Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => FS2 Open Tools => Topic started by: Topgun on July 19, 2007, 11:06:24 am
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How stable is pcs2?
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way more stable than any other POF editor
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more then pcs1?
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yes
it is stabler than PCS1, it is easier to use than model view, and it has more innovative features than Aurora (and it won't turn your model to coal like later Aurora builds did).
it is the omega of all POF editors.
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you do know I mean pcs2 as it is now, right?
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you do know I never used the phrase 'will be' right? I said 'is', as in the present tense.
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just wanted to clarify.
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... "POF Constructor Suite, the ultimate FreeSpace 2 Modeller's Swiss Army Knife"
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So when can I use a program other than that abomination known as Truespace?
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there is a thread in the list above for questions like that
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Dearest sirs/dudes/demigods/_______(add your own),
There seems to be a reporting tool called Mantis -- that requires yet another account -- that I seem reluctant to use. However (and you may move/ignore/delete/_____(add your own) this post as you seem fit), I couldn't find an appropriate thread to post this in, so;
While the results of the PCS2 coding effort is the omega of all code and wonderful and that, how can I get it working? I bet it's the best thing since sliced bread, but I cannot personally ascertain this since I have not managed to run it one single time.
Unless, of course, it's supposed to give me the
Great Flameing Graphics error of DOOM!!!
Warning OGL reported "invalid enumerant" at .\pcs_file.cpp (1469/1518)
please report this issue to Bobboau
...or else...
[OK]
(OpenGL Version is "1.1.0"
Vender is "Microsoft Corporation"
Renderer is "GDI Generic")
error report.
Is there a new version coming out? Couldn't you just make the GFX toggleable? Meaning, as in "turn graphics on/off". Or "view model". Or something. Or please.
Or cordially,
~Selectah
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that sounds like you are using the... wait no, you ARE using the MS generic driver for your graphics card, you need to update those.
what sort of card do you have?
PCS2 uses a few OGL extensions which have been standard since the turn of the millennium, but because MS likes D3D they haven't made drivers that were compatible with any version of OGL after there first iteration of directx. not that that realy matters cause you shouldn't be using the MS drivers for any longer than it would take to find and install the ones for your card.
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Has anyone been getting collision detection problems? I've got ships that you can fly right through.
UGh most of my capships that I reimported with pcs2 are semi-hollow. I bet the fighters are as well. :sigh:
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Ah, the Midway is guilty of this, fly-thru.. :(
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the cause of that is known - inverted external bounding box
please recompile those models from COB (with the Jan 3 2008 build) and it should be solved
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For the record, the page in the attached thread where PCS2 is supposedly downloadable does not function. It's not even kind enough to 404, it just shows a pretty blank white area.
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you mean the link in my sig? it works for me
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... "POF Constructor Suite, the ultimate FreeSpace 2 Modeller's Swiss Army Knife"
Then my swiss army knife broke. I get a wierd error when ever I load a model. It stops showing the textures, and everytime I click on the model, a little error box (never goes away) pops up. And then I have to close it through the Windows Task Manager. D:
I love the tool, but I don't know why it's doing this. I have a thread dor it already. Any help would be appreciated.
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Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll ppppppppppppppppppppp!
;)
How do I control scaling with PCS2?
I bring in the model *.cob file it was .7 units long.
I figured PCS2 is in meters or unitless.
I wanted it 12
So I set the cob scale factor to 17.
Open the file again, its roughly D=12 great.
I set the scaling factor to 1.
I save my POF file, close PCS2, Open it again, open my POF file and it is 65?????????????
:wtf: :eek2: :nervous: :hopping: :ick: :rolleyes:
How does the scaling work with this?
Every other program reads it and every file converted by them as 11.9 meters?
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Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllppppppppppppppppppppp!
;)
How do I control scaling with PCS2?
I bring in the model *.cob file it was .7 units long.
I figured PCS2 is in meters or unitless.
I wanted it 12
So I set the cob scale factor to 17.
Open the file again, its roughly D=12 great.
I set the scaling factor to 1.
I save my POF file, close PCS2, Open it again, open my POF file and it is 65?????????????
:wtf: :eek2: :nervous: :hopping: :ick: :rolleyes:
How does the scaling work with this?
Every other program reads it and every file converted by them as 11.9 meters?
One truespace unit = 20 freespace meters.
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Thanks for the info Scooby,
I'm not using TrueSpace, that thing where I have to add all of the lights is horrid plus the interface is just totally convoluted and imprecise.
I'm using Deep Explorer 5.5 CAD edition for all of my conversions.
The scaling of the files works equal in any format it does.
But after reading the PCS Wiki, I'm still not sure when the scaling occurs for PCS2 (during Import or Export or both times)
The only discrepancy I've had with DEx is it turns obj's and wrl's on their side,
but if I open any files converted with it in Rhino 4, Maya 6.5, Blender, GMax, or Lightwave, the units are the usual I saved it to, around 12 Meters.
I just want to know if PCS2 actually does work with a scale factor and when it does, where it occurs?
During import? During save? During both? Mainly, where do I determine my results from to get a valid factor?
At least so I can decide where maintain a consistent process?
Is this the best place to find an answer or should I try to contact Kazan?
I checked the Wiki and this was all I could get:
If PCS gives a "Too many polygons in same average location!" error, it can mean one (or more) of three things:
There is a duplicate of one of the objects in the SCN in the EXACT same position as another of the EXACT same shape and size.
To fix it, just find the duplicate object and delete or move it.
There is a duplicate face somewhere within the one subobject. This is usually a case of bad or unstable geometry somewhere in the model and should be fixed by hand. Look for things like polygons that shimmer as you rotate your view around them, as this is a sign that two polygons are fighting to be on top of each other in the Zbuffer. This commonly happens in very small hard to edit parts of geometry depending on your modelling techniques.
Your object is too small in TS for PCS to be able to clearly tell the difference between two polygon locations during conversion. (This is a common problem for fighters and bombers because of how small they will appear in TS in order to fit the standard conversion ratio of 20 FS meters to each TS meter.)
To fix this, scale the whole ship up in TrueSpace to the size you want it to appear as in Freespace - meter for meter. Then, before converting, set PCS's scaling to 1 rather than 20 and convert.
This should fix it by effectively giving PCS more accuracy when it gets to really small numbers. The up-scaling of your model is counteracted by telling PCS that one TrueSpace meter should equal one Freespace meter, so you don't end up with cruiser sized fighters and the like.
Can I rescale a POF successfully from FRED without messing up all of the data in the POF?
I noticed if I bring in a POF back into PCS2 it strips all of the data.
I would absolutely love it if I could write the numbers or paste them into a text file to import them again so I don't have to do the manual fudge and enter for every point again.
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But after reading the PCS Wiki, I'm still not sure when the scaling occurs for PCS2 (during Import or Export or both times)
Only on import
One truespace unit = 20 freespace meters.
If you are not using truespace, ignore this. Early Truespace limitations are the only reason for the scale.
Set PCS2 to 1. Scale it properly in your software.
Blender models have to finalised before export by applying scale and rotation. Max has something similar with xform (I think) Make sure your software doesn't have something similar.
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Opps didn't ready you weren't using truespace, I just saw cob files.
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OK thanks guys, I'll try again tonight.
I only use COB because it recognizes the format.
I couldn't get the DAE version of PCS2 running yet and haven't used the format enough to go through learning an entire new process again.
I'm finally getting it to 3 LOD's and debris with the textures reasonably decent now the scale is driving me nuts ;)
I tried it at 1.0 before and it came in about 1/3rd scale.
Tried it at 3 and it still came into the game the same 3rd size so I was getting bewildered a bit.
I'll keep plugging away at it. At least I can consistently make a pof file now.
One issue I guess I really need to know, how do I know the overall size of the ship when I look at the header in PCS2?
Lets say I just want to verfy the length before I save the file or bother entering all of the points in.
Can I rely on the D factor in the lower right to be the actual length of it in FSO units when I save the POF?
Does the mass affect the scale if I try to increase it?
I tried adjusting it and ended up with a 65 meter fighter.
Even when it goes to 65 meters in size, it still comes out weighing very little?
Is it space weight? :D
If it does this only on import,
I am betting that may be the fact that I am scaling the pof file when I go back and try to check its size by opening in PCS2 with a factor still set high.
So I am multiplying the size everytime I open it.
What may be throwing me is I tried an odd factor of 17 giving me some rather dubious size increases.
I'll verify it all this evening.
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OK how does this thing factor scale?
I have the cob file open and give me a D of 0.71
So to get 12, I set the scale to 16.9 which is supposed to make D= 11.94 and it does when I import it.
When I click to save the pof file D jumps to 61 without me changing or closing or opening anything.
So it has to be multiplying on Import & Export or Save period.
Even when I import with 17, get a result of 12.1, change the scale to 1.0, then save the pof, the damend thing jumps to 61 the second I hit the save button.
This is really getting on my nerves.
I set it to 1.0, forget changing anything, D shows .71 on import, I save the pof file with it set to 1.0 still, and it jumps to 4.04 on clicking the save button. Close, open the pof and D says 4.04.
I change the scale to 3.0, 3x4=12 right, the frigging thing changes D to 3.60????????????????
Close and open the pof file and its 3.60.
I freaking give up man this is insane........
I scale the cob file so its almost 15 meters in size, leave the PCS2 scale at 1.0.....
Import it to PCS2, the D says .71, I save the file it turns into 4.04 again?????
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Nevermind I finally ended up finding a factor of 6.75 gave me the desired result on import, then setting it to 1 before I saved it.
I had to forget math and just keep testing factors until it gave me the right figures to match a Mk7 Viper in the upper boxes.
D is a different factor of the entire model I beleive.
Anyways.....
I have the latest working files uploaded to my site 9-18-2008 10:05 EST if you want to play with them:
http://www.kewltoyz.com/downloads/VipMkV.zip
The POF files with some jerry rigged ships & weapons tables and options in the Algae Planet Gauntlet mission (Special Thanks to Travis Simmons) to use it by default as a sample of how to add it to a mission that also allowsto select other weapons or ships. These are best used for the BtRL ArchAngel mod if you dont want to break Multiplayer on the regular game you can run the MOD offline to fool with it. I need to lookup the latest cockpit build and see how it does, I detailed the texture quite a bit for the dash.
If you want to reskin it or see all of the details and debris with the opriginal models:
http://www.kewltoyz.com/downloads/ViperMkV-Model.zip
This has the 3D models and psp texture files.
Thanks for your help guys :D
As always mucho appreciated!!!
Warning: still trying to figure out how engine glows get masked by the hull geometry so they appear from any angle unfortunately.
This ship with the weapons tables in this mission is extreme overkill to say the least.
It has an afterburner that doesn't run out and clock a speed of 999.
The standard speed is overkill at 400.
The weapons are unlimited ammo and there are 6 of them with green tracers at an extremely high rate.
It disintegrates anything you point it at right now in a ridiculous way.
I was just messing around, this in no way reflects the final models implementation.
I tweaked the rudder down for smoother handling if you use a joystick.
I have not yet tested the collision model of it or the debris, didnt have the patience to wait for it to get slammed or killed yet :D
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Post your cob file.
PCS2 only ever scales on import, so you have something unusual going on.
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Its in the model link files :D
The cob file has no lights since they aren't necessary using Deep Explorer to make a cob for PCS2.
http://www.kewltoyz.com/downloads/ViperMkV-Model.zip
It is acting strangely. I built the 3ds files as individual details to work with in Lithunwrap then assembled them with Rhino to export as a 3ds again. Used Deep Explorer to manipulate the groups and save to cob file.
Then worked with the cob file back and forth between PCS2 & DE until the meshes all show up in the right direction.
I can't figure out engine glows showing up at any angle viewing the ship yet.
Perhaps because they exceeded the radius of the space I placed them into but not the hull of the ship.
I appreciate your time Water.
One good thing I tested the collisons and it is solid and it takes hits.
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A few shots in game
[attachment deleted by ninja]
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lmao who gave me the Scotch accent?
"If it isn't Scottish its crap!!!" :)
Looks like the entire thread lad :D
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Dude, sometimes you like causing yourself extra work :p
Open the pof and click on Detail-0, what is highlighted? Now click on Detail-1 and see what is highlighted.
The hierarchy order does matter ;) and you should be able to sort out some of the scaling problems now.
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Yeah actually I found the Mk7 had that wierdness going on so I followed it having the Canopy as the main parent and the hull underneath in a sub group to get the same structure. I'll fiddle with it some more. Actually I am surprised how small the file widdled down to in the pof.
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OK, I'm debugging against the fs2_open_3_6_10_d version out of curiosity and getting tons of inverted bounding box complaints in my pof files. How do I fix these?
Ok it stopped after I re-built using the 5-15-2008 version of PCS2
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Hi! I've got problem because I would like to use PCS2 .cob exporter but when I would like to save my file I get program error and application close.
here are steps which I do:
-run PCS2
-select open from menu
-choose .cob and my xxx.cob model file
-models load but I can't see it in viewport
-choose save as xxx.pof and then windows show me that I get error and application close.
Thanks for help :)
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If it doesn't appear in the viewport, it kinda sounds like it's not actually converting the COB, which could be anything from broken geometry to incorrect naming conventions. ;)
Can you post the COB?
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As You wish :)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mbua6m (http://www.sendspace.com/file/mbua6m)
If You know what was wrong please tell me about this because I would also have this skill :D
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Ah, ok it looks like you just don't have any hierarchy at all. PCS2 works with object groups rather than individual objects, so to get this to work, glue the object 'action' to a local light, and rename the resulting object group to 'detail0', like this (where the object 'geometry' represents where 'action' would go):
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/SimpleHeirarchy.jpg)
When you've added stuff like LODs, turrets and debris, the hierarchy should look like:
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/Misc/HealthyHierarchy.jpg)
(Note: ONLY the names of the object groups actually matter - so don't worry about going through and naming each light or anything. :) )
BTW, what program did you use to build this? If it's pretty much anything aside from truespace you should be able to export via DAE for a more direct conversion approach.
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im still waiting for spicious (sp?) to update his patch to the current trunk CVS so i can apply it next time i work on the program.. which might be soon
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Hmm I try to do this as You say:
-I install pcs2 collada patch
-set in deep explorer group
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8465/93811876.jpg)
-When I try to open this file in PCS2 I have this:
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7659/36628586.jpg)
I don't know what is wrong..
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ask the people who use the Collada... it's hierarchy structure may be different from COB
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Hmm I try to do this as You say:
-I install pcs2 collada patch
-set in deep explorer group
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8465/93811876.jpg)
-When I try to open this file in PCS2 I have this:
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7659/36628586.jpg)
I don't know what is wrong..
Did you do a reset x-form on detail0?
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i need to get some of the extensive users to write a good HTML help/walkthrough site that i can distribute with it (and use wx to show it as the internal help)
screen shots, usage tips, etc etc
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Oh, there you're applying the COB export format requirements to the DAE conversion, which are quite different. The hierarchy I outlined applies ONLY to COB conversions.
For DAE conversions, the names must be exact and are case sensitive. To get your model converting there you need only the detail0_geometry part. Remove the detail0 object group and the light, and then rename detail0_geometry to just detail0. Save as a DAE and try the conversion again.
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Thank You very much Vesudan Admiral :D I set hierarchy as You say and save file as non-ASCII and it works :D. Tomorrow I will try again DAE conversion.
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To get this kind of thing out of the Important PCS2 Threads post which is not meant for this kind of thing...
Put all your user to user support in here.
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ok im going to create a thread for this kind of discussion.. this thread isn't really for that
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,61476.0.html
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Might consider getting an op to split the posts to this thread too. Looks done now.
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i sent a PM to Goober asking him to move those posts over
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So I finally made the game work, but after installing the SCP with all the MVPs I get no visual results at all...
It's the same as before... :blah:
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what does this have to do with PCS2?
(P.S. you need to enable it as a mod)
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Will future versions allow editing of Max Radius, or am I missing something basic?
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that was locked off because it is a result of a number of other things and must be recalculated every time the pof is saved. specifically if you move a sub object, the max radius would need to be recalculated.
so to answer your question no, by design.
if you have a model that has the wrong radius, saving the model 'should' correct it.
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Sadly, it does not. I know this, because I am trying to get models that currently do not match with the retail data to match the retail data.
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it should be getting calculated based on the object bounding box, is that screwed up also?
if it is off slightly it shouldn't be a big deal (we might have a more accurate calculation than V did), what exactly is your problem?
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A re-smoothing of the existing MediaVP Myrmidon done by blowfish.
All of the data in the pof matches the Retail values. Except Max Radius.
Retail: 10.168615, Current: 17.613806.
Bounding Boxes match, Center of Mass, Mass, MOI, H, W, D.
If I open and then save the retail model, I get the newer number.
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What about resaving a retail model? Same thing?
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well it looks like it is calculating it the way it is intended to, but maybe our algorithm needs to be revised.
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What about resaving a retail model? Same thing?
If I open and then save the retail model, I get the newer number.
And it is entirely possible that :v: in having a more simple geometry got the retail numbers because of it.
And/or a possibility exists (but I could be wrong here) that the SLDC part is contributing to the expansion of the Max Radius.
So _far_ it has not posed any significant changes that I can observe in retail missions. And I am perfectly happy for there being a logically rational explanation. So long as it's not just a bug.
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Is there any way to change axis rotation in PCS2? (not rotate around an axis) :confused:
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Hi!! I've got another problem... I have ship in pof format and I would like to add shield mesh in .cob format.. I make hieratchy like this:
+ shield
-shield_geometry
-light
In PCS2 I push load button in shield section and select my .cob file but shield doesn't apper... what is wrong?
Thanks for help :D
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I'm using the 2.1 Alpha release from Jan 4th. Sometimes it works but normally every time I save a file in any format I get a crash. Now the model saves just fine and can be opened but it's a real pain. Happens on at least 2 different systems. Any idea what could be causing this? I didn't have this issue with 2.03.
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The 2.1 Alpha was never supposed to be released, it was development code. Stick with 2.0.3 based builds.
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Can't save as .dae with 2.0.3. Going to try installing in a separate directory to see if I can use both.
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For this reason, I have 3 versions of PCS2.
One for POF -> DAE, one for DAE -> POF, and one for everything else.
I keep them all in the same directory, and it works for me (though I do have to keep in mind what I want to do when I select the version of PCS2).
I've found that the newest Collada-capable one tends to crash on opening POFs (but writes POFs from DAE just fine), so I use an older version of the Collada one for exporting to DAE. The Non-collada one is pretty stable for everything else.
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Not _the_ 2.0.3 build, but the 2.0.3-based builds with DAE support. There's one on the Collada Importer page on the wiki in my sig, near the bottom. The 2.1 Alpha one might be useful in some situations, I won't rule that out, but its ability to save POFs is probably broken, importing them as well perhaps. But DAE->PMF and PMF->DAE might work, so using both builds side by side might not be a bad idea actually, because I know Spicious made some changes to it since the Nov 2.0.3 based build.
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Is on forum any tutorial which explain how to use PCS 2 with .dae format? I was looking for it but I can't find anything..
I was trying to export easy ship from 3dsmax (I name it "detail0" I also reset xform) and when I try to load it in PCS like I was loading .cob files I get a little object which isn't visible and whatever scale I set up it always has size 0.2 to 0.2 to 0.2..
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Yup, I was asking around for that a week or two ago but nothing yet really that's Max-oriented or app-agnostic. Just the Blender one in the wiki.
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Is there anyone who uses 3ds max and the collada exporter who'd be willing to post a screen shot of their 3ds max heirarchy (with names)? It would be very much appreciated.
I'm trying to rig a model in 3ds max, for conversion to .dae, but I can't figure out what is happening. LOD's won't work and turret firing points don't appear.
Never mind, the heirarchy is the same as the blender heirarchy.
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It is the same but did You finaly export your models in .dae format to PCS2?? If Yes please tell me what You do cause I don't know what I'm doing wrong...
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Yes please tell him. Also you might bug Scooby, I think he was one who has done a lot of exporting from Max with Collada, and had mentioned he might try to get a rough guide together. Bug him until he decides it'd be easier to write it down once :)
Don't tell him I sent you though.
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Well, it would be better to say I had it working. I made a model with one turret, made heirarchy with helpers, converted it and ran the game. In the game I ended up getting a ship with a giant turret and a firing point that was fifty meters away from the turret itself, and pointed in the wrong direction.
