Exporting & Replacing an existing weapon model into

BF1942 (3dsmax/gmax)

This tutorial will cover the basics in exporting a weapon model into 3dsmax; it will
not cover the creation of the model, but rather simply putting it into, and replacing
an existing model in the game. It requires you to be familiar with 3dsmax‘s
interface.

Tools you’ll need:

3dsmax/Gmax
Gmax- http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax

Battlefield Mod Development Toolkit (WinRFA to be exact)

http://www.filefront.com/3593215/Battlefield-Mod-Development-Toolkit-v2.5g/

3dsmax 8 .sm export/import plug-in

Get it here: http://www.moddb.com/games/battlefield-1942/downloads/bf1942-
3dsmax-8-plugin

Ok once you have installed the necessary files, let’s start by opening up 3dsmax
and loading up the weapon model that you already have, for this tutorial I will be
using my existing G36 model which will replace the MP44 model in vanilla
BF1942.

This model has 924 polygons, ideal for Bf1942 mods.

Time to get started! Use WinRFA from the Battlefield MDT to extract the MP44
model files. WinRFA will be located in your BFMDT directory, inside a folder
named “RFA tools”.
Open it up and go to File- Open .rfa and locate the file “Standardmesh.rfa” in
your BF1942 dir/mods/Archives folder.
Default- C:\Program Files\EA Games\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives
Once you get there find the files that have “SG44” in it.

Select these files and hit Extract  Selected and extract them to a convenient
spot. I extracted them into my gmax/3dsmax meshes folder.

As a side note, your weapon model should be separated into three parts, the
main body of the weapon; the ammo magazine and the trigger. In Bf1942 each
of these parts have a different naming convention.
Now that that’s done, we’ll import the selected .sm files into 3dsmax/gmax and
replace them with the model you have. I will be using G36 model shown before.
Run the program (either 3dsmax or gMax) and let’s get going.

Go to Battlefield ToolsModel Import/Export. For now we’ll simply import the

objects.

We will import it and replace it bit by bit, so let’s start out with the base. The
proportions might turn out messed up but we’ll fix that, just rescale YOUR model
only. Once that’s done put your model exactly into the place of the model you’re
intending to replace.

That’s how it turned

out when I did it. The
Red lines show the
G36 wireframe, while
the yellow ones
belong to the SG44.
Press H in 3dsmax, this will give you the list of all the objects in the scene.

The object that we are trying

to replace is called sg44, so
change the name of your base
model to sg44 and delete all
other meshes. DONT SAVE,
you’ll end up deleting your
magazine and/or trigger
permanently.

Time to export our object, after changing the name of it, set it up in the export
menu so it looks like this:

Hit export and name it

SG44.

Repeat these steps on

the other parts replace
the object with your
own model and name it
correctly. Doing it for
the trigger isn’t entirely
necessary.
Okay, were almost there. Its time to pack it up for BF1942 using the RFA tools.
Go the folder you’ve exported your files. Make sure their altogether and the
folder’s name is “standardmesh”. Copy this folder into your Mod Development
tools. Open up the RFA Tools folder and run the program “GUI_RFAPack”. The
one with the green icon. It should look like this:

Hit the “Pack Folder” button and voila! A standard mesh RFA file ready for
BF1942! Make a new mod using the BF1942 Mod Wizard in the MDT files, and
copy paste this RFA file in to your mod’s archives folder.