This is a very simple, step by step guide to how to convert a Standard res single engined 3dz into a HR 3dz set.

I have based this readme on the work done by Moggy, and Chompy, plus my own work on converting planes to HR.

There are many ways to break up a 3dz to obtain a HR model, and their differnces in my approach to the problem, 
as to the way Chompy and the others have done Thiers, but it works for me.

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What you will need.
 
3DZ Studio and Text Converter, and Picpac, 
you can find this @ Alessandro's site http://www.geocities.com/alessandroborges/index.htm (Studiobase.zip)

A Hex Editor program.

Some good reference 3 elevation drawings to make the basic skin from.

Good colour profiles, or photographs to paint the skin from

A good graphics program like Paint Shop 6 or Adobe Photo Shop.

I'm assuming you have had some experiance with 3dz Studio so I won't go into detail in how to use the program.

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STAGE 1 Removing the Wings.

Starting with a PxxxF 3dz, which you wish to convert to Hi-res.
 
Convert it into a text file using the Text Converter program in 3dz Studio, 
By either dragging and dropping it over the program icon, 
Or by clicking on the program and selecting option A, and typing in the file names.
Once you have a text file, open it and you can start work on deviding up the model.

Look at the codes firstly in the Elements section, 
These are in the lower section of the converted text file.

You will see lines of code like this:

E000= 148   0   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
E001=   5   8  13  99 114  10 134 122  11  99 124  16  89 124  17  84 124  14  70 124   9  58 119  15  70 114   0 223 255
E002= 149   0   5   4 230  87  83 231 129  83 232 129  89 134  87  89   0 159 255
E003=   6   3  19  72   1  22  89  10  21  89   1   0   5 255
E004= 146   1   6   4 125  76 202 126  99 202 127  99 194 128  82 190   0  16 255
E005= 151   1   5   3  66 232 184  14 251 188  67 232 166   0 213 255
E006= 152   1   5   4 120 232 188 160 232 184 118 251 188 121 237 188   0 213 255
E007=   2  10 217 255
E008=   2   1 222 255
E009=   2   2 223 255
E010=   2   3 224 255
Looking at the Text file add 255 into the begining of all the lines, which have the starting codes of:
148/149/151/152.

Very important do not forget to add the correct amount of sapces before and after 255 as shown below.

E000= 255 148   0   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
E001=   5   8  13  99 114  10 134 122  11  99 124  16  89 124  17  84 124  14  70 124   9  58 119  15  70 114   0 223 255
E002= 255 149   0   5   4 230  87  83 231 129  83 232 129  89 134  87  89   0 159 255
E003=   6   3  19  72   1  22  89  10  21  89   1   0   5 255
E004= 146   1   6   4 125  76 202 126  99 202 127  99 194 128  82 190   0  16 255
E005= 255 151   1   5   3  66 232 184  14 251 188  67 232 166   0 213 255
E006= 255 152   1   5   4 120 232 188 160 232 184 118 251 188 121 237 188   0 213 255
E007=   2  10 217 255
E008=   2   1 222 255
E009=   2   2 223 255
E010=   2   3 224 255

Save the text file when you have finished and using the converter program, and option B, 
convert the file back to a PxxxxF.3dz.

Check the file in 3dz Studio, and you should have a plane with no wings.

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STAGE 2 making the wing 3dz's. 

You do this by doing the same as with deleting the wing sections, 
that is, to add 255 at the start of every element line, 
and save the note pad as basic.txt. 

E000= 255 148   0   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
E001= 255   5   8  13  99 114  10 134 122  11  99 124  16  89 124  17  84 124  14  70 124   9  58 119  15  70 114   0 223 255
E002= 255 149   0   5   4 230  87  83 231 129  83 232 129  89 134  87  89   0 159 255
E003= 255   6   3  19  72   1  22  89  10  21  89   1   0   5 255
E004= 255 146   1   6   4 125  76 202 126  99 202 127  99 194 128  82 190   0  16 255
E005= 255 151   1   5   3  66 232 184  14 251 188  67 232 166   0 213 255
E006= 255 152   1   5   4 120 232 188 160 232 184 118 251 188 121 237 188   0 213 255
E007= 255   2  10 217 255
E008= 255   2   1 222 255
E009= 255   2   2 223 255
E010= 255   2   3 224 255

Then taking away the 255 check at every line which has 148, and 151, 
and save this as PxxxxE.txt.

