I don't think I meant shadows, but more light and shade.



I added water reflection to all nodes with the following settings:-

ClipHeight = 0
Reflection = 1
Refraction = 1
FrustumTest = False (What IS that???)
MaxVisDistance = 0.0
MinVisDim = 0.02
MaxVisDim = 0.2

Basically I think they were the settings Kendras used on his lighthouse at the beginning of the thread so I used them as they worked.



It's actually a 3DsMax model at the following link:-
https://free3d.com/3d-model/light-ho...ble-96732.html


Not sure what light house it is, but it looked so decrepit I thought it would be a good one to start with. It still needs work, especially with scaling. really need to get my head around Blender as my 3Ds Student license has expired. I've attached another screenshot with La Plate in the distance (same positions as La Veille and La Plate) and it's obvious the scale is out. Any observations and suggestions would be appreciated. Also the texture, although I tried to include OA seems a bit flat - all trial and error.

You are right, of course. Also the smooth sea in my screenshots doesn't help.

regards,
MLF

I think the easiest way is to set all 3D models as land units, or all 3D models as terrain objects. :yep:

Even with values without decimal digits in .mis file, and corresponding values without more than 6 decimal digits in locations.cfg, both models are not aligned.

Long=-571143 ----> -4.759525
Lat=5764737 ----> 48.039475

:k_confused:

During your tests, was the heading for both rock and lighthouse set to 0?

Your calculations are right: in SH games, each degree of latitude/longitude is always equal to 120 km, so for converting from lat/long coordinates expressed as decimal degrees to offsets from the equator/Greenwich meridian in meters, you have to multiply by 120,000.

I won't update the spreadsheet until we discover where the slight error is coming from (hoping that we do). In the meanwhile you can see the formula of my spreadsheet by unprotecting it (Menu 'Review' => 'Unprotect Sheet'). No password is set :up:

Sure it is until we discover what is the issue with the different coordinate formats used in SHIII. If we do,
If we don't, we will set the rock as a land unit rather than as a location, or as a library equipment, similar to the lantern and other subobjects. :03:

Something I would be interested to know is: did your many failed tests change at least a bit the relative position of the two parts (making the alignment a bit worse or a bit better, moving the rock from one side of the lighthouse to the other, etc.), or not? :hmm2:

:up:

Thank you. I have Reflection/Refraction parameters set as in your model. I doubt other parameters have any impact on the quality of the reflections, but on their appearance/disappearance based on distance from the model, on its rendered size on screen etc (BTW: in short, FrustumTest makes reflections to fade out when their parent object is out of camera).
Curiously, the version of WaterReflection I am using has not MaxVisDistance parameter. Are there two versions of the controller? Might the version you are using lead to a better visual quality of the effect? Other than that, I can only think that I have checked the DX2/3 compression flag of the texture used for reflection. This, indeed, might have an impact on their quality :hmm2:

Sure, I had seen that model long ago, and I think I already have in on my HD. It is very nice indeed, though I don't think it represents any real lighthouse in particular and, if memory serves me well, its poly count is a bit too high for our needs :)

Learning Blender is a good idea; despite its counter-intuitive UI, I think it is a good and poweful program. I am also slowly learning it, especially for model post-processing. For modelling, my tool of election is still Wings-3d. Should you decide to switch to it, while you learn the more complicated Blender, I am sure you will find many valid tutors on the forum, me included :03:

That's true. Texture map settting is much more complicated, unreliable and restrictive in SHIII than in it is in SHIV and 5. The good thing is that the more we make mistake, the more we learn. With this mantra in mind, I also plan adding specular and bump maps to the La Plate model (as you might have noticed, the AO map is overlapped to the diffuse map), but I am leaving those as the last task :D

:rotfl2:

Problem solved !

Hi Gap,

I did a little research last night and I believe the model I converted is the Aniva Rock Lighthouse:-

http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2011....JT0vfXZD.dpbs

Nice to know it "exists" :)

Regards,

MLF

i am using Skwas' S3Ditor Version 0.9.9.0. MaxVisDistance is a parameter when editing the Water Reflection controller/property.

You are using controller 10/-1 as am I, with a child node of 6/0 WaterReflection property yet the one I use has this added parameter.....very strange.

None of my textures have the DX2/3 compression checked - I seem to recall a post somewhere where this was stated as causing a problem?????

Regards,

MLF

How to properly choose and calculate coordinates
 

So, I've finished to test all possibilities, and here are my conclusions :

- In locations.cfg, coordinates D (in degrees) must have no more than 6 decimal digits.

- In .mis file, coordinates M (in meters) mustn't have any decimal digits. Even if the converted number in degrees (D) has exactly 6 decimal digits.

As D should be equal to M/120000, the minimal move for a land unit is 3 meters (0.000025 or 25.10^-6 degrees), in other words M must be a multiple of 3.

But there is more !

When you convert the coordinate M (in meters) to D (in degrees), you must apply this formula :

for longitude : D = M/120000 - 6.10^-6
for latitude: D = M/120000 + 6.10^-6

If you want to test yourself new coordinates, here is a little tool :

http://www.mediafire.com/file/54akqo..._-_mast_ref.7z

The land unit is a red mast (stored in environmental folder)
The terrain object is a blue mast

:up:

I have amended the reflection propertie's parameters, and also removed the DX2/3 compression checks on all nodes in LLH_LaPlate.dat and Lighthouse_Parts.dat. In my view the reflection now looks stronger bringing the light house into the sea rather than on it?

regards,

MLF

Nice. :up:

Could you also add some reflections nodes for the sub parts ?

Thanks.

I added the reflections to all nodes in the lighthouse_Parts.dat - when I zoom in on the reflection they are there, but fainter, possibly because they are further away from the sea which is possibly more realistic than having the reflections all the same strength. I'll see if I can improve on them but need to go out now for a couple of hours.

regards,

MLF

Perfect ! :yeah:

:yeah:

:Kaleun_Applaud:

Good finding, it must be that! :up:
Pity that its geographical position puts it out of U-boat reach :D

Obviously ther are two different types of parameter chunks for the WaterReflection controller. I wonder if the one with the additional MaxVisDistance parameter, has any impact on the quality of reflections though I don't think so...

I am pretty sure that that flag being checked was the main cause of reflections looking so faint :yep:

Amazing :up:

Maybe reflections now are even a bit too strong lol, what do you guys think? :D

Am I missing something? I thought I had already added those nodes to all the library subparts :hmm2:

That sounds reasonable :yep:

I can upload the 2 dat files to mediafire if you want to use them, or inspect them?

Regards,

MLF

Sure please: I plan to upload a major update today, and I would like it to feature your tweaks too :up:

:)

Here's the link:-

https://www.mediafire.com/?2i07drl516bqapx


The rar file contains the 2 dat files I modified - it is not JSGME ready.


Regards,


MLF