I went back into max, reset the xform, rotated my helpers, brought it back into the game, and it stopped working. Completely. If I open up my model in modelview, the turret and all it's information is there. It just doesn't appear in the game. And PCS2 crashes the moment I click on the turret.
So this is the heirarchy I'm pretty sure I had when I got it to work. The objects "detail0" and "turret00" are geometry, the rest are helpers.
detail0
|
--> turret00
|
-->helper00
|
--->firepoints00
| |
| -->firepoint00
|
--->properties00
|
-->$fov=180
|
-->$name=laser_turret
|
-->$special=subsystem
n.b. It didn't work until I had made the properties helper. I'm not sure if you can enter them into the turrets user defined attributes or not.
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Sorry I've been just too busy on and off the computer lately. It WILL be done, just a matter of when. :)
Bobbtmann If your using Studio max you don't need the Properties00 helper.
Right click on the object->Object Properties->User Defined
You can enter the properties there exactly as they would appear in PCS2.
In fact I wrote a small max script that applies the necessary data to turrets and engines.
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There are some other requirements on turrets as well. Top mounted multiparts turrets need to be facing forward and have their normals pointing straight up, bottom mounted, facing back and normals down. I don't know how that applies to side mounted or omni-mounted.
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You'll need to define the forward and up vector for any turret that is not aligned directly up or down.
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Ok. I finally attain to export model to PCS2 in .dae format but PCS didn't load my UV coordinates...
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/669/szajs.jpg)
I'm using Deep exploration 5 cause 3dsmax 2009 dae exporter doesn't work..
Can somebody help me..?
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There are some other requirements on turrets as well. Top mounted multiparts turrets need to be facing forward and have their normals pointing straight up, bottom mounted, facing back and normals down. I don't know how that applies to side mounted or omni-mounted.
I normally do port side mounted turrets (0-180) facing forward, starboard (181-359) facing back..
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Here's a few that might help:
ColladaMax NextGen (http://www.collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/ColladaMax_NextGen)
ColladaMax OSS (https://collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/ColladaMax_OSS)
Usermade ColladaMax 2009 64bit binaries (http://techarttiki.blogspot.com/2008/08/colladamax-for-3ds-max-2009-64-bit.html)
I don't know if either of those will work better than the default Max Collada support. ColladaMax itself hasn't been updated since 2007 so I don't know if you'd be able to use the old binaries with Max 2009. Those might far better, or they might function exactly the same, I don't know.
There are some other requirements on turrets as well. Top mounted multiparts turrets need to be facing forward and have their normals pointing straight up, bottom mounted, facing back and normals down. I don't know how that applies to side mounted or omni-mounted.
I normally do port side mounted turrets (0-180) facing forward, starboard (181-359) facing back..
0-180 is a range of 181 numbers, and 181-359 is a range of 179 numbers. Is that right?
Also Scooby, if jacek were to get you one of the files he's trying to set up for export, you could look at it and give some pointers?
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Angles actually... ummm based on the front going back axis (Y-axis in max)
I don't remember about turrets that slope forward or backward though.
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Thank You very much chief1983!! :D
I checked all those links... and only one works.. ColladaMax OSS!!
To all people who have problems with using collada export.. remember:
-model should be triangulated
-history should be cleared
-use ColladaMax OSS it works with most 3dsmax version..
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Glad I could help again. Hopefully I'll get to see the fruits of your labor soon :)
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Warning OGL reported "invalid value" at .\pcs_file.cpp (2143)
please report this issue to Bobboau
...or else...
Option: "Use OpenGL VBOs (if able)
Action: Selecting any item in SubObjects.
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In fact I wrote a small max script that applies the necessary data to turrets and engines.
Scooby, think you could put that script out there for others to borrow? :)
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Will do.... making a tutorial right now.
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HOW TO CONVERT MODEL FROM 3DSMAX TO PCS2 USING COLLADA
(this points will be probably attached to upcoming tutorial created by JGZinv):
First thing is to choose good collada plugin cause for example 3dsmax 2009 internal collada plugin didn't work properly.. I finally install ColladaMax OSS and it works well
https://collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/ColladaMax_OSS (https://collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/ColladaMax_OSS)
Another thing is to reset x-form It will let PCS2 to set up bounding box properly. When we 're converting model we mustn't forget about name convention (hierarchy). All name rules for collada format is on freespace wiki.
Last thing: If You want to have Your model looking nice You mustn't forget about smoothing groups. I suggest to assign to one face(triangle or poly) one smooth group not more! Cause during conversion it generates some errors and probably our model in PCS won't look as we want.
I hope You understand cause I come from Poland and my english isn't good.
Enjoy!
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Thanks guys!
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I wouldn't get all too fired up right away on my account at least.
I'm just trying to amass information about "the correct way" of doing things
from people that have actually produced ships recently. Having several year
old tutorials that may or may not apply to the current situation - just ain't cutting it.
I've got a 25+ model backup at FringeSpace waiting on me to deal with, and I know
next to nothing on conversions. So I've got to make a tut one way or another, just
to keep stuff straight in my head. Might as well write it for novices while I'm at it then.
If Scooby is going to make one, I'll be more than glad to help in whatever way I can.
He'll probably be much more capable than I am right now.
Right now I've only written up to the point of getting Max, Blender, and PCS2 installed and setup
to be used. All the mess afterward, will be the real meat and potatoes of the problem.
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FRED debug (RC3) says "Serious error loading model ArmedCargo.pof: 120 normals capped to zero" when I add this thingy (attached). What does it mean?
FSO debug keeps quiet about it, and the extended FS2_Open.log doesn't seem to show anything out of the ordinary either.
(By the way, I'm not planning to actually use this POS anywhere. It's solely for getting-started purposes.)
[attachment has decomposed]
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That occurs when one or more verticies have normals that are not numbers, which is usually a problem in the model before conversion. Looking at the model, there do appear to be some faulty polys beneath the front and back of the multipart turret. The rest I suspect can be fixed by recalculating the normals - which app was this in just prior to conversion?
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Made in Blender (the multipart was stolen from the Aeolus :nervous: ) , converted via Collada. Apart from fixing them, how to recognize faulty polies?
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Ah excellent. In theory then all you should need to do is select all in edit mode and press Ctrl+N->click to confirm to recalculate normals to be outside the enclosed volume. :)
As for how to recognise them, that comes with experience mainly, but something that can definitely help is to have nothing selected in edge mode and go to select -> non-manifold (menu at the bottom of the 3d window). This will select all edges that are not a part of the continuous volume such as those around a hole in the mesh, or loose edges between verticies that don't actually have a face there as well.
For more info on that and other common mesh errors, have a look at the Geometry section of the Blender->POF wiki page: http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Blender_to_POF_Conversions
(I think I'll siggify that link actually - getting tired of finding it by rummaging around in the wiki every time ;) )
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Just recalculating normals doesn't seem to work :nervous:
.blend file attached, in case it can help; at first, I thought it could be the not-closed "shell" shape of the multipart causing it, but both the Aeolus and the Triton get away with it.
[attachment has decomposed]
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Oh, I think I see it - don't use Ngons as you have on the docking port disc and the flat surface it's sitting on. :)
To remove them, select all faces, press F -> clear Ngons. When dealing with geometry destined for FS, stick to triangles and quads only if you have to.
In fact, make the little docking port disc separate from the box geometry, but still part of the same mesh. (Ie, if you select any face on the box and press Ctrl+L to select linked faces, the docking port won't get selected.
Also, your front and back turrets have their normals inverted - select all faces and press W->flip normals to fix.
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Clearing the NGons ... didn't work either :nervous: Strangely enough, the model I based it from (attached) doesn't have the problem. So (I think) the problem is either in the turrets (possibly somewhere during converting all the way to .blend and back, or a bad alignment?), or in the "armour plate" I added at the bottom. But that one's simply an extrusion, so I doubt it's that.
Do you mean separating the entire docking cylinder or just the top face? And what's the advantage of doing it that way?
(Thanks for pointing to the inverted normals btw, I'm still trying to figure out how to find them on my own :) )
[attachment has decomposed]
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Well, the extrusion isn't quite that simple - what you actually did was extrude three separate faces rather than the whole region of the bottom. This just means that you have 8 hidden faces beneath the two apparent 'edges' across the armour plate. They *shouldn't* be causing the vector error, but the faces are occupying exactly the same space as each other, and that's not a thoroughly reliable state of affairs. You could fix it just by deleting the internal edges and then welding the verts that are in the same space. If you're not sure what I'm talking about I'll take a pic. :)
About separating the docking cylinder - I mean the whole thing. You currently have it fully built into the surrounding face it's sitting on, which is guzzling a lot of polys it doesn't need to. Try just sitting it on top like this: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/VA--Twisted_Infinities/BlenderTutorialStuff/DetailType2.jpg
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Oh, so that's the difference between region and faces... Fixed that, separated the docking cylinder - and now it works!
Since the dockport doesn't give errors on the other model, I guess it was the extrusion. Thanks a lot for your time :)
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Question: has anything been done about the VBO/omnipoints-related crash that occurs for certain computers (particularly mine)?
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anyone know where i can get the most recent pcs2 source? im kind of intrested in creating a terrain/planet generaton plug-in/external utility (which would output to pmf).
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The Alliance CVS server to my knowledge. Browser (http://alliance.cvs.sourceforge.net/alliance/) Client setup help (http://sourceforge.net/scm/?type=cvs&group_id=26889)
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theyre still using cvs? this sucks.
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Scaling is a bit off.
I got a fighter of EXACTLY 20 FS units and a scale conversion factor of 1... that means my fihgter should end up 20 meters long...it ends up 28 meters long. Thing for some reason keep ending up bigger. Tried it several times and I can confirm it without doubt.
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thats probibly because it includes the shield and bounding boxes as well
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No, I mean the smae model converted with PCS1 nad PCS2 using the same scaling facot ends up different in size.
Fighter or capship, shield or no shields.
The Orion that ends up 2054m with PCS1 ends up over 2300 with PCS2.
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No, I mean the smae model converted with PCS1 nad PCS2 using the same scaling facot ends up different in size.
Fighter or capship, shield or no shields.
The Orion that ends up 2054m with PCS1 ends up over 2300 with PCS2.
Check for any scaling in the model (reset xform, apply rotation and scaling etc..)
Tested a 2k cob, in pcs2 it was spot on.
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Yeah and jacek has been making some spot on models with Max->Collada->PCS2 as well. He's nailing the lengths dead on so unless he's got his own conversion he's using I think it's working.
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Check for any scaling in the model (reset xform, apply rotation and scaling etc..)
Tested a 2k cob, in pcs2 it was spot on.
I'm using TS 5.1, not 3D Max...no reset Xform.
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I'm using TS 5.1, not 3D Max...no reset Xform.
Start new and create a 20m cube, unwrap and save a cob. Use PCS1 & 2.
At a scale of 1
then at a scale of .1
then 10
If it ends up at 20m in the first and 200m in the second and 2 for the last, then the problem is elsewhere.
If the scaling is wrong, then post the results and the cob.
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My insignia are in the wrong place now. Went through the section of the Wiki, Ctrl-A 'd them several times, checked again...
Image attached. Yes I know it looks like crap, I'm not intending to use it.
[attachment deleted by MSC
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Hey there,
just a short question (since I can't seem to find a list of controls)
How can I move the view away from the center of the model. That's possible, right ? At least the buttons on top suggest that. I tried, Mouse, arrows and WASD, but it's not moving
Thanks for the help :)
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Try shift or alt or control plus mouse dragging, some of those combinations move it differently. Maybe combinations of modifier keys too.
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Shift it is. Thanks :)
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OK, another question :)
Let's say I'm to lazy (or otherwise unable) to open a model again in the model program, so I can technically move the objects via the coordinates in PCS. Has anyone tried that and received bad results doing that or is it save to do so ?
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So I'm trying to import a model into the game. It's composed of detail 0, turrets, and the associated helper. I can't get the firing normals to work. The firing points seem linked to the turret model, and have nothing to do with the helpers at all.
-When I first tried importing it, the pivot points for all my turret models where in one place (they're single part) and the normals were pointing straight up.
-So then I centered the pivot points for all the turrets onto the the associated helpers, and sure enough the in the game they were all firing in from the right place. Except the normal were all pointing straight up, still.
-So then I tried rotating the turret models' pivot point to match the helpers' normals, but I can't do that because then I need to reset my x-form before importing.
So does anyone know why this is all happening? And maybe a way to fix it? :confused:
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Do you having it setup something like this?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/Shodan_AI/Extras/kam19.jpg)
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Yes, minus the turret arm and turret destroyed. Could it be a naming problem? It just occured to me my first turret is turret00. Yours there is turret01.
Edit: I renamed it, but nothing changed. Is it possibly a problem with my computer or PCS2? For instance, I need to use MODVIW32 to edit POF's because every verion of PCS2 I have crashes when I click on anything.
Here's a screenshot of my heirarchy:
[attachment deleted by MSC
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Try this:
Take a turret thats pointing straight up (if you don't have one then change one so it does).
Unlink it from detail 0, then unlink everything in that turret. All the firepoints, firepoint(s), helper and actual turret, (if it had an arm, that too).
Collapse the turret if necessary, then select everything that you just unlinked (mesh & dummies) then do a reset-xform on them.
Then finally relink them up as they were before.
I've found if I've got a turret that's misbehaving (my biggest problem is the firepoints are not located in the right direction) a reset-xform usually solves this.
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Is resetting the x-form on one turret going to solve the problem for all of them? I tried it on a turret that was mostly facing up. After resetting the x-form, it's still facing up, and so are all the others.
I also tried doing a reset x-form on all the turrets and their helpers, then rotating the helpers, and they're all still facing up. I've also tried using dummy helpers instead of point helpers, to no avail. I've also deleted all helpers and made new ones, also to not avail. I'm pretty sure the solution will be obvious when it's found, but I'm stumped.
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It would affect just one. If that didn't help then I'm not sure what the problem is offhand.
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I would like to ask you a favour, Scooby_Doo. If I provide a .max file, would you mind converting it for me? It's rigged and the heirarchy is in place, it just needs to be run turned into a DAE and the a POF.
I would like to eliminate the possibility that it is my computer that's screwing things up.
Thanks.
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Sure I'll have a look at it.
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Thanks! I really appreciate it.
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Oh I think I might see what the first problem is. You used a point helper "helper" for your helper object, I always use the dummy object. Not sure if thats the exact problem but we'll see.
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Hmm, jacek's been working on this same model actually (assuming that's the Carrack), it'll be good for him to read this in case he was missing any of the same stuff. And if bobbtman can get some basic conversion skills going too, that'd be awesome.
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Solved it...
Here's what I had to do (you'll need to do it with each turret):
Hide everything but that specific turret (the mesh, it's helper, firepoints...)
delete the helper, firepoints and firepoint
rotate the turret so that it faces straight up (or in your case, as about straight as it can get)
Remember the rotation angles.
Do an reset-xform on it, collapse the mesh again to make the changes permanent.
Create a dummy object (Helpers->Dummy) it'll make a box, the size doesn't really matter
Use the quick align (Ctrl+A) and click on the turret mesh. It'll place the dummy box where the center of the turret is.
Name this dummy box "helper", clone it as "firepoints" and again as "firepoint" (all three boxes should be at the same spot)
Link everything up like you did before.
Finally rerotate the turret back to it's original angle.
It is possible to do this without rotating the turret, but it requires that one of the dummy objects (not sure which one, helper???) be rotated at the same angle as the turret. This is why I just build the turrets facing straight up, of course mine are recyclable, on your model that doesn't work.
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Cool beans.
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Thanks! I'll give it a try!
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How do you produce glow points using PCS2?
I've got my model exported to DAE and it evidently opens without crashing the
known universe in PCS2...
Additionally, is Bob's PCS guide in terms of dock points still accurate?
Furthermore... From looking at a cargo crate, it would appear that only the
LODs, path, and dock points are required to actually get a "object" into FS2. Is this correct?
I'm making essentially a bouy, with a large glow in the middle. No flight abilities.
Any way to adjust for windows settings utilizing a different DPI? Several of the menus are unreadable
due to the different text size.
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You don't _need_ LODs, dock points, or paths. You can pretty much just have a detail0. But then what would it do?
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Look pretty and waste resources at distance...
ok one question down. ;)
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How do you produce glow points using PCS2?
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,63643.0.html
Jump down to step #20 Glowpoints
Additionally, is Bob's PCS guide in terms of dock points still accurate?
Sorry can't help you there
Furthermore... From looking at a cargo crate, it would appear that only the
LODs, path, and dock points are required to actually get a "object" into FS2. Is this correct?
detail0 is the only thing absolutely necessary. Paths just help the AI moving and docking is use only when docking.
I'm making essentially a bouy, with a large glow in the middle. No flight abilities.
Does it have any subsystems? If not, then LODS are the only thing you need.
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Also, maybe you should have opened up the buoy then :)
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To be completely honest, a while back in order to cut down some of the extra bloat
I essentially butchered the VP files and combined them. What's left is a bit
of an unfinished mess that needs refinement.
Scooby - I'm amazed I missed that #20, I've scrolled all over that thing and
have been sitting at "LODs" for a bit. Glows still are not completely clear
as to how they will work, particularly the PCS2 part. However I'll give it a shot first.
No subsystems... just a structure in space.
Looks like this minus the glow I need to add.
(http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/5279/buoy21bt0.jpg)
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Don't think I've seen that happen before. You might want to try xform resetting the helper and the glowbank. (remember to detach any children from them first and reattach afterwards).
Umm what just happened to the message I was responding too??? :nervous:
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Something ate it... :)
Nah actually I deleted it just after I posted it because I realized
that I didn't have the linking setup properly.
New question though, which might be pcs2 related.
Edit - nvr mind... I seem to have a habit of seeing my mistake after talking about it.
*sigh*
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Dude, that happens to me all the time. Just get in the habit of talking to people about your problems, whether they care or not. You'll save hours of wasted effort.
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Yeah, I'm a very firm believer in "if you have tried all resources at
your disposal, and can't get anywhere ask for help."
On the other hand I don't like to seem like a nag or a fool either. *sigh*
A double edged sword.
Anyway, here's a question then. Backslash, myself, and probably Scooby all
could use to know how paths and docking points work.
So is PCS2 able to do these now without issue, and if so, is Bob's old PCS1 site
instructions still valid? That'd probably get us most of the way I think.
I'd rather learn the right way, rather than just keep copying from other models.
Moment of inertia calculating seems to have worked fine for me so far btw.
I've also asked for some additional information on how do you setup a glow point
in PCS2. The Max end according to the tut is covered... but I'm at a loss as to the pcs2 end.
Bob's old site doesn't even have a section on glows. Shame that thing can't get revised.
Edit * OK still have some questions on glows.
What do these do and what is their usage?
Parent Subobject
Type
Properties ($glow_texture= syntax used here?)
What are the requirements for the graphic? PCX,DDS, etc... size... color restrictions?
Is there a way to make the glow fade, or use animated files?
Is there a list of average mass values for fighters.. caps, weps?
The model above I setup with a table with surface shields, yet in game there's no effect
displayed when a weapon hits it. The shield does have a value, but it acts like it's only hitting hull.
Is a modeled shield mesh required even if you only want surface shields ?
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In the instance of having a fighter with a shield mesh bubble....
I'm seeing that when you fire at the front... the rear quadrant reacts.
Same with the right side make the left trigger..
Seems it's all inverted even though the mesh is the same through conversion.
Any idea on a solution?
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Solution to above - ship was rotated 180 degrees.
I'd also like to announce that I'm making a fighter tutorial for noobs starting out with Max from a
"never touched it" viewpoint. I plan on going all the way through till the model is in game
(sans tabling).
Basically I wanted something that explains the why, and not just "click this and that."
However, I could use some help with the paths and dockpoints explanation, as again I don't know if
Bob's old stuff is still relevant.
The questions on glow points above...
If there's a faster method of get a shield mesh to resemble a form fitting oval.. or other conforming method
other than scaling and editing the shield mesh by hand - that would be helpful as well.
I'm at page 34 already, probably will make a PDF out of it. Expect the length to be over 50 pages.
I'm up to the point of creating subsystems now.
So if you guys want some kind of documentation, I need a few things filled in okay?
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Every time I hit save the thing crashes. Well, it saves the file, and then crashes. I hit debug and that doesn't do anything either.
I do have a new video card since my last intel inadequacy. Got an old one off my buddy. Version used is 2.1 Alpha (Jan 4 2009)
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And the 'alpha' in the build name didn't tip you off? Get 2.0.3 (preferably the one with DAE support). 2.1 Alpha was never stable enough for everday use by itself, although the build does have a couple of nice features that mostly work.