E000= 148   0   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
E001= 255   5   8  13  99 114  10 134 122  11  99 124  16  89 124  17  84 124  14  70 124   9  58 119  15  70 114   0 223 255
E002= 255 149   0   5   4 230  87  83 231 129  83 232 129  89 134  87  89   0 159 255
E003= 255   6   3  19  72   1  22  89  10  21  89   1   0   5 255
E004= 255 146   1   6   4 125  76 202 126  99 202 127  99 194 128  82 190   0  16 255
E005= 151   1   5   3  66 232 184  14 251 188  67 232 166   0 213 255
E006= 255 152   1   5   4 120 232 188 160 232 184 118 251 188 121 237 188   0 213 255
E007= 255   2  10 217 255
E008= 255   2   1 222 255
E009= 255   2   2 223 255
E010= 255   2   3 224 255

Convert this file to the PxxxxE.3dz as you did with the PxxxxF.3dz. 

Then using the basic.txt again, take away the 255 check on all elements coded 149, and 152 
and them save this file as G.txt and convert it to PxxxxG.3dz 

E000= 255 148   0   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
E001= 255   5   8  13  99 114  10 134 122  11  99 124  16  89 124  17  84 124  14  70 124   9  58 119  15  70 114   0 223 255
E002= 149   0   5   4 230  87  83 231 129  83 232 129  89 134  87  89   0 159 255
E003= 255   6   3  19  72   1  22  89  10  21  89   1   0   5 255
E004= 255 146   1   6   4 125  76 202 126  99 202 127  99 194 128  82 190   0  16 255
E005= 255 151   1   5   3  66 232 184  14 251 188  67 232 166   0 213 255
E006= 152   1   5   4 120 232 188 160 232 184 118 251 188 121 237 188   0 213 255
E007= 255   2  10 217 255
E008= 255   2   1 222 255
E009= 255   2   2 223 255
E010= 255   2   3 224 255

Open the 3dz Studio and look at your new wing 3dz's, and check they look correct.

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STAGE 3 Adding the Wings 

Using 3dz Studio, find the element numbers of the top of each wingtip and write it down, 
making a note of which element number refers to which 3dz.

These will be used in the F.3dz to attach the wings by adding hard points to the model in the following manner.

Convert your new PxxxxF.3dz back to a text file.

You will have to now start looking at the Points's section of the text file.

[POINTS]
;P000=     _y     _z      _x      _b
P000=      -7      4    -90      0
P001=      -7     -4    -90      0
P002=      -4      8    -90      0
P003=      -4     -8    -90      0
P004=      -9      5    -78      0
P005=      -9     -8    -78      0
P006=      -6      9    -78      0
P007=      -5    -14    -78      0
[END]

Go to the end of the Points section and type in an extra line, with all zero's in the coloumns

[POINTS]
;P000=     _y     _z      _x      _b
P000=      -7      4    -90      0
P001=      -7     -4    -90      0
P002=      -4      8    -90      0
P003=      -4     -8    -90      0
P004=      -9      5    -78      0
P005=      -9     -8    -78      0
P006=      -6      9    -78      0
P007=      -5    -14    -78      0
Pxxx=       0      0      0      0
[END] 

Very important make sure all the zeros line up with the other numbers in the rows.

Next go to the Header section at the top of the file.

[HEADER]
INI=179
TEXTURE=PSP09TEX.PCX
PARTS=4
POINTS=238
ELEMENTS=249
; place here the preview bitmap file's name. Useful to 3dz library
PREVIEW=
[END]

Change the number of Points by + one.

[HEADER]
INI=179
TEXTURE=PSP09TEX.PCX
PARTS=4
POINTS=239
ELEMENTS=249
; place here the preview bitmap file's name. Useful to 3dz library
PREVIEW=
[END]

Now, go to the elements section and locate the two wing tip elements which you noted earlier.

For the PxxxE.3dz write in the following

Exxx=   2  28 xxx 255 148   0   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
(xxx) this is the line number in the point's section for the point you added earlier.

For the PxxxG.3dz write in the following
Exxx=   2  29 xxx 255 149   0   5   4 230  87  83 231 129  83 232 129  89 134  87  89   0 159 255
(xxx) this is the line number in the point's section for the point you added earlier, and is the same as the one above.

