problem at the moment really is loading meshes into the thing, is there a complete, detailed tutorial for this?
Thanks!
UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
- JazzGruff
- Pupae
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 03 Mar 2012, 19:08
Subject: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 04 Mar 2012, 21:01
- []KAOS[]Casey
- Skaarj Berserker
- Posts: 426
- Joined: 25 Sep 2008, 07:25
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 05 Mar 2012, 06:05
If jazz3d has a UCC.exe you have to import that way. Otherwise, just take a standard .UCC import list like so..
remove the #exec parts, and on the first line add PACKAGE=NameOfPackage
then throw it into a text file {you could call this ASMD.txt}, then View -> log. Type in exec ASMD.txt and it should import.
If it doesn't then I'll have to check it out manually later.
Code: Select all
#exec MESH IMPORT MESH=ASMD3 ANIVFILE=MODELS\Tazlo_a.3D DATAFILE=MODELS\Tazlo_d.3D X=0 Y=0 Z=0
#exec MESH ORIGIN MESH=ASMD3 X=0 Y=-190 Z=-40 YAW=-64 ROLL=9
#exec MESH SEQUENCE MESH=ASMD3 SEQ=All STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
#exec MESH SEQUENCE MESH=ASMD3 SEQ=Still STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
#exec MESH SEQUENCE MESH=ASMD3 SEQ=Fire1 STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
#exec MESHMAP SCALE MESHMAP=ASMD3 X=0.065 Y=0.065 Z=0.13
#exec MESHMAP SETTEXTURE MESHMAP=ASMD3 NUM=1 TEXTURE=ASMD1
remove the #exec parts, and on the first line add PACKAGE=NameOfPackage
then throw it into a text file {you could call this ASMD.txt}, then View -> log. Type in exec ASMD.txt and it should import.
If it doesn't then I'll have to check it out manually later.
- Z-enzyme
- White Tusk
- Posts: 2136
- Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 20:01
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 05 Mar 2012, 20:51
Well, I played Jazz when I was a kiddo and I loved that game. Thus I really am glad someone actually tries to do something about the third part of the game series. Seriously, good job there. If I could help with anything I gladly would. Tho I am not a pro here. Casey is much better at things I guess
- JazzGruff
- Pupae
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 03 Mar 2012, 19:08
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 05 Mar 2012, 21:29
Hey, thanks Casey! I think I'm actually going somewhere now.
It shows up errors in the log window though (By the way, it's Window -> Log in the first unreal editor):
Don't mind the texture warnings though, I'll probably iron those out later.
Any ideas on why it wouldn't open the mesh? I also tried this with the 2.1 editor (Not sure if it makes any difference though) and got the same result.
I used Milkshape to export the 3d files, by the way.
Thanks!
It shows up errors in the log window though (By the way, it's Window -> Log in the first unreal editor):
Code: Select all
Cmd: exec asmd.txt
Log: FactoryCreateText: TextBuffer with TextBufferFactory (0 1 asmd.txt)
Log: Execing asmd.txt
Cmd: PACKAGE=GruffData
Cmd: MESH IMPORT MESH=ShortPineInv ANIVFILE=MODELS\ShortPineInv_a.3d DATAFILE=MODELS\ShortPineInv_d.3d X=0 Y=0 Z=0
Log: Importing ShortPineInv
Log: Error opening file MODELS\ShortPineInv_a.3d
Cmd: MESH ORIGIN MESH=ShortPineInv X=0 Y=0 Z=0
ExecWarning: Bad MESH ORIGIN
Cmd: SEQUENCE MESH=ShortPineInv SEQ=All STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
Cmd: SEQUENCE MESH=ShortPineInv SEQ=ShortPineInv STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
Cmd: MESHMAP NEW MESHMAP=ShortPineInv MESH=ShortPineInv
Cmd: MESHMAP SCALE MESHMAP=ShortPineInv X=0.1 Y=0.1 Z=0.2
ExecWarning: Missing meshmap
Cmd: MESHMAP SETTEXTURE MESHMAP=ShortPineInv NUM=0 TEXTURE=JShortpine1_01
ExecWarning: Missing meshmap, texture, or num (MESHMAP=ShortPineInv NUM=0 TEXTURE=JShortpine1_01)
Cmd: MESHMAP SETTEXTURE MESHMAP=ShortPineInv NUM=2 TEXTURE=JShortpine1_02
ExecWarning: Missing meshmap, texture, or num (MESHMAP=ShortPineInv NUM=2 TEXTURE=JShortpine1_02)
Don't mind the texture warnings though, I'll probably iron those out later.