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And the 'alpha' in the build name didn't tip you off? Get 2.0.3 (preferably the one with DAE support). 2.1 Alpha was never stable enough for everday use by itself, although the build does have a couple of nice features that mostly work.
Oh I thought I had the latest version of the software. Guess I'll have to look again.
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You have the latest version, but it's not done. The latest _stable_ release is older, 2.0.3.
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Is there some kind of bug where all your normal data is reset in PCS2 after you've opened
a file a few times?
I've got about 6 some odd progressive copies of a model I was working on and finished,
already got it in game, and yet I went to go back to the old model file to check on what it was using for another project,
and all the normals for weapons and thrusters are set back to 0. Every version prior or after (which I know I corrected)
all have their normal data wiped.
Edit - it also ate the radius data for the thrusters.
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Maybe it's not resetting the normals but instead just ignoring your changes.
Early on I got in the habit of starting new and importing that sort of thing from "good" pofs eg.
Don't save a pof twice. I don't convert too much stuff so there may be better advice.
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Well I'm really at a loss here. Last week I was saving these revisions of the archangel
and each time they opened up all my adjustments were up to date.
The pof I have in my mod folder, shows up in game fine, no reversed thrusters, no weapon point problems.
I've taken that "working" pof and copied it to a new directory, then tried to open it with PCS2, it shows that my
thrusters are rotated to fire into the main body, and all the weapons points are firing "up." The thruster radius is set back
to 1.000 like when you first generate a new point.
Yet all the positions are correct, the eyepoint is correct.
I've even installed PCS2 on a different PC, and brought over a fresh copy of the working pof from in-game.
It still shows everything as messed up.
So I've got one file which works in game, but I can't seem to ever edit it again.
Anything I export from Max (my last revision of the correctly aligned Archangel, or my new model) all shows up wrong in PCS2.
If it were not for the install on the new pc, I'd say it was like a buffer or stuck values somewhere in PCS2.
Now I'm just confused.
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In one of the faulty pofs, import the guns and save. Open the new one and if it is ok then you have a work around.
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Here's another interesting tidbit.
I opened up the fighter2t-03.pof from the VPs, last week that file was fine.
I was using it only to look at, no modifications.
I just tired opening it up again - all the points and features except the thrusters, are fine.
The thrusters are reversed so they point into the hull.
Edit - tried your idea.
Hitting save doesn't do anything visible. Loaded the gunpoints from the previous version POF
and it loaded up new points that face the right direction, but they are forward and farther from center in all directions.
Thrusters do the same thing, farther behind and spread out.
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Try this. Rename the pcs folder and reinstall. (2.0.3)
Retest
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I would mention that this process of elimination should have been covered by my installing on a separate
PC, which has never had PCS2 on it before.
But how far do you want a reinstall, remove the Vbasic files and uninstall PCS2 as well?
Or do you just want the folder renamed and a new 2.0.3 DAE install put on?
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Non Collada at this stage. So a clean 2.0.3 install.
The problems you are having are a bit weird.
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Same problems, made sure I got the right set of files from chief.
Exactly the same thing, and no DAE support.
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Ok thats not good. Same problem opening retail/mvp pofs?
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The vp ship file seem to have righted it's thrusters.
No change in my files.
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If retail is ok then most likely your pof has some sort of minor corruption.
Might be best to start from cob/dae and import the pof data from the good pof. (start pcs empty)
Save - close pcs. Restart and check the pof. If errors are still there, then pcs may not be happy with your "good" pof version. In that case start new from cob/dae and reinput the data.
I don't use the .pmf format to save data either, for that same reason.
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Well it's getting late, I need ZzzZ's
I sent you a PM with files.
I'll try that in the afternoon, sure is putting a major wrench in getting my tutorial done.
I "just" got up to the PCS2 part and this happens.
So to get things straight, obviously we have to have one good POF export from PCS2, and
you keep your "source" for editing in .dae correct?
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I'll try that in the afternoon, sure is putting a major wrench in getting my tutorial done.
I "just" got up to the PCS2 part and this happens.
So to get things straight, obviously we have to have one good POF export from PCS2, and
you keep your "source" for editing in .dae correct?
Well the game pof is usually the best pof, allowing you to import most settings from it.
Opened your game pof. Thrusters pointing forward instead of to the rear, also the guns were pointing up instead of forward.
Reset them to the correct orientation and saved. Reopened and the save was ok.
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I got a Beginners question here,
I'm actually pofing (i like that expression ;) ) a new carrier with pcs2.
Actually everything is alright nothing to complain about the model but i have question about path and fighterbay.
When i set for a wing in fred2 the orion's fighter bay arrival location we end in game with fighter taking off from the orion's runway,
i'm trying to reproduce that , so until now i managed to get it recognised by fred ( i mean my fighter bay) , i set up a path but the fighters seems to take my points in the reversed way (ending up in a wall) .
So my question is :
Are the path followed by this way : point : 1 then 2 , 3 , 4 etc...
or is it reversed? last point first let's say 5 , 4 3 etc... ?
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Higher point numbers are always closer to the ship.
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Ok so i got to reverse all my points :)
Thank you for replying me.
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Ok this might sound stupid, but I understand there are rotation controls in PCS2 for
fixing things like the "up" facing weapons points. Where are they?
XYZ movement doesn't give me rotation, so what keys is it hiding under?
I've tried adjusting things ahead of time in Max, but it seems like it's not reliable
so I'm thinking of just having my tut set up the points in Max and adjust the rotation in PCS2.
Maybe I'd be clearer on the Max end of things - do you usually rotate the dummies 90 degrees "forward"
and just for the weapons points, or just the helper dummy, or both?
Some how I got it to work for the Archangel, but the Orion I didn't set up the same way, which led to
my posts above.
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To flip 180 degrees change 1 is -1 and to reset something, set it to 0. (pcs)
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I found it easier just to copy the point location data, spawn a new point, paste the data and delete the old
point.
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That's actually what you needed to do? Just flip normal data from positive to negative numbers?
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Well I can't even see the normal data, the darn field is squashed so much.
I'm running 1280x1024, normal font and dpi, and it still looks like that.
I probably could edit it, but then I'd have to readjust the thruster position likely.
Anyway I didn't realize normal = rotation again, that keeps skipping my mind.
[attachment deleted by Tolwyn]
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Make the window bigger/widen the pane then.
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That has no affect on the field... You can even maximize the window with no change.
I mean sure it'll make the fields wider... but doesn't help the height issue.
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Actually the default for me is often that the text boxes are squished but adjusting the pane width has always fixed this for me, that's why I suggested it.
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- Is there a non-painful way to, for example, add debris or LODs to an existing model? The only way I can think of is reconverting it with everything on, and doing a global import from the old model to salvage as much from it as possible - still, though, you'd have to set up all of the subobject movements and properties, as these don't seem to be "globally imported".
- Is it possible to rearrange the order subobjects and turrets are listed? This is a pain as well when importing from an existing model; if they're listed differently, the turret data importing goes all wrong.
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Anyone mind telling me if this is generally correct for subsystem descriptions of how they function?
Engine - is your engines, if this is taken down to 0 health in game, your ship will cease moving.
Weapons - if these are destroyed you won’t be able to shoot anything.
Sensors - radar and similar targeting systems will no longer function.
Communication - won’t be able to call reinforcements, issue orders, etc.
Navigation - allows the ship to make hyperspace jumps.
Fighterbay -mainly capital ships, tells the game what part of the ship acts as a fighter bay, and also sets up for use for making it usable for related fighter bay features.
Bridge - mainly capital ships, tells the game where you have a bridge, as a place that can receive damage and be targetable.
Reactor - mainly capital ships, ship’s energy source.
Working on the tut.
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Ok can anyone tell me what these are for, and what options the program will accept?
Glow points -
Displacement Time (No clue here)
On Time (time in seconds? Does On 1 and Off 0 mean a constant glow?)
Off Time
Type (I know there's supposedly 0 and 1, but what does what? Does 2+ do anything?)
Does the normal matter with a glowpoint? What purpose would it serve?
Syntax for the $glow_texture=texturename.???
or
$glow_texture=texturename
with no extension?
Edit - never mind, Angelus filled me in.
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Displacement - amount of time it first waits to go on. i.e. an offset. You have two glowpoints (glowpoint 1: displacement 0, on - 1 off - 1, glowpoint 2: displacement 1, on - 1 off - 1) glowpoint 1 will blink on for one second then turn off, then glowpoint 2 will blink for one second then turn off
On time - amount of time the glowpoint is active
Off time - amount of time the glowpoint is inactive
Type - dunno
Normals - leave as is (i think it's so you can have glowpoints not always face towards you)
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I'm on the IRC room, and got Angelus's version from which I wrote this:
Displacement Time - Is the amount of time, in milliseconds, between blinks of your glowpoint.
This is your spacing essentially. Do note that these are milliseconds, so it’s a measure of 1/1000th of a second. Entering a value of 1000 here, would give you a 1 second pause between flashes of the glowpoint. 500 would be half a second between blinks, and so forth. If you are just making an “always on” glowpoint, leave this field set at 0.
On Time - The amount of time, in milliseconds, that the glow is “on” or displayed.
So if you want to glow to be shown for 4 seconds, enter 4000 into the field. This filed should not be blank or 0, otherwise your glow won’t show up.
Off Time - The amount of time, in milliseconds, that the glow is “off” or not displayed.
You might think at first glance that this is the same as displacement, it is not. You might have a situation where you could have 4 seconds ON, 4 seconds OFF, and 2 seconds pause in between before the sequence starts again. Essentially this is like animation key frames.
Parent Subobject - this should be set to the mesh of the object you are attaching the glowpoint to.
So if it was for a rotating sensor antenna, you’d want to attach it to the name for the mesh that the antenna. In this case we only have a fighter model with no moving parts, and no separate sub objects. So it should go on the mesh detail0.
LOD - should always be set to LOD0. There might be a rare case where you’d want glows to appear on a LOD1 or 2 maybe if the object is huge and blinking is important when viewed from a distance. Otherwise in 99% of the cases, you probably want this set to LOD0.
Type - No one really seems to know what options work for this field. It’s experimental. In almost all modder made models, it is set for option 0. From research there is also an option 1. But no one knows what it is for. Leave it at 0 unless you know what you’re doing.
Is it correct? If not I need to fix it before I mess people up.
Also what type of textures are acceptable for the texture field?
I assume DDS (dxt 1) and PCX. Any other requirements like 255 color?
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I don't think the textures have any special limitations.
Type 1 is a searchlight style glow. The only place I've seen it used was one version of the Ulysses.
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I think I've got the rest of this figured out, but one last thing.
What are the currently available options for dock types?
Bob's old tutorial says this:
# $name=rearming dock
# $name=cargo dock
# $name=dock
# $name=whatever you want
remember that the name you give it will determine what type of other docks can use this point
PCS2 uses $name=Docking Point
So has docking point replaced these other types, and if not, can we double up our dockpoints in the same locations
and just rename the properties field and save some time?
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AFAIK the SCP removed the limitations on what could dock with what a while ago, so you can call it whatever you like now. :)
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I don't think the textures have any special limitations.
Type 1 is a searchlight style glow. The only place I've seen it used was one version of the Ulysses.
Could you explain this one more, I'm kind curious about it now.
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AFAIK the SCP removed the limitations on what could dock with what a while ago, so you can call it whatever you like now. :)
We did, but not in the way you think. It used to be that a cruiser couldn't dock with a destroyer, or a freighter with a supercap. Those restrictions have been removed. But it's still the case that you can only rearm at a rearm dock and carry cargo at a cargo dock.
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So can I make copies of my dock points in the same location and just name each set rearm dock, repair dock, docking point, etc?
It'd help if I had a list of valid dock types.
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If it has "cargo" in the name, it's a cargo dock. If it has "rearm" in the name, it's a rearming dock. Any other name is a ship-to-ship dock.
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Thanks, that's what I needed to finish the tut.
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do you people really not know what the type flag in the glow points does? it's exactly what it sounds like it is the glow point's type. type 0 is a 'point' type, 1 is a 'beam' type (unless they are broken). have you never just put a bunch of numbers in and seen what they did? or look at the source. I ****ing hacked SSM tables out of the original FS2 exe with a damned hex editor, you have the source code freely available to you and 'no one knows' ? really?
also normal is for which direction the point is visible from, so you can have points that are only visible from in front or the side ect..., they are also used as the second point for the beam type glows
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do you people really not know what the type flag in the glow points does? it's exactly what it sounds like it is the glow point's type. type 0 is a 'point' type, 1 is a 'beam' type (unless they are broken). have you never just put a bunch of numbers in and seen what they did? or look at the source. I ****ing hacked SSM tables out of the original FS2 exe with a damned hex editor, you have the source code freely available to you and 'no one knows' ? really?
1. 95% of people out "here" that are modding don't have either the affinity for coding, know a back slash from a forward slash, could care less, or have any idea what to get into or how to even look. The "general populace" is not sage class like some of you guys that reside on the most popular mods and have 3,000+ posts. This is why we can't understand what you're all talking about half the time.
You lost the rest of us because you're on a whole other level.
2. Punching in random numbers is great if you have no other resource, but around here it usually leads to breaking something and having to recreate all your work and try again. It's faster and usually more reliable to ask someone who knows, instead of floundering around in the dark and repeating your work. As the saying goes, "there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers."
Supposedly there are people that know every facet and function of PCS2 and it's ties into SCP. However, even though people requested those who did know collaborate (Request for Documentation Thread) and do a little work each instead of a lot of work individually - no one short of Scooby Doo really stepped up to the plate. Even he didn't know about some parts of PCS2. It took a noob (me) 2 weeks, picking about 12 people's brains over IRC, to get somewhat concrete answers, to do the job... the experts could have handled.
3. If you know about the subject better, get the Dev version of my tut and edit the thing. The vast majority of the work is already done.
4. If all developers want great features to be used instead of seemingly wasted? Then explain their usage fully in layman's terms, the general populace can understand. Don't condemn folks because no one's updated the "user manual" in years.
I'm not going to start some kind of flame, so that's all I'm going to say and leave it there.
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Given the complete apparent lack of free programs which will import a .cob file (apart from the dreaded TrueSpace), I decided I'd try and abuse PCS2 to import a .cob file via .dae into Blender. I've not been successful to date. Perhaps the internal hirarchy of the file prevents this from happening? I'll attach the file if anyone cares to explain.
-Thaeris
[attachment deleted by Tolwyn]
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Given the complete apparent lack of free programs which will import a .cob file (apart from the dreaded TrueSpace), I decided I'd try and abuse PCS2 to import a .cob file via .dae into Blender. I've not been successful to date. Perhaps the internal hirarchy of the file prevents this from happening? I'll attach the file if anyone cares to explain.
-Thaeris
Add attached Truespace import script to Blender's Script directory.
Otherwise Accutrans 3D can convert to dae or obj http://www.micromouse.ca/ (http://www.micromouse.ca/)
[attachment deleted by Tolwyn]
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I have a problem with PCS2 Pof-2-cob function in combination with Truespace. I'm using Truespace for years, the program is certainly not the best, but it's usable.
However, everytime I make the pof 2 cob in PCS2, reopen the model file in truespace (works so far) and then click on any subobject in the keyframe editor, truespace crashes (5.1 version) :mad: Only version that seems to work is truespace 7.6, however the version I downloaded some time ago seems to be some sort of demo, because it don't save textures and UV-Coordinates, so now I'm stuck.
The original model was done in max, anyone else encountered problems with the pof2cob and has any idea what the problem is, and if there is a workaround ? I'm just not willing buying TS 7.6 for my limited uses :(
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I'm just not willing buying TS 7.6 for my limited uses :(
7.6 is now free of charge. Microsoft bought them out and then stopped development.
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Yeah, I noticed that too after I posted. Already installed it, but it's pretty unstable and still refuses to save objects with textures, dunno why :(
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Yeah, I noticed that too after I posted. Already installed it, but it's pretty unstable and still refuses to save objects with textures, dunno why :(
Try to save as TS 6.cob.
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I did, still not working though :(
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Do you have the textures in a format TS can read (.bmp) and where it can find them? I've noticed that if it can't find the textures it won't resave the map.
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Yes, and they are also usable/visible inside truespace 7.61. However, I made progress with the pof2cob. I noticed that PCS2 is creating for every single path vector, subsystems and whatever and additional light, and the number of lights is what made TS5.1 crashing when you click on something inside the keyframe editor.
When I delete all the lights (by reseting the complete light setup, therefore deleting also the correct lights) I can work with the model in the old truespace version again. I just have to recreate the lights for correct submodels. At least that's some workaround, though still quite some work.
I can't say however if all those lights are created alone by PCS2, or by the combination of the original max file and PCS2
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Got somewhat of an odd question, but how long is a export from PCS2 supposed to take
when you have a 12,000 polygon model?
I've got a base piece that size, unfortunately it had 30 textures (yes I'm aware that's not the right way
wanted to just see if it'd get in game) and the thing basically stalled.
Still listed as running, but I was an hour into "Submodel 2: detail3" and it wasn't progressing.
There shouldn't have been any submodels either, the structure was one mesh.
So kinda curious if it's the textures giving pcs2 a heart attack, or something else.
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Yesterday I converted a 30k poly object back to cob, didn't take more than 2 minutes, though it only had one texture. Whatever the reason may be, certainly not the polycount. But sometimes I noticed lockups if you have too much other stuff running, so try first to cancel other programs. But it could also be the textures you pointed out, don't know.
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Granted I had about a dozen things running, but the system should be more than enough to handle it.
Sounds like textures though. Don't think PCS2 was meant to digest that many at once.
..or hidden model errors.. have to check that tonight.
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Hmm I try to do this as You say:
-I install pcs2 collada patch
-set in deep explorer group
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8465/93811876.jpg)
-When I try to open this file in PCS2 I have this:
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7659/36628586.jpg)
I don't know what is wrong..
Did you do an reset x-form before exporting? That error is usually because you did an move/rotate/scale before you exported (there's extra information in the dae file that the converter can't handle) Also remember before you reset, detach anything linked to it first, otherwise everything will get thrown out of wack. After you're done with the reset then you can reattach safely.
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Sounds like textures though. Don't think PCS2 was meant to digest that many at once.
..or hidden model errors.. have to check that tonight.
Hidden model errors are most likely.
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Oh, and here is a piece of advice.
I recently ran in to a problem that totally boggled my mind by it's existence. But I found that really, it is our fault for not stating it implicitly as it's just sort of understood.
The problem was, someone wanted to know why their textures were not working in a model.
They had been under the impression that, in order to load -shine and -glow and -normal textures for a model, they had to also be listed in the texture space in the POF.
As many of us might imagine, this did not work out so well.
I've edited the following pages on the Wiki to hopefully clarify this better for people, and if anybody can think of any corrections or pages I've missed feel free to either let me know or modify them.
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/POF_Constructor_Suite
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Texturing
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Model_files
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I'll try to make an effort to get this into the Max/PCS2 tutorial of mine.
It's far too important to leave out. The Texturing link probably had the best explanation of the three.
Might not be today though, am mighty tired.
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For me, PCS 2.0.3 crashes whenever I try to look at weapon points, thrusters, special points, dock points, paths or eye points (that is, when I click on any of those items on the left menu). Textures and subobjects I can view and use just fine, though. So, essentially, I can't really do anything useful with this thing currently. :wtf: PCS 1.3.6 doesn't crash, but that's useless for other reasons.
Here's some system info:
OpenGL Version is "1.3.1072 WinXP Release"
Vender is "ATI Technologies Inc."
Renderer is "RADEON 9200 Series DDR x86/SSE2"
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.090206-1233)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: IBM
System Model: 8305D1G
BIOS: PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Release 6.0 for IBM NetVista.
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz
Memory: 766MB RAM
Page File: 704MB used, 1171MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode
I never installed SP3 because of all the problems I read it caused at the time, so I still only have SP2. I could update to SP3 if there's some hope that it'd help and that it wouldn't break anything.
Any ideas?
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I suspect it might be your OGL version there. It's a bit old. :p
Mine:
OpenGL Version is "2.1.2"
Vender is "NVIDIA Corporation"
Renderer is "GeForce 8600 GTS/PCI/SSE2"
The points you describe it as crashing on I think are a specific Open GL feature, and since AFAIK OGL is included in the graphics drivers, a good first step would be to make sure you've got the most recent ones. I don't know if it's also a hardware limitation though, since a 9200 is quite a way out of date now.
