[TEC] undersea.GR2 [Archive] - SUBSIM Radio Room Forums

gap

08-07-13, 05:06 PM

[TEC] undersea.GR2 aka rocks .
First of all I need the rocks cloned and called a different name so they can be placed with the object editor on the map . What I would like but don't know how to do is have the rocks visible above water .

Have the rocks any render controller assigned to them? I mean somethink like VisibleUnderwater :hmmm:

I can make them bigger with the GR2 editor but they don't appear above the water .

You can as well export their meshes, scale them into a 3d application, and re-import them into the GR2 file :up:

Delete the plants , they have to go for this little project . Make 2 different rocks . 1 is collisionable object and the other one not collisionable . Any takers .

You want to simulate skerries, don't you? :03:

You don't need to give up seaweeds or anything else imo: just clone the seabed GR2, and deal with the cloned file as you would do with any other object :yep:

THE_MASK

08-07-13, 05:15 PM

Are skerries a local term ? I have never heard that term before . Ok , just googled it .

Fifi

08-07-13, 05:20 PM

Good idea Sober! :up:
Would love to get collisionable rocks along coasts/around islands! To make real nav even harder :D

But couldn't it be a problem for AI boats?

THE_MASK

08-07-13, 07:52 PM

Good idea Sober! :up:
Would love to get collisionable rocks along coasts/around islands! To make real nav even harder :D

But couldn't it be a problem for AI boats?More eye candy with a few collisionable ones places around harbors away from traffic routes .

THE_MASK

08-07-13, 09:33 PM

If anyone can make some GR2 objects I can place then anywhere on the map using the inbuilt object editor program . Shoals , rocks , wrecks , lighthouses , anything as long as they are GR2 . They wont do anything , just for eyecandy .

gap

08-08-13, 06:27 AM

If anyone can make some GR2 objects I can place then anywhere on the map using the inbuilt object editor program.

I can try.

... Shoals ...

Isn't terrain editor the best way to simulate them? :hmmm:

... rocks ...

How high do you want them to be?

... wrecks ...

Shouldn't be a problem either: as long as wrecks are stripped-down versions of the existing ships, cloning them shouldn't pose any problem (no need to go through the boring controller remapping process).

... lighthouses ...

There was this beautiful high-detail lighthouse made by flakmonkey for SHIII:

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa186/tris1066/Lighthouse_high_Render_1.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa186/tris1066/Lighthouse_high_ingame_1.jpg

Download link:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1337

If you ask for permission to use it, I can try porting it to GR2 format :up:

They wont do anything , just for eyecandy .

What is the point to add them, if they are just dummies. In my opinion rocks, wrecks, etc. should have collision spheres (and be placed far OH's shipping lanes), and lighthouses should have working lights :03:

oakdesign

08-08-13, 04:55 PM

I really love he idea of importing lighthouses into SHV. The last days I looked around, following the idea of importing SHIII *.dat lighthouses. If we would have lighthouses on the terrain we could add them to the nam map as well. As described in myWIP major floating lights on Nav Map (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=206373) thread.

Fifi

08-08-13, 04:56 PM

gap

08-08-13, 05:23 PM

...If we would have lighthouses on the terrain we could add them to the nam map as well. As described in myWIP major floating lights on Nav Map (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=206373) thread.

...and shoals, rocks, wrecks, subnets and minefields (at least the ones tha German were aware of) :03:

THE_MASK

08-08-13, 05:35 PM

You don't have to strip anything down if placing the ships with the object editor , try it .

gap

08-08-13, 06:05 PM

You don't have to strip anything down if placing the ships with the object editor , try it .

Yes, but placing full units would be an useless waste of resources.

P.S: you didn't reply mi other questions/remarks :03:

P.S 2: a few more royalty free lighthouse models:

http://preview.turbosquid.com/Preview/2010/12/05__19_00_00/2.jpg7fb85e14-1ec1-45f1-ab68-ac12702ba31cLarger.jpg (http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/490836)

This one is a bit "blocky" and its glossy material is wrong, but I am sure that
with the appropriate material properties/texture, it will look much better :up:

http://preview.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_2009_07_14__07_23_46/lighthouse_1.jpg234d0ec9-d6c7-4e1c-a1a6-5d85a364f049Larger.jpg (http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/444084)
Not bad at all. What do you think?

http://preview.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_2010_12_05__12_25_24/fbeacon-b.jpgb8223bcd-1273-4ee5-82cb-41727f16b646Larger.jpg (http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/328013)
Another good one. More minimalistic than the previous one. I like especially the roof texture.

http://tf3dm.com/imgd/l30600-light-house-enterable-96732.jpg (http://tf3dm.com/3d-model/light-house-enterable-96732.html)
Probably the best of the series. I can't believe it is free-to-download :03:

Anyone with more download links? I we get more models than needed we will pick the best ones :)

THE_MASK

08-08-13, 06:07 PM

You could place a hundred ships in a port with the object editor and the frame rate wouldn't be affected . That is an awesome lighthouse . It wouldn't worry me about having no lights on it . Why would they be lit up during war anyway .

gap

08-08-13, 06:20 PM

You could place a hundred ships in a port with the object editor and the frame rate wouldn't be affected .