Any ideas on why it wouldn't open the mesh? I also tried this with the 2.1 editor (Not sure if it makes any difference though) and got the same result.
I used Milkshape to export the 3d files, by the way.
Thanks!
- []KAOS[]Casey
- Skaarj Berserker
- Posts: 426
- Joined: 25 Sep 2008, 07:25
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 02:18
in this particular case it's probably not finding the models folder.
If the Jazz3d folder path looks like
Jazz3d\System
Jazz3d\Music
Jazz3d\Textures
etc..
put the files where the models are in to a new folder of Jazz3d\Models then change the line here..
to..
Also, you put the Package= on the wrong line. Whoops!
for your convienence :
ps. name the text file whatever you want. ASMD was just the name of the particular thing I copied the import lines from.
If the Jazz3d folder path looks like
Jazz3d\System
Jazz3d\Music
Jazz3d\Textures
etc..
put the files where the models are in to a new folder of Jazz3d\Models then change the line here..
Code: Select all
MESH IMPORT MESH=ShortPineInv ANIVFILE=MODELS\ShortPineInv_a.3d DATAFILE=MODELS\ShortPineInv_d.3d X=0 Y=0 Z=0
to..
Code: Select all
MESH IMPORT MESH=ShortPineInv ANIVFILE=..\MODELS\ShortPineInv_a.3d DATAFILE=..\MODELS\ShortPineInv_d.3d X=0 Y=0 Z=0
Also, you put the Package= on the wrong line. Whoops!
for your convienence :
Code: Select all
MESH IMPORT MESH=ShortPineInv ANIVFILE=..\MODELS\ShortPineInv_a.3d DATAFILE=..\MODELS\ShortPineInv_d.3d X=0 Y=0 Z=0 Package=GruffData
ps. name the text file whatever you want. ASMD was just the name of the particular thing I copied the import lines from.
- Delacroix
- Skaarj Warlord
- Posts: 901
- Joined: 21 Dec 2007, 17:22
- Location: Poland.ut3
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 13:14
First off, allow me to say: Thank you.
Really. The game is very much unfinished and lots of features are unworking -- if you manage to fix all this, you have my utmost gratitude. However, to ensure the FULL legality of this endeavor, as opposed to the gray zone you are in, I'd suggest that instead of fixing the demo as is, you port it as a total conversion to UT 436 engine so that it requires UT to run. A fanmade TC of Jazz is so much safer than a patch for a leaked alpha, especially with this thing proving that Jazzy is still quite in the scope of interest of Epic.
Note: I am not saying this patch you're making is illegal or anything, but it just might become such -- if you port the entire thing to UT to work as a total conversion, any legality questions that might've arised are resolved from the get go.
Technical advantages are:
- A more stable, less buggy engine (436 is the latest official iteration as opposed to 400 which is the original store release of UT, and the latter is the engine Jazz3D demo is based on),
- The ability to use custom renderers by Dohnal (UTGLR) for higher quality display and support for S3TC-compressed textures,
- The ability to use Shadow's UT SDK for even more top notch visuals
- UnrealEd 2.0 as opposed to the old Visual Basic based UnrealEd 1.0, a more stable editing environment
- The ability to use skeletal models as opposed to standard vertex meshes for higher quality characters ingame
I could go on and on and I cannot stress this enough: moving this to UT 436 WILL benefit the project.
