Moin Hans,

Make sure the files are all placed in the correct folder.

Interior.dat >>> goes without saying
Animation.dat >>> LIBRARY folder
Animation.anm >>> ANIMATIONS folder


Next, the SH engine is very strict regarding naming conventions.

The SMC entry in your Interior.dat contains the SMC Controller that defines the 'GraphName'. Let´s say 'Hans_Graph'. The game engine is now checking the LIBRARY folder´s *.dat files for a SMC named 'Hans_Graph'.

The 'Hans_Graph' SMC defines the events your animation is triggered by and holds the name(s) of the animation(s) to play. Let´s say 'Hans_Dance'. Once the condition to run the animation is met, the game engine checks the ANIMATIONS folder´s *.anm files for an 'AnimName' named 'Hans_Dance'. This 'Hans_Dance' contains one or more sub items containing another 'AnimName' entry. Let´s call it 'Hans_Limbs'.

When 'Hans_Dance' is called by 'Hans_Graph', the correlated MAD will be linked to 'Hans_Limbs' and the game engine will check the Interior.dat for any 3d_model by the name of '<Hans_Limbs>'. The brackets are vital! If '<Hans_Limbs>' is found, the animation will play.



How to create this setup?

1. Import the animation to your Interior.dat
2. cut the MAD (<notset> (10/05) + child node)
3. paste it into your newly created 'Hans_Animation.anm' just behind an 'AnimationObject' node
4. create needed entries and links for the 'AnimationObject'

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...mation_001.jpg



Next, your SMC has to be built. For testing reasons it is advisable to use a setup that will call the animation on load with no conditions to be met. Thus you ensure the animation is imported correctly at last.

As for your SMC, it will not work this way. When your condition 'true' is met, the pointer is directed to entry #1, but there is none. Hence the animation will play once only or not at all. Don´t know how the game engine handles this "error".

'GotoEntry=0' should do the trick. But I strongly recommend to use a more advanced setup, even for an ever-looping basic test.


Use 4 StateEntries for a start:

• Start (entry 0)
  • as you did, condition 'true' will be met on start up
  • points towards entry #1 (Idle)
  
  
• Idle (entry 1)
  • define conditions to trigger the animation
  • points towards entry #2 (Animation)
  
  
• Animation (entry 2)
  • define conditions to stop the animation here (GotoEntry #3 (Stop))
  • define conditions to change the animation here (GotoEntry #??)
  • if no interfering condition is met loop to entry #2 (Animation)
  
  
• Stop (entry 3)
  • stop (all) animation(s)
  • point back to entry #1 (Idle)

[EDIT]
Moin UFi,

but don´t tell my wife. ;)
[/EDIT]


Regards,
DD

Hi DD,

Fantastic answer and food for my brain:up:

Will test that further on this afternoon because i must go to sleep soon i test all sort of stuff all night long and now i am exhausted.

Only one thing i still don't understand maybe you already have explain in this post so i apologize if it the case but how do you save your .anim in animation folder?

And if i understand correctly i don't need MAD in CR.dat with this method?

Best regards Hans

Message to DD
 

Hi DD,

Check your pm mate:up:

I am going to have some rest now:salute:

Best regards Hans

Hi Hans,
the file that goes to the ANIMATIONS folder is basically nothing else than a *.dat file. But it has to be saved using the *.anm extension. I hope that was the answer you were seeking for.

And yes, the MAD must be cut from the CR.dat. This is necessary to be able to call different animations for the same base mesh, depending on SMC entries. If you don´t cut the MAD from the *.dat, the animation will loop endlessly and will not respond to SMC. Or it may even not show up at all. Didn´t check that until now.

Regards,
DD

Hi DD,

Yes that what i though but when you save it do you deleted afterward un neccessary nodes?

And do i have to change the windows in S3d that ask to keep same headers?

What i did for this one was to import my animation on water plane temporarily and i did a simple copy paste of noset+meshanimationdata.

After i created a new data file and append a AnimationObject controller and then paste my noset+meshanimationdata and link it as child of AnimationObjec.

Is this procedure sound good to you?

Many thank

Best regards Hans

The procedure itself sounds okay to my ears. But the devil is in the detail.

You should make a habit of deleting unneeded nodes or at least changing their IDs as they might cause ID conflicts and hence CTD.

When you copy and paste anything, always change the IDs to be unique. Otherwise they will cause problems that are exceptionally hard to track down or even CTD.

As for the S3D headers, I don´t know. I still use the hex editor very often. So, I´ve never seen a dialogue asking to keep headers or something similar. At least I don´t recall it.

After you´ve copied and pasted the <notset> (10/05) node + it´s child MAD, you´ll have to adjust the 'AnimationObject' entries to "find" that new node! See the pic I´ve posted last. That should be it.

DD

PS: Get some rest now! ;)

:woot:
First you have choose the method that you want to use for your Flooding... or method which i described (IIRC) in 2009 ... or standard StatemachineWrapper ... or mixed method ...
If you have a simple animation i recommend standard StateMachineWrapper ...
... If i understand correctly DD proposes to use the first method ...
I find it hard to understand the nuances of your conversation ...

Hi Anvart,

We need the first method to be able to control the flooding with HasFloodIn and No_Flood condition.

