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So I've been trying to find a way to convert my model to .xsi format but no matter what route I take, I keep running into the same damn problem.  My ideal method was to make them in Gmax, export to .md3, import into Blender 3D, and use OM's .xsi exporter.  That didn't work as when I exported to .xsi all the polygons where separated from each other and I ended up with a model with a huge number of vertices.  So I tried converting .md3 to .obj using Lithunwrap, and then use blender to export to .xsi: same problem.  Even exporting a model made in Blender does this too.  Thinking it was a problem with OM's exporter, I tried using Lithunwrap to convert .md3 to .x.  Looking at the .x file, it too had all tri's separated.  However, if I use Gmax or Lithunwrap to export to .obj I end up with a proper model with each sub-object in one piece.  So, for some reason, converting to .x and .xsi results in seperated, detached polygons.

And, yes, I did make sure the model was in one piece before exporting from Gmax.  Also, all of these tests were done with untextured and unanimated models, if that matters.

So my questions are does anyone know what I'm doing wrong, and what methods do you successful people use to convert to .xsi?

Was there ever added an odf setting that keeps shadows from being rendered for a unit? 
Something like noShadows = 1, and it would mean that no shadows appear from a unit with that setting when shadows are set to high.  Or perhaps a setting in the xsi like how you can add __h or __2 for other effects.

The reason being that I noticed shadows will never render correctly if part of a model is more than ~25-30 meters above the ground.  So for stock buildings like the scion gun spire and that single barrel gun tower wall piece (both well over 30m) this means that they always show part of a shadowy garbled 3d clone next to them.

I'm not really requesting this feature since I'm sure it would be difficult messing with the graphics coding, just wondering whether it had already added at some point.

I've been trying to figure out how animations work in .xsi and .x format but I haven't been able to decipher much so far.  I know there are a few people around here who like to animate in notepad so I was hoping they could give an explanation of the different numbers in the animation sets.

Here's an example from the power generator, the spinning turbine inside of it:

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AnimationSet {
   Animation anim-turbine {
      {frm-turbine}
      SI_AnimationKey {
         0;
         6;
         1; 4; 1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000;;,
         8; 4; 0.758758, 0.000000, -0.651373, 0.000000;;,
         9; 4; 0.688967, -0.000000, -0.724793, -0.000000;;,
         24; 4; -0.688967, -0.000000, -0.724793, -0.000000;;,
         25; 4; 0.758758, 0.000000, 0.651373, 0.000000;;,
         31; 4; 0.994869, 0.000000, 0.101169, 0.000000;;;
I know that it uses a matrix to move, rotate and scale the object but, I don't understand those first two columns of numbers.


Also, what modeling programs (aside from Softimage and Threed) can import .xsi files?

I've been having trouble getting this model I made to work in the game.  I originally made this in Cinema 4D, exported to .x format and (since x2xsi doesn't work for me) I copied the coordinates and stuff into an .xsi file.  The layout of the xsi in notepad looks correct compared to all the other xsi's I've seen, and I can even get the model to open in Threed but, when ever I use it in the game, bz2 crashes. 

Here's the error:

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[ E X C E P T I O N ]
Patch 1.3pb3 EDITOR Aug 10 2006 08:26:12
Type:    ERROR
SubType: FATAL - fatal error
Message: Too many vertices in a tri in: smship00.xsi
Module:  .\meshread.cpp
Line#:   458
Stamp:   Sun Mar 19 23:18:25 2006
CallStack:
7C812A5B +7C812A5B kernel32.dll [Unknown] [Unknown] [Unknown]
0054485A +00B2 bz2edit.exe system debug.obj void __cdecl Debug::Error::Err(char const *,...)
00568E87 +006E bz2edit.exe EXE  void __fastcall ReadFaces(class std::istrstream *,struct MeshFeature &,bool)
00569306 +012A bz2edit.exe EXE  void __fastcall ReadSINormals(class std::istrstream *,struct VectFeature &)
00569884 +0169 bz2edit.exe EXE  bool __fastcall ReadMesh(class std::istrstream *,enum XFileToken &,class Mesh &)
0056A95F +00FA bz2edit.exe EXE  bool __fastcall ReadMeshGroup(class std::istrstream *,enum XFileToken &,class Mesh &,class AnimKey *)
0056BE2B +0451 bz2edit.exe graphics meshread.obj public: static class MeshRoot * __fastcall Mesh::Manager::FindRead(char const *)
0056B9B5 +0059 bz2edit.exe graphics meshread.obj public: static class MeshRoot * __fastcall Mesh::Manager::FindRead(char const *,float,bool,bool,bool)
00496849 +0213 bz2edit.exe EXE GameObjectClass.obj public: __thiscall GameObjectClass::GameObjectClass(class GameObjectClass *,char *)
0047C68B +0019 bz2edit.exe EXE BuildingClass.obj public: __thiscall BuildingClass::BuildingClass(class BuildingClass *,char *)
0047CA73 +001C bz2edit.exe EXE BuildingClass.obj public: virtual class GameObjectClass * __thiscall BuildingClass::BuildClass(char *)
00462257 +0094 bz2edit.exe EXE EditObject.obj public: static void __fastcall EditObject::Command::Process(unsigned long)
005470EA +0018 bz2edit.exe utilsys varitem.obj public: void __thiscall VarSys::VarItem::TriggerCallBack(void)
0057AFB7 +0122 bz2edit.exe EXE  bool __fastcall IFace::InputEventHandler(struct Event &)
0046E88B +0036 bz2edit.exe EXE MissionHandler.obj public: static void __fastcall MissionHandler::State::EditState::Process(void)
005501B0 +0130 bz2edit.exe main runcodes.obj public: void __thiscall RunCodes::Process(void)
0046C305 +000B bz2edit.exe EXE MissionHandler.obj public: static void __fastcall MissionHandler::Process(void)
0054FCB8 +004B bz2edit.exe main mainproc.obj public: static void __fastcall Main::MessagePump(void)
00458549 +0061 bz2edit.exe EXE  void __cdecl AppStart(struct HINSTANCE__ *)
005D39D7 +0177 bz2edit.exe LIBCMT wincrt0.obj ___tmainCRTStartup
7C816FD7 +7C816FD7 kernel32.dll [Unknown] [Unknown] [Unknown]
Registers:
EAX: 02049510h   CS: 0000001Bh  DS: 00000023h
EBX: 00000000h  EIP: 7C812A5Bh  ES: 00000023h
ECX: 00000000h   SS: 00000023h  FS: 0000003Bh
EDX: 01D2F922h  EBP: 02049560h  GS: 00000000h
ESI: 02049590h  ESP: 0204950Ch           
EDI: 0B0FB808h                       
CF: 00200206h PF:0 AF:1 ZF:0 SF:0 OF:0
Entering critical shutdown

At the top it says something about too many verts in tris.  I assume that means its getting hung up on 4 or 5 point polygons but, my model doesn't have any!  I made sure to convert all polygons to triangles before exporting.

Does anyone know a solution or if this error is also a sign of something else?

Oh, and in the .xsi file, do the numbers of spaces between the left margin and the coordinates matter, or are those only there to make it easier to see the different sections?

Ok, this part of odf editing has always bugged me because I can't figure out how it works.  I wasn't able to find much useful info(before the server wipe) on what the different combinations of one, modulate, alpha, invsalpha, etc. meant.  So, has anyone done looked into what each of these does?