Really. The game is very much unfinished and lots of features are unworking -- if you manage to fix all this, you have my utmost gratitude. However, to ensure the FULL legality of this endeavor, as opposed to the gray zone you are in, I'd suggest that instead of fixing the demo as is, you port it as a total conversion to UT 436 engine so that it requires UT to run. A fanmade TC of Jazz is so much safer than a patch for a leaked alpha, especially with this thing proving that Jazzy is still quite in the scope of interest of Epic.
Note: I am not saying this patch you're making is illegal or anything, but it just might become such -- if you port the entire thing to UT to work as a total conversion, any legality questions that might've arised are resolved from the get go.
Technical advantages are:
- A more stable, less buggy engine (436 is the latest official iteration as opposed to 400 which is the original store release of UT, and the latter is the engine Jazz3D demo is based on),
- The ability to use custom renderers by Dohnal (UTGLR) for higher quality display and support for S3TC-compressed textures,
- The ability to use Shadow's UT SDK for even more top notch visuals
- UnrealEd 2.0 as opposed to the old Visual Basic based UnrealEd 1.0, a more stable editing environment
- The ability to use skeletal models as opposed to standard vertex meshes for higher quality characters ingame
I could go on and on and I cannot stress this enough: moving this to UT 436 WILL benefit the project.
I am the Unreal archivist and historian. If you have something from the past of Unreal that I don't have, do tell.
- Buff Skeleton
- >:E
- Posts: 4175
- Joined: 15 Dec 2007, 00:46
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 14:54
Delacroix wrote:Note: I am not saying this patch you're making is illegal or anything, but it just might become such -- if you port the entire thing to UT to work as a total conversion, any legality questions that might've arised are resolved from the get go.
Only if all assets are made from scratch. Maps, models, textures, everything. That's the only way a TC can be legal. Porting is not the same as making a TC.
- Delacroix
- Skaarj Warlord
- Posts: 901
- Joined: 21 Dec 2007, 17:22
- Location: Poland.ut3
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 14:56
Wrong. Back then when Unreal 1 Betas were considered illegal (see previous events on BUF), assets made on their base (they weren't from scratch!) were still considered legal. So, based on Epic's policy from then, no one will make a fuss once it is made to require UT. As Jazz3D ages further, it'll only get even more laxxed.
One another thing I'm worried about is the title of this. Jazz Jackrabbit 3D and Jazz Jackrabbit 3 are titles that may as well be used if Epic chooses to make a Jazz game on UE3, which makes them registered. Coming up with a subtitle of one's own, like: Jazz Jackrabbit: The Third Dimension, for example (yeah, I know it's lame, but you get my drift, I hope) will further secure the project's safety.
One another thing I'm worried about is the title of this. Jazz Jackrabbit 3D and Jazz Jackrabbit 3 are titles that may as well be used if Epic chooses to make a Jazz game on UE3, which makes them registered. Coming up with a subtitle of one's own, like: Jazz Jackrabbit: The Third Dimension, for example (yeah, I know it's lame, but you get my drift, I hope) will further secure the project's safety.
I am the Unreal archivist and historian. If you have something from the past of Unreal that I don't have, do tell.
- Buff Skeleton
- >:E
- Posts: 4175
- Joined: 15 Dec 2007, 00:46
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 18:22
Delacroix wrote:Wrong. Back then when Unreal 1 Betas were considered illegal (see previous events on BUF), assets made on their base (they weren't from scratch!) were still considered legal. So, based on Epic's policy from then, no one will make a fuss once it is made to require UT. As Jazz3D ages further, it'll only get even more laxxed.
That has nothing to do with United States copyright law and everything to do with Epic being lenient. Epic would still be in its right to sue over unauthorized use of its assets because it owns the copyrights.