Do they float? Placing them with obj editor instead of using ME could be a solution for OH's laggy ports :hmmm:

That is an awesome lighthouse .

Which one exactly?

It wouldn't worry me about having no lights on it . Why would they be lit up during war anyway .

Adding working lights to them shouldn't be a big problem. We can do two series of them: one with lights for neutral countries (and for the first part of operation drumbeat) and one without lights.

On thi topic, do you know which was the policy of the main countries involved in WWII, relative to lighthouse usage?

THE_MASK

08-08-13, 06:28 PM

Yes , this is the only way to fix the laggy ports . Get rid of all the z ships . Use the object editor .
I like that last lighthouse . I don't know the policy on lighthouse use during war . It would be like a giant navigation aid for the enemy .

gap

08-08-13, 06:53 PM

Yes , this is the only way to fix the laggy ports . Get rid of all the z ships . Use the object editor .

but would they behave like a normal ship, or they would be just an ornament?

I like that last lighthouse .

yes I like it too, but also flakmokey's model looks impressive (currently working on it). After the appropriate treatment I ma sure that the other lighthouses will look pretty good too. It is unbelivable ho much textures/materials can change the look of the same mesh :yep:

By the way: do you think that dat format lighthouses would look as good as GR2 ones? making them dat objects would speed up things very much (i have better experience of them).

I don't know the policy on lighthouse use during war . It would be like a giant navigation aid for the enemy .

Yes, I agree. On the other hand the lack of navigation beacons would have posed a serious risk for coastal home traffic, and I am pretty sure that within the first month from its declaration of war, USA kept applying peacetime rules, as far as ship's and coastal illumination was concerned. See the following wikipedia article on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Happy_Time

also, thinking out loud, if we accepted lit buoys, why shouldn't we accept operational lighthouses? :hmm2:

volodya61

08-08-13, 07:26 PM

I don't know about the other countries, in the Soviet Union was the total blackout..

EDIT: Fairway lights were switched on short period during the passage of ships..

Fifi

08-08-13, 07:34 PM

If needed, here an interesting link about French light houses during the war (in french): http://www.cairn.info/revue-guerres-mondiales-et-conflits-contemporains-2001-4-page-109.htm

To resume, light houses activity was normal untill German invasion in France. Then they controlled all light houses activity by a progressive black out (mainly to avoid ennemy plane bombing), only lightning those light houses when they needed it, for krieksmarine and merchant convoys leaving/entering zone.

That makes me think would be nice to have no working light houses ingame, but after a radio asking they should work for our need!

gap

08-08-13, 08:00 PM

I don't know about the other countries, in the Soviet Union was the total blackout..

EDIT: Fairway lights were switched on short period during the passage of ships..

Good to know, thanks Volodya :up:

If needed, here an interesting link about French light houses during the war (in french): http://www.cairn.info/revue-guerres-mondiales-et-conflits-contemporains-2001-4-page-109.htm

Time to dust off my school French :D

To resume, light houses activity was normal untill German invasion in France. Then they controlled all light houses activity by a progressive black out (mainly to avoid ennemy plane bombing), only lightning those light houses when they needed it, for krieksmarine and merchant convoys leaving/entering zone.

That makes me think would be nice to have no working light houses ingame, but after a radio asking they should work for our need!

I am afraid that would be unpossible to do. A compromise could be like this:

- USSR lightouses: unlit during the whole conflict.
- French lighthouses (including French colonies): lit during the whole conflict (assuming that BdU was informed about our movements)
- German lighthouses (including Nazi occupied countries): ditto
- US lighthouses: lit until January-February '42
- neutral lighthouses: lit during the whole conflict
- British lighthouses: ?
- Italian lighthouses: ?

What do you think? The point is: can objects placed with object editor be set by date? :hmmm:

gap

08-08-13, 08:10 PM

An excellent online resource on world lighthouses: :up:

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/

Fifi

08-08-13, 09:01 PM

Brings me to an other thing we don't have in game: the light-boats :yep:
They were used in all Europe from long time, and even during WW2 (with restrictions posted above).
Even Germans had ones. Still 2 in France nowadays!
They were usually 40m long, and at anchor near high shallow waters or rocks emmerging.

http://www.mandragore2.net/dico/lexique1/img/phare-bateau-feu-2-gd.jpg

http://www.magnautic.com/upload/scarweather-douarnenez-xl.jpg

http://phares-et-feux.fr/NORD/Dunkerque%20Est/Bateaux%20Feu%20Galerie%20CPA%20002.jpg

http://phares-et-feux.fr/NORD/Dunkerque%20Est/Sandetti%C3%A9%20encadre%20big.JPG

Sandettie and Ruytingen were effective in 1940 for sure...don't know about others.
Seems they were all red painted.