Don't worry if sometime you don't understand the nuance because sometime i have difficulty to understand my own words:har:

Best regards Hans

SMC new test
 

Hi DD,

I made the new SMC with 4 entries states can you have a look at this because i am sure i made a mistake in it i was taking flooding in engine room and it didn't trigger the animation?


Here it is :

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/a.../SMC_Flood.jpg

Best regards Hans

You have to excuse me since it's been too long, but I'm a bit confused by that statement, because as far as I know S3D does allow editting those ID's... I don't see anything weird, the 4/100 chunk has 3 id's in a row, the id, parent id and model id. The model chunk has just one id, it's own. Your hex screenshots show all of them, and S3D understands (and shows) all of them... So really, I am confused that you say S3D does not understand them :D

I need no hex work to make animations work - even more advanced ones - it can all be done in S3D... (I mean, I did it myself)

And yea, the funny misplaced box in the model pane was some left over unfinished (but useful) thingy that I left in, but totally forgot about... :88)

Tip: you can copy existing structures by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+C on the top node, and then pasting in new DAT (or ANM), and then just assign new ID's in S3D (the 'New' button next to the ID-field). If you have trouble starting from scratch, this may help.

This method has been tested 100 times ...
It's wonder do at StateMachineWrapper... with trick's logic, using StartTimer, StartEffect, TimerElapsed, StopEffect and so on... :har:
...
Why you don't use HasFlood? for more detailed logic?
...
i think you made not correct logic...
...
but sorry, DD is your consultant... it's time for bed.

Hi mate,

I know what your mean because it did work without hexing anything the only thing that was not working because of the small box where it show a number i just had to change the 0 for 2 like DD mention and suddenly the magic went on in game.

But i have see that in some animation you did for sH4 you have it at 0 and it was working correctly so maybe we only need to put number 2 for Sh3.

Best regards Hans

Hi Anvart,

Keep in mind i am still a noob regarding SMC but if you have an idea that would make it work in the best way possible feel free to give advice it is not only DD on this one it is you, privateer,Skwasjer and me.

Also i saw that you have an action that is call SetVisible in your flag can you tell me what is the name for hiding it i guess SetInvisible???

We are all working in cooperation mode on this one so the more brains the better:salute:

Best regards Hans

Message to privateer
 

Hi mate,

Just want to apologize because i derived your thread on water flooding and it is suppose to be only on crew animation just let me know if you prefer that we continue this topic in the thread Graphical flooding?

Best regards Hans

NO! By all means carry on as you were!
:yeah:
This thread is becomeing what it was intended for!
The Ultimate Animation Thread!
This is the stuff everyone wants to know.
We want to know the failures and successes!

I don't remember this ...
or you saw DD stuff...
or you saw my experimental version, where i remove pilot actions was lazy ...
SetVisible work in SH4 ... in SH3 it's not working ...
I don't know many things about your work and poorly understand you ...
I need to know/understand your idea ... I don't want to impose you their views ...
What sort of hierarchy of animated objects you use?
What sort of animations you use? and how many?
I thought, you use next minimum of basic animations ...
for example:
1) Mesh Animation Type 10/5 for water surface
2) Object Animation Type 10/1 - Water Up
3) Object Animation Type 10/1 - Water Down
4) and may be ... Object Animation Type 10/2 - small rotating and swinging water ...
...
... and i can't experiment ...
:rotfl2:
Maybe i finally understood what you were saying ...?
You talked about the type of mesh? It's edited into S3D very simply ...
... look:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...pg#post1177807
# 25
...
... don't confuse ... These versions of games are diffirent (SH3 and SH4).

Hi Anvart,

This description is almost exactly what i want to do except for step 4 i just use animated Noise modifier on water mesh but the rest is spot on i have an animation for water up and another one for water down.

I want to link it via SMC with HasfloodIn to trigger water up and to link it to No-Flood to trigger water down.

Best regards Hans

May be you speak about 1) anim.
I'm talking about water reaction (moving) as result of sub moving...
I'm talking about the situation of stable water level without Flood-In and Flood-Out ...

Moin,

@Skwas:
No offence meant, S3D certainly understands and handles all 3 IDs. But you can not change a 3d_model´s ID without loosing correlation to the properties node (4/100) as there is no way to change the third ID in S3D. At least I´ve not seen any so far. And since I prefer to use my own IDs, I got used to alter these two via hex. Nevertheless S3D remains a very powerful tool to use for SH modding. Don´t think I´d ever tackled the task of an animated engine for FM_NI without S3D.

@Anvart:
Stay tuned, my friend. And don´t abandon us. Your input is most appreciated. I did not have a look at StateMachineWrappers until now. So, if you say they might do the job as well and/or even better, then it is definitely more than just worth checking. Anyway, first I will give Hans a hand trying to make it work using SMC before I deal with the unknown (to me) StateMachineWrappers.

@Hans:
'HasFloodIn' is certainly derived from the 'EffectManagers.act', but where did you derive the entry 'Engine_Rooms' from? If this value is defined nowhere in any SHIII file, then the engine will not be able to make use of it because it does not know what this value represents.
Never had a go at 'HasFloodIn' but I guess it needs a numeric value or a flag for yes/no rather than a "location". But I´m far from sure about this. Remains to be proved.

Your SMC is a bit screwed. I´ll have a look at it.

Regards,
DD

sure i will, not! :) wie blöd wäre ich denn... ;) du füllst mit deinen hervorragenden kenntnissen eine lücke hier!

i am really looking forward this progress here...