You aren't arguing about what's legal; you're arguing what's most likely to happen. Epic is not going to sue someone over a Jazz Jackrabbit 3D port, but that doesn't make it any less illegal if you use the original assets without expressed permission. It's just not a big deal to them and not worth pursuing due to the bad PR, legal costs, lack of monetary gain, etc.
So, yeah, I DOUBT it will be a problem, but you're definitely wrong about the actual legal aspects according to US copyright law (which is what applies, since I believe the copyright is registered here; though it could be Canadian, can't remember).
- JazzGruff
- Pupae
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 03 Mar 2012, 19:08
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 20:14
Thanks for the extra info, Casey!
I immediately recieved an error after making the changes though
(In UnrealEd 1.0)
(In UnrealEd 2.1)
Any ideas? Maybe I have to build the files differently? (Once agian - I used milkshape for this)
About the legality of this project..
There have been projects like this before, but none of them have ever gone to this scale. Not to say this is something huge, it's just that most of these "patches" or TC's have died very quickly - often before even having any kind of progress after mentioning.
I wanted to turn this into a patch for a reason - I am not sharing the actual game, but reather modified/extra files of it that are pretty much useless without the main package.
I do believe Epic may have some kind of problem with this, but I highly doubt they would hunt me down just because I am making a patch for a game that doesn't even officially exist.
Also, what's the harm? I am making more people interested in the Jazz Jackrabbit again, and if Epic is really planning on making a new title in the series again, I'm pretty much increasing their future sales. Ok, that probably sounded over-exaggerated, but I doubt anyone will get turned away from the series if a properly playable version of this game is available (even though you'd still have to find the original).
Either way, if Epic does indeed hunt me down and demand to stop, I probably will. I respect them as a game development company, and I know how much work gets put into a game for it to be good (I know, because I am an indie game developer myself), but that's also exactly the reason why I'm working on this - I love Jazz Jackrabbit, and I don't want it to just die off like that.
I immediately recieved an error after making the changes though
(In UnrealEd 1.0)
(In UnrealEd 2.1)
Any ideas? Maybe I have to build the files differently? (Once agian - I used milkshape for this)
About the legality of this project..
There have been projects like this before, but none of them have ever gone to this scale. Not to say this is something huge, it's just that most of these "patches" or TC's have died very quickly - often before even having any kind of progress after mentioning.
I wanted to turn this into a patch for a reason - I am not sharing the actual game, but reather modified/extra files of it that are pretty much useless without the main package.
I do believe Epic may have some kind of problem with this, but I highly doubt they would hunt me down just because I am making a patch for a game that doesn't even officially exist.
Also, what's the harm? I am making more people interested in the Jazz Jackrabbit again, and if Epic is really planning on making a new title in the series again, I'm pretty much increasing their future sales. Ok, that probably sounded over-exaggerated, but I doubt anyone will get turned away from the series if a properly playable version of this game is available (even though you'd still have to find the original).
Either way, if Epic does indeed hunt me down and demand to stop, I probably will. I respect them as a game development company, and I know how much work gets put into a game for it to be good (I know, because I am an indie game developer myself), but that's also exactly the reason why I'm working on this - I love Jazz Jackrabbit, and I don't want it to just die off like that.
- Z-enzyme
- White Tusk
- Posts: 2136
- Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 20:01
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012, 20:20
Waffnuffly wrote:So, yeah, I DOUBT it will be a problem, but you're definitely wrong about the actual legal aspects according to US copyright law (which is what applies, since I believe the copyright is registered here; though it could be Canadian, can't remember).
Wouldn't it be best to just ask Epic? Smirf got whole Unreal Engine cos he asked... Well, kind'a...
- []KAOS[]Casey
- Skaarj Berserker
- Posts: 426
- Joined: 25 Sep 2008, 07:25
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 07 Mar 2012, 07:39
Qtit wrote:Waffnuffly wrote:So, yeah, I DOUBT it will be a problem, but you're definitely wrong about the actual legal aspects according to US copyright law (which is what applies, since I believe the copyright is registered here; though it could be Canadian, can't remember).