Maybe one day in SH5! :D

gap

08-08-13, 09:10 PM

Brings me to an other thing we don't have in game: the light-boats :yep:

...

Maybe one day in SH5! :D

If we can find the right ship model, equipping tem with one of those lights wouldn't be a problem :yep:

P.S: just discoered that SH5's lighthouses are 2 times bigger than a standard lighthouse :-?

Fifi

08-08-13, 09:19 PM

A third one in activity in 1940: The Dyck

http://www.nicospilt.com/dia/dia0822_groot.JPG

If we can find the right ship model, equipping tem with one of those lights wouldn't be a problem

What would be needed? Plans?...i think only pictures are avalaible...

gap

08-08-13, 09:39 PM

A third one in activity in 1940: The Dyck

Excellent pictures :up:

What would be needed? Plans?...i think only pictures are avalaible...

I was rather thinking of ready-to-use meshes. I am still not skilled enough for creating complex 3d models from scratch, but I can create 3d meshes or touch up existing ones, and I am discovering the secrets of UV mapping :)

P.S: do you have any ligh-boat measure?

gap

08-08-13, 09:52 PM

What do you think of this, with some touch ups for making her to resemble more closely the ships portrayed in your pictures? :03:

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/8327/lgh01na9.png

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=805

Fifi

08-08-13, 10:40 PM

What do you think of this, with some touch ups for making her to resemble more closely the ships portrayed in your pictures? :03:

Looks quite good to me :up:
Maybe we could find an SH5 existing merchant boat with closest mesurements as original, and hull shape too.
A boat as Sandettié, was 47.5m long, 7.65 weidh, 3.50m draft, displacement 450 tons.

Fifi

08-08-13, 11:24 PM

:hmmm: Seems the closest SH5 one would be this one for lenght and everything...

http://img15.hostingpics.net/thumbs/mini_575502Lightboat.jpg (http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=575502Lightboat.jpg)

THE_MASK

08-09-13, 01:47 AM

http://i39.tinypic.com/i36sqt.jpg
The objects have to go on land but there are ways around it . Ships beached , Ships run aground , Planes etc etc .
http://i42.tinypic.com/dgtqmg.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/nb82tc.jpg
Place the shipon water no problem . Build the sea floor up with the terrain editor . Place the ship on the raised seabed . Lower the seabed with the terrain editor .
No fps loss . Can you collide with it ? Yes . Can you destroy it ? I havnt tried .
http://i39.tinypic.com/6xx9hf.jpg
Sunken block ships
http://i40.tinypic.com/2ee946x.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2j31w87.jpg
The game did drop to 55 fps from 58 fps when close to all these ships .

oakdesign

08-09-13, 05:33 AM

Place the shipon water no problem . Build the sea floor up with the terrain editor . Place the ship on the raised seabed . Lower the seabed with the terrain editor .
.

Funny I tried the same thing yesterday evening, but had the issue when placing a ship next to a pier and then leveling up the terrain, the pier get overflodded and iI had water behing the pier. Can't post a screen at the moment but will do later today if the problem still persits.

Might have to try further and play a little bit around with the terrain object editor.

As I'm playing around with all the 3D stuff i.e Silent 3ditor, Goblin, TDW Goblin, exporting Meshes Importing to Blender.

As the only 3D Software I have justed so far was Cinema4D and that is a few years ago I searched for a few Blender Tutorials and funny to say found a beginner one in order to create

GUESS WHAT: A LIGHTHOUSE :yeah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASjzZv2PSBc

Trevally.

08-09-13, 03:32 PM

Placing ships with the object editor will stop them being ships and make them objects instead:D

They will not be date related, so will be there at all dates

They will not belong to a country and thus will not update as the country war state changes - also no flags.

Z- ships are only in ports that lag when there are many objects (piers/houses/etc)

:salute:

THE_MASK

08-09-13, 04:09 PM

Trevally.

08-10-13, 03:34 AM

Exactly , they would be just a filler , the same as houses .

yes but more houses = more lag

gap

08-11-13, 01:16 AM

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/4646/flrq.jpg

Do you recognize it? :smug:

http://preview.turbosquid.com/Preview/2010/12/05__19_00_00/2.jpg7fb85e14-1ec1-45f1-ab68-ac12702ba31cLarger.jpg

This is my versions of one of the ligthouse models I have linked in this thread. New materials/textures, UV mapping redone, meshes heavily reworked.

Hopefully, the next render I will post will be from TDW's GR2 Editor. :up:

Trevally.

