Custom Objects for MVA - Release of SLTtoDXG converter

[yzmxer608]

wow I first want to thank you for makin this program!!! I can now actually skin objects for MvA But I have some questions about it:

1. all of the objects converted go into a single .pak? and does that .pak automatically go into your track .pak?

2. if the objects are in your track .pak will other people be able to see them and have collision ect.?

3. Do you need to make .pco files?

4. what do you mean by picking a color to replace the pink? [I know the pink is like a alpha layer]

Thanks again, I have not yet used it but I'm sure I will have some more questions once I have.

[mcm2boys]

you're welcome, it's what i do to relax..   

1) No the PAK it creates is not added to your track PAK automatically. You have to move the PAK from where it's created (which is the same folder where the objects are found) into the data folder for the RBW editor to find the objects, and into the MVA\media\custommodels folder for UE2 to find them.

2) When you PAK your track using UE2 it will place all non-stock model files (anything not in the common.pak or tex.pak) into your track PAK, so there's no need to worry about users having your object PAKs installed.

3) There's a check box in the exporter that will generate a PCO for you (based on the stock bale PCO) if you want it to have physics and move in the scene then yes you need a PCO (if it's a building for example that doesn't move then no), you also need to copy it into the MVA\Media\PCO folder for UE2 to PAK it.

4) When a 24 bit texture with transparency using Pink is converted, it adds an alpha layer, and in the the color channels it removes the pink and replaces it with the selected color. This is because sometimes there is some merging of the alpha layers and if you leave the pink color in the color channels you will get pink halo's around some of the lower level bitmaps (mipmaps) when the object is viewed at a distance. By replacing the color you see a halo of the color you pick. So you need to pick a color that is somethig like the background the object will be shown against, usually your track - a middle gray is a good starting point.

If you want the objects to show in the RBW editor (and the next version of UE2 ) you will need to also add the lines from the mymodels.LIB file that the converter creates - check the generate LIB extract to create this file.


Hope this helps, if you have problems just let me know..

Laurie

[yzmxer608]

Thanks that answered all my questions!!! so does this mean that you don't need to use the MxU objects converter?

[mcm2boys]

To be honest i have never used the MXU converter so i don't know for sure all the things that it does. I think it makes sure that the necessary model, collision and tex files are in your track PAK when you use non stock models. Which means that when UE2 is working right and if you use it to pack your track you shouldn't need MXU converter - but again i haven't used it..


Laurie

[mcm2boys]

While i have been working on some stuff for UE2 i found a few bugs in the converter mostly to do with the texture conversions. So there is a new version released which you can get from the first post in this thread..


Laurie

[Factory BR21]

Hey guys ,i'm need a help
well i've been try put some objects that i made. ok i generate the pak. and putted on CustomFolders to see on Uetoo, when i try put it i get a erro like as here

ok later i tried generate and make anythings different , it do not a error but i can't see it on the map , any help please ?

[mcm2boys]

Sounds like something is missing from the model, maybe the textures if you can't see the models on the track after they are placed.

If you send me the PAK I will do some tests and see if I can find the problem..


Laurie

[Factory BR21]

Ok thanks laurie
check your email

[yzmxer608]

I think I have a problem,  I tried converting a bale to see if it will be a decent size in MvA since I am going to skin some.  It converted all fine'n'dandy but the texture looked like scrunched, or distorted.  Is there anyway to fix this or is it unpassable?

EDIT:  I think this is happening just because the skin wasn't a real high res.

[suzuki98]

i have a model i created it is a new semi truck.  works fine in editor and game but when i go to render in shadows it crashes the editor do you know what could cause this. thanks

[mcm2boys]

First off i don't know what's causing the crashing. Is that using the RBW editor to render shadows or UE2?

If the editor and game can render the model i don't see why the shadows would be a problem.. If you can send me the model or a link to it then i'll take a look.


Laurie

[suzuki98]

i have a work around that is no problem the rainbow editor will crash.  i can make the shadows in ue2 and it is fine. i noticed that albetsx pit crew objects crash the rainbow editor on shadows also.  just thought maybe you new of something off the top of your head.  i would send you the model but not finished with all the textures for all trucks.  i will see if i can get one truck uploaded for you. thanks for all the hard work you guys do. here are the models that i have
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/28/1027152/factorytruck.rar

[mcm2boys]

Took a quick look and the only thing i noticed is that the rig has a very high poly count, over 50000 polies. This might be the cause of the problem. I tried some of Albertsxs models but could find any that crashed the editor when the shadows are applied.. Can you point me at 1 or 2 of Alberts models that do crash the editor?

[suzuki98]

the ones that crashed for me were the honda mechanic

[mcm2boys]

Just tried the mehanics all of them and they worked for me..

I'm thinking it is the high poly count causing the problem. You could try splitting the model into 3 parts and see they all can cast a shadow. That way you find out which part the problem is in, or if it's just too many polies with them all together..