The last thing to do before converting the file to a 3dz is to go to the Normal's section

[NORMAL]
;N000=   _y0    _z0    _x0     _d     _c     _f
Nxxx=  11585 -11585      0   4657      7      0
Nxxx= -16384      0      0 -16384     -3      0
Nxxx=  -2201 -15654  -4304  24134     -8      0
Nxxx=  -1676 -15516  -4985  18300     -8      0
Nxxx=  -1936 -15105  -6042  25575     -9      0
Nxxx= -14603  -7301   1369   7225     -3      0
Nxxx= -12793  10235      0 -26579     -2      0

and add -32768 to the two same line numbers in the Normal's sections as you did in the Elements section, in coloumn "F"

[NORMAL]
;N000=   _y0    _z0    _x0     _d     _c     _f
Nxxx=  11585 -11585      0   4657      7      0
Nxxx= -16384      0      0 -16384     -3      0
Nxxx=  -2201 -15654  -4304  24134     -8 -32768
Nxxx=  -1676 -15516  -4985  18300     -8      0
Nxxx=  -1936 -15105  -6042  25575     -9      0
Nxxx= -14603  -7301   1369   7225     -3      0
Nxxx= -12793  10235      0 -26579     -2 -32768

Then convert the text file back to 3dz and drop the three files you now have into EAW, along with the original tpc.

You should see a plane with wings, but made from 3 3dz's.

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STAGE 4. Breaking the fuslarge up.

Once you have reached this stage you can devide the front and rear sections of the aircraft up.

To do this look at the F.3dz in 3dz Studio.

You will see the model has a number of straight vertical lines running the whole way around the plane. 

These are the best points to cut the model, and in most cases this is directly behind the cockpit. 

Make two lists of the entire element numbers in the two halves, front, which will become the PxxxxF.3dz
and rear of the plane, which will become the PxxxxA.3dz, using 3dz Studio. 

Also at this point make a note of the upper elevator element numbers, left, and right, 
as these will be used later to add further hard points to the model

A note here about Hard Points. These shows up are red dots as seen in 3dz Studio, 
and should all be listed with the front section {PxxxxF.3dz}

Once you have a full list of each section, convert you new PxxxxF.3dz into a text file again, 
and make a second copy of the text file named PxxxxA.txt. 

Working with your list, and the PxxxxF.txt, firstly add 255 to each Element line, which appears in your rear section list,
just the same way as we did to remove the wings.

Again from your notes, find the two upper elevator element lines.

Add the following, at the beginning of the line for the Left side
Exxx=   2  25 xxx 255   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
(xxx) this is the line number in the point's section for the point you added earlier, to add the wings.

Add the following, at the beginning of the line for the Right side
Exxx=   2  26 xxx 255   5   4  33  87  89  39 129  89  38 129  83  34  87  83   0 159 255
(xxx) this is the line number in the point's section for the point you added earlier, and is the same as the one above.

And as before go to the Normal's section and -32768 to the two same line numbers in the Normal's sections,
as you did in the Elements section, in coloumn "F"
 
Convert your text file back into a PxxxxF.3dz.

Check the 3dz in 3dz Studio, and you should have a complete front section PxxxF.3dz.

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STAGE 5 Making the Rear section 3dz.

Staring with the PxxxxA.txt file you made earlier, and working with you list, 
add 255 at the beginning of each element line of your front section, including all the Hard Points.

Once you have done this convert the file into PxxxxA.3dz. 

Later the PxxxxA.3dz will it's self be split into two 3dz's A and B, but we will do this after re-mapping the model

Check the file in 3dz Studio.

If all the files look correct, copy them into your EAW main file and check them in the game. 

You should have a complete model but now made from 4 3dz's!

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Problems:

If the file fail to load in 3dz Studio, the text file has errors in it. 
You have maybe made typing mistakes, extra spaces, or not enough, or wrong number entered in a line, 
which cause the game and 3dz Studio to crash. 

To fix these sorts of problems go back to your original text file for the 3dz,
and check the lines of code, which you have altered, they are normally easy to spot where you've gone wrong.

If you have made some mistakes, and holes have appeared in the model, 
this is because you have accidently deleted an element which you should not have.

To correct this simply look at the original starting model in 3dz Studio, and locate the element in question.

Then remove the 255 check from the element in the text file you used to create the new 3dz from, 
and convert the file one again to a 3dz.

Check the 3dz in game, and the hole should have dissapeared.

Rendering sequence problems is a tricky subject to enter into, 
and my best advice is to seek further help on the forum.

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STAGE 6 How to make a whole new skin.

The easiest way I've found is to scan or download a good 3 sided scale drawing of the aircraft you wish to make the skin for.

Because of the amount of detail there will be visable, all panel lines and a lot of rivet detail, needs to be included.

Firstly look at the F and A 3dz's and check the lengths of the two sections of the plane.

They are normally about 100+- EAW 3dz units long each, depending on the aircraft.

the longest part of the model is the restricting half, as you cannot map to any more than 254 PCX points.