08-11-13, 03:38 AM

Do you recognize it? :smug:

Looking good Gap :up:

oakdesign

08-11-13, 06:18 AM

Hopefully, the next render I will post will be from TDW's GR2 Editor. :up:

Hello gap
as I'm fddling about the 3D gr2 at the moment as well. Maybe you could share some experience.
I already collected as much information on handling gr2 as possible from to various threads here, but still encountering some issues so far.

What I did so far:
As far as I understand it's not possible to create a new gr2 file from the scratch but rather more use an existing one as base.

at the moment I'm using
TDW_GR2EditorViewer_v_1_1_265_1
TDW_GR2EditorViewer_v_1_1_272_1
as supposed in the TEC how to use TDW gr2 Editor Thread (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=198840)

1. I've exported the Object12 from wilhelmshaven.gr2 which is the included lighthouse model.
2. Took costal_guns_small.GR2 as base,because it's avery simple one only including only 3 subsets.
3. Imported the exported mesh from step 1 into the gr2 from step 2. the Object is importetd and I can succesfully save the changed gr2.
Now it comes to the issue I'm currently dealing with. As the imported Object is placed far away from the World center I'm really have problems to reposition it within the TDW GR2 Editor.

I could import the exported mesh into Blender and reposition it there but until now I can't import the changed *.obj file from blender back into TDW GR2 Editor. Still analysing the *.obj files exported from TDW GR2 Editor with the ones created by blender in order to find the correct blender export settings.

Maybe someone can point me into the right direction.

gap

08-11-13, 10:55 AM

Looking good Gap :up:

Thank you Trev. The next week I will be out, but I plan to rework similarly other beacon 3d meshes I have found on the web (variety is the salt of life :03:). Some of them are way to detailed, and have to find an easy way to simplify them. According to your experience, which is the maxing number of polygons/edeges/vertices that SH5 can handle safely? :hmmm:

Hello gap
as I'm fddling about the 3D gr2 at the moment as well. Maybe you could share some experience.

No mutch to share at this moment: so far I used TDW's Editor for editing other stuff, and I am just moving my first steps into importing complex objects :)

1. I've exported the Object12 from wilhelmshaven.gr2 which is the included lighthouse model.
2. Took costal_guns_small.GR2 as base,because it's avery simple one only including only 3 subsets.

Good choice but, take the following statement with a pinch of salt, the possible presence of deformable vertex data (due to gun animation) could be a source of problems... :hmmm:

3. Imported the exported mesh from step 1 into the gr2 from step 2. the Object is importetd and I can succesfully save the changed gr2.

Now it comes to the issue I'm currently dealing with. As the imported Object is placed far away from the World center I'm really have problems to reposition it within the TDW GR2 Editor.

In theory you could reposition the imported object by moving its binding bone, but as the lighthouse is way off from the center of the scene, the method you have chosen is more advisable anyway :03:

I could import the exported mesh into Blender and reposition it there but until now I can't import the changed *.obj file from blender back into TDW GR2 Editor. Still analysing the *.obj files exported from TDW GR2 Editor with the ones created by blender in order to find the correct blender export settings.

Maybe someone can point me into the right direction.

I have just done what you are trying to do, without problems:

- exported the lighthouse model from wilhelmshaven.gr2;
- moved its vertex coordinates using Wings3d, which I know better than Blender;
- imported the edited lighthouse into costal_guns_small.GR2 (replacing Costal_Gun_Small_base's meshes)
- modified its material to use the correct texture.

Result:

http://imageshack.us/a/img33/7871/mxfz.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/33/mxfz.jpg/)

In order to help you I need for the following information:

- what are your GR2 Editor import/export options? Are you trying to export re-import the AO map?

- does the GR2 Editor throw any error message when you try to import the modified mesh? If yes, can you report it here? :salute:

oakdesign

08-12-13, 05:45 AM

In order to help you I need for the following information:

- what are your GR2 Editor import/export options? Are you trying to export re-import the AO map?

- does the GR2 Editor throw any error message when you try to import the modified mesh? If yes, can you report it here? :salute:

Continuing our PM conversation here:

With leaving out the AO map on export / import and using Wings3D I 'm now able to follow up in successfully importing the exported lighthouse with updated / changed origin into another *.gr2 :up:

Next steps I'm going to do is

comparing Blender / Wings *.obj output's in order to find a workflow to be able to use blender as I want to get bit more into 3D modelling
play around with Blender / Gimp / LithUnwrap creating UV Textures
play around with Goblin concerning Controllers

gap

08-12-13, 07:48 AM

With leaving out the AO map on export / import and using Wings3D I 'm now able to follow up in successfully importing the exported lighthouse with updated / changed origin into another *.gr2 :up:

:up:

Vertex coordinates of the diffuse and AO meshes need to be identical, therefore AO mapping should be done as last task, when you are sure that nothing is going to change into your model. If you are editing exported meshes, import both the diffuse and the AO meshes into a Wings3d/Blender project, edit them as a group, and export them back separately.