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I suspect it might be your OGL version there. It's a bit old. :p
Mine:
OpenGL Version is "2.1.2"
Vender is "NVIDIA Corporation"
Renderer is "GeForce 8600 GTS/PCI/SSE2"
The points you describe it as crashing on I think are a specific Open GL feature, and since AFAIK OGL is included in the graphics drivers, a good first step would be to make sure you've got the most recent ones. I don't know if it's also a hardware limitation though, since a 9200 is quite a way out of date now.
Well, I of course have the latest Catalyst drivers (no wonder, since they came out in 2006). Sounds like a probable cause, however it's pretty silly if the hardware requirements of the model conversion program are higher than those of the actual game or even the modelling program, since both of the latter run perfectly fine.
Maybe I should try using the integrated Intel display stuff I have on this machine as well, however. Perhaps with some luck that'd just happen to work.
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That Radeon 9200 should be able to run PCS2 I would think. I've never tried it myself on something that old though. I doubt SP3 would help but I never had any problems installing it on my XP boxes.
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Problem solved (or rather worked around, I guess): I switched to using the integrated Intel 82845G, at which point the crashes went away. Query OpenGL gives 1.3.0 as the version now.
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Strange, but at least that confirms it's graphics card related through either the hardare or drivers. :\
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Did you do an reset x-form before exporting? That error is usually because you did an move/rotate/scale before you exported (there's extra information in the dae file that the converter can't handle)
That could possibly be fixed if someone would send me a model with this 'problem'.
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I'll have to remake one for you, but there was a separate node entry that contains the rotate/translate/scale values.
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Is PCS2 still open for improvements or suggestions?
I might be able to come up with one or two things feature wise, and there's a couple things
at least that are named (sort of) wrong... or at least they could be less confusing to new folks
if they matched like they are meant to.
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Are we opening up the thread for bug reports? If so, I have a few in mind to report...
-Thaeris
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I need some help with PCS2.
I'm importing a part of a collada model into a POF, which works great. It's actually amazing how well it works. :)
The only problem is, that it doesn't import the texture used on the new submodel. Is that a bug?
I noticed I can create new textures/materials in PCS2. How can I assign them to a submodel?
I'm using the October 2008 build, cause the newer Collada compatible build crash for me.
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There's a November one that should work, it crashes for you too?
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I got a question too with collada,
When i export models from 3dsmax to pcs2 by collada, it works greatly with pcs2.
Now my problem is that when i export from pcs2 to 3dsmax, modify things, then export collada , when i open that with pcs2, pcs2 will crash... is it normal?
Because when you have to modify something on a existing model i don"t want to replace all the dock point path etc... in pcs2 as it takes hours...
i'm not home i don't remember wich version of pcs2 i use, i think it's the last one.
Ah and when i save a pof, pcs2 will crash everytime, but it save the pof correctly... i'm running windows 7 64 bit version.
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If you have the original Model and have to edit it why not start with it, rename the old .pof, export the model and then do a global import from the renamed one? You may have to still tweak a few things but no more then you have to do anyway.
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because psc2 will crash too? i'll try it tonight !
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Ok i've just try it,
When i use the global import, i lose all the geometry part, i mean i lose all subobject even detail-0
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So yeah, maybe if someone would pay attention to that thread I posted (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65680.0), we might not have to deal with all these "PCS2 will crash" bugs.
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Ok i've just try it,
When i use the global import, i lose all the geometry part, i mean i lose all subobject even detail-0
What version of PCS2 are you using? I done this many times without a problem. Well except for rotating subsystem and turret data needing to be entered correctly.
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Aardwolf: i m no coder at all, i don't see how i could give any help about it.
my pcs2.1 version is 4 jan 2009
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Get the 2.03 Collada from November (check Chief's sig used to be there) it's much more stable. 2.1 was an alpha release and is not at all stable.
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The 2.0.3 link should still be in the article in my sig link, unless someone removed it.
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Aardwolf: i m no coder at all, i don't see how i could give any help about it.
my pcs2.1 version is 4 jan 2009
I didn't say you were.
I'm just saying that as long as people are going to completely ignore the research I did to figure out the cause of that crash, and nobody is independently trying to figure out the problem, and nobody is working on a solution, it's not going to get fixed.
Edit: on a related note, everything after the PCS2 beta uses VBOs and, as such, will crash and burn. That's probably why Reprobator isn't using 2.0.3 / the Collada import version.
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Well in fact i've just missed the last collada pcs2 version ;p
I did download it form the wiki, i'll try the one you told me this evening.
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oK the november build works perfectly.
But i don t understand why all my turret gone mad with my last dae, i ve manage to import the new detail 0 but is there a way to attach them to the new detail-0 in pcs2?
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is there any way to attach lights to sub-objects here in PCS2 ? just like attaching firing points to turrets function.
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It's called "Glow Points"; you can specify a parent subobject.
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I wonder if anyone had met this before :
I got a model (very simple as i just want to make real time test for the mapping ) with only a detail-0 and nothing else (i vie done it previously without problem)
When i open the dae file in pcs2 i have no problem, no complain nothing at all .
I save it as a pof, load it with the f3 labs or in Fred and fs2 simply crash without warning.
I've reset the xform on it previously, and as i got nothing in this pof except a detail0, i find it annoying.
But there must be something I've done wrong as i have another problem with another ship :
In pcs2 i aligned the engine glow with the model's engine, no problem until i see it in game totally missaligned.... so until now i just missaligned in pcs2 to align it in game.... but that"s frustrating.
Any suggestion?
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I am trying to export a model from blender to PCS2 without much luck. I have a dae file but I can't get anyting into PCS2, there is just a blank when I open it. I suspect it is more of a blender problem because I down loaded a dae viewer and when I opened the dae file there were only parts of the ship in the file.
I have read the wiki regarding the blender to pof process but still no luck. Is there something about parenting or linking of the model to get it to export properly?
Any help tould be appreciated.
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Reprobator: No idea. Last time I had the thruster misalignment, I recentered the whole model and reconverted it - somewhere during the process, it got fixed.
Origin: Take good care of your hierarchy (parenting) and the name of your objects. Make sure you use the correct DAE exporter settings (can be found in the Blender to POF page) and make sure you have the PCS2 DAE stuff correctly installed (do other DAEs open correctly?)
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I've found that if you are using .cob or .dae it's best to move the centers of all objects to 0,0,0 before export and then move them back in PCS2. Prevents all kind of issues like the thruster problem, bounding boxes for mirrored sub objects being reversed, bad collision data, etc.
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When i open the dae file in pcs2 i have no problem, no complain nothing at all .
I save it as a pof, load it with the f3 labs or in Fred and fs2 simply crash without warning.
The Errors with Debris cause CTD thread was possibly the same thing. Removing a -trans texture from the dae allowed FS to not crash.
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well i had no debris and no trans texture too.
With the debug build i saw that fs2 crash when it generate the cache files for that model.
i had just two map (black and white) , no strl error from 3dsmax and one lod (detail-0) and nothing else, i'll upload the pof later in the day if anyone could take a look at it :)
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Well worst case scenario... use the binary search, divide the model in half (detach any small details (tube, guns..etc)) then try converting just the bases. If that doesn't solve it, keep reattaching piece by piece until something goes bad.
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I have no subobject yet either!
Only the main hull detail-0 :nervous:
around 17 000 polies
@origin : did you move your textures to your fsrootdir\modidr\data\map ?
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well i had no debris and no trans texture too.
With the debug build i saw that fs2 crash when it generate the cache files for that model.
i had just two map (black and white) , no strl error from 3dsmax and one lod (detail-0) and nothing else, i'll upload the pof later in the day if anyone could take a look at it :)
The thing is, that the debris wasn't the problem, and the -trans texture was only noticeable in the dae. It didn't show up in pcs2 or cause any problems until the FS lab. So when you upload the pof also upload the dae as well.
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Ok i'll do that as soon as i'll be back from my office.
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here it is :
http://www.filehosting.org/file/details/65440/pofandsuch.7z
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I've found that if you are using .cob or .dae it's best to move the centers of all objects to 0,0,0 before export and then move them back in PCS2. Prevents all kind of issues like the thruster problem, bounding boxes for mirrored sub objects being reversed, bad collision data, etc.
Well, I like blender but it is just not worth the headaches. I only have a few more ships to make so I will just go back to Truspace 3. It's not that bad and it sure is easy to go from cob to pof! Besides I have a bunch of components already in truespace, like turrets, weapons and engines that are easy to past into new ships.
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Can someone take a look at my model ?
http://www.filehosting.org/file/details/65440/pofandsuch.7z
:confused:
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Well, a hosting site that asks my e-mail is kinda suspicious. Try uploading it to a "normal" hosting site like MediaFire or RapidShare.
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Can someone take a look at my model ?
http://www.filehosting.org/file/details/65440/pofandsuch.7z
:confused:
I had a look at it and the mesh looks ok with the tools I use. But there is some sort of mesh problem.
Found that pcs2 treats cob differently from dae. Exporting a cob from Bender works for FS.
For the dae, ended up deleting one half and mirroring it. Still no go, so I deleted the engine tubes and it worked for FS. I just need to double check that the problem is in that area. Won't be able to do that until this evening.
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Oh thanks you very much!
As i didn't knew what was the problem i was waiting because i don't want to make the same mistake again :)
edit :
sorry i didn't knew the hosting site did ask for email... i ll chose another one next time :)
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As i didn't knew what was the problem i was waiting because i don't want to make the same mistake again :)
Try making the engine nozzles a sub-object. If that doesn't convert then delete the isolated part shown, and then try again.
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee67/waternz/mesh/mesh-error.jpg)
A possible reason for making the nozzles a separate object could be due to your "simple mesh" being a bit complex - the internal central flight corridor running the length of the ship.
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Ok 'ill do that, thanks again for your time! :nod:
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Hello there!
Ok, I've got following problem.
I've made a Modell out of Truespace 7.6. Now, I want to convert it from *cob to *pof. But the textures are gone after I've converted it. JPEG/DDS/TGA etc. are all in the FS2 Main Directory. How could I fix this?
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Well first the model should be in data\models and the textures in data\maps.
Do they show up in PCS2? Are you saving as object using version 6.0 format? Did you set up the header info in PCS2? Are the textures listed in PCS2?
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The Model shows up, but not the textures. There's only a black Model.
No, I don't save as 6.0 I only save them as a *cob. The textures are not listed in PCS2. Thanks for your answer though.:)
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Hello there!
Ok, I've got following problem.
I've made a Modell out of Truespace 7.6. Now, I want to convert it from *cob to *pof. But the textures are gone after I've converted it. JPEG/DDS/TGA etc. are all in the FS2 Main Directory. How could I fix this?
you have to use the truespace 6.0 cob format. 7.6's default cob format has changed the way it stores UV map data, so PCS2 cant read it properly.
read through here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=56047.0) if you're stuck in a nasty way.
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Not entirely PCS2-related, but meh. How to fix inverted bounding boxes?
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Clear BSP data and resave with PCS2?
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Save as .cob and reload works too.
One thing to be careful of is the normals after fixing the bounding boxes. Last model I fixed ended up with all the firing points pointed toward the ships hull.
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Ugh, I still think using the cob format is asking for trouble with most models. You'll lose something almost certainly.
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Ok, thanks. Didn't even need COB ;)
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Ugh, I still think using the cob format is asking for trouble with most models. You'll lose something almost certainly.
I'd have to disagree, Cob is still fine. In fact using cob, PCS2 error checking will catch and repair faulty Max dae exported mesh/texture problems. So if you have a dae conversion that is crashing FS a side trip through cob will likely help.
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It does seem to loose smoothing data from Max but so does .dae in when opened and resaved from blender.
Another thing it looses and/or screws up are turret rotation axis and fov. This is easy to just enter again. Everything else it looses can be brought back in using a global import from the original .pof. At least the stuff I've run into can.
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Since FotG's modelers mostly use Max, anything that causes us to lose that smoothing is something we can't do. It's pretty important on most of our models.
-
You're right, I was thinking more in terms of fault finding and didn't think it through. All my Blender exports still go out as cob to PCS2.
-
Hmm...I think something's messing up with my PCS2.
Whenever I try to view a model's subpbjects, I get some "Flaming Graphics Error of Doom" and it tells me to "report it...or else..."
I'm not using it any differently except that I accidentally hit "Query OpenGL" once today. (I've never hit it before).
I figured I might as well report it since it told me to.
versions 2.0.3 stable.
-
Did you turn on use use OpenGL VBOs if available? I had that happen when I tried that option once.
-
That was it.
What does that option do anyway? (and more importantly, how did it suddenly turn on :nervous:)
-
Apparently it makes PCS2 go nuts. That's all I've found it good for.
-
Noted. I'll steer well clear of it in the future.
I probably hit it by accident trying to add a texture directory or something.
-
Ok can some one spot where I have gone wrong
I am using
Blender 2.49a
PCS 2.0.3
+ files recommended in the Blender to POF Conversions FSWiki entry
the issue is that i seem to loose scale when going from blender to PCS2 via .dae but only on the detail object everything else seems ok, the two images show what the ship looks like in blender and what it looks like in PCS2 with the shield object selected for comparison which as far as i can tell is ok the effect seems to be shortening on the y axis with a small increase on X and Z (so the ship is shorter, fatter and wider)
in blender i am using one square to one FS meter so the ship should be around 20 meters long 24 meters wide and 4 meters high with the shield mesh running 24L,30W,6H
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
Ok can some one spot where I have gone wrong
I am using
Blender 2.49a
PCS 2.0.3
+ files recommended in the Blender to POF Conversions FSWiki entry
the issue is that i seem to loose scale when going from blender to PCS2 via .dae but only on the detail object everything else seems ok, the two images show what the ship looks like in blender and what it looks like in PCS2 with the shield object selected for comparison which as far as i can tell is ok the effect seems to be shortening on the y axis with a small increase on X and Z (so the ship is shorter, fatter and wider)
in blender i am using one square to one FS meter so the ship should be around 20 meters long 24 meters wide and 4 meters high with the shield mesh running 24L,30W,6H
My guess is that you have not applied scale/rotation to the detail object. In order to see that, select it in Blender and press N; you should now check that the object is not scaled (i.e. all scale values must be 1) or rotated (all rotations must be 0). If something is wrong there, press Ctrl-A and apply all scale/rotation.
-
Ok can some one spot where I have gone wrong
I am using
Blender 2.49a
PCS 2.0.3
+ files recommended in the Blender to POF Conversions FSWiki entry
the issue is that i seem to loose scale when going from blender to PCS2 via .dae but only on the detail object everything else seems ok, the two images show what the ship looks like in blender and what it looks like in PCS2 with the shield object selected for comparison which as far as i can tell is ok the effect seems to be shortening on the y axis with a small increase on X and Z (so the ship is shorter, fatter and wider)
in blender i am using one square to one FS meter so the ship should be around 20 meters long 24 meters wide and 4 meters high with the shield mesh running 24L,30W,6H
My guess is that you have not applied scale/rotation to the detail object. In order to see that, select it in Blender and press N; you should now check that the object is not scaled (i.e. all scale values must be 1) or rotated (all rotations must be 0). If something is wrong there, press Ctrl-A and apply all scale/rotation.
I am going to walk off swearing now because that was such an obvious fix when you have read through the tutorial, thanks for pointing it out
-
Is it possible to make a (multipart) turret automatically return to a default position when no targets are within its FOV?
-
Yes.
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Subsystem#.24Turret_Reset_Delay:
-
Yes.
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Subsystem#.24Turret_Reset_Delay:
does it return the turret to the pof position or to the animation code defined position?
-
At first sight, I'd say to the POF defined position; the ani code-defined "initial" trigger seems to only trigger at the start of each mission.
Anyhow, it'll do for my case, cheers :)
-
Well, you could also use the flag "reset when idle".
That might reset it to a better position. I don't know.
-
Well, you could also use the flag "reset when idle".
That might reset it to a better position. I don't know.
well, it doesnt work as advertised for me. (to be more precise, it doesnt work...)
-
Where did you place the flag? And the reset delay option
-
i used the "reset when idle" flag in the turret flag part, as its wiki entry is under the $Subsystem part :P
reset delay wasnt used as i overlooked that one when i tried it :p...
-
Well.. tested on a fresh build, and it worked just as it should have. I placed the flag in to the subsystem flags in the ships.tbl as it should and didn't see anything wrong with it.
-
is it compatible with animation code tho?
-
Well the ships i used were mediavp tritons and aeolus. Both had initial barrel rotation set for them. And the turrets reseted to the place where the initial position (same position as they started the game). So it works.. If you have got multiple initial animations going on for a single turret then they probably wont though.
-
nah, just a single initial, to set the turret angles. i will need to test this out more thoroughly, it could just be that the turret reset delay needs to be set.
-
As we are speaking about turrets i have a question about it :
i m using dae with 3ds max to export my ships, and every time i export a ship , the ship is correctly imported to pcs2, turrets are ok, but the firepoints are totally misaligned and firing normals are not pointed to the right direction.
i use to correct it with pcs2 but when i'm working on a 14 turrets ships with some turrets equipped with 6 firing points it take time, a day almost...
So i'd like to find out why it doesn't export it correctly, any idea?
all my subobject has the reset xfrom things on itand the ship is placed at 0.0.0.
-
Did you reset xform?
-
Yes, i've reset all object and subobject before the export.
-
What does the turret show as a position in PCS2? What is the firing points offset? They should be relatively small values or 0. It's possibly an offset vs world coordinate issue.
Are the firing points attached to the turrets as the parent? Is the pivot centered on the turret?
You could just do the firing points in PCS2 and import them from the model each time you redo it. I find that is the easiest way.
-
Well as i discovered that yesterday evening, turret's firing point position are relative to its parent turret, so as i have a lot of turret who share the same design i just copy each firing point.
But i could not place them perfectly... because i didn't find any other movement type than rotating along the whole ship with the mouse and when you deal with a big ship.... you see what i mean.
The pivot is centered on the turret and i ve follow scoobydoo's instruction.
Maybe the problem come from my dae export setting?
May someone who have no problem like this with dae export from 3dsmax share a screenshot of the dae setting on the pop up windows when you export dae?
-
As far as moving a big ship in PCS2 without rotating it's hold shift and slide the mouse. Wheel zooms.
-
Oh thanks you very much!
and another questions but it's not fully pcs2 related, it s about turret rotation and the check hull flag, i ve noticed that some of my turret continue to rotate through it s parents ship's hull...
My guess is that the check hull things detect collision with the firing point only and not the arm model, am i right?
and the last one :
Is there a property or a table flag to set a maximum rotation speed? because big canon moving like a flak turrret looks weird :p
-
Yes it only checks for firing.
The rotation speed is set in the tables for each subsystem.
-
Alright, its Wednesday, two days before my Model Import Deadline, and I've hit a snag.
I'm making this post in two threads, the Stellar Assault thread, and the PCS User to User thread. Hopefully an expert will have an answer in one of them.
I followed "JGZ’s Max – PCS2 – FS2 Rigging Tutorial" as much as was possible (some things about textures and scene roots were not mentioned in it) and ended with these results in Max. As far as I know; how it's supposed to end.
Materials
(http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9477/materialsheet.jpg)
Object List & Wireframe
(http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7356/wireframet.jpg)
I also finished the model hierarchy as best as I knew.
Here it is for your viewing.
3DS Max Schematic View
(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8467/scematicview.jpg)
After all that work, the Collada exporter poops itself and leaves me with this...
PCS2 Results
(http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7643/pcs2dae.jpg)
lvlshot tags are n times better than img tags. --Jeff Vader
Just to clarify, even though all of you have only seen my work in Silo up until now, I would like to point out that I am EXTREMELY familiar with Max and it's interface. (I learned my modeling in max, and I've done organic character modeling in max long before I ever done anything in Silo.) So while there may still be a lot of things unknown to me in Max, I am by no means a total newbie.
However, I am an EXTREME noob towards PCS2. As well as the Collada format.
I did my research and I tried some of the things mentioned in the "Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)" Thread and tried
27. Do a search and replace
* a. Search for: -node” (include the quote)
* b. Replace with: “ (just the quote)
* c. This gets rid of any “detail1-node” and replaces with with “detail1”
* d. Save
that just before opening the file in PCS2, and Notepad++ said there was no " -node" " in the file. So I shrugged and went about my business. However, I suspect that may be part of my problem.