If you have a 3dz with 110 points long, the scale for mapping would be 2.3, 
as this would map the 3dz to 253 points on the PCX.

then add the number of points from the smaller 3dz to the larger, lets say 93 + 110 = 203 X 2.3 = 466.9, call it 467.

using your Paint program, make a blank page 467 X 467, 
and carefully cut and resize the top view, of the drawing, of the plane your making. 

A note: When you cut the drawing do not include the spinner, 
but take it from the exact end of the tail to the end of the engine cowl,
and include both wings.

Do the same for the lower view, and both sides, using the same size blanks.

Doing this you will create a scaled down drawing, from wich you can paint a master skin from.

Once you have painted your master skins, you can then start to assemble your PCX files for mapping the model.

I always start with the front section first, the Pxxxxtex.pcx. 

Cut and paste on the left side of the front section onto the PCX.

the position of the first part of the plane can be sometimes a bit tricky, 
but if you normally place it near the bottom of the PCX then you will have space to add the other side

Do not further reduce the size of the drawing, or you will never get the part to match up again.

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STAGE 7 Now you can start mapping.

Using the scale we calculated earlier, in this case being 2.3, 
recalculate the mapping by this factor and starting from the front of the engine,
recalculate each element in order of ajoining.

You will find it very useful to keep a sort of map on a piece of paper while doing this job, 
as it is easy to get lost.

If you look at some PCX files for other HR models you will soon see how the layout of the PCX's can differ,
so it's up to you to work out the best way to make things fit.

Your other new 3dz's all need to have the file pointers changed at this time, because they are all looking at the TEX.pcx.

To chance this you can using the text editor, convert the file to text, and change the file like this:

[HEADER]
INI=179
TEXTURE=PSP09TEX.PCX
PARTS=4
POINTS=239
ELEMENTS=249
; place here the preview bitmap file's name. Useful to 3dz library
PREVIEW=
[END]

to

[HEADER]
INI=179
TEXTURE=PSP09EEX.PCX  (in my case this I use for the E.3dz)
PARTS=4
POINTS=239
ELEMENTS=249
; place here the preview bitmap file's name. Useful to 3dz library
PREVIEW=
[END]

Or you can open the 3dz file using a Hex editor, and change the ANSI text to suit your PCX's

You can use any other name you like, but these are how I do mine.

PxxxxA.3dz - left Tail section.
PxxxxB.3dz - Right tail section.
PxxxxC.3dz - Free to use.
PxxxxE.3dz - Right wing.
PxxxxF.3dz - Front section of fuselage, both sides.
PxxxxG.3dz - Left wing.
PxxxxH.3dz - Shadow.
PxxxxM.3dz - Medium distance model (old f.3dz)
PxxxxP.3dz - Propeller
PxxxxS.3dz - Long Distance Model
PxxxxU.3dz - High res cockpit wing views
PxxxxY.3dz - Cockpit Prop view.

Texture files:
Pxxxxaex.pcx/tpc - texture file for A.3dz
Pxxxxbex.pcx/tpc - texture file for B.3dz
Pxxxxcex.pcx/tpc - texture file for C.3dz
Pxxxxeex.pcx/tpc - texture file for E.3dz
Pxxxxgex.pcx/tpc - texture file for G.3dz
Pxxxxmex.pcx/tpc - texture file for M, & S.3dz's
Pxxxxtex.pcx/tpc - texture file for C, H, P & Y.3dz's
Pxxxxtra.pcx/tpc - transparency info for F.3dz
Pxxxxuex.pcx/tpc - texture file for U.3dz 

On most models I don't have to use a Canopy 3dz, but I always have the B.3dz to use for this, or another mod.

For further information on this subject take a look at my HR skin Readme included in this zip file.

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STAGE 8

Once you have fully mapped the model you can split the tail in to seperate halves.

Simply list as you did before the two halves, using 3dz Studio.

Convert your fully mapped PxxxxA.3dz into a text file again, and working with your list create, 
as we've done before to files from one.

Keep the left side 3dz as the PxxxxA.3dz and name the right side PxxxxB.3dz, and create a PCX file for it.

Because we added the hard point for the B.3dz earlier, there is nothing further to do.

With all the new 3dz's and PCX files in the game, you should now have a finished HR Plane.

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3dz names and codes.
         
         P****A.3dz   attaching code = 25
         P****B.3dz   attaching code = 26
         P****C.3dz   attaching code = 27
         P****E.3dz   attaching code = 28    
         P****G.3dz   attaching code = 29

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By John ( Col. Gibbon) Graham.

19th April 2003






