Next steps I'm going to do is

comparing Blender / Wings *.obj output's in order to find a workflow to be able to use blender as I want to get bit more into 3D modelling

GR2 editor is a bit picky regarding the format of the obj files that ca be inported. An example: yesterday I have noticed that Wings puts some 's 1', 's 2', etc. lines between face definitions of multi-material models, but the GR2 Editor didn't like them. I had to comment them out before I could import the model.

In any case, opening in notepad the obj/mtl files which are exported by TDW's utility or accepted by it, and comparing them with the ones you are trying to import, is a good way to spot differences and possible sources of problems :yep:

play around with Blender / Gimp / LithUnwrap creating UV Textures

I got to learn Blender myself as I know only some basic functions of it. Im especially interested in its mesh animation apabilities, but before I do it, I need to look for a program which can create/export quick and good AO maps.

As for UV mapping, I find the auto-UV mapping features of Wings3d quite a powerful and flexible tool. Try them :up:

play around with Goblin concerning Controllers

Feel free to ask if you need for any help on this :salute:

oakdesign

08-12-13, 02:38 PM

@gap thanks for all your good advice

play around with Goblin concerning Controllers
Feel free to ask if you need for any help on this :salute:

Gathering more information and trying to put my overall picture together I stumbled over the following while looking into possibilities to add lights / controllers.

As sober already stated back in 2011 if you try to merge the kiel.sim to kiel.gr2 as the GoblinEditorApp crashes or better to say any of the *.gr2 files from
\data\Terrain\Locations\CustomAreas
no matter if the stock *.sim file is used or any from TDW's FX update.

If opening the sim file first it's at least possible to open the *.sim files and as I know wich ones are the controllers assigned to the light house I could look at.

What is :hmmm: scratching my head if I look at the controllers of the stock *.sim files and compare with the modified ones from FX_Update they are identical.

So next step was to compare them with HEX Editor. Ok it's clear that the *.sim files from FX_Update are HEX edited and all have an addidional XXX_LH_Flare_1 part but still no clue how the "light effect" is achived.

Another idea of getting a "light effect" working is that I'm going to inspect the "lighting" of the imported OHII has been achived.
It's clear that the buoys have an a mesh consisting of a single face that has a controller attached. Maybe this might be the easier way to go on:hmm2:

THE_MASK

08-12-13, 04:24 PM

Where can I download the GR2 editor from ?

oakdesign

08-12-13, 04:58 PM

ok while I still not sure how the light effect through FX_Update was/is added to the lighthouses,
I made some progress in using the same settings as used with the imported buoys

here are some self illuminated small costal guns with flashing lights.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fbvmPKoQ8jg/UglX0AqdnBI/AAAAAAAAAFs/hoigC3l4HXI/w600-h375-no/illumination.jpg

another finding with working with the bulid in GoblinEditorApp was that on Win7 with Aero design I could not change any controller values that are of type DropDownList. Has to change apperance to windows classic style in order to get those to work.

TheDarkWraith

08-12-13, 10:14 PM

ok while I still not sure how the light effect through FX_Update was/is added to the lighthouses

It's all right there in the files in FX_Update. Unless you are VERY familiar with the files and controllers of the SH series it probably doesn't make any sense to you. It was all done via hex editor also :D I use the method of 'cloning' the node so that the effect is used only once for every lighthouse (special node type for this).

THE_MASK

08-13-13, 12:01 AM

http://i44.tinypic.com/2nvz2bd.jpg

Fifi

08-13-13, 03:53 AM

^^^^ Very nice Sober! :yeah:

oakdesign

08-13-13, 08:08 AM

It's all right there in the files in FX_Update. Unless you are VERY familiar with the files and controllers of the SH series it probably doesn't make any sense to you. It was all done via hex editor also :D I use the method of 'cloning' the node so that the effect is used only once for every lighthouse (special node type for this).

TDW I already recognized your cloning if I just use a little offset on your modified files while comparing to the stock ones.

I was just wondering because in the Goblin Editor your changes won't show up.

Even so I have a master in computer science I'm a bit on war with Hex, and all the Low Level stuff. Being more in System architecture and managed code stuff.

Nevertheless I'll follow down the road getting more involved in the existing controller and their usage.

Is there any documentation on controllers available or have you all gone the hard way by either try and error or hooking into processes :hmm2:

gap

08-19-13, 04:21 PM

As sober already stated back in 2011 if you try to merge the kiel.sim to kiel.gr2 as the GoblinEditorApp crashes or better to say any of the *.gr2 files from
\data\Terrain\Locations\CustomAreas
no matter if the stock *.sim file is used or any from TDW's FX update.

