Author Topic: OE, challenge #2. (Read 1284 times)

Bogie603rd · « **on:** August 22, 2006, 10:35:11 AM »

Well, recently XJazz has been helping me with the Blender to make a 3-D model bridge for a new terrain of mine. I have been running into a multitude of problems in the Blender, but XJazz got me through all of them. Now, to conquer the second problem. The Object Editor.

XJazz confirmed that my object was ready to be exported using the ac3d export script. After exportation, I opened the AHII OE and converted the ac3d file to OE format. Then, I closed the OE and re-opened to update the objects list. The bridge design object was there, I selected it and inserted it. It placed the design smoothly onto the tile without a hassle.

This is where the first problem came in, i'm not sure if this is regular, but it did not give me a preview of my object. Then, after I had the object where I wanted it, with an assigned property of "Structure", I went into the "Tile Properties". And selected everything that this picture shows:

*NOTE: The preview image shows nothing.

After selecting those options, I decided to build it and test to see if it would work in the TE. I built my design, laid it in the "texsrc" folder of the "test" map, and then opened the TE. (Note, the name of the object is "bridge" in the texsrc folder. Under 8 characters.) After the TE loaded, I located the object, selected it from the list, and placed it on an empty tile of grass. Nothing shows up even after I select that the object should be a "structure" belonging to Zone 2 and Country 2.

So I went back and forth from the OE and the TE doing things such as erasing the "cache" folder and changing the "Tile Properties" in the OE for my object. I even re-arranged the layout of the structure just to see if maybe it was the positioning of my object that was preventing it from exporting correctly. Nothing worked, so now I am turning to you.

Here is a snapshot of my Hierarchy Tree and the "ah_opd.txt" file. (For all you AC3D users, it is required for the exportation process in the blender. It is not however required for the object to be exported from the OE to the TE. As are the words of XJazz.)

Can anyone let me know what i'm doing wrong, or if there is another step I need to take to ensure that the structure is correctly exported from the OE to the TE?

croduh · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2006, 10:40:53 AM »

That is is a single object, you do not need to select anything in the tile properties.

BTW: I still haven't dled the latest version of te,oe... and i am wondering what does "sub divide squares" option do.

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2006, 10:48:46 AM »

No idea what that does. Plus, I did try selecting nothing. But it did not work. (Will try again though.)

EDIT: Nope, didn't work.

croduh · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2006, 10:49:49 AM »

another thing- just use the shp and htx files from your userlib folder, not newshps

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2006, 10:52:23 AM »

Oh, will try that.

Xjazz · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2006, 11:06:51 AM »

Hi bogie,

Still few words about ah_opd.txt

1. Only one comme per line. No commas between the propertie description.
2. You can totally remove that '+1 Bridge' group line.
3. The maxdist-value should be higher, something like 15000-20000.

You can place the converted object with textures (htx files) to the terrains texscr folder.

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #6 on:** August 22, 2006, 11:09:40 AM »

Works and doesent work:

Is that regular or did something not go right?

EDIT: New image from the "ah_opd.txt" file.

Thanks XJazz.

croduh · « **Reply #7 on:** August 22, 2006, 11:11:47 AM »

are you sure you copied your htx file(texture) in texsrc folder?

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #8 on:** August 22, 2006, 11:17:56 AM »

No I didn't, hand't located it on transfer. Will test it now.

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2006, 11:21:34 AM »

Thanks XJazz and Duh, that did it!

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2006, 08:26:48 PM »

Okay, next problem. Once I built the terrain to test if the bridge was visible, I got a pretty bad bug!

If you enter the bridge from the East heading West. You never see the bridge until you cross 3/4 of the way over and reach the West side. Then if you turn around or look back, the bridge is no longer visible. As for everything else, it looks fine, I just don't understand why you can't see the bridge under all conditions and from every direction.

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2006, 09:59:27 AM »

Here's some footage to support what i'm talking about. Once you view it, just hit "Gun Cam". I was recording in god's eye and thus put a p-51 on your screen. So it's easier to see with "Gun-Cam".

http://603sqdrn.collectivelyspaced.com/problem.zip

EDIT: I just sent the film off to a squad member (Nemeth) to see what he thought. He told me he couldnt see the bridge. You might be able to, I don't know. But i'm sorry if you can't see the bridge. Let me know if you want me to upload the actual ".res" terrain so yo ucan see for yourself what's happening.

BlauK · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2006, 01:08:53 PM »

Some things to check:

Do you have transparencies in some of the objects or surfaces?
Are you using ZBias tags in some objects?

Are the objects in proper order in the hierarchy? The top most object gets rendered first and the bottom one last.
Are the surfaces one or two sided? Are the surface normals pointing outwards?

Bogie603rd · « **Reply #13 on:** August 23, 2006, 02:27:42 PM »

On the export script I made sure that ZBias was a value of "1". I know that some of the support faces are two-sided, but not all of them. The thing is, the entire bridge is invisible, not small faces/individual objects on the bridge.

I believe (and xjazz told me) the objects are correct in the hierarchy, here is a snapshot:

I do not know of any "transparencies".

Xjazz · « **Reply #14 on:** August 23, 2006, 02:38:47 PM »

Hi Blauk,

The hierarchy tree and properties are visible in Bogies picture:

The export script create the hierarchy tree and write the properties according to the 'ah_opd.txt' text file(left side on picture)

I didn't see the exported file it self so, I can't say if hierarchy tree and/or properties get messed.

I think the normals are all over. I forget to mentioned about those.