Laurie

[JvdL]

I have a question about the PCO assignment within SLT2DXG.

The stock bales only make use of 2 different PCO files. A Single Bale PCO, and a Triple Bale PCO.

I wanted to do the same for the bales we'll be using for MVA2009 tracks. BUT! Whenever I try to assign a new PCO in the model.lib file. It fails to find the PCO I've assigned. The object is left without any collision at all as an result.

What the Model.lib was like:

Code Select Expand

|Bale_White_Triangle|Bale_White_Trianglef|_SAME_|Bale_White_Triangle|Bale_White_Triangle
|Bale_White_CornerTall|Bale_White_CornerTallf|_SAME_|Bale_White_CornerTall|Bale_White_CornerTall
|Bale_White_CornerTrans|Bale_White_CornerTransf|_SAME_|Bale_White_CornerTrans|Bale_White_CornerTrans
|Bale_White_LongClean|Bale_White_LongCleanf|_SAME_|Bale_White_LongClean|Bale_White_LongClean
|Bale_White_LongDirty|Bale_White_LongDirtyf|_SAME_|Bale_White_LongDirty|Bale_White_LongDirty
|Bale_White_LongRoosted|Bale_White_LongRoostedf|_SAME_|Bale_White_LongRoosted|Bale_White_LongRoosted
|Bale_White_ShortClean|Bale_White_ShortCleanf|_SAME_|Bale_White_ShortClean|Bale_White_ShortClean
|Bale_White_ShortDirty|Bale_White_ShortDirtyf|_SAME_|Bale_White_ShortDirty|Bale_White_ShortDirty
|Bale_White_ShortRoosted|Bale_White_ShortRoostedf|_SAME_|Bale_White_ShortRoosted|Bale_White_ShortRoosted

What I intended:

Code Select Expand

|Bale_White_Triangle|Bale_White_Trianglef|_SAME_|Bale_Special|Bale_White_Triangle
|Bale_White_CornerTall|Bale_White_CornerTallf|_SAME_|Bale_Special|Bale_White_CornerTall
|Bale_White_CornerTrans|Bale_White_CornerTransf|_SAME_|Bale_Special|Bale_White_CornerTrans
|Bale_White_LongClean|Bale_White_LongCleanf|_SAME_|Bale_Long|Bale_White_LongClean
|Bale_White_LongDirty|Bale_White_LongDirtyf|_SAME_|Bale_Long|Bale_White_LongDirty
|Bale_White_LongRoosted|Bale_White_LongRoostedf|_SAME_|Bale_Long|Bale_White_LongRoosted
|Bale_White_ShortClean|Bale_White_ShortCleanf|_SAME_|Bale_Short|Bale_White_ShortClean
|Bale_White_ShortDirty|Bale_White_ShortDirtyf|_SAME_|Bale_Short|Bale_White_ShortDirty
|Bale_White_ShortRoosted|Bale_White_ShortRoostedf|_SAME_|Bale_Short|Bale_White_ShortRoosted

(note: the 4th entry is the PCO assignment)

Any idea how to assign 1 single PCO file to multiple objects?

[mcm2boys]

Looks like the LIB entry is right to me, the other thing to make sure of is that the PCO file is in the '%mva%\media\PCO' folder. I don't think there is any reason why more than 1 object can't use the same PCO file..

[JvdL]

the other thing to make sure of is that the PCO file is in the '%mva%\media\PCO' folder

That is the first thing I check when stuff goes fubar. Is everything there where it needs to be. And it is.

I think the PCO file assignment is written in a different file that has to do with object in general. Most probably the COL file?

Why do I think so? Because the collision is complete gone when I try to use the LIB entry shown before. This means the object is still searching for a PCO it can not find. Even though according to the LIB file it should look for a file that is right infront of it's nose. This to me is and indication that the LIB file isn't the only file used for assignments (afterall, the LIB is only used to display objects in the editor).

Is there any way to make the COL files readable so I would be able to investigate?

[mcm2boys]

There's nothing in the COL file except collision data it's all numeric data, another thing that comes to mind is that you need to change the name in the PCO itself as well as the file name, usually in the section [PhysicsPart1] a variable not too surprisingly called 'name'.

If you change the file name UE2 will pack it based on the LIB data (not sure about UE), but the game might not find the PCO if that 'name=xxxx' line isn't right in the PCO.

[JvdL]

There's nothing in the COL file except collision data it's all numeric data, another thing that comes to mind is that you need to change the name in the PCO itself as well as the file name, usually in the section [PhysicsPart1] a variable not too surprisingly called 'name'.

If you change the file name UE2 will pack it based on the LIB data (not sure about UE), but the game might not find the PCO if that 'name=xxxx' line isn't right in the PCO.

One step ahead of you. Already did this for the very first test. It just refuses to work this way.

So again, that brings me to the conclusion that that same filename/PCO name has to be wrtten down somewhere else as well. But if it isn't in the COL file.. Where could it be?