The Harvest Moon Consortium

[Guest]

Hi
Is there any easy way to edit walkmesh?

I've used TNO Cliff End placeable from CEP a lot in my module, and it worked well. But then I've discovered that it has wrong walkmesh - there is large unwalkable area around the cliff (see screenshoot http://data.virusman.ru/ax20/devs/Armor ... tled-2.jpg)

I don't have any 3d-modeling skills so it is a bit hard to understand how to edit such things in g-max.
Can someone explain?

[Winterhawk99]

I just answered this to the best of my ability on the custom content page of biowares forums. you could try that or you could speak to me directly about it msn = winterhawkblue@msn.com . I dont know gmax very well but i know how to do it in 3ds.

[Pstemarie]

Open the cliff placeable in GMax and slide the verts on the pwk model node closer to the cliff face. Alternatively, PM me a copy of the model and I'll fix it for you.

[Guest]

Thanx for reply
I've found winterhawk99's reply and looks like it is what I was searching. Thanx

Thanx for offer pstemarie, but I want to learn how to do it by myself.
But I'll contact you if I will fail =)

P.S.
I've looked at mdl in gmax and know looks like it is understood why it has wrong walkmesh - looks like those cliffs don't have walkmesh at all. I've checked all "parts" via selector and non of them have "+ AuroraWalkmesh" in Modify tab
Also I've tried to open model in WokReader and there is no any walkmesh (empty screen)
Also it have big strange box around the model =)

I don't know, but may be this also can cause strange glitches like this http://img354.imageshack.us/i/bug1sa4.jpg/
I've also discovered that those glitches appearing only when there is tile with light different from black under those model (i mean when you choosing Tile properies and change Main Lights colors to different from black)

Here is models with pwk-files http://data.virusman.ru/ax20/devs/Armor ... cliffs.rar
I will be very thankful for explanations of how to fix it so I could learn how to do it =)

[Pstemarie]

First, lets clarify something - placeables do NOT have walkmesh (*.wok). That is reserved for tiles. Placeables have a collision mesh (*.pwk). PWK and WOK are two very different animals.

WOK

1. Overall size must be equal to the size of a tile (e.g. the corner verts are x -500, 500 and y -500, 500)
2. It can have multiple heights, but cannot have any overlapping faces.
3. Each face can have a different material.

PWK

1. Overall size is unrestricted.
2. It cannot have multiple heights (eg. it is a flat plane).
3. Material is not recognized/supported.

I have looked at both models in 3ds. The editable mesh linked back to the pwk dummy is definitely the issue. What you have there is one big box that does not follow the contour of the cliff at all. These appear to have been originally intended as visual blockers and not something that would be approached closely.

What you need to do is edit Box01 (in model dag_tnocliff1) so that the edges of the mesh follow the contour of the cliff face. Convert the mesh to a flat plane (eg. delete the top-most verts), add more verts to match the cliff face contour, and paint new faces. Once you export the model should work fine.

[Guest]

wow, can't believe that I could do that, but I've figured out hot to edit verts and cut polygons. Thanx =)

Is it enough to have only 1 plane at 0 Z point? or it should be something like box, with faces from all sides?

I've made only 1 plane and it worked fine. However in game sometimes placeable simply disappearing completly. It happens only in some camera positions - on some distance out of placeable.

[Pstemarie]

wow, can't believe that I could do that, but I've figured out hot to edit verts and cut polygons. Thanx =)

Is it enough to have only 1 plane at 0 Z point? or it should be something like box, with faces from all sides?

I've made only 1 plane and it worked fine. However in game sometimes placeable simply disappearing completly. It happens only in some camera positions - on some distance out of placeable.

Not sure why the placeable is disappearing, but I suspect it might have something to do with its height. If you have tile fade on, try turning that off and seeing if the placeable still vanishes. I know tilefade is only for tiles, but I'm thinking it'll also fade out really tall placeables.

One plane at Z 0 should be sufficient - that's what I usually do. If I recall correctly, the engine renders the pwk as a "nonwalkable" material. Therefore, no model can physically cross that plane. However, I do believe that LOS and VFX can still "see through" the placeable.

This is the main reason why when I'm designing areas that use "blocker" placeables, I "map" out an area with the blocker then construct custom tile(s) with the blocker placeable mounted directly to the tile. This also eliminates some other issues with the engine and blockers.

[Guest]

Not sure why the placeable is disappearing, but I suspect it might have something to do with its height. If you have tile fade on, try turning that off and seeing if the placeable still vanishes. I know tilefade is only for tiles, but I'm thinking it'll also fade out really tall placeables.

Never used tile fade. Checked is it off - it was off
Looks like it is related to that Box01 which is part of pwk. Original placeable, without edited box, does not disappearing

P.S. - moved placeable to another position and switched on "static" - no more dissapearings =)

One plane at Z 0 should be sufficient - that's what I usually do. If I recall correctly, the engine renders the pwk as a "nonwalkable" material. Therefore, no model can physically cross that plane.

Only know I've recall that it isn't sufficient - if I lower placeable underground for a half, for example, it will become walkable ("transperent"). That is why there were box, not single plane

This is the main reason why when I'm designing areas that use "blocker" placeables, I "map" out an area with the blocker then construct custom tile(s) with the blocker placeable mounted directly to the tile. This also eliminates some other issues with the engine and blockers.

Eh, didnt understand... blocker placeable mounted directly to the tile? As part of mdl?

[Zwerkules]

There is a maximum distance a placeable can be away from the PC for it still to be rendered.
If your fog distance is very high you will see placeables in the distance disappear abruptly because
they are too far away and aren't rendered any more. I get the feeling that distance is somehow
even shorter for doors. I can only move a few tiles away from doors before they become transparent
and soon they disappear altogether.
You can even notice that the placeables aren't rendered throughout an area at all times if you use
the DLA willows or birches. Once you walk near enough and they get rendered there is considerable
lag. If I use more than one of those on the same tile the game slows down to a crawl.

[Guest]

Zwerkules
yeap, I know

There is a maximum distance a placeable can be away from the PC for it still to be rendered.
If your fog distance is very high you will see placeables in the distance disappear abruptly because
they are too far away and aren't rendered any more.

Yeap, because fog distance also controlling clipping distance. But clipping dont make placeable sudenly disappear - it will simply cut placeable's part that is out of clipping distance

You can even notice that the placeables aren't rendered throughout an area at all times if you use
the DLA willows or birches. Once you walk near enough and they get rendered there is considerable
lag. If I use more than one of those on the same tile the game slows down to a crawl.

it is because they aren't static objects. Static objects renders alway through all area. DLA made them non static because they were to "heavy" to render constantly
It is a bit strange that it made such effect. On some area I've made those willows and birches as static placeables and they weren't too laggy.


Anyway, it isn't my case - it wasn't clipped and it wasn't "fading out" as in case of non-static placeable. Also it was disappearing only when camera was close to placeable in some angles (but not in placeable, of course) However, as I've mentioned above looks like making it static fixed disappearing