Also, here's a text snip of the dae code:
</float_array>
<technique_common>
<accessor source="#shield-lib-UV0-array" count="64" stride="2">
<param name="S" type="float"/>
<param name="T" type="float"/>
</accessor>
</technique_common>
</source>
<vertices id="shield-lib-Vertex">
<input semantic="POSITION" source="#shield-lib-Position"/>
</vertices>
<polygons count="80">
<input semantic="VERTEX" offset="0" source="#shield-lib-Vertex"/>
<input semantic="NORMAL" offset="1" source="#shield-lib-Normal0"/>
<input semantic="TEXCOORD" offset="2" set="0" source="#shield-lib-UV0"/>
<p>0 0 42 12 1 12 13 2 13</p>
<p>12 3 12 1 4 1 17 5 17</p>
<p>12 6 12 17 7 17 13 8 13</p>
<p>13 9 13 17 10 17 2 11 2</p>
<p>0 12 43 13 13 13 14 14 14</p>
<p>13 15 13 2 16 2 18 17 18</p>
<p>13 18 13 18 19 18 14 20 14</p>
<p>14 21 14 18 22 18 3 23 3</p>
<p>0 24 44 14 25 45 15 26 15</p>
<p>14 27 46 3 28 47 19 29 19</p>
<p>14 30 48 19 31 19 15 32 15</p>
<p>15 33 15 19 34 19 4 35 4</p>
<p>0 36 49 15 37 15 16 38 16</p>
<p>15 39 15 4 40 4 20 41 20</p>
<p>15 42 15 20 43 20 16 44 16</p>
<p>16 45 16 20 46 20 5 47 5</p>
<p>0 48 0 16 49 16 12 50 12</p>
<p>16 51 16 5 52 5 21 53 21</p>
<p>16 54 16 21 55 21 12 56 12</p>
<p>12 57 12 21 58 21 1 59 1</p>
<p>1 60 1 27 61 27 22 62 22</p>
<p>27 63 27 10 64 10 36 65 36</p>
<p>27 66 27 36 67 36 22 68 22</p>
<p>22 69 22 36 70 36 6 71 6</p>
<p>2 72 2 28 73 28 23 74 23</p>
<p>28 75 28 6 76 6 32 77 32</p>
<p>28 78 28 32 79 32 23 80 23</p>
<p>23 81 23 32 82 32 7 83 7</p>
<p>3 84 3 29 85 29 24 86 24</p>
<p>29 87 29 7 88 7 33 89 33</p>
<p>29 90 29 33 91 33 24 92 24</p>
<p>24 93 50 33 94 51 8 95 8</p>
<p>4 96 4 30 97 30 25 98 25</p>
<p>30 99 30 8 100 8 34 101 34</p>
<p>30 102 30 34 103 34 25 104 25</p>
<p>25 105 25 34 106 34 9 107 9</p>
<p>5 108 5 31 109 31 26 110 26</p>
<p>31 111 31 9 112 9 35 113 35</p>
<p>31 114 31 35 115 35 26 116 26</p>
<p>26 117 26 35 118 35 10 119 10</p>
<p>6 120 6 28 121 28 22 122 22</p>
<p>28 123 28 2 124 2 17 125 17</p>
<p>28 126 28 17 127 17 22 128 22</p>
<p>22 129 22 17 130 17 1 131 1</p>
<p>7 132 7 29 133 29 23 134 23</p>
<p>29 135 29 3 136 3 18 137 18</p>
<p>29 138 29 18 139 18 23 140 23</p>
<p>23 141 23 18 142 18 2 143 2</p>
<p>8 144 8 30 145 30 24 146 52</p>
<p>30 147 30 4 148 4 19 149 19</p>
<p>30 150 30 19 151 19 24 152 53</p>
<p>24 153 54 19 154 19 3 155 55</p>
<p>9 156 9 31 157 31 25 158 25</p>
<p>31 159 31 5 160 5 20 161 20</p>
<p>31 162 31 20 163 20 25 164 25</p>
<p>25 165 25 20 166 20 4 167 4</p>
<p>10 168 10 27 169 27 26 170 26</p>
<p>27 171 27 1 172 1 21 173 21</p>
<p>27 174 27 21 175 21 26 176 26</p>
<p>26 177 26 21 178 21 5 179 5</p>
<p>11 180 56 38 181 38 37 182 37</p>
<p>38 183 38 7 184 7 32 185 32</p>
<p>38 186 38 32 187 32 37 188 37</p>
<p>37 189 37 32 190 32 6 191 6</p>
<p>11 192 57 39 193 39 38 194 58</p>
<p>39 195 39 8 196 8 33 197 59</p>
<p>39 198 39 33 199 60 38 200 61</p>
<p>38 201 38 33 202 33 7 203 7</p>
<p>11 204 62 40 205 40 39 206 39</p>
<p>40 207 40 9 208 9 34 209 34</p>
<p>40 210 40 34 211 34 39 212 39</p>
<p>39 213 39 34 214 34 8 215 8</p>
<p>11 216 63 41 217 41 40 218 40</p>
<p>41 219 41 10 220 10 35 221 35</p>
<p>41 222 41 35 223 35 40 224 40</p>
<p>40 225 40 35 226 35 9 227 9</p>
<p>11 228 11 37 229 37 41 230 41</p>
<p>37 231 37 6 232 6 36 233 36</p>
<p>37 234 37 36 235 36 41 236 41</p>
<p>41 237 41 36 238 36 10 239 10</p>
</polygons>
</mesh>
</geometry>
</library_geometries>
<library_visual_scenes>
<visual_scene id="RootNode" name="RootNode">
<node id="Scene_Root" name="Scene_Root">
<rotate sid="jointOrientX">1 0 0 -90.000000</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 90.000003</rotate>
<node id="detail0" name="detail0">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="detail0-Pivot" name="detail0-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#detail0-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
<node id="cockpit" name="cockpit">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<instance_geometry url="#cockpit-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="detail1" name="detail1">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="detail1-Pivot" name="detail1-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#detail1-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="detail2" name="detail2">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.054083</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="detail2-Pivot" name="detail2-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#detail2-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="detail3" name="detail3">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="detail3-Pivot" name="detail3-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#detail3-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="debris0" name="debris0">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="debris0-Pivot" name="debris0-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#debris0-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="debris1" name="debris1">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="debris1-Pivot" name="debris1-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#debris1-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="debris2" name="debris2">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="debris2-Pivot" name="debris2-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#debris2-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="debris3" name="debris3">
<translate sid="translate">0.000000 0.083805 -0.077154</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.948361 1.948361 1.948361</scale>
<node id="debris3-Pivot" name="debris3-Pivot">
<translate>0.000000 3.342054 -0.624320</translate>
<rotate>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</rotate>
<instance_geometry url="#debris3-lib">
<bind_material>
<technique_common>
<instance_material symbol="Material__25" target="#Material__25"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__26" target="#Material__26"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__27" target="#Material__27"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__28" target="#Material__28"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__29" target="#Material__29"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__30" target="#Material__30"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__31" target="#Material__31"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__32" target="#Material__32"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__33" target="#Material__33"/>
<instance_material symbol="Material__34" target="#Material__34"/>
</technique_common>
</bind_material>
</instance_geometry>
</node>
</node>
<node id="shield" name="shield">
<translate sid="translate">-0.064861 -0.000000 0.016669</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -90.000009</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">1.000000 1.000000 0.292063</scale>
<instance_geometry url="#shield-lib"/>
</node>
<node id="gunbank01" name="gunbank01">
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 179.999995</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 0.000005</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -179.999981</rotate>
<node id="gunbank01_01" name="gunbank01_01">
<translate sid="translate">5.841074 -0.070214 5.886694</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -0.000010</rotate>
</node>
<node id="gunbank01_02" name="gunbank01_02">
<translate sid="translate">-5.812989 -0.098296 5.886695</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -0.000010</rotate>
</node>
</node>
<node id="missilebank01" name="missilebank01">
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 179.999995</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 0.000005</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -179.999981</rotate>
<node id="missilebank01_01" name="missilebank01_01">
<translate sid="translate">5.742786 0.294862 5.619490</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -0.000010</rotate>
</node>
<node id="missilebank01_02" name="missilebank01_02">
<translate sid="translate">-5.897235 -0.421231 5.619491</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -0.000010</rotate>
</node>
</node>
<node id="missilebank02" name="missilebank02">
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 179.999995</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 0.000005</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -179.999981</rotate>
<node id="missilebank02_01" name="missilebank02_01">
<translate sid="translate">5.911278 -0.449313 5.649301</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -0.000010</rotate>
</node>
<node id="missilebank02_02" name="missilebank02_02">
<translate sid="translate">-5.756825 0.294862 5.649302</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -0.000010</rotate>
</node>
</node>
<node id="thrusters" name="thrusters">
<translate sid="translate">0.000001 -0.000000 -0.000000</translate>
<node id="thruster" name="thruster">
<translate sid="translate">5.612184 0.939538 3.186410</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 11.562624</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 2.640578</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -12.690355</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">0.857175 1.000000 0.794196</scale>
</node>
<node id="thruster_ncl1_1" name="thruster_ncl1_1">
<translate sid="translate">-5.625733 0.980588 3.176965</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -10.933821</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 -2.498948</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 -12.718549</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">0.734667 1.000000 0.794196</scale>
</node>
<node id="thruster_ncl1_2" name="thruster_ncl1_2">
<translate sid="translate">6.064066 -1.149637 3.143420</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 11.878109</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 -3.123746</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 14.524656</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">0.809807 1.258971 1.000000</scale>
</node>
<node id="thruster_ncl1_3" name="thruster_ncl1_3">
<translate sid="translate">-6.029687 -1.149637 3.143419</translate>
<rotate sid="rotateZ">0 0 1 -10.371258</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateY">0 1 0 2.732766</rotate>
<rotate sid="rotateX">1 0 0 14.388163</rotate>
<scale sid="scale">0.819146 1.132390 0.924351</scale>
</node>
</node>
</node>
</visual_scene>
</library_visual_scenes>
<scene>
<instance_visual_scene url="#RootNode"/>
</scene>
</COLLADA>
Hopefully that will be of some use to you guys.
So anyways, I'm chomping at the bit here trying to figure this problem out. I really want to put this model and a few others into the game by friday and this issue has really knocked me over the head. I'm hoping you more experience FS2 modelers will be able to throw me a bone here.
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Could you please ask in one place at a time? Thank you. Also, lvlshot tags ftw.
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Could you please ask in one place at a time? Thank you. Also, lvlshot tags ftw.
What's a lvlshot tag?
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Well, if you write, for example,
[img]http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9477/materialsheet.jpg[/img]to your post, it'll show the image in full-size, and with hugeass high-resolution images that means a lot of space covered by the image. And that can get a tad bit annoying when there are many huge images in a thread. If you write
[lvlshot]http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9477/materialsheet.jpg[/lvlshot]instead, the images are cropped to fit the viewer's screen, and he/she can click the images to see them in their original size. I edited your post and added the lvlshot tags to each image. I'm sure you can see the difference.
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Ah thanks, I'll take that advice and do that for all of my previous posts as well. I had no idea such a tag existed.
\EDIT\
Just a quick update,
I did some quick googling to help myself and I pulled my head from my ass. The end result it a proper DAE import into PCS2.
Just figured I would let you all know before you actually decided to waste valuable time with something I fixed myself.
(http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/904/wootc.jpg)
Not all of my textures loaded, but I'll worry about that later.
\EDIT2\
Alright, its been a few hours, and I just cannot figure out how to fix my texture problems. This is getting crazy.
At this point, PCS2 seems to load the textures for the main vehicle fine. However, it refuses to recognize that the Cockpit texture is mean to be assigned to the cockpit. Is this something I can change in PCS2, or do I need to fix it in Max? Because at this point I am starting to Rage.
-
One thing I'll warn you. You'll want just the diffuse material (remove the glow,shine,normal etc from the material list). Otherwise PCS2 will import them thinking their diffuse textures and can mess up everything
i.e.
Cockpit
Cockpit-shine
it'll also want
Cockpit-shine-shine.
-
I did my research and I tried some of the things mentioned in the "Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)" Thread and tried
27. Do a search and replace
* a. Search for: -node” (include the quote)
* b. Replace with: “ (just the quote)
* c. This gets rid of any “detail1-node” and replaces with with “detail1”
* d. Save
that just before opening the file in PCS2, and Notepad++ said there was no " -node" " in the file. So I shrugged and went about my business. However, I suspect that may be part of my problem.
This bit of information is out-of-date. The latest stable version will ignore the <-node> value.
Alright, its been a few hours, and I just cannot figure out how to fix my texture problems. This is getting crazy.
At this point, PCS2 seems to load the textures for the main vehicle fine. However, it refuses to recognize that the Cockpit texture is mean to be assigned to the cockpit. Is this something I can change in PCS2, or do I need to fix it in Max? Because at this point I am starting to Rage.
Ok it looks like PCS2 is seeing everything. Feather1CKP??? is your cockpit texture right?
PCS2 doesn't always (heck it rarely) displays textures.
The best thing you can do is save it to a pof file. Create a table entry for it and display it in the freespace F3 viewer.
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I did my research and I tried some of the things mentioned in the "Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)" Thread and tried
27. Do a search and replace
* a. Search for: -node” (include the quote)
* b. Replace with: “ (just the quote)
* c. This gets rid of any “detail1-node” and replaces with with “detail1”
* d. Save
that just before opening the file in PCS2, and Notepad++ said there was no " -node" " in the file. So I shrugged and went about my business. However, I suspect that may be part of my problem.
This bit of information is out-of-date. The latest stable version will ignore the <-node> value.
I've got a new problem now, if you would like to see this thread: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=62362.80 (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=62362.80). We are in IRC right now, as well.
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The following one isn't strictly a PCS2 issue, but it's a conversion issue anyway. Upon exporting from Blender (2.48) to DAE, some subobjects disappear and others are replaced by debris parts. Anyone had that before?
-
The problem is OpenCollada. It doesn't export material lists properly.
-
How about ColladaMax OSS (https://collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/ColladaMax_OSS)? Jacek and others have found it to be reliable.
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That version doesn't work for Max 2010...
If it did, I would have used it.
-
why does pcs2 toss up a "instance_gemometry not found for subobject detail-0" error whenever i try to import something in dae format?
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So the newer OpenCollada doesn't work with PCS2, and the older ColladaMax OSS doesn't work with the latest Max, that's about what I'm hearing? Sounds like people shouldn't be upgrading Max just yet then. I know some Diaspora devs were complaining about the new version too. Other than that, I don't have any more ideas. So the older Feeling ColladaMax doesn't work with 2010 either, correct?
-
why does pcs2 toss up a "instance_gemometry not found for subobject detail-0" error whenever i try to import something in dae format?
You forgot to reset x-form and collapse all before exporting.
-
why does pcs2 toss up a "instance_gemometry not found for subobject detail-0" error whenever i try to import something in dae format?
You forgot to reset x-form and collapse all before exporting.
theres nothing to collapse but il try resetting xform, also does this thing want poly or mesh?
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why does pcs2 toss up a "instance_gemometry not found for subobject detail-0" error whenever i try to import something in dae format?
You forgot to reset x-form and collapse all before exporting.
theres nothing to collapse but il try resetting xform, also does this thing want poly or mesh?
Most likely something got move/rotate/scaled (or the pivot point did). Those require resetting x-forms too.
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So the newer OpenCollada doesn't work with PCS2, and the older ColladaMax OSS doesn't work with the latest Max, that's about what I'm hearing? Sounds like people shouldn't be upgrading Max just yet then. I know some Diaspora devs were complaining about the new version too. Other than that, I don't have any more ideas. So the older Feeling ColladaMax doesn't work with 2010 either, correct?
The only problem I've seen so far is it's not linking the materials to the geometries correctly. My little patch app should fix that.
-
why does pcs2 toss up a "instance_gemometry not found for subobject detail-0" error whenever i try to import something in dae format?
You forgot to reset x-form and collapse all before exporting.
theres nothing to collapse but il try resetting xform, also does this thing want poly or mesh?
Most likely something got move/rotate/scaled (or the pivot point did). Those require resetting x-forms too.
i found the problem, some parts of the model were animated for some reason.
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So the newer OpenCollada doesn't work with PCS2, and the older ColladaMax OSS doesn't work with the latest Max, that's about what I'm hearing? Sounds like people shouldn't be upgrading Max just yet then. I know some Diaspora devs were complaining about the new version too. Other than that, I don't have any more ideas. So the older Feeling ColladaMax doesn't work with 2010 either, correct?
The only problem I've seen so far is it's not linking the materials to the geometries correctly. My little patch app should fix that.
My only real question then is, is the exporter wrong or is the PCS2 Collada Importer 'most make an update'?
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Well if I had to take a guess I'd say it's a little bit of both. The exporter probably hasn't been updated to work with MAX 10 yet. PCS2 has always had some issues with importing/exporting dae but you can usually work around them.
Oh and from what I'm hearing MAX 10 is a piece of junk ans slow as heck right now anyway so you might want to stick with 9 for just that reason.
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Well if I had to take a guess I'd say it's a little bit of both. The exporter probably hasn't been updated to work with MAX 10 yet. PCS2 has always had some issues with importing/exporting dae but you can usually work around them.
Oh and from what I'm hearing MAX 10 is a piece of junk ans slow as heck right now anyway so you might want to stick with 9 for just that reason.
I'll confirm that, Max 10 is slow as hell. I'm kinda stuck with it tho, and I don't use it for modeling anyways. So I'm not suffering too badly.
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Well if I had to take a guess I'd say it's a little bit of both. The exporter probably hasn't been updated to work with MAX 10 yet. PCS2 has always had some issues with importing/exporting dae but you can usually work around them.
Oh and from what I'm hearing MAX 10 is a piece of junk ans slow as heck right now anyway so you might want to stick with 9 for just that reason.
The issue also affects the much older Max 9 too (not 2009, just 9.0)
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Ummm excuse me, could FSF get a hand with his DAE problem?
Like he says, when he exports a model from Blender (2.48) to DAE, some subobjects disappear and they are replaced by debris parts. The result, a beautiful ship (and the model is beautiful btw) turns into a giant jigsaw puzzle abomination. Any ideas whats happening and how to fix?
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If you have a problem with the exporter/importer, clearly explain it, preferably creating a small contained example of just the problem, here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=54757.0). If you want PCS2 to progress in general post your support here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=66743.0).
I have offered to fix the problem with intermediate entities between node and geometry more than once if someone were to provide an example of it...
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The following one isn't strictly a PCS2 issue, but it's a conversion issue anyway. Upon exporting from Blender (2.48) to DAE, some subobjects disappear and others are replaced by debris parts. Anyone had that before?
What is your naming convention? Make sure all detail objects start with detail and all debris objects start with debris. detail0 detail1 etc work best as it will automatically set up the header info for those. It does for anything beginning with debris. Anything that isn't a subobject and doesn't begin with either debris or detail will not be imported. A detail0 or detail-0 seems to be a requirement. It wont import say debris unless one exists.
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Yes, I know that, it's not the first ship I'm converting. The problem is in the Blender DAE exporter, not in the PCS2 DAE importer. It's the DAE itself that's corrupted.
Not one Blender user encountered this issue before?
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I've had it happen with Max as well but it's usually something I forgot to do like unhide the objects. Seem to be quite a few blender users on so I can't believe it hasn't happened to someone else yet.
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Yes, I know that, it's not the first ship I'm converting. The problem is in the Blender DAE exporter, not in the PCS2 DAE importer. It's the DAE itself that's corrupted.
Not one Blender user encountered this issue before?
If you PM a link to the Blend, I'll take a look at it.
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Okay, you got it. Thanks :)
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Okay, you got it. Thanks :)
Exported to dae and it appears to be ok. (Using Blender 2.49b)
Just checking a few details. It's harder without the textures.
Your export - All debris and lods - ok?
Detail 0 only is borked? - several items replaced with debris items.
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Upgraded to 2.49b, exported (DAE 1.4, right?) but it's still the same mess here. Debris and LODs themselves are okay, but subobjects are messed up.
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Upgraded to 2.49b, exported (DAE 1.4, right?) but it's still the same mess here. Debris and LODs themselves are okay, but subobjects are messed up.
I'll do a bit more looking. What version of Python do you have?
A quick test. Save the Blend under a new name.
Delete all the turrets and export.
Reload - Keep the turrets and delete Detail0 sub-objects and export.
