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Author Topic: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'  (Read 11463 times)

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SAS~Malone

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2016, 11:26:03 AM »

Pete, while working on the U-boat crews, something else came to mind that i'm hoping you could shed light on/help with if possible.
i recently installed some of Max's skyscraper repaints, and this reminded me that these skyscrapers really need a hit-box/collision box as well - currently, i think you can fly right through them, and to make them 'collide-able' would really be great.
i've done some work on dead meshes for them, but i think this is pointless without some sort of hit/collision box.
on top of that, they seriously need shadows, as well.
if any of these things can be done via text editing, please let me know how and i can attempt it myself.
otherwise, i'm hoping, as they are pretty basic as far as shapes go, that this might not take up too much of your time to implement, and would certainly add a new dimension in game, to have these tall 'obstacles'
of course, as always, just a thought for now, i'd rather you finished whatever projects you're busy with first. ;)

oh, btw, good news on the U-boat front - after scratching our heads for awhile over why the mod VIIC U-boats weren't using their guns, with the help of our ship-meister, asheshouse, who figured out that the ships.ini entries for those U-boats had a tiny error that caused the guns to stop working.
so, they've been like that since day one (July 2010) and no-one has noticed yet!   :o
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SAS~Storebror

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2016, 11:36:24 AM »

When a dead.sim isn't dying, it's always good to check the logfile for java errors.
I've seen quite a couple of times that a hook was missing, e.g. artillery always needs to have a "gun" hook and many dead meshes have been borrowed from static cars where the gun (and it's hook) simply isn't present anymore.
In such situations you will have a clear java error telling you about this in your logfile and it's pretty easy to fix, you just take the dead mesh (in case it's binary, convert it to text mesh) and add some "stand-in" hook with coords "1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0" to it.

Best regards - Mike
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Kilo

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2016, 12:08:08 PM »

I can see a way of making crew die.

  • Assign a unique collision mesh to each crew member
  • Have two msh files for the crew and two mesh nodes in each crew member (one alive and visible, one dead and hidden)
  • In the java class detect any hits on the collision meshes and swap which mesh node is visible

Java coding I'm afraid but I think it would work.

Sorry for off-topic, but wouldn't that allow for modular ship damage? e.g: Knocking out a turret from a battleship, without destroying the battleship itself.
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SAS~Malone

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #15 on: February 16, 2016, 09:38:14 PM »

Kilo, i'm pretty sure it works that way already.
i've been able to 'kill' individual guns on some ships since a few years back already.
however, it can't be applied generally, and this work needs to be done on a ship by ship basis.
of course, there's also the java work, but if i understand western correctly, this might already be implemented generally.
modular damage for ships is something i'd really lkie to se improved in the sim, and might even consider tackling that myself at some point, once i get a little better understanding of it.
it'll be a mammoth project, but the kind where the rewards might very well be worth the effort. :D
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Mission_bug

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #16 on: February 17, 2016, 01:07:04 AM »

Hello Eugene, hit boxes can be used from other objects they do not necessarily have to be the same shape, however, with a skyscraper you would at least need to have something that was suitably high enough for most eventualities be it impact from aircraft or armaments, not actually sure if it would need to be up close and cosy with the object though but certainly touching it in some respect I would have thought and it does need the hook I described earlier to pin it in place for things to work. ;)

With shadows I usually make a clone of the building or figure but when you extract the mesh you do not need to add all the text only two particular parts, collision boxes are the same in that respect, however, I have found that the shadow needs a texture applying otherwise you do not get a complete effect just streaks of dark,  With the shadow it needs to be of that object you cannot really borrow it from something else because it casts the shadow of that unique object.

At the moment I am unable to give a lot of time as I struggle spending long periods at the PC and have other on going projects so I cannot do it for you at the moment but will add it to the to do list.

Take care.

Wishing you all the very best, Pete. ;D
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SAS~Malone

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #17 on: February 17, 2016, 03:50:00 AM »

Pete, thanks for the info.
perhaps we can meet half-way - if you could (when you have time, no rush - i'm also busy with several projects right now) possibly do one for me, as an example, i'm pretty sure i could manage the rest just by checking what you did.
then i might just have to ask the occasional question, which is better than asking you to do a whole bunch of them.
as they should all be pretty similar in basic shape and size, this might be a good way to go about it.
of course, only as and when you have the time AND the motivation, lol :D
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Mission_bug

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #18 on: February 17, 2016, 11:18:21 AM »

Hello Eugene, I just took a look at the latest repaints of the skyscrapers Max did and sure enough no shadows or the hit box so that means making then as well
as a dead model. :(

If you are to do your own you will need certain tools, no point me trying to take you through it unless you can actually have a go and follow me through the
procedure. ;)

I take it you already have mesh Converter, besides that you will need some kind of 3D programme, I use gmax. 

That will also require certain scripts that allows you to open your meshes and ultimately extract them, as borrowing some stuff is only usefull in some instances.

Getting set up is the worst of it, finding everything is a pain but necessary if you want a go.

With all the tools in position I could take you and any one else watching through what I do and make a working example.


Take care.

Wishing you all the very best, Pete. ;D

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SAS~Malone

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2016, 11:28:33 AM »

Pete, i'm familiar with mesh converter, comfortable with hier editing and just today discovered the joy of Kumpel's matrix tool - what i was hoping, was that i could do this without a 3d prog, but if that's essential, i guess i should get one.
now, as many of those skyscrapers are quite similar in shape and size, so i was hoping there was a way to make just one with shadows and hitbox, and then simply clone that for the others that are similar...
but i really feel bad about distracting you from the stuff you're busy with, which is awesome, and this might be a good exercise for one of the younger guys who are already getting into 3d work (Ricky/Ghost_129 comes to mind ;))
let me scout out the landscape first, before i pester you any more with this stuff :D
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WxTech

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #20 on: February 17, 2016, 06:16:30 PM »

Malone,
Adding shadows is dead easy! Just copy the mesh data for the object and paste it into a shadow section following that mesh. Do this for each LOD. Look at any other object's mesh (which has the shadows applied) to see the format. Note that the first three numbers of the six, which define the XYZ vertex, are used. The last three numbers define the surface normals for lighting, which are not needed here, as the surface in the instance is simply a light blocker. It's OK to leave the surface normal data in the shadow section, but you can certainly remove it if you wish.

And for hit boxes, the same procedure can be used, initially at least, whereby you look at an existing object to divine the structure, and for any .him. or .sim files as well. The last sections in the object's mesh (with names containing "Cofo.., and such like strings) of the mesh which have a column of single digits is not understood by me.
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SAS~Malone

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #21 on: February 17, 2016, 09:22:56 PM »

Hi Wx,
that sounds more like something i could handle - i'll experiment with it when i have time today.
would you mind if i directed any queries that might arise during this, to you? :D
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WxTech

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2016, 11:04:33 PM »

Nyet problyema, Malone. Or, No problem, in English.
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SAS~Malone

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Re: Dead.sim and object not 'dying'
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2016, 11:30:03 PM »

cool beans! thanks mate :D
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