Are you sure that stock sim files are crashing Goblin Editor as well as their FXU version? While I was working together with Volodya on the new torpedo explosion effects for FX Updates, I have noticed that Goblin doesn't like TDW's hex edited controllers, though the game handles them correctly. They could be the reason of Goblin crashing while trying to merge GR2 and sim files :hmmm:

If opening the sim file first it's at least possible to open the *.sim files and as I know wich ones are the controllers assigned to the light house I could look at.

What is :hmmm: scratching my head if I look at the controllers of the stock *.sim files and compare with the modified ones from FX_Update they are identical.

So next step was to compare them with HEX Editor. Ok it's clear that the *.sim files from FX_Update are HEX edited and all have an addidional XXX_LH_Flare_1 part but still no clue how the "light effect" is achived.

Try opening the sim file within s3d instead: it is capable to read TDW's new controllers. They are placement controllers, and they are used for linking the light effect by TDW (TDW_FXU_Lighthouse_flare.dat) with lighthouse models. I wonder if prt files and MergeCtrl controllers could have be used as well, as described by silentmichal in this post (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=206328).

We should be able to do the same with any newly inported lighthouse model, and hopefully they would get working lights on them, as long as FX Updates is enabled. We could also duplicate TDW_FXU_Lighthouse_flare.dat and make the placement controllers to point to the new Id. Finally, we could even customize TDW's particles so to have different pulsing light frequencies, but again, we would need to edit them in Hex Editor, as neither Goblin Editor nor s3d can read them. :know:

Another idea of getting a "light effect" working is that I'm going to inspect the "lighting" of the imported OHII has been achived.
It's clear that the buoys have an a mesh consisting of a single face that has a controller attached. Maybe this might be the easier way to go on:hmm2:

Yes, this is a possible alternative. I am sure this is doable by assigning lighthouse lanterns their own material, and by setting its emissiveness property appropriately. Nonetheless, lighting effect achieved by this method would be static (i.e. no flashing light). All in all, I think the best way to set lighthouse effect is a mix of your and TDW's methods :yep:

another finding with working with the bulid in GoblinEditorApp was that on Win7 with Aero design I could not change any controller values that are of type DropDownList. Has to change apperance to windows classic style in order to get those to work.

Right click on GoblinEditorApp.exe, select properties, go to the 'Compatibility' tab, and check 'Disable visual themes' :up:

volodya61

08-19-13, 04:51 PM

Someone here mentioned HEX editors? specialists are needed? :know:

gap

08-19-13, 05:05 PM

Someone here mentioned HEX editors? specialists are needed? :know:

yep Volodya, in the next days I will be releasing several new lighthouse models. With TDW's permission, we can give them customized lighting effects, as I have described in my previous post.

On a side note, I think many Italian lighthouses weren't obscured throughout the war, or at least until Nazists destroyed them during their retreat (after Italian armistice) :yep:

volodya61

08-19-13, 05:12 PM

yep Volodya, in the next days I will be releasing several new lighthouse models. With TDW's permission, we can give them customized lighting effects, as I have described in my previous post.

On a side note, I think many Italian lighthouses weren't obscured throughout the war, or at least until Nazists destroyed them during their retreat (after Italian armistice) :yep:

Okay, I can join this project.. but I still can't test anything by myself :shifty:..

PS: :oops: guns :06:

Madox58

08-19-13, 05:17 PM

Someone here mentioned HEX editors? specialists are needed? :know:

I always like when Hex Editors are needed.
:haha:

gap

08-19-13, 05:27 PM

Okay, I can join this project.. but I still can't test anything by myself :shifty:..

If sober agrees, we could pass on to him our files, for him to place them in game and to test them. As far as I know, he and Trevally are the active modders who know better objects editor

PS: :oops: guns :06:

let me to release my first GR2 object first :D

I always like when Hex Editors are needed.
:haha:

Hex editing is always good when one can understand what he is doing :03:

gap

08-19-13, 05:36 PM

...in the next days I will be releasing several new lighthouse models...

Should I give them collisionable and reflect models? Are objector editor placed objects capable to cast reflections and/or to detect collisions? :hmm2:

Madox58

08-19-13, 05:43 PM

You should only need collisionable if you plan to ram them.
Reflections only if close enuff to water.

I'd make them so you could destroy them myself.
But I'm weird that way.
:D

gap

08-19-13, 05:55 PM

You should only need collisionable if you plan to ram them.

...

I'd make them so you could destroy them myself.
But I'm weird that way.
:D

Yes, I must admit that I had this lame idea in mind too :roll: :arrgh!:, plus the evenince of bombings and aircraft impacts. They are just details, but since we are at it... :03:

Reflections only if close enuff to water.

Some of the free models I have found, could be placed directly on the sea-bed (they include rocky foundations), and the others could be placed very close to the sea shore.

