Question for the 3D modelers.

[Denholm]

I was trying to re-do my old GatofH terrain to fix some of the "absorption" bugs and to add a few extras. One of the extras is an LVT ramp that allows LVTAs on the bridge to go down a ramp that leads to the water so they can plunge in and swim to the other side. I had no problem building and exporting it, the problem however came in the testing phase. When I ran into the hole which was the ramp that led to the water, it was solid. Although I checked plenty of times that it was cut out that section and that it wasn't a face hiding itself (sometimes faces flip allowing you to look through although they're solid).

So then I tried going underneath the bridge in an LVT to go up the ramp and see if I could go out instead of into the hole in the bridge. The only problem is that the LVTA got stuck underneath the bridge, although I know that I know that there is nothing down there that could obstruct anything.

Here are some pictures showing the LVT ramp. Please note that these pictures were taken before the entire bridge was completed. The only thing that changed was the color.







Here is my export hierarchy, in case I missed something that could be critical. Please only criticise on the actual tags such as NoCollide or StencilAlpha, the rest is Blender export script requirements and therefore might appear foreign to AC3D users.

#GatofH's bridge's htp.txt file
WORLD,
   MODEL, MaxDist=20000
      OBJECTS, MaxDist=20000
         BRIDGE, MaxDist=20000
            bridge, MaxDist=20000 NoCollide=0 ZBias=1 StencilAlpha=1
            bridge1, MaxDist=20000 NoCollide=0 ZBias=1 StencilAlpha=1
#End htp.txt file for GatofH's bridge

[croduh]

There is a big problem with vehicles and bridges in ah, boats and gvs can't go below them without something awkward happening to them.

Btw,something i noticed:
 bridge, MaxDist=20000 NoCollide=0 ZBias=1 StencilAlpha=1
bridge1, MaxDist=20000 NoCollide=0 ZBias=1 StencilAlpha=1
#End htp.txt file for GatofH's bridge

You do not need to add the nocollide=0 tag, it is always =0 unless you make it =1.
Also, if you do not have transparent textures you do not need the stencilalpha tag either.

[Denholm]

Thanks for the tip on nocollide, just one thing croduh. When I did not include the stencilalpha=1 tag on my previous release of the same type bridge. Any planes flying through the region of the bridge, or any shots flying near or at the bridge were absorbed. With StencilAlpha=1 attached, this stopped.

[Xjazz]

1st. Which export script version you are using?

Originally posted by Denholm
When I ran into the hole which was the ramp that led to the water, it was solid. Although I checked plenty of times that it was cut out that section and that it wasn't a face hiding itself (sometimes faces flip allowing you to look through although they're solid).

It could be the angle of the two 'road' surfaces is too sharp and thats why the GV's stuck to there. Add surface or two to smoothing the transition.

Originally posted by Denholm
So then I tried going underneath the bridge in an LVT to go up the ramp and see if I could go out instead of into the hole in the bridge. The only problem is that the LVTA got stuck underneath the bridge, although I know that I know that there is nothing down there that could obstruct anything.
BT

Just an idea: Where is your object center? Is it same level with lowest vertext / vertices's?

Originally posted by Denholm Here is my export hierarchy, in case I missed something that could be critical. Please only criticise on the actual tags such as NoCollide or StencilAlpha, the rest is Blender export script requirements and therefore might appear foreign to AC3D users.

#GatofH's bridge's htp.txt file
WORLD,
....MODEL, MaxDist=20000
........OBJECTS, MaxDist=20000
............BRIDGE, MaxDist=20000
................bridge, MaxDist=20000 NoCollide=0 ZBias=1 StencilAlpha=1
................bridge1, MaxDist=20000 NoCollide=0 ZBias=1 StencilAlpha=1
#End htp.txt file for GatofH's bridge [/B]

BTW this board don't show the tabs correctly. I replaced tab with four periods.
Just top of my head, replace the 'BRIDGE' group name example with 'VOID01', 'STR01' or 'BRR01' name.

[Denholm]

1. I'm using Export script version: AH2 ver 1.9

2. I don't exactly understand what you're trying to tell me here. Are you asking me to place the entrance away from the bridge road surface? Or are you asking me to somehow make a few more surfaces that will make the ramp longer (Slower descent)?

3. Let me start by saying that my object is above ground, so none of the vertices are below ground by Blender standards. Although the center of my object does not have a vertice that is at the same level with the lowest available vertice.

4. I'll do that.

[BlauK]

Check which way your surface normals point. The vehicles seem to ride better on the top side (on the side which has texture when the polygon is defined one-sided).

A side note:
It seems that you could reduce several polys (merge them with others) if you want to optimize it. However it seems fairly low on polys already, so it is likely no real issue.
IIRC, the StencilAlpha tag is needed only if you have defined some color in the texture as transparent with the additional ????_a.txt file.

[Xjazz]

Hi

I meant with smoothing this



The top line present your current ramp situation and bottom line is the smoother solution. Yellow dots are presenting the vertices.

Normals is Blender
You can activate the Normals view in Edit-mode from the Mesh Tools 1 menu:
http://www.warezhouze.1g.fi/Here/Blender3d/pics/normals.jpg

In Edit-mode for the selected faces:
CTRL+N-key = Recalculate normals outside
SHIFT+CTRL+N-key Recalculate normals inside

or via W-key menu: Flip Normals

[Denholm]

I already flipped normals so that I could test it, that way I didn't not see certain textures which would cause bugs. Also, I "double-sided" the actual bridge road surface, and the entire support beam which the ramps are inside of. Is that perhaps the issue?