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Python 2.6.4;
Reload - Keep the turrets and delete Detail0 sub-objects and export.
Eh, the turrets are detail0 subobjects, so I'm not sure what you mean there...
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Python 2.6;
Eh, the turrets are detail0 subobjects, so I'm not sure what you mean there...
For that test, delete the subobjects that aren't turrets.
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Okay, no, still the same. Turret09 still gets replaced by the mesh of debris04.
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Okay, no, still the same. Turret09 still gets replaced by the mesh of debris04.
Now that you have 2.49b, could you do a full export to dae and then save a new Blend. I need to try an export with the same items selected as you. My export changes the ordering of the items. Pack all the textures into the blend and then zip it and the dae. File > External Data > Pack into Blend File
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For the record: the Blender installer seems not to overwrite scripts etc. from the previous version. The latest Collada exporter, from version 2.49b, worked fine.
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The .pof compiler seems to have a bit of an issue with independent wing subobjects (for rotation) on fighters:
http://www.ferrium.org/mantis/view.php?id=89
TL;DR version: PCS2 ****s up the subobject centers and bounding boxes when saving such a model to .pof, but not other formats.
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I know exactly what the problem here is and it's not PCS2. Your pivots are centered by world corridors not offsets so even though it looks correct in the modeling program it's flipped when exported. Set your ship to top view. Mark down the world coordinates of the pivot. Center the pivot to 0,0,0 by typing in the world coordinates. Now move it using offset back to the correct position. Reset x-form and re-export. It should now be correct in PCS2.
I've seen this one so many times it isn't even funny anymore. The alternate method is to center the subobjects to 0,0,0 before export and them mover them back to the correct location in PCS2. If you are using something like truespace you will need to keep moving the center and object until they are both at 0,0,0 Sometimes it's a pain because you move one the other goes half the distance the other direction.
The above methods I've done both in MAX and the second one in TS7.6 with success.
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When I import a turret to an existing ship via PCS 2, it loses it's assigned texture and gets the first one that's used by the ship (in this case, an imported turret gets "tercoc01" as it's texture).
Is there any way to fix or avoid this, without going all the way to making the ship a .cob and glueing the turret in TrueSpace (and that procedure seems to mess the model up even more)?
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Try a different version of PCS2. The older one without collada support seems to work better at this then the newer one does.
Also sometime adding the texture before doing the import of the object works.
Best bet is taking it into a modeling program and doing it there.
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Alright, I'll see how an older version works.
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How do you change a turret from missile to gun? I gave the Hades six BFGreens, and since one of them is in a missile turret, it won't fire.
-
You edit the POF to have it be called a turret instead of a missileturret I think.
-
Turret type is handled by tables exclusively.
If it's not firing, change "Default SBanks" to "Default PBanks" for the turrets in question. Nothing to do with PCS2.
The POF only contains the data for the "now targeting (whatever)" in the top left corner, nothing else. All turrets are fully swappable between Secondaries and Primaries through tables. I could set $name=IM_A_FATSO or whatever I want and it'll fire whatever I want just fine.
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My bad. Was thinking the difference in game was somehow related to the POF for some reason.
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This seems like the most likely place to get answers from modders using the Collada importer, so:
Do you have any objections to/preferences for filtering out textures as described here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=68731.msg1358945#msg1358945) (specifically the third option). Would you find the option to disable said filtering useful?
-
Ignore any texture of the form prefix-* where another texture named prefix exists
That's probably the best choice, as was already pointed out. And yeah, it could always come in handy to toggle it.
Would it be possible to filter out unused textures as well?
-
Would only including used textures solve the other problem?
-
Well, yeah, but I've seen more than one POF with textures that don't seem to be used anywhere.
-
I've also seen quite a few models with 2 or more copies of the same texture. Now there may be times that you want this but most (if not all) of the time I've seen it it's been a mistake. Only reason I can think of for having 2 copies is for duplicate objects where you want to be able to use texture replacement on one or both. Not even sure if the engine allows this.
-
I think most of those originated from models that had two different textures, but were changed to one (like all the retail models losing the alphabetical character at the end of the texture names sop TCOV1A and TCOV1B both became TCOV1).
-
What FUBAR said above is actually on purpose on several models I've rigged.
Basically the modeler used the texture twice in different mtl editor slots in Max.
Once for the ship itself and then once for parts of debris.
-
Yea that is usually where it comes from but all the ones I've seen have not been on purpose like that. Things like LOD0 and LOD1 using the same texture but different slots in max because of an import and not cleaning up the materials. Good example would be things that are used on multiple ships like turrets. You import from another file, set the path and stuff to be correct so you can do a test export. Works so you do the rest of the turrets but don't bother to set the path of the texture so now you have 2 textures with the same name but different paths. Exports as 2 textures. Easy to fix? Yes. Do a lot of people miss it? Yes.
-
Although the importer is including multiple copies of a texture if present, the first instance of it is likely to be used for everything using that texture, with possible exceptions if paths differ.
Only including textures that are used probably wouldn't affect that; it would just cut anything not used at all. I think this will work for filtering out extraneous textures. Let me know if you see problems with it.
Edit: sig build updated. Give it a try.
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Is there any way to specify rotation and axis in max and have PCS2 set it on dae import? I don't know how many times now I've forgotten to do that in PCS2 on a reconvert. It's not something a global import picks up either.
-
So this is probably just small potatoes, and really just a nag. I use the Blender-collada-PCS203 route, and everytime I get into PCS the thrusters are always way off. Usually way low and too far forward from their original place. All other points (subs, gunpoints) are in place perfectly. It's not a huge deal to move them in PCS, but it would save some time.
-
So this is probably just small potatoes, and really just a nag. I use the Blender-collada-PCS203 route, and everytime I get into PCS the thrusters are always way off. Usually way low and too far forward from their original place. All other points (subs, gunpoints) are in place perfectly. It's not a huge deal to move them in PCS, but it would save some time.
If the thrusters are attached to a subsystem, then the helper and thrusters must be located at the subsystem's (0,0,0). If there is no subsystem then they must be centered on the hull (detail0)'s (0,0,0).
-
anyone know offhand what version of wxwidgets is needed to compile pcs2?
-
So this is probably just small potatoes, and really just a nag. I use the Blender-collada-PCS203 route, and everytime I get into PCS the thrusters are always way off. Usually way low and too far forward from their original place. All other points (subs, gunpoints) are in place perfectly. It's not a huge deal to move them in PCS, but it would save some time.
If the thrusters are attached to a subsystem, then the helper and thrusters must be located at the subsystem's (0,0,0). If there is no subsystem then they must be centered on the hull (detail0)'s (0,0,0).
Hmmm. How do I change the center of an empty in blender? Or should I not use empties? If not, what should I use?
-
You should be able to just grab an empty and move it around in object mode.
-
You should be able to just grab an empty and move it around in object mode.
I know... I think I misunderstood the first poster. Is "thrusters" (The empty that the others are parented to) supposed to be at the models center?
-
If there is no subsystem thruster then "thrusters" should be at the models center.
The "thruster" helper is the offset from the subsystem (or models) center to where the glow will appear.
-
If this is that annoying it may be possible to take helper transformations into account.
-
There is one thing I'd like to see... if you could order the turret numbering at least in the pcs2 view tree. Having to hunt down a turret is annoying especially when there's a couple dozen of them and their not in order. I don't care about internal pof just the gui.
-
Order is the least of the turret issues. Turrets attach to subobject number so when you reconvert and do a global import they end up on the wrong subobjects. Also rotation and axis are not imported from pof to pof.
-
+1, both for Scooby and FUBAR. These issues are quite inconvenient indeed.
-
Accessing subobjects in Collada files is non-deterministic in terms of ordering. Obvious options are: explicitly sort them by name in some fashion; or create a new attribute on which to sort them. This would still likely produce a different ordering to the original. Perhaps it might be worth trying to match subobject names for turrets between the two files.
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Yes name compare first then subobject if it doesn't exist would make sense.
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Accessing subobjects in Collada files is non-deterministic in terms of ordering. Obvious options are: explicitly sort them by name in some fashion; or create a new attribute on which to sort them. This would still likely produce a different ordering to the original. Perhaps it might be worth trying to match subobject names for turrets between the two files.
I wasn't really asking for you to order them in while importing them, I'm basically asking when they get added to the PCS2's gui that they be in order. Basically trim the first 6 letters off the name, convert to integer and and sort that onto the view tree.
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I'm not sure that sorting subobjects for display is always desired. I'd prefer subobject ordering on import to be sensibly deterministic anyway.
Have you guys considered making a request/wish/problem list for the Collada importer/exporter?
-
Subobject(subsystems) node can stay they are now, that I don't mind, it's the turret node I'm interested in.
-
Sorting the subobjects should put the turrets in the same order for newly imported models.
I don't see any obvious reasons not to sort turrets in the gui though. Apart from having to go through the gui related code of course.
Edit: the build in my sig should import subobjects of a particular object in lexicographic order and might pay attention to helper transformations for thrusters.
-
Seems global import is broken on this one. "PCS2 has encountered a problem and had to close" when I import from POF.
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So it is. I didn't touch anything related to it.
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spici .. register an SF.net account - i'll add you to the authorized users - and please check in your changes to HEAD
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Any chance we could get it moved to SF's git hosting? Or at the very least Subversion? The_E would like to do a little work on the PCS2 side I believe, and I also have a SF account already.
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Just see this thread: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=69360.msg1374096#msg1374096
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I hate to ask a question that has ostensibly already been answered in a tutorial, but what's a good poly count for a fighter or fighter-bomber size ship? The tutorial recommended no more than 6000, but I notice that the fighter models in TBP and BtRL don't use nearly that many. It seems like 6000 polys would be very taxing for a computer (obviously depending on the computer) in a Battle of Endor mission.
Thanks in advance.
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You can probably double that 6000 without a problem. Those guidelines are a bit old and the TBP fighters even older.
-
Still, keeping the polycount low is usually a good idea, especially now that modellers can use normal maps to give their ships more detail without using model geometry.
-
Lodding becomes more important the higher the polycount goes. A Battle of Endor style set far apart from each other wouldn't be THAT taxing provided aggressive lodding is done.
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Not in terms of rendering anyway. Then you'd just be running out of every other limit in the engine.
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Ya you'd be hitting subsystem, ship count limits sooner.
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Highest-poly player-flyable ship in the 3.6.10 MVPs: The Zeus, Bomber09.pof, with a polycount... OVER 9000!
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Highest-poly player-flyable ship in the 3.6.10 MVPs: The Zeus, Bomber09.pof, with a polycount... OVER 9000!
Heh, Vasudan Admiral...
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Yikes.
I've just got my model up to about 1300 polygons. So I guess the only problem I really have now is polygon envy.
Thanks very much!
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Let's see... my excalibur mk2 sits at a little over 15,000 @ lod 0, 1,600 @ lod 1, 500 @ lod2, 300 @ lod 3
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I'm having an issue with non-vertical multiparts on the high-poly Akrotiri. They're basically firing into the ship, instead of outwards. There seems to be nothing wrong with the vectors though. Download (http://www.mediafire.com/?fp4vf2q762a68qm) contains mod for testing, blendfile.
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Just quick glancing....
I'm looking at turret 12
$uvec:0.8658934, -0.4999239, 0.01745261
$fvec:0.2389073, 0.4439489, 0.8636159
Try this for uvec:
-0.8658934, -0.4999239, 0.01745261
Anything to the port on the X is negative, star is positive
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Huh. Hmm. Reversing the signs of the X-component of the uvec on all six turrets pretty much fixed it, though (at least) turret13 still rotates about the wrong axes.
So basically, the uvec-fvec X-direction is the reverse of the "normal" X-direction? With turret normals, special points and everything else, port is positive X. Or is that just my PCS2 build?
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No it's the way it is and not just for uvec/fvec. There are several things that flip the x axis. Tabled thrusters comes to mind. So basically fvec/uvec are as follows:
x,y,z in Max
-x,z,y in PCS2
x,z,y in uvec/fvec/table entries.
On a side note I think I added this to the wiki entry a couple weeks ago.
Nope that was for detail boxes http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Detail_box so there is another one with a flipped x axis.
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Yet another crashing model,
I've done a 10 000 poly carrier for the ep mod, I've try to export it with just the detail-0 and nothing else just to try different new maps on it in game with all effects on (i mean normal map shine etc... )
The pcs2 part is OK , no error, i pof it, load it in freespace (f3 labs) but yet again the game crash when creating the ibx files.
Last time i use to have error in the model, but this time I've been careful on it and I've made an stl check under 3dsmax2008 and i have 0 error.
Did i hit some kind of limit ? (poly per object?) as the ship has been built as on object without subobject.
I don't know yet if the problems come from my laptop as my main computer ran into fire last week :(
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Try the model using a recent nightly build. There was a change in the model interpretation code that upped poly limits for subobjects considerably.
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Hey! you make my day you know?
Ok that works now, that's great :)
It counterbalance my 1000€ computer loss :nervous:
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Strangeness observed in 2.1.
Was working with Rga on some missiles. Exported out of Blender to DAE. DAE opens in 2.1 with correct dimensions. Saved to POF. Opened POF, and the dimensions were off. Was able to resolve only by then opening POF in 2.0.3 and directly saving again.
Any ideas or things to test?
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no, i never met that, from my side i have for exemple all my firepoint (only with turrets) looking good in pcs2 but not ingame.
ship is placed @ 0,0,0 xform reseted and everything else remain placed well, i will try what you did to fix your model (pcs2.0.3 things)
Sorry, my reply do not help you at all
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How the heck do you use the collada 1.4 exporter with Blender. I was having trouble so I made a simple cube, triangulated it, and textured it. I exported it using the settings from wiki. I opened it in PCS2 but got only a black screen. The dimensions are 0x0x0 so obviously it did not import but the texture is in the texture tab, but that is it.
So just for fun I tried to import the dae file into blender and that worked fine - except when I try to render it I am getting a black screen.
My simple mind is befuddled - I assume there is something abvious I am doing wrong but I will danged if I can figure it out.
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There's a python script to aid blender collada exports I think. Can't hunt it down right now.
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Did you name the cube object detail0 ? The PCS2 DAE importer needs at least a detail0 object, to be the main hull of the ship.
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Thanks FSF that did it. Told you it was something stupid!
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Well I find this a bit aggravating:
So I manage to get Collada installed to Max, export a .dae model to my PCS2 work folder, Run PCS2 and try to open the .dae, but get nothing!
After some bumbling around and reinstalling the Collada plugin to max, I finally get geometry to show up in PCS2 but the texture is not rendered. The texture name is apparently seen by PCS2, can be selected in the hierarchy, etc., but does not show up in the rendering view.
The object I am making is a non-playable object, that is not intended to move. About the only embellishment it will have is a glowpoint smack dab in the middle, but I want to first make sure the texture is looking ok.
PCS2 when .dae is loaded up:
(http://v7qtwq.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p61thom5oS2fqFrWVpk7VwpOOKMgHxzUrx8pNn0B0bF1wQBvvIh4cRnG919rbjo9y5z4n_XK38s4M_-0PPvJlReOEmSn08ew0/PCS2_Trouble_01.jpg?psid=1)
PCS2 looking at the texture entry in the hierarchy:
(http://v7qtwq.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pp0MTCKJMc2FrIfIqh5OdC5R3FqF8VJgGnBQwTjADRkju4Iw3OBsb5fJ8ltWUirhTGklTqrJXETaZB16_2dAuX0bhzdVwk-9f/PCS2_Trouble_02.jpg?psid=1)
Texture is a 1024x1024 DXT1 DDS (Fully opaque DDS, no alpha)
So, what might be causing this? :confused:
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Are PCS2's texture paths set up correctly?
Alternatively, is the texture in the same directory as the model file?
Are there trailing spaces in the texture name as displayed in PCS2?
Also, be aware that there are some dxt variants that older versions of PCS2 just can't read.
Are you aware that there's a new version of PCS2 out?
Are you aware that you can, and should get it here (http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~samm/pcs2.7z)? (Note: You may need recompiled dlls for this, they can be found here (http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~samm/dlls.7z). To install, unpack these files, and copy them to your PCS2 directory, overwriting the old files in the process).
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Texture paths look OK:
(http://v7qtwq.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pjgNptYOcQnVmqW2O63tnqEM6niXXnoL72srx4XqVndE9cum19r1tLg7GgjDrSHM2kN9b-vg1CzNJeFlJ-aC6kSygfGcseJyr/PCS2_Trouble_03.jpg?psid=1)
There are no trailing spaces in the texture name.
I've tried the 2.1a version of PCS2, but still have the same problem.
I'm going to double check to see if the Dxt variant has anything to do with it...
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What happens if you save it as a pof, and load it up in-game?
What happens if the texture is in the same folder as the model file?
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Different DXT settings did not affect anything.
Having the texture in the same folder as the .pof did not affect anything in the PCS2 view.
Have not tried in-game view of the object just yet, will try later today.
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If it doesn't work in-game either, I suggest you upload model and texture here, so we can take a look at it from close by.
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Just checked it in the FreeSpace Lab and it looks OK (texture is there, specular highlights and all). The game complained that I'm missing an LOD, but that can be easily dealt with. :blah:
Still not quite sure why the texture won't show up in PCS2 though?
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Didn't know you were in here Z....
Have you tried opening another similar model (look for the ECM powerup) and seeing if there's a difference?
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Hey JG, just trying to get a bit more active in these forums. :D
ah, anyway, I just tried loading up the ECM powerup and have the same problem: Textures are not showing up.
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First texture entry should be .\ so it looks in the current directory. Other directories should be things like c:\games\freespace2\ to get it to look in data\maps under it. It's always the mod or TC directory not the maps directory. Normally the first time you run PCS2 it loads all that for you.
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I've tried resetting the texture directories and not managed to get it to load yet.
I'll have to probably get the newer PCS2 and try again.
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First texture entry should be .\ so it looks in the current directory.
Hey, whaddya know, that worked for me, thanks a bunch!
Hmm, I don't remember 100% if that was the way it was set up when I first installed... :rolleyes:
...ah, anyway. I checked the texture paths, and saw that PCS2 wasn't looking in that folder. However, when I added a forward slash ( \ ), the thing magically worked correctly! :D
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Sweet peanut brittle, that worked here too. ^_^
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Hope this is the right place to bring random PCS2 problems; I'm having some difficulties performing a .blend to .pof conversion. I followed the steps outlined in the wiki but still ran into trouble. Starting with a .blend file, I exported it into the DAE format with triangulated geometry. I can open the DAE in PCS2, but nothing appears in the model display screen. Furthermore, when I attempt to save the file as a .pof, the entire program crashes. I get the infamous "PCS2 has encountered a problem and needs to close" and then it's all over. I don't make any modifications to the DAE model whatsoever before saving it as a .pof, so I'm really not sure what the problem is here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Hope this is the right place to bring random PCS2 problems; I'm having some difficulties performing a .blend to .pof conversion. I followed the steps outlined in the wiki but still ran into trouble. Starting with a .blend file, I exported it into the DAE format with triangulated geometry. I can open the DAE in PCS2, but nothing appears in the model display screen. Furthermore, when I attempt to save the file as a .pof, the entire program crashes. I get the infamous "PCS2 has encountered a problem and needs to close" and then it's all over. I don't make any modifications to the DAE model whatsoever before saving it as a .pof, so I'm really not sure what the problem is here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
1. I still forget about this one from time to time. go into blender and select your the geometry that is supposed to be the main model. in panel view (defaults along the bottom of the screen in 2.49 and I believe on the right in 2.5) check the name of the object with the panel view in F9 mode, all levels of detail geometry need to have detail# (replace # with the number starting from 0 with 0 = LOD1).
2. if that is all good then make sure you are using version 1.4 of collada in blender 2.49, I have never gotten 2.5's collada exporter to work with PCS2 but that in itself don't always mean a lot
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Hope this is the right place to bring random PCS2 problems; I'm having some difficulties performing a .blend to .pof conversion. I followed the steps outlined in the wiki but still ran into trouble. Starting with a .blend file, I exported it into the DAE format with triangulated geometry. I can open the DAE in PCS2, but nothing appears in the model display screen. Furthermore, when I attempt to save the file as a .pof, the entire program crashes. I get the infamous "PCS2 has encountered a problem and needs to close" and then it's all over. I don't make any modifications to the DAE model whatsoever before saving it as a .pof, so I'm really not sure what the problem is here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
1. I still forget about this one from time to time. go into blender and select your the geometry that is supposed to be the main model. in panel view (defaults along the bottom of the screen in 2.49 and I believe on the right in 2.5) check the name of the object with the panel view in F9 mode, all levels of detail geometry need to have detail# (replace # with the number starting from 0 with 0 = LOD1).