The point is: are terrain objects using the same controllers as regular units, for water reflections and collision detection? I couldn't find ay example of this among stock files :hmmm:

Madox58

08-19-13, 06:04 PM

If you place an object near or on water? Reflections controller work.
You don't need a object for that and SH3-4 wasted alot of space doing it that way.

As for the collisionable controller? Only if you can run into it.
As I said. Do a .zon file so you can shoot the crap out of it if you want.

If you don't have GWX for SH3 installed? There are a lot of things there that will guide you should you look at them.

Iambecomelife realized that land based objects can be made to be destroyed if done right. He found that from my start on the Sea Forts.
I left that knowing someone would take it where I intended.
GWX 3 has a lot of 'tricks' I put in that work for SH5.

There's also a PM thing here that works if you want to try it.
:D

gap

08-19-13, 06:19 PM

If you place an object near or on water? Reflections controller work.
You don't need a object for that...

Are you saying that:

- a WaterReflection controller (like the one used for ships) is required?
- if no Reflect_* model is found in the GR2 file, the main model is used instead?

...and SH3-4 wasted alot of space doing it that way.

SH5 uses low poly reflection models too. I think the benefit of doing it is alleviating GPU's work :hmmm:

As for the collisionable controller? Only if you can run into it.
As I said. Do a .zon file so you can shoot the crap out of it if you want.

In this case, I think a collisionable model would be required, as well as a CollisionableObject controller, collision spheres and damage box. Is this correct? :)

If you don't have GWX for SH3 installed? There are a lot of things there that will guide you should you look at them.

I have it, and it is a continuous source of inspiration :03:

Iambecomelife realized that land based objects can be made to be destroyed if done right. He found that from my start on the Sea Forts.
I left that knowing someone would take it where I intended.

I will have a close look into it, thanks :salute:

GWX 3 has a lot of 'tricks' I put in that work for SH5.

There's also a PM thing here that works if you want to try it.
:D

I would be glad to read it, if you can share :D

Madox58

08-19-13, 06:43 PM

gap

08-19-13, 07:10 PM

On the reflection meshes.............
That is debatable. Reason being early versions of SH loads all 3d models into memory. We found cutting those saved load time and Game responce.

I also recall Dan saying he wasn't sure why it was done the way it is?
Except maybe for render range maybe.

It's always an exchange of what and when rendered anyway.
So say you reduce a million faces of reflect meshes but render only the stuff in render range? The trade off is far greater for a less mesh heavy Game.

I see your point :up:

SH Games are pretty bad at memory handleing as they are. Right?

No further comment required here :03:

On collisions........
Use what ships/aircraft have but not the same stuff as harbors have.
Build a zon file for the given object to be able to destroy it.

Excellent :up:

PM means Private message me. :D

Do you mean that subsim box which is always warning me about it being full :doh: :D

You'll get me e-mail address that way and I look at that everyday. Subsim maybe once in a while depending on where I'm at.

Okay, I am sending you a PM with my e-mail address. I will be honoured to be in closer touch with you if you like it :salute:

PS: just installed XNormal. An AO map/model is all I need before releasing the first lighthouse model :)

Madox58

08-19-13, 07:41 PM

I use the free SoftImage Mod Tool myself.
It's the free version of what was used to develop SH5 to start with.
:D

A Dev told me that.
:03:

gap

08-19-13, 07:56 PM

I use the free SoftImage Mod Tool myself.
It's the free version of what was used to develop SH5 to start with.
:D

A Dev told me that.
:03:

Okay, I will give it a try. A feew weeks ago I have tested SMAK (http://getsmak.com/). It is a free diffuse, normal, and ambient occlusion maps baking tool. It is quite fast, and the maps it generates are fairly good for our purposes, but it uses the UV map for mapping AO maps, which means that it can give weird results when the diffuse UV map is set with overlapping areas. Moreover, despite the fact that it is advertised as a freeware, I cannot get it to save the generated maps :hmmm:

Madox58

08-19-13, 08:01 PM

The Mod Tool I stated above works great. And is free.
It's a bit tricky to get use to but once you do? You get SH5 results.
The Devs pointed me to this and I did post the info about it once before.

gap

08-20-13, 08:28 AM

Just found some useful resources on AO map baking with the software suggested by Privateer:

http://cryrid.com/art/?p=12
http://www.game-artist.net/forums/support-tech-discussion/5622-burning-shadows-onto-texture-xsi.html

They probably apply to the commercial version of the program, but I am confident that more or less the same functions are found in the Mod Tool. :up:

One note: all the methods described in the above tutorials assume not overlapping UV maps, which is unpractical for objects with many similar small faces. All in all, I think that the best way to do it, is creating a clone of the main meshes for use as AO 3d model, and to scale/move its UV maps so to avoid overlappings as much as possible. This second model can be used for AO map calculation. As far as vertex coordinates of the diffuse and AO models are identical, TDW's Editor should be able to import both of them without problems :hmm2:

Madox58

08-20-13, 07:14 PM

You can use any program you wish to burn the AO. I just prefer the Mod Tool as it does some great AO once you play with it.
The problem of matching Vert counts and such?
I still have my crude test program that takes the 2 obj files and does the sneaky part of makeing them GR2 ready and also produces smaller file sizes once imported with TDW's program.

