Getting model into game

[mrtwosheds]

Normally people use little pyramids for hardpoints, they have the lowest poly count, the shape does not really matter. Weapons will fire from its axis wherever you decide to place them
hp_eyepoint is the point that the pilot views from, the model will not work in bz2 without one.
hp_com is where the select/target reticle will point to and where the AI will shoot at.
A cockpit is a separate model from the ship, referenced in the ships odf file if it has a cockpit.

[Clavin12]

So you could place hp_com outside the ship a little ways and make it impossible to hit by AI?

[Nielk1]

Depending on the angle. They could get lucky.

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

Yes the hp triangles are 2d objects with 2 faces to cut down on the poly count. Just make sure the rotational values read 0 0 0 otherwise your hp's will do strange things like make your weapons fire in the wrong direction and do other odd stuff. You can check these values in TS by selecting the hp and right clicking object tool icon to open the info window to see the numbers for rotation.

Really, every part's rotation should be set/reset 0 0 0 prior to exporting the X file from TS.

I followed the tut and only found one potential issue involving the flame_1__h part. In TS when you separate this part the rotation needs to be reset to 0 0 0 otherhwise the flame points in the wrong direction, but it loaded without crashing BZII.

Potential, another issue to look at is when saving the ODF file make sure Notepad doesn't add .txt at the end of myscout.odf.txt. It needs to read as myscout.odf

On my version of NP I first select all files in the save as type and not Text Documents. This itself will probably create a prob with BZII itself. As I mentioned earlier a missing cockpit object will not crash BZII.

PS: I'm attempting to send you a sample scout model I made a while back along with the TS SCN file, XSI converted file and the associated ODF file. Will do as time allows...BNG.

[OvermindDL1]

HP's are nothing in BZ2, their mesh is never even loaded.  The only thing that matters to an HP is the FrameTransformationMatrix as it defines the position and orientation of the HP.  If you program supports creating a frame without any points, you could easily go that route.
Generated by OvermindDL1's Signature Auto-Add Script via GreaseMonkey

[Nielk1]

Which is why when I have emit hps for draw geoms they look like the drawn geom in the model. It lets me see it out of game while not messing up in game.

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

I updated my Truespace tutorial with some pics and edited the content a bit. Hopefully, it will help other modders appreciate the power of such a simple to use 3d modeling application. BNG

[Kalshion]

Having my own set of problems right now =|

Was tasked with creating a structure for the game, the model editor loads it up just fine. But BZ2 Crashes out when I try to put it into the game.

Error message is pretty confusing to me, so I'll post it up. It's similiar to what was listed in the first post here - but there's details added on that have me baffled. This is my first time working with XSI files and such, so I'm completely new.

I've included the last bit of the log file, perhaps someone here can find something - I did use Overmind's Blender XSI Exporter and at least two people I've talked to think the exporter might be screwing something up, but I don't know anyone who use's Blender for modeling and is able to export using this XSI Exporter (The XSI in Blender that comes with it is an updated version, which BZ2 seems to HATE)

Pay special attention to what is listed after the "Too many vertices in a tri in: ShieldGen.xsi", that is what I'm getting confused on.. and wondering how THAT is possible.

Code Select Expand

DIAG|            runcodes:154  |14:40:59|27426  |[Edit] Entering run code [object]
DIAG|            meshread:2146 |14:41:12|40915  |Missing binary mesh ShieldGen.xsi, use XSI
DIAG|            meshread:2157 |14:41:12|40915  |Building ShieldGen .msh
DIAG|            iconsole:530  |14:41:12|40916  |[CONSOLE] Building ShieldGen .msh (Remember to copy to MOD distribution!)
ERR |              bitmap:1313 |14:41:12|40926  |Can't load texture [MTex (Material)].pic.
DIAG|         ParameterDB:208  |14:41:12|40926  |Last few opened ODFs:
DIAG|         ParameterDB:213  |14:41:12|40926  | 1 : ShieldGen.odf
DIAG|         ParameterDB:213  |14:41:12|40926  | 2 : InsanityPre.TRN
DIAG|         ParameterDB:213  |14:41:12|40926  | 3 : shieldeffect.odf
ERR |               debug:715  |14:41:12|40926  |.\meshread.cpp(444)
ERR |               debug:716  |14:41:12|40926  |Mon Jun 15 17:15:08 2009
ERR |               debug:717  |14:41:12|40926  |Too many vertices in a tri in: ShieldGen.xsi (count = -6, MAX_FACE_INDEX = 256)
DIAG|                DXUT:1516 |14:41:14|43124  | DXUT pause on minimize
ERR |                 log:1784 |14:41:17|45660  |abort() requested from '.\debug.cpp':730
DIAG|                 log:1785 |14:41:17|45661  |End of line...
ERR |    ExceptionHandler:243  |14:41:18|46824  |---- Battlezone II Log File ----

[bigbadbogie]

Which version of BZ2 are you using?

1.3 PB5.1 increases the maximum vertice count by a lot.

In previous patches, the most you could have was around 1000.

[Warfreak]

It's spazzing out due to the missing texture it looks. A model CANNOT point to a nonexistant texture.

[Nielk1]

It's spazzing out due to the missing texture it looks. A model CANNOT point to a nonexistant texture.

Yes, yes you can.

[VSMIT]

In previous patches, the most you could have was around 1000.

In previous patches, the max number of polys was 2730&2/3.

[Kalshion]

Which version of BZ2 are you using?

1.3 PB5.1 increases the maximum vertice count by a lot.

In previous patches, the most you could have was around 1000.

I'm currently using the latest public build.

And the model DOES have textures on it (generic textures from Blender itself, but textures none-the-less) though I did try it without the textures, results were the same both ways.

So, any other idea's here? =(

I mean, if it's needed, I can always hand the XSI off to someone and they can figure out if something isn't right in the file. (I'd post the contents of the XSI here, but there's a char limit)

[bigbadbogie]

The only problem that it could possibly be is that the model has too many vertices.

Simple.

[Kalshion]

The first structure I tried had close to 19k vertices (this was the intended structure)

The second structure I tried had only 10 vertices

So I have to question whether it's the vertices that are causing the issue.