2. if that is all good then make sure you are using version 1.4 of collada in blender 2.49, I have never gotten 2.5's collada exporter to work with PCS2 but that in itself don't always mean a lot
Thanks headdie! This seemed to resolve half the problem. I can now save the model as a .pof, but the mesh still doesn't show in PCS2's display screen. It's also invisible in FRED and in-game. I tried scaling the model to different sizes but to no effect. Not sure how to proceed...
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Ok, try this, load up the problem model in PCS2 then with the icons at the top of the screen select orthographic projection (one of the icons with the eye and a wire frame cube). If this then "shows" the model we are looking at a scaling issue the exact fix fix depends on how it looks at this point. Another thing you can do is maximise the PCS2 window and select header on the left. then when you look at the right side of the screen towards the bottom there is a section called model detail, the numbers show the hight, width and length of the model in meters as it will be shown in FS2, PCS2 doesn't show models well if they are small when in projection view (the default)
1. If the model looks OK then go back into blender and look at how many squares the model is big. the Blender to POF Conversions tutorial does make an error for current blender versions, by default 1 blender unit is 1mm in PCS2. if just scaling the model dosn't wotk then you will also need to do step 2
2. if parts or all of the model looks squashed, stretched or orientated wrong then the XYZ scale is borked, go back into blender and in turn select each offending object and go object->clear/apply -> apply scale/rotation (blender 2.49 shortcut ctrl+a 1) if you get a error about multiple user mesh (or something like that) then you need to go object->make single user->object & ob data (blender 2.49 shortcut U 2)
then export and try again
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1. If the model looks OK then go back into blender and look at how many squares the model is big. the Blender to POF Conversions tutorial does make an error for current blender versions, by default 1 blender unit is 1mm in PCS2. if just scaling the model dosn't wotk then you will also need to do step 2
Wait, what? I'm on Blender 2.49b, and I can confirm that one Blender unit is one PCS2/FS meter.
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What are you getting for the poly count in PCS2 (under subobject info)?
You can rescale in PCS2 now.
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1. If the model looks OK then go back into blender and look at how many squares the model is big. the Blender to POF Conversions tutorial does make an error for current blender versions, by default 1 blender unit is 1mm in PCS2. if just scaling the model dosn't wotk then you will also need to do step 2
Wait, what? I'm on Blender 2.49b, and I can confirm that one Blender unit is one PCS2/FS meter.
dont know what's happening there because mine is 1unit-1mm and I haven't changed the settings ????
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maybe they got changed accidentaly. check that no scaling options are on in PCS2 (aka scaling factor should be 1.00 and check in blender at what your default unit is.
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Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm leaving on a trip for the week but I'll take another crack at the model when I get back!
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Sorry for the bump :)
But since, I'm toying with some ships pack, I have several questions.
Is there a way in PCS 2 to resize a pof model ?
I remember in PCS 1, I can resize the model, but in PCS 2, I didn't find any option to do this.
Also, where can I found a complete documentation of the whole features available in the current version of PCS 2.0 ?
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Is there a way in PCS 2 to resize a pof model ?
There is now.
I remember in PCS 1, I can resize the model
I don't think so.
Also, where can I found a complete documentation of the whole features available in the current version of PCS 2.0 ?
It's waiting to be written here (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Category:PCS2_Cooperative_Authoring).
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Is there a way in PCS 2 to resize a pof model ?
There is now.
I remember in PCS 1, I can resize the model
I don't think so.
Hmmm, could you tell me, how to do it in PCS 2.0 ?
Oups, sorry, the resize features was only available for a COB to POF conversion in PCS 1.0.
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Get a recent build of 2.1 and click the transform button or hold down alt and scroll.
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Great ! Thanks a lot.
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You're welcome! If you have any comments or problems, post here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=72567.0).
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Noob incoming.
Does anyone have any reason I'd continue receiving the "application configuration is incorrect" error with the Collada importer even after installing that vcredist_x86 thing?
To clarify my situation: I was originally getting a "This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this program." whenever I tried to run PCS2, but apparently I didn't have the appropriate...uh...something related to C++ installed, and running vcredist_x86 fixed that problem, even though I'm still not sure what the problem was in the first place. So hooray.
But then, of course, I discover that I cannot use my precious .dae. I downloaded those files in Spicious's sig (thanks Spicious, I'm sure they'll be awesome when I get them to work), renamed the old exe and extracted them into the PCS2 folder, which is where I assume they're supposed to go. However, when I click on the new pcs2.exe, I get the same error I got before. The old, non-Collada one works just fine still, and I really can't figure out why it'd be okay and the new one not....anyone have any idea what could be wrong?
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Is this (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=A5C84275-3B97-4AB7-A40D-3802B2AF5FC2&displaylang=en) the one you installed?
Have you put the other dlls in your pcs2 directory?
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Well, since I asked, it of course had to magically fix itself. Thanks!
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I created a model and basic uv map in blender, got into PCS2 fine and well, but in game it isn't visible, it is collidable, but you can't hit it with weapons. I did next to nothing in PCS2, no subsystems or anything, does it require them?
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Check your mesh and which way your normals are facing. Make sure the map is in a format usable by the engine (preferably .dds but .tga, .pcx, and even .jpg work) and in your mods data\maps folder.
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The normals appear to be fine, and I use a dds.
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Check that the map name in the Textures section of PCS2 matches the name of the map in your data\maps folder (minus the .dds). If they match, then can you put the pof and dds in a zip and upload them here? I'll have a look to see what's up. :)
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Wait, the texture has to be in the textures folder in PCS2 and data/maps?
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Gosh darn it. That seems to have fixed the issue, thanks for the help.
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Wait, the texture has to be in the textures folder in PCS2 and data/maps?
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Gosh darn it. That seems to have fixed the issue, thanks for the help.
No it doesn't.
You just need to tell PCS2 where to look for textures >.>
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Wait, the texture has to be in the textures folder in PCS2 and data/maps?
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Gosh darn it. That seems to have fixed the issue, thanks for the help.
No it doesn't.
You just need to tell PCS2 where to look for textures >.>
The texture showed up normally when I viewed the model in PCS2, it was when I ran FS that the issue occured.
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Haha, yeah it's a good idea to point PCS2 at the various mod folders and data/maps folders via the preferences so you don't need 2 copies of each map. Ie set up a texture path of "I:\Freespace2\data\maps\" (Note that last slash is important!) or "I:\Freespace2\MyMod\data\maps\". If you want it to be able to read the maps from the mediavps and retail VPs, use "I:\Freespace2\" and "I:\Freespace2\mediavps\". (Obviously always replacing I:\ with wherever FS is on your system ;) )
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Sigh, more bugs. I don't enjoy coming here to ask for help, so I'm not just pestering you guys every time I hit a minor roadblock, but I really don't see where the error is happening this time. I've got the handy-dandy .dae up in PCS2 just fine, but when I save it as a pof it says there was an error compiling the BSP data for one or more subobjects. Searching for info on BSP data only yields the infamous "inverted bounding box" error, but this one is strange. The resulting pof is my ship cut in half. Not a clean cut, though, it's jagged, conforming to the existing faces, as though a bunch of faces on one half of the ship just disappeared. I can find nothing strange or out of the ordinary about those faces, though.
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Ouch. I've never had that happen.
Every time I got that error the ship came out ok (I just re-saved).
Do you still have the one before it was cut in half? Save it as a PMF, then restart PCS2 and save as POF, might help.
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I get a runtime error when I try to save it as that. It makes a pmf, but PCS2 crashes when I try to open it. I don't think it's related to the ship-cut-in-half error, though.
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PCS2 hates your model.
You sure it has no geometry errors?
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None that I'm aware of.
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Hmm, there's a function "Data -> Purge BSP cache", try using that before you save it (don't know if that will help though).
What version of PCS2 are you using? And could you upload the model, so we can try and reproduce the error?
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Haha, yeah it's a good idea to point PCS2 at the various mod folders and data/maps folders via the preferences so you don't need 2 copies of each map. Ie set up a texture path of "I:\Freespace2\data\maps\" (Note that last slash is important!) or "I:\Freespace2\MyMod\data\maps\". If you want it to be able to read the maps from the mediavps and retail VPs, use "I:\Freespace2\" and "I:\Freespace2\mediavps\". (Obviously always replacing I:\ with wherever FS is on your system ;) )
And if you are testing within mod folders, setting ".\' and '..\.." works REALLY well as the top two entries.
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Purging BSP data didn't help and I am using 2.1 alpha. I've attached the before and after models.
Edit: After exhaustively wrangling with PCS2 and Blender I have a better, if no less strange idea as to what is going on. For some ******-up reason there is a sort of region in blender that if any part of the model is poking inside it will hide, dormant, in the .dae and then when it is converted into a .pof it will eat away any face that was in that region. Simply moving it away from that region in blender is futile because when it is converted into a .pof it automatically centers the geometry and brings it partially into the region. I noticed it by rotating it in various ways and seeing the destroyed portion get moved around. Knowing this, though, does not help me solve the problem, because the region occupies 0,0,0 and a bit past it, so rotating it merely moves the region around parts of the ship.
W
T
F
[attachment deleted by ninja]
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Hmm, if that's the case, the blendfile could be useful too. I am indeed getting the same error as you in PCS2.
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So weird ...
[attachment deleted by ninja]
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Okay, well, the two issues you have are unrelated. The "region in Blender" you were talking about is simply the view clipping plane; by default, it's set at 500 metres. which is too small for a ship of this size. So, go the 3D window, "View" menu, "View Properties", and under "View camera" pull "Clip end" up to the maximum of 10 000 metres. Centre your ship properly ("Center New" button in the Mesh panel) and move it back to (0,0,0).
Then, you have quite some messy geometry in there, especially around the tailfins. This seems to be what's actually causing your conversion issue. Start off with W -> Remove Doubles (Editmode); then go to edge select mode and press Ctrl-Alt-Shift-M to select messy geometry. Specifically, there are faces inside the tailfins, which you should delete; and the tip of some of the tailfins doesn't line up properly. Select the two tip vertices and merge them.
After having done this, you should be able to convert the ship.
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Remove Doubles
Removed 336 vertices
Gah! I thought I was alright at catching stuff like this, but I guess I'll need to pay better attention next time. I've fixed all the hiccups and got the model in-game without any significant issues. Thank you very much for your help, I never would have figured out the "clip end" thing on my own.
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No problem, glad I could help :)
Every time I try to open the model attached, PCS2 crashes. I have the following error every time I open something, but only this model makes it actually crash, so I don't know if it's related.
The same thing occurs on the latest build.
14:14:14: file '', line 54: '=' expected.
14:14:14: file '', line 57: '=' expected.
[attachment deleted by ninja]
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Try a newer build.
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Ah yes, that works. Thanks :)
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Hi, longtime lurker here. I tried to get started with putting some ship models into FreeSpace yesterday, but PCS2 was crashing every time with
Runtime error!
Program: C:\Program Files (x86)\POFCS2\pcs2.exe
R6025
- pure virtual function call
I tried for a couple of hours to see if something was up with my mesh, but to no avail. I use Blender and the DAE exporter.
Finally, just for a test, I opened up the vanilla FS2 medusa in sparky_fs2.vp with PCS2, exported it to DAE, and tried to reimport with "Import Geometry". No luck, I got the same crash.
Anyone have an idea what is up? I'm running on Windows 7 64 bit, and I have the VS 2008 SP1 x86 runtime installed, along with the DAE files from http://the158th.hard-light.net/spicious/libcollada14dom21.7z (http://the158th.hard-light.net/spicious/libcollada14dom21.7z).
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Do you have the latest PCS2.1 from Spicious's sig (couple posts up)? What video card? Double check your geometry for stacked polys/verticies.
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Okay, so I got the version from the sig, and I did a quick test with the Medusa. No crashes anymore, but when I import through "open", then "import geometry", PCS2 shows no main mesh, and the tree on the right displays "detail0 (0)" under subobjects, which I assume means no main mesh was imported. The 3d view screen also shows up as completely blank.
I use a Radeon HD 3600 series card, though not sure of its exact model. Since I'm currently just trying to import stock fs2 ships, I don't think there's any bad geometry.
EDIT: Hmm, it seems to be working now. Now to puzzle out PCS2...
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Is your main object named detail0 with lods named detail1 2 3 and debris all starting with debris?
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Yeah, thanks. The medusa works fully now.
My mesh is another matter though. Right now, it only has the main object, named detail0, and a shield named shield. Everything is triangulated. However, I can't manage to get it to show up in PCS2. Is there any link I could go to to get started with PCS2? There's plenty of stuff on the wiki about setting up import, but nothing about what to actually due in PCS2.
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Which Blender version are you using? The Collada exporter of 2.5x versions isn't working yet, version 2.49 is recommended.
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Aha, that would be the problem. I guess I'll need to download 2.49 then. Hmm, I should be able to do everything in 2.5 and then open in 2.49 and export, right?
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Aha, that would be the problem. I guess I'll need to download 2.49 then. Hmm, I should be able to do everything in 2.5 and then open in 2.49 and export, right?
Yes, you will get a warning about loosing some information when using 2.49 to open a .blend saved in 2.5x but iirc non of the affected data is used in ship modeling for FS
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Now for some random question;
How can I add turrets to a model without them? I've figured out how to increase the number of turrets on a warship, but that's because the ship already has them. But if I am to add turrets on something that doesn't have them, such as a cargo container, how do I do it?
Thanks.
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select subobjects on the left side of the window, Load and then select the pof,dae,pmf,cob,scn file you want to import from. After a few moments loading you will be presented with a check list of geometry you wish to import, check which objects you want and import them. I am not sure if this feature is fully function atm if someone in the know could verify that?
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I am not sure if this feature is fully function atm if someone in the know could verify that?
It is with a sufficiently recent build.
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Don't know if this has been mentioned previously but PCS2 crashes everything I go into the turret sub-menu on the left hand side. Is there a known way to fix this?
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Which version are you using?
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The latest build i believe, i updated it from Spacious's sig. I moved the files into the old PCS folder and replaced everything.
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I just did what Spicious said.
Unfortunately, when I load the turret, and click on "Header", it simply isn't there.
Why?
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I just did what Spicious said.
Unfortunately, when I load the turret, and click on "Header", it simply isn't there.
Why?
Because you have to click on "Subobjects" :P
You'll also have to move the turret to the place you want.
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Err...no. When I click b05-turreta(9) (the imported Ursa turret) only the turret shows up, and when I click SubObjects, only the cargo box shows up (take note, I already placed it somewhere out of the vicinity of the cargo box, because originally when you import it it appears INSIDE the box).
Also, I recall having loaded the Aeolous with dozens of turrets, yet when I got shocked to see that it had practically none of the additional ones when I put it in FRED. Why? Is that problem related to this?
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After you import a subobject, drag it onto the LOD0 subobject in the hierarchy tree.
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Uhh, forgive my ignorance on modelling, but what the heck is a LOD0?? There isn't any subobject like that...if that's what you mean.
What is a LOD0?
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LOD is an acronym: Level Of Detail. 0 is the "Master" or "In Your Face" detail LOD, with each higher number being the detail that is displayed the further away from it you are.
And the Sub-Object can be named anything, almost. Usually you might find it as "detail-0" or some other moniker. Essentially, look for the highest detailed Sub-Object that has everything in it, that one is probably LOD0 (as it would be referred to)
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Oh. It worked. Thanks. :yes:
Another minor question, though; if you put a turret inside a model, while its projectile go through it, or will it somehow...hit the interior or something?
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I need some help please. Or better said, and Info, to be sure :
When I resave a file as *.cob in PCS, it seems that the entire file get smoothed shaded. Well, the truespace smoothing is not very suitable for any games, not Freespace and not Mechcommander :)
Is this build in, or is there a way I can disable that ?
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It's truespace (or more exactly, .cob) being utter crap. The only way to get around it is to save as .dae.
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Well, I know that truespace is crappy in that point. but still I mastered that programm after many years, and I don't have the time and energy to learn a new program.
I tell you my problem, maybe you can show me a different way :
In order to bring models into mechcommander, I have to make a few steps :
first I save a truespace cob. But the UV-Coordinates created there, are somehow wrong. So I open in PCS, simply resave as cob, then the UV-Coordinates are fine. Then I open in 3d-Explorer and change the filetype to 3ds.
The thing is, to get my file from truespace into 3ds with correct UV-Coordinates. How to save as *.dae in PCS ? There is no option for it
The gag is, I could change the smooth thing in Truespace again with one simple mouseclick, but then I will save a wrong UV-Cob again :)
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Get a recent pcs2 build from here: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~samm/pcs2.7z
You will also need these dlls, place them in the same folder as the pcs2 exe: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~samm/dlls.7z
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And Max is importing *dae ? I'm still using an older version, No. 8 I think.
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I have no idea.
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Hm, doesn't seem to work anyway. The new PCS I just downloaded starts, but is crashing immediately when I try to open a cob file :(
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Hi all,
I have the problem that,I got the model in to the PCSS2.0.3 as in 2.1 but if i want to save it then i got to read the error message "Array out of bounds!"
Has anyone an idea?
Peter
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Hi all,
I have the problem that,I got the model in to the PCSS2.0.3 as in 2.1 but if i want to save it then i got to read the error message "Array out of bounds!"
Has anyone an idea?
Peter
Data -> Purge BSP Cache
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May be toooooo many polygons? I try it with a low poly first. or can this cache has been defined ?
Peter
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Hi. 3 questions: What settings and such do I use to export .dae files from 3ds Max 2012 for import into PCS 2? I've been following http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63643.0 (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63643.0) as a guide so far, but the ColladaMax OSS plugin is out of date, and the newest version does not work with Max 2012. There is a Collada exporter built into Max, but I'm not sure what settings to use, and when I try to export, it states that nulls are not supported in the Collada format (I'm using helper dummies to position weapon points, like it says to do in the guide). When I tried to import that into PCS 2, the models do not show up, even though it states the number of faces and everything the subobjects have.
Also, when I reset Xforms, should I collapse the xform modifier that appears?
Finally, to save time, I cloned nulls and resized them when doing thrusterpoints. But after reset xforms, they reverted to their original size. How do I preserve their sizes after a reset xform?
Thanks
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use OpenCollada.
The Autodesk Collada native to Max does not work.
If OpenCollada doesn't work with 2012, then...well, too bad? :( Export to FBX (for 2009), and I can convert it fo- wait, no I'm not volunteering to do that. Dangerous. Phew close. :P
Collapsing the reset X-Form is not necessary.
Before you reset any xforms, make sure nothing is parented to anything (break all links). Only set up hierarchy after resetting X-Form. That should prevent things from being resized/moved/rotated by reset xform (and saving a lot of RAEG).
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Hi. 3 questions: What settings and such do I use to export .dae files from 3ds Max 2012 for import into PCS 2? I've been following http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63643.0 (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63643.0) as a guide so far, but the ColladaMax OSS plugin is out of date, and the newest version does not work with Max 2012. There is a Collada exporter built into Max, but I'm not sure what settings to use, and when I try to export, it states that nulls are not supported in the Collada format (I'm using helper dummies to position weapon points, like it says to do in the guide). When I tried to import that into PCS 2, the models do not show up, even though it states the number of faces and everything the subobjects have.
The built-in exporter can't do the job; I'm afraid you'll need to first export to another app (for example, an earlier version of Max) and then export to .dae from there.
I don't know if there's a workaround, but I didn't find one myself. Of course, weapon points, thrusters and such don't need to be dummies, so you could try doing them as boxes or spheres. I use spheres myself for everything that can have a radius, since then I can setup the radii in Max without having to do it in PCS2 (however, it requires you to take note of the scaling thing explained below).
Also, when I reset Xforms, should I collapse the xform modifier that appears?
Well, I always do. It needs to be collapsed at some point, and the exporter probably does it if you don't, but I see no reason not to, as you can't revert the reset by deleting the modifier anyway.
Finally, to save time, I cloned nulls and resized them when doing thrusterpoints. But after reset xforms, they reverted to their original size. How do I preserve their sizes after a reset xform?
Actually, you don't need to reset XForm on subsystem/thruster dummies: when imported to PCS2, an unscaled dummy will result in you getting an orb with a radius of 1m, and a dummy scaled 200% will get you 2m, and so on. AFAIK the physical size of the dummy doesn't matter, only the scaling factor.