It's a brilliant way they do it! Took me quit awhile to figure it out!
:hmm2:

gap

08-20-13, 07:56 PM

You can use any program you wish to burn the AO. I just prefer the Mod Tool as it does some great AO once you play with it.

I am currently re-editing the UV mapping of the my lighthouse. Due to my inexperience it was flawed by several imperfections hardly noticeable from the diffuse map rendering, but they would have showed in the AO map though.

Once I finish with this task, I will give the Mod Tool a go :up:

The problem of matching Vert counts and such?
I still have my crude test program that takes the 2 obj files and does the sneaky part of makeing them GR2 ready and also produces smaller file sizes once imported with TDW's program.

It's a brilliant way they do it! Took me quit awhile to figure it out!
:hmm2:

I still remember your PIFT project. I would like to test your tool, any plan to release it? :)

Silent Steel

09-18-13, 08:35 AM

Anyone with more download links? I we get more models than needed we will pick the best ones :)

These ones could be useful. I hope.

http://www.sharecg.com/v/26986/
http://www.3dcadbrowser.com/download.aspx?3dmodel=5291
http://www.freebie3d.com/en/model/21766/lighthouse-model-concrete-construction/
http://archive3d.net/?a=download&id=6d7bd1f9

gap

09-18-13, 11:46 AM

These ones could be useful. I hope.

http://www.sharecg.com/v/26986/
http://www.3dcadbrowser.com/download.aspx?3dmodel=5291
http://www.freebie3d.com/en/model/21766/lighthouse-model-concrete-construction/
http://archive3d.net/?a=download&id=6d7bd1f9

Thank you Sir! :up:

Silent Steel

09-19-13, 12:38 AM

Thank you Sir! :up:

Just a modest contribution to support you (and others) in this amazing project. Wish I had the skill to do more.

gap

02-25-14, 01:09 PM

Sorry for digging an old thread, but I couldn't find a better place for my post:

I have just realized that Blender can import collada models and export them in a quite decent shape as waveform (obj) models. This means that, with only minor touch-ups/optimizations required, we can import in game the many sketchup landmark models submitted by third part users during the "Google Earth 3D Program", and made available for free (often in collada format) on Trimble 3D Warehouse (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/).

There is much more than we need for, on Trimble: from general geographycal and environmental features (rocks, sea cliffs, plants, etc) to buildings, bridges, lighthouses, monuments, and WWII military fortifications and weaponry (even aircraft and warships!). In some cases whole harbor areas have been modelled. Some models are quite basic, but most of them are of photorealistic quality.

With the recent progress made by TDW on GR2 Editor (basically only the possibility to add new meshes to a file, animations and a few minor features are missing), we just need people to learn using it. Only minor 3d modelling skills are required, as many models ready for use are available from other games of the series or from open on-line libraries like the one I have just pointed. :up:

GT182

02-25-14, 05:47 PM

I have a suggestion for you guys working together on all these mods. Get DropBox and you can move huge files to each other really easy. It's a whole lot easier than email. www.Dropbox.com

But if you're already are using it.... forget I said anything. ;) LOL

Gap, that last lighthouse in your Post 12 would be great in SH5. That's the best of any I've seen in the SH series.

gap

02-25-14, 08:14 PM

Gap, that last lighthouse in your Post 12 would be great in SH5. That's the best of any I've seen in the SH series.

Yep that is awesome (unbelivable the variety and quality of free stuff available on the web nowadays :sunny:), but it is a bit too detailed for our game to handle it smothly.

http://tf3dm.com/imgd/l30600-light-house-enterable-96732.jpg

Before being imported in game, it would require a good poly reduction and some optimization. Nothing special given the appropriate tools, but still time consuming.

My second favorite after the model you have pointed, is the lighthouse model by flakmonkey:

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa186/tris1066/Lighthouse_high_Render_1.jpg

Stunnig work! It has the advantage to be game-ready. Thanks to the many improvements by TDW to his GR2 editor, and with flakmonkey's permission, I can finally make it into a GR2 object :yep:

The same goes for the other lighthouse model I have been working on in the past, with the obvious additional advantage that I don't need any permission for releasing it :03:

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/4646/flrq.jpg

P.S: (many) more free lighthouse models, most of them reproduction of real lighthouses, available from the following link: :D

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?q=lighthouse&styp=m&scoring=t&btnG=Cerca