[Goober5000]

I'm working on final POF data for the TVWP ships, and I've run into an annoying problem.  None of the custom ships we're using have their thruster animations displayed...



Here's a Herc II placeholder ship for reference.  Note the blue flames behind the ship which are not displayed in the above picture.



So I can only conclude that I missed something while adding thruster data, but I can't figure out what.  Any help?

[Nico]

mmh... maybe you missed something, but first I suggest you try your pof on another PC. Half of my OTT models didn't show their thrusters on MY PC, but ran find on anybody else's one ( oh the irony ).

[Taristin]

Oh it does this to you too?

Good, I'm not alone. My Crimion lost it's thrusters too, and I can't figure out why...

Edit:  I did have them at the begininning, Then on another run of the game they acted funny, and during third time were gone.

[Deepblue]

[geuss]possible problem is your including the still file of the thruster like thruster01.pcx. You probably put that in your effects/maps folder (geussing maps) and now you are confusing freespace as to what it needs to use. Try that.[/geuss]

[Taristin]

I don't think so...

*rummages through data/*.* folders*

Edit: Checked, nope. No such files...

[Deepblue]

Eh.... then im as confused as you

[Sesquipedalian]

Double-check for spelling errors in the pof data.

[Goober5000]

They all show up fine in ModelView, so I know they're there... just not in-game.

I did a search, and it seems a lot of other people have had this problem too.  Apparently it has to do with the particular kind of geometry used on the V models.  But the only thing approaching a solution is what I found here...
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,7632.0.html

Originally posted by Grunt
As I know the thruster problem is somehow related to the video card and bad texture vertex data generated by Truespace. In some configs it just doesn't show up.

The only workaround I could find (using the Diamond Viper 770) was to import the thruster object into Segeltuch as dxf file, and retexture it face by face. Then I created a POF, and copied the thruster chunk into the POf of the real model with a HEX editor.

I've never used Segeltuch for other jobs, but it's the only prog wich I can make working thruster flames with.

I'm not really that advanced in modding to venture to try it.  Any other ideas?

[Sesquipedalian]

Mm, well, on more than one occasion I've solved weird model problems by taking each subobject and converting them into separate pofs and then back again, and then recombining them into one cob before converting to pof a second time.  It sometimes helps when things go wonky---no promises though.

Edit: Oh, and get 3d exploration from off of Aldo's Reciprocity site and run the model through that, too.  It's very useful for conversion, and seems to do a good job in taking care of texturing oddities.

[LAW ENFORCER]

I have never had that problem, but I use MS3D (YAY!) and 3dexploration anyway so i guess its luck? I have never really had any unsolvable problems (with tables I mean) even with geometry (every thing i have tried was fine execept a extruded cube dubled back on it self ( ) I used as a LOD3. PCS REALLY didn't like that

[Taristin]

But.. but... I took the thruster plumes off of the Medusa and stretched them a bit for the Crimion... Still no go...

Maybe I will try Segeltuch, even though it'll fux0r up all of my other pof data...

[Nico]

I never liked those thrusters anyway, I think it would be nice to switch to particles once and for all ( see Xwing alliance or Freelancer ). would be simpler to do ( a simple expansion of the engine glow, set up in modelview or aurora ), and would look better.

[Taristin]

Well, 'Super Spammin Frenchman', it's you're civic duty to make sure it gets implemented.

[LAW ENFORCER]

freelancers engines looked crap, they looked like they were weak and silly like they were just torches or something not fast and hard like curret jet fighters afterburners:cool:

ofcousre if you can do EXACTLY what you want with them thats ok but if they are limited to stuff like that... i'll have to execute them...

[Taristin]

Well, why not have someone draw up a new kind of thruster plume?

[LAW ENFORCER]

[dilbert]Right, your in charge[/dilbert]

[Taristin]

Originally posted by LAW ENFORCER
[dilbert]Right, your in charge[/dilbert]

*smacks you with a trout*

[LAW ENFORCER]

Originally posted by Raa Tor'h


*smacks you with a trout*

*smacks you with huge trout and you fall into canal*

[Nico]

Originally posted by LAW ENFORCER
freelancers engines looked crap, they looked like they were weak and silly like they were just torches or something not fast and hard like curret jet fighters afterburners:cool:

heh?

dunno about you, but I think that looks much more like a real afterburner than a textured polys that turns yellow when you engage burners.

[Flipside]

LOL Must admit, I'm definately with Venom on this one, adding a particle emitter (I think FL uses two, one for the 'thrust' and one for the 'rings') means not only do you not need to model a thrust, but you can pick any damn colour thruster you like, since you should be able to choose which Bitmap it spews

Flipside



Arrrrrrrr.... Localised Nebulaaaaaa.......