[SF-Junky]

What I want to do: Convert TerranSuper.pof to .cob, move the axes, convert it back to .pof, be happy.

- Converting .pof to .cob with PCS -> works
- Opening .cob with TrueSpace 3.2 -> works
- Move axes to center of object -> works
- Save object -> Don't know, when I go to files and save object or save object as nothing happenes. When I close TS it asks me if I want so save the scene, if I go to yes it sais "error in saving scene".
- Converting .cob back to .pof -> PCS sais: "stack overflow protection was engaged, please correct the errors in this model (too many polygons in the same avera location). Compile Aborted after GenerateBSP reached debth of 1000 recursions.

Initially TS also complained about missing .bmp textures. I then converted all the .dds Colossus textures to .bmp and put them into TrueSpace32/textures. Now this part seems to work after all.

[Aardwolf]

This conversion seems to work:

pof --> PCS2 --> .cob

.cob --> Lithunwrap --> .3ds

.3ds --> your modeling program --> save a copy in its format if you want --> .3ds

.3ds --> Lithunwrap --> .cob

.cob --> Modelview32 (hilimits) --> .pof

At least that's what I've been doing. In theory PCS2 can import, but for me it crashes whenever I try to do that.

[Angelus]

After your PM, i extracted the ship from the sparky_fs2.vp and tried to fix the centerpoint of the TerranSuper.pof.
It was a mess in TS3, not sure why.

All that showed up in TS, was the Turret firepoints, dockpoints and the specialpoints.

[Vasudan Admiral]

Nonononono!
1) Don't ever use modview to convert anything more complex than a box unless you want much of it to have no collision detection at all.
2) Use PCS2 to go from POF->DAE->[open and fix in modelling app]->DAE->POF
3) The POF->COB routines of PCS1 are not directly reconvertable to POF. You would need to fix the hierarchy up to just as it would be if you were converting a new ship to POF. (I think this has been fixed in PCS2, but I don't touch COB anymore so I don't know for sure)
4) If you are unable to preserve the POF data the DAE format stores, then you are going to have to manually fix/re-do almost every single bit of it once you're back in POF to correct for the new centre.

[SF-Junky]

1. What's DAE?

2. How exactly can I use PCS2 to convert a .pof into a .cob. I couldn't find that function in the programm. That's why I used PCS1 in the first place.

(3. All that sounds as if it would take hours...  )

[Angelus]

Open the .pof in PCS2, click on File, Save in the box there's a drop down menu, select .cob.

[SF-Junky]

That worked so far. Here are two screenshots from ts:


What are those snowflakes?

And that's what it looks when after I hit "Move Axes to center of object".


File -> Save object or save object as are not working as I said before. When I hit file -> exit it says "saves to current scene are about to be lost. Do you want to save this Scene?"
I hit yes:


I hit ok, and then "Error saving scene" -> ts crashes.

[Angelus]

Those snowflakes are centerpoints and firepoints from the turrets, dockpoints, thrusters ... everything that has been changed on the .pof in PCS2.

I don't get the error message on saving the object, while the scene saving thing sometimes happens, mostly with models from FS2/ FS2mods.

I finally managed to open the model in TS3. I have to delete all the turrets firepoints and all the other stuff,
to fix it.


Question is: can you edit the pof, i mean, can add turrets dockpoints to the model?

[SF-Junky]

Question is: can you edit the pof, i mean, can add turrets dockpoints to the model?

Even if I could I wouldn't do it in a model with 40+ turrets. You guys told me this is just a little "convert it to .cob and hit a few buttons here and there"-thing. Now it looks like a day's work...

If it's so complicated to just move a few axes to the center of that ship then I just have to live with it that the Colossuses movement behaviour is nothing but stupid. ;-)

[Angelus]

Question is: can you edit the pof, i mean, can add turrets dockpoints to the model?

Even if I could I wouldn't do it in a model with 40+ turrets. You guys told me this is just a little "convert it to .cob and hit a few buttons here and there"-thing. Now it looks like a day's work...

That was BEFORE i saw the mess in TS3. 

Turrets, Dockpoints a.s.o. aren't the problem, i've removed them in the second run.
The problem is every single part of that ship has a centerpoint, it would require a lot of time to move them manually.

If it's so complicated to just move a few axes to the center of that ship then I just have to live with it that the Colossuses movement behaviour is nothing but stupid. ;-)

I'll try the suggestion by Vasudan Admiral, with the DAE conversion. I hope it works...

IIRC, with DAE, the firepoints and all the other stuff stay in place, and the model doesn't look like a mess.

[TrashMan]

Just remove all those path points and other such data. Leave only turrets and needed subobjects.
then save as object and convert with PCS2.

the use PCS1 to import various pof data so you dont' have to bother with all that stuff in the 3D program.

[Angelus]

I tried the DAE version of PCS2, all that happens after the model is loaded is that the JIT debugger pops up.

Wasn't there a thread about that, or how to fix it?

[Vasudan Admiral]

Here's a POF with all the harder and the more tedious stuff done. I'm going to leave it up to whoever needs it to go over ALL the POF data to ensure it's correct - stuff like subsystem names being broken, bay paths missing etc.

Oh, and this correction will not be going into the MVPs, so don't ask.


http://www.sectorgame.com/ti-file-dump/VasudanAdmiral/ColossusMoved.zip (Right click -> save as or the link won't work)

[SF-Junky]

Vasudan Admiral,
Thank you, tank you... thank you!! I like you. I love you. You are my friend. Thank you!! 

The remaining work seems to be stuff I can fix myself and I will then upload the new model as soon as I am finished. So thank you, Vasudan Admiral!

[SF-Junky]

Here it is

[NucNuc]

2) Use PCS2 to go from POF->DAE->[open and fix in modelling app]->DAE->POF

Dear Vasudan Admiral, can you tell me, or anybody else,  where this PCS2 version with DAE support is available ?

I've read already a few times about it, but never found a link or address.

I have PCS 2.0.3, version of 15.5.2008 installed but in my 'save menu' there is only .pof, .pmf and .cob I can save to. But strangely models then converted back to .pof after a little rework ( dimensions, axes, ...) with ts ( the now free 7.6, respectively in modelling 6.6 version ), even when I didn't change anything won't work in-game.

Perhaps it would work better, if I would do the changes in the DAE format.

Anyone an idea ?

[Angelus]

Spicious has a link to it in his signature.
Either search for one of his posts ( the long way ) or hit the members tab, and search there.

[NucNuc]

Already downloaded ! 

That was a quick answer. Thanks a lot.