Wouldn't it be best to just ask Epic? Smirf got whole Unreal Engine cos he asked... Well, kind'a...
Have a simulation of Epics email responses.
Q: {anything remotely useful including asking if the sky is blue}
A: We don't have the bandwidth to do that.
"Object is not Packaged."
Hmmmmmmmmm........
Tough one. I know why it would say that but I don't know right now how to fix it. Immediately after posting this I'll fiddle around a bit and edit my post.
edit: solution found, check below!
Last edited by []KAOS[]Casey on 07 Mar 2012, 08:05, edited 1 time in total.
- []KAOS[]Casey
- Skaarj Berserker
- Posts: 426
- Joined: 25 Sep 2008, 07:25
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 07 Mar 2012, 08:04
After some digging, I found #ForceExec.
Easy fix. Take the class you were trying to import with the mesh with code similar to..
and replace Exec with ForceExec and it will the call functions when you recompile the script.
Easy fix. Take the class you were trying to import with the mesh with code similar to..
Code: Select all
#exec MESH IMPORT MESH=ASMD3 ANIVFILE=MODELS\Tazlo_a.3D DATAFILE=MODELS\Tazlo_d.3D X=0 Y=0 Z=0
#exec MESH ORIGIN MESH=ASMD3 X=0 Y=-190 Z=-40 YAW=-64 ROLL=9
#exec MESH SEQUENCE MESH=ASMD3 SEQ=All STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
#exec MESH SEQUENCE MESH=ASMD3 SEQ=Still STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
#exec MESH SEQUENCE MESH=ASMD3 SEQ=Fire1 STARTFRAME=0 NUMFRAMES=1
#exec MESHMAP SCALE MESHMAP=ASMD3 X=0.065 Y=0.065 Z=0.13
#exec MESHMAP SETTEXTURE MESHMAP=ASMD3 NUM=1 TEXTURE=ASMD1
and replace Exec with ForceExec and it will the call functions when you recompile the script.
- JazzGruff
- Pupae
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 03 Mar 2012, 19:08
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 07 Mar 2012, 12:39
YASH! It works now! .. kinda.
I have yet to play around with this and see how to load everything properly, also, animated models is something I haven't tried, but basically importing 3d models seems to work now!
About porting this to UnrealEd 2.1 - This is something like a sideproject at the moment. While the skeletal animation is optional (Though it would be quite useful - is it possible to edit the bone behaviour in real time?), other features, like 3-axis scaling and greater mod support, not to mention the actual editor itself would be extremely useful. I have to pretty much go through all of the actors and update the Egnine package in order for Jazz3d's code to work with the newer engine properly. That is really the only problem aside from the fact that once I remove the UnrealShare package, it displays a ton of errors for some reason.
Many thanks to Casey!
I have yet to play around with this and see how to load everything properly, also, animated models is something I haven't tried, but basically importing 3d models seems to work now!
About porting this to UnrealEd 2.1 - This is something like a sideproject at the moment. While the skeletal animation is optional (Though it would be quite useful - is it possible to edit the bone behaviour in real time?), other features, like 3-axis scaling and greater mod support, not to mention the actual editor itself would be extremely useful. I have to pretty much go through all of the actors and update the Egnine package in order for Jazz3d's code to work with the newer engine properly. That is really the only problem aside from the fact that once I remove the UnrealShare package, it displays a ton of errors for some reason.
Many thanks to Casey!
- Z-enzyme
- White Tusk
- Posts: 2136
- Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 20:01
Subject: Re: UnrealED 1.0 and Jazz3
Post Posted: 07 Mar 2012, 18:26
JazzGruff wrote:Though it would be quite useful - is it possible to edit the bone behaviour in real time?
Ureal 227h has something like this:
Code: Select all
native(1733) final function bool SkelPlayAnim( int Index, name AnimName, optional float Rate, optional float TweenTime, optional bool bLoop, optional float TweenOut );
I think it's quite self explanatory.
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