So, if you want to setup a thruster/subsystem orb radius in Max, all you need to do is create a sphere with a radius of 1m and then scale that up or down until it's the size you want. If you don't reset its XForm, it should show up in PCS2 having the exact same size. Unless I forgot something, that is.
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You can just adjust the orb radius in PCS2 anyway. Just make sure its placed right.
Faster that way IMO.
Then again, this is coming from the guy that places all POF data in PCS2.
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I posted a script which I use for scaling thrusters, subsystems and docking bay paths. (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=73720.msg1455466) Maybe you want to use it, maybe not.
You can just adjust the orb radius in PCS2 anyway. Just make sure its placed right.
Faster that way IMO.
Then again, this is coming from the guy that places all POF data in PCS2.
Yeah, I on the other hand very much prefer to setup everything possible in Max; in fact, my workflow in PCS2 nowadays is: import the .dae -> calculate MOI -> export the .pof. :D Docking paths, subsystems, LODs, detail boxes, weapon points, turrets, eyepoint etc, all doable in Max nowadays (of which I am ever so grateful to Wanderer and Spicious, and anyone else who's helped achieve that). :yes:
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Thanks for all the advice! I'm going to try and get the OpenCollada plugin again. Meanwhile, I tried exporting the Max model to Blender to see if I could do anything there, using .obj, but a couple of issues popped up there-first of all, it appeared as if the only texture image being transferred was the normal map, being displayed as the diffuse map. I suspect that this is a result of using .obj, but would other formats work any better?
Edit: Well, I got the object sucessfully imported into Blender by bypassing Max entirely and importing from 3d coat (sigh, time to rerig), but I'm wondering where to put the textures so that they'll load into PCS 2. I assume the data/maps directory? Would I have to change the location of the textures in Blender? Again, thanks for all the help.
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Hi! Does anyone know if anything came from this, or if there's a solution? I've got an intel graphics card so pcs2 crashes every time I click on anything. I'm trying to rig a ship in 3ds max, which would circumvent the need for editing in PCS2. But it still means I have no idea if the conversion works.
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65680.msg1294984#msg1294984
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What's a good method to apply a multi-texture to an object (so that PCS2 can actually see the mesh)?
I've used the search function have found anything right away. Hopefully I can get to do some more digging in the forums tomorrow... (no internet at home = :banghead: )
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I posted a script which I use for scaling thrusters, subsystems and docking bay paths. (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=73720.msg1455466) Maybe you want to use it, maybe not.
You can just adjust the orb radius in PCS2 anyway. Just make sure its placed right.
Faster that way IMO.
Then again, this is coming from the guy that places all POF data in PCS2.
Yeah, I on the other hand very much prefer to setup everything possible in Max; in fact, my workflow in PCS2 nowadays is: import the .dae -> calculate MOI -> export the .pof. :D Docking paths, subsystems, LODs, detail boxes, weapon points, turrets, eyepoint etc, all doable in Max nowadays (of which I am ever so grateful to Wanderer and Spicious, and anyone else who's helped achieve that). :yes:
pretty much the same workflow, only in Cinema4D in my case.
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I managed to get a multi-texture material into PCS2 (as per http://www.republicofcode.com/tutorials/3ds/texture_stealth/ (http://www.republicofcode.com/tutorials/3ds/texture_stealth/)), but it only shows one of the textures...
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There's a very strict rule for models in FSO (and, by extension, PCS2). That rule is one (1) texture per submodel. A "Texture", in this case, means the diffuse, normal, glow and shine maps.
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It's... odd, I dunno.
In some cases, the multi-texture works but in other cases it doesn't. I'll have to try importing several texture cube with different settings to see what's going on.
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Are you using 3ds Max?
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Are you using 3ds Max?
Yep.
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Ok, well then we need to clear up some terms.
A 'multi-texture' in 3ds max refers to what is actually called a 'multi-material'. It is a material that has several bitmaps (or other kinds of Max textures) assigned to poly groups. There's two ways to set this up.
1: Create the multi-material and add all your bitmaps, apply it to the object. Then go through and reassign poly group numbers for each poly.
2: Assign bitmaps to whatever polies you'd like on the object. Use the material grabber to get the object's material. You'll notice that it is made into a multi-material automatically.
Now, PCS2 (and FSO) does not understand the concept of a multi-material per-say. It assigns bitmap textures to the polygons based on your assignment in Max. Basically, a multi-material is 3ds Max's way of organizing textures into a single material for you to work with easily.
The_E seemed to think that you were asking about assigning multiple bitmaps to a single poly, which can't be done. (As far as I understand, that can't be done in any 3D app without specifically using composite type materials.)
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Ah, ok. I've been using the first method you mentioned for the past couple of days, and have been getting good results. Thanks to all for the help.
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Alright now I've got a question regarding docking points. I'm having problems with ships (containers) not docking correctly, they're offset by a considerable degree from where they should be connected.
Helper goes to the center of detail0, dockpoint goes to the center of Helper, and the dock points go where you want the dock to be, correct?
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Alright now I've got a question regarding docking points. I'm having problems with ships (containers) not docking correctly, they're offset by a considerable degree from where they should be connected.
Helper goes to the center of detail0, dockpoint goes to the center of Helper, and the dock points go where you want the dock to be, correct?
Well, yes. However, as far as I know, it doesn't really matter as long as PCS2 shows them in the right locations. Here's how I set them up in max:
[attachment deleted by a basterd]
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Does the paths matter when you dock them via FRED?
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Does the paths matter when you dock them via FRED?
You mean when you set a ship as already being docked? No, shouldn't matter. But if the ship undocks, then it'll follow the docking path in reverse (or at least it's supposed to; dunno if the AI quirks relating to that have all been fixed).
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Ya, I'm not worried about paths just yet. Also what specific point on the dockie gets used? It's own docking point, the center of the model?
Hmmm easiest way to explain it: Dockie's ?????? X,Y,Z=Docking Point X,Y,Z
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there are two objects in each docking point, these are used to determine two things, the alignment of the docking point and the centre point between them is where the docking ships "meet".
so both ships use the selected docking points for each ship and the docking procedure ends when these docking points of the two ships touch.
I believe that when the two objects are too close together it can cause issues but i have had no problem with a separation of 1.0 or more
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Hmmm it seems docking points will never line up correctly between two ships, looks like you need to really fudge around with them :blah:
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Hey couldn't find a more appropriate topic to post in, but, I wanted to know, how the heck can I import my objects from blender into a pof file? :confused:
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look here: http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Blender_to_POF_Conversions
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look here: http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Blender_to_POF_Conversions
The download links are messed up... .-.
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Hey couldn't find a more appropriate topic to post in, but, I wanted to know, how the heck can I import my objects from blender into a pof file? :confused:
FreeSpace Freak's tut is still the gold standard: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=74591.0
Last time I checked, the latest build of PCS2 could take Collada format models from the latest version of Blender. In general you want your Blender object to be named "detail01" and you want to export the object as a Collada file (i.e. DAE).
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Let's assume that I have a stupid large model (cough*63mbdae*cough*), and I have gotten it as far as displaying in PCS2.
I have the latest build, as well as a couple previous...
Do not have said stupid large model rigged, nor do I want it rigged, just a detail0 going from dae to pof.
PCS2 simply doesn't move the progression bar after a point. It's not frozen according to the task manager,
but it's doing nothing but eating memory in 8 to 24K chunks. CPU usage is at a constant 25%.
Should I wait forever to see if it will finish, or can we believe this is simply too much for pcs2 to process?
ie. does PCS2 know when to quit if it's locked in a loop, or will it just eat ram into infinity...?
I can save to other formats like pmf and back to dae just fine.
For that matter, what's the largest object anyone has ever converted?
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Let's assume that I have a stupid large model (cough*63mbdae*cough*), and I have gotten it as far as displaying in PCS2.
I have the latest build, as well as a couple previous...
Do not have said stupid large model rigged, nor do I want it rigged, just a detail0 going from dae to pof.
PCS2 simply doesn't move the progression bar after a point. It's not frozen according to the task manager,
but it's doing nothing but eating memory in 8 to 24K chunks. CPU usage is at a constant 25%.
Should I wait forever to see if it will finish, or can we believe this is simply too much for pcs2 to process?
ie. does PCS2 know when to quit if it's locked in a loop, or will it just eat ram into infinity...?
I can save to other formats like pmf and back to dae just fine.
For that matter, what's the largest object anyone has ever converted?
try cutting up the mesh into smaller chunks. i find that PCS2 chokes when detail0 is omfg hueg when saving to pof.
also, 64k i think? crashed the game when fired upon or collided with at one point. but collision detection got better.
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Well we're looking at Triangles 525363... 294800 polies
But yeah I'm thinking that cutting this thing up in 100K poly chunks, probably 3 of them... then maybe setting it up like
a docked together station would be the only way to do it. At that size, I could do LODs and get it at the proper scale with the
rest of the detail. I actually had to do 50% scale cause max's dae exporter won't produce the full size model in one chunk.
Zacam mentioned the newer Hades is 105k polies at lod0 and was difficult to get through.
And to answer my own question... I think PCS2 eats ram into infinity... cause it was up to 640MB usage before I called it quits this last time.
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Well we're looking at Triangles 525363... 294800 polies
But yeah I'm thinking that cutting this thing up in 100K poly chunks, probably 3 of them... then maybe setting it up like
a docked together station would be the only way to do it. At that size, I could do LODs and get it at the proper scale with the
rest of the detail. I actually had to do 50% scale cause max's dae exporter won't produce the full size model in one chunk.
Zacam mentioned the newer Hades is 105k polies at lod0 and was difficult to get through.
And to answer my own question... I think PCS2 eats ram into infinity... cause it was up to 640MB usage before I called it quits this last time.
i'm curious. could you send me the mesh over and let me try and do some magic with it? i know C4D's exporter does its job fine in that regard.
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Well I tried stripping the ship down over and over again till it had 80K in polies, finally got it through PCS2 as pof.
Got it in the game, and any time you go to load it it locks up. So I'm defeated for tonight.
I'll have to load some files up... do you want the original file in Max or OBJ or one of my subsequent stripped versions?
Probably will send the links to you tomorrow over pm. This is also for the SW:OTM sort of...
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FYI, the POF format only supports 64k vertices per subobject.
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Well I tried stripping the ship down over and over again till it had 80K in polies, finally got it through PCS2 as pof.
Got it in the game, and any time you go to load it it locks up. So I'm defeated for tonight.
I'll have to load some files up... do you want the original file in Max or OBJ or one of my subsequent stripped versions?
Probably will send the links to you tomorrow over pm. This is also for the SW:OTM sort of...
.obj is fine, as i dont have max around. just tell me what dimensions its also supposed to be?
FYI, the POF format only supports 64k vertices per subobject.
oh yay XD
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Got it in the game, and any time you go to load it it locks up.
Are you sure? Generating the cache file for such a big model takes a very long time unless you're on a relatively fast computer (and even then it definitely takes a while). Also, debug builds might do it slower than release builds, but I'm not sure.
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Yeah fairly sure. 17.6km long is the only dimension worth worrying about.
Running a i3-540 (3ghz core duo refresh), 4Gb ram, GTX 275 w/768 onboard, etc...
Will get you the files in a couple hours here.
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Having trouble using the Global import and/or Geometry import. If I try to use Global import nothing happens. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be importing.... If I use Geometry import, the geometry I've imported doesn't save its textures.
What am I doing wrong. Do I just have a dumb computer?
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Global import imports all the POF data (turret setups, subsystems, glowpoints and the likes) from an existing model into the new one. Of course, if you're importing from a model with nothing set up, you won't be importing anything :P
Geometry import, not sure on that.
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Hold on, I just found out that there's an April 1st build. I'll try that after class tonight.
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So I downloaded a mod asset and excitedly did what needed to be done to get the model ingame to test it out. After a couple minutes, a funny feeling warmed over. Then I was struck by a couple Harpoons, and it dawned on me - I had no moment of inertia.
I then proceeded to download PCS2, and open up the .pof. Yup - No moment of inertia.
I then tried to open up a .pof that was similar in size to the model I was trying to use, copy them over to the bugged .pof, and then mess around with it from there, but they refused to open up. These ones came from the mediavps3612 visual vp. The only thing that showed up was the black box, and a bunch of 0 values in every box.
Annoyed, I then tried opening up a few more from different mods to try to isolate the problem.. Those opened up fine, albeit without any model display for some reason.
I'd like to reference the retail model moments of inertia, but I can't. PCS2 said that it could try to calculate them for me, but I decided to not do that because it said it probably wouldn't do a very good job. Any solutions?
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PCS2 does a fine job at calculating MOI, just as long as you don't have a really weird model. Try it, it'll probably be alright. Hell, even if the MOI was off by a factor 2, who would notice?
The models not rendering is strange though... did you use the PCS2 installer? And are your video drivers up to date?
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Didn't see the reply until recently. Whoops. >_>
I'm fairly sure my video card drivers are up to date, and yeah, I did use the PCS2 installer.
By my assessment, I think it's VPmage trolling me and corrupting anything that's not a .fs2 or a table file. It seems that everything it spits out comes out as unreadable. .oggs, pofs, nothing comes out as readable. -.-
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Hmm, I only use VPmage for packing VPs - for unpacking, try VPView, it never corrupted a file for me.
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cfilearchiver for packing! FTW
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Does anyone know what most often causes PCS2 to fail to build the BSP data? Specifically producing this error message:
"An error occured compiling the BSP data for one or more submodels"
The resultant pof saves, but crashes PCS2 when I try to open it. I have no idea what submodel it's struggling with, but until I know what might be causing the issue, I can't fix it anyway. My usual go-tos (Resetting X-Form, welding verts, re-exporting the DAE etc. etc.) have failed, and I'm at a total impasse.
Help?
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Just a quick note to anybody having issues loading up textures...
PCS2's "Browse" button sometimes doesn't automatically append the last \ to the file path, so instead of "<FreeSpace 2 Open>\data\maps\" you get "<FreeSapce 2 Open>\data\maps" and no textures. So, you'll have to manually put that \ in there if you want it to work right.
Also, if your running an OpenGL version less than 1.5 (Like many of the older integrated graphics :blah:) uncheck the "Use OpenGL VBO's (if available)" if PCS2 keeps crashing on you.
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Okay, sorry for what is probably a stupid question: how the heck do I rotate a turret? I can move it anywhere, but I can't seem to rotate it in any way. I've tried everything I can think of and everything I can find, and I'm completely stumped. Is it that you can't rotate turrets in PCS2--it has to be done in a modelling program, or something?
To give more details; I'm modifying the Deimos model. I copied one of the normal turret subobjects (the small cone type of turret), renamed it, moved it right next to the place I want it, but I can't find any way to rotate it so that it's not either half-inside the hull or floating a few meters from the surface.
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Transform button, top right, when the turret's subobject is selected.
if you can't find such a button upgrade your PCS2 version.
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Looks like I need to upgrade my PCS2 version. Thanks!
EDIT: Okay, now I'm really confused, as I seem to already have the most current version installed, and when I redownloaded the installer for the current version and reinstalled it, the button is still not there.
Okay, and another question: every time I try adding a turret/subobject, no matter how fine it seems to have worked, when I go to save...I get the "Arrays Out of Place" error (or something like that); this causes the program to instantly close and I lose all unsaved changes (which is everything since I opened the file...). What's the deal with that?
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http://puu.sh/1eBaN
That button there. Transform.
With a bit of the rest of the UI shown so you can find it
And yeah if you're getting that error you're on an old old version, I haven't had that error in ages.
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=81593.msg1637284#msg1637284
use zis version plz
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Okay, that did the trick. Thank you!
It seems that the wiki's entries about PCS2 really needs an update; all of the download links and info directs to 2.2/3 being the most current version (and does not say to look in the forums for info that isn't years out of date). That's what caused the confusion in the first place--I thought I was on the up-to-date version based on the wiki (with a solid-looking entry on very common, important software for FSO...), but I wasn't at all.
Never thought it would be so ridiculously satisfying to trial-and-error rotate a simple subobject.
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Well, seeing as the wiki still talks about the Max->Pof exporter like it's actually a good option... It's kind of outdated in...more than a few places.
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=77292.0 is usually a better bet (though even that thread hasn't been updated with the fixed version that correctly saves subobject radii)
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Hey there,
I'm fiddlng around a little with PCS2 and try to clone/duplicate turrets, while this works fine...how does the coordinate system work?
Or is there a FAQ how to do this plus swapping textures like...beam emitters and turrets.
Thx in advance.
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Coordinates are Cartesian coordinates referenced to the centerpoint of the model. You know, x/y/z. It works the usual way a Cartesian coordinate system works. Type in new numbers to move it around etc etc.
(Or rather, in PCS2 it's -x,y,z wrt. the FSO engine but don't worry about this except for fvec/uvec and if you're trying to use PCS2 to reference nebula trail origins on a non-symmetric model.)
You don't swap textures. You edit the texture, because you don't work with ****ING TILEMAPS, okay? But to rename textures simply select the texture from the texture list on the left hand side panel, then change the name in the right hand side panel. :nod:
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I was just musing how to replace the big ugly emitters of a Hecate and her turrets with those shiny emitters and turrets of the Raynor and Titan for a little project of mine...
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GL GL. :)
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How to make textures visible in PCS? I mean, how to add path to texture folder properly. I've added a path to my texture folder in Options -> Preferences, but the PCS2 still don't read textures.
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Try adding the path to the mod folder, rather than the texture folder.
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I've tried with no effect. Changing pathes in PCS' ini file also :(
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Hmm, what format are the textures in?
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In every formats that FSO can read: DDS, TGA, PCX... They worked in the same configuration, in the same folder before my HD crashed 2 weeks ago.
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:bump:
Guys, any more tips? I really need help with this. It's important :(
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That just sounds bizzare.
I'd double check all the directory spellings etc.
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Meh... For unknown reaons, PCS didn't applied new texture paths. I've readded them. Don't know why it didn't worked before. Thanks for the help.
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I was just musing how to replace the big ugly emitters of a Hecate and her turrets with those shiny emitters and turrets of the Raynor and Titan for a little project of mine...
Still fuddling around...Propblem is, the Titan has several textures for her turrets, while the Hecate...well, she has one texture for all turrets, so swapping textures doesn't work at all...or am I missing something?
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Still fuddling around...Problem is, the Titan has several textures for her turrets, while the Hecate...well, she has one texture for all turrets, so swapping textures doesn't work at all...or am I missing something?
Nope, you're not missing anything. If the UV doesn't match, straight-up texture swap won't work. Your only option would be to edit the Hecate textures by pasting the Titan textures over them.
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Or copying Titan beam dishes over to the Hecate. If it doesn't fit the mesh too bad, given that the Hecate front dishes are on a curved surface.
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Or copying Titan beam dishes over to the Hecate. If it doesn't fit the mesh too bad, given that the Hecate front dishes are on a curved surface.
Uh, say what and how?
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PCS2 lets you load turrets (and other subobjects, and a whole lot more) from other POFs. For your case, select the subobjects node in the Hecate model, and look for a 'Load' button top-right of the viewport. With that you can load subobjects from the Titan POF.
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I haven't found mention of how I should name my helper objects when exporting glowpoints from Max to PCS2, and I've tried various different naming methods to no avail. What's the right naming scheme and required hierarchy for them?
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Probably the easiest way to determine that is to save an existing model in PCS2 with glowpoints in .dae, and then import into max, and look at the layout there.
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I haven't found mention of how I should name my helper objects when exporting glowpoints from Max to PCS2, and I've tried various different naming methods to no avail. What's the right naming scheme and required hierarchy for them?
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63643.0
Scroll down to paragraph 20.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/Shodan_AI/Extras/kam25.jpg)
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Great, thanks. :yes: For some reason I had forgotten that tutorial.
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There are some changes with OpenCollada versus the older one, mainly with turrets
Firepoint needs to be named multifirepoint (same with the individual points)
The helper needs to be linked to the turret arm rather than the base
Also this was written back in '09 some of the details may no longer be correct (like the "-node" bit, no longer necessary). I can't guarantee the glowpoint thing still works or not, I haven't used them in ages.
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What I would like to know is it possible to pass information to pcs2 through the dae about the glowpoints properties? That would definitely made setting up glowpoints a lot easier. You could easily setup christmas-lighing effect/airport runway lighting effects through some scripting instead of having to guess on the locations and timing in pcs2.