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Thread: Equipment variant part mesh question and MS3D Issues

  1. #1

    Default Equipment variant part mesh question and MS3D Issues

    Attempting to add some new equipment to NTW. Questions:

    1. Is it possible to create a new equipment variant part mesh e.g. mesh3.variant_part_mesh?
    • If so is there a db table where the mesh is associated with the texture as in ETW (not the equipment mesh though, in ETW each model in the mesh is associated to a texture)? If so I haven't found it yet.


    2. I have the following issues and don't know if this is correct. When I export the models from MS3D as a variant part mesh and then re-import the vpm into MS3D to check them:
    • I get a message stating that 'This is a type 1 soft skinned mesh and that I need to specify a skeleton, even though there is a skeleton in the mesh as far as I can see.
    • I then can see all the models in the mesh, followed by additional lods in incremental numbers that I did not make, that have nothing in the comments box.
    • - Is this normal?
    Last edited by pappagoat; October 16, 2017 at 05:21 PM.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Equipment variant part mesh question and MS3D Issues

    Quote Originally Posted by pappagoat View Post
    • - Is this normal?
    Everything is normal. The way NTW works is very different from ETW. The game loads the LoDs based on the distance on the fly and every LOD is already present inside a single file, the VPM, for each and every part of the units (which means that you'll need to modify all 4 parts if you want your model to appear consistent from a distance).
    To load the mesh with the correct skeletal pose, you'll have to extract the "tpose.anim" animation first, found in data.pack\animations\reference\ and then load that one when prompted to do so otherwise the mesh itself will appear distorted.

    As for equipment, the textures that are loaded are called mesh and mesh2 .DDS and are located in variantmodels.pack, under unitparts\equipment, as well as the main equipment files mesh.vpm and mesh2.vpm.
    You may be tempted to modify the old ETW files present inside data.pack called "equip_" and "equip_small_packed", however those are only meant for units loaded with the legacy code from ETW (yes you can create units in the old style as well) which are mostly seamen, artillery pieces or placeholder units when the game doesnt find the main .vpm files to avoid crashing to desktop.

    And no, you cannot create mesh3 or add an extra texture.
    My Mods and Projects

    - Realism Core v5 for La Monteé de L'Empire 4.2 (NTW)
    - Battle Chaos, give life to your fights! (NTW)
    - Battleterrain Mod, larger, better campaign battle maps (NTW)
    - Developer for 1800 (ETW) battle mechanics, unit stats
    - Developer for Victoria Total War (ETW) unit modeller \ texturer
    - Developer of Rise of the Eagles (MTW2 - HOSTED), creator \ db \ models \ textures
    - Risorgimento 1859 The Franco-Austrian War (NTW), creator \ developer

  3. #3

    Default Re: Equipment variant part mesh question and MS3D Issues

    Hmmm ok.. so basically I want to put to use all the musket models I have developed for ETW into NTW. They will require a completely separate texture due to the number....

    So, if I cant create a new vpm, and I cant add a second texture to an existing vpm... then it would seem my only solution would be to put the musket models into the "equip" mesh and do it ETW style if that can work... or try to see if I can enlarge an existing texture of the VPMs to make room for the new textures for the muskets.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Equipment variant part mesh question and MS3D Issues

    I believe you have quite a lot of space in mesh2 dds. Otherwise just overwrite the original muskets and replace their texture directly in mesh dds. You cant do anything else.
    My Mods and Projects

    - Realism Core v5 for La Monteé de L'Empire 4.2 (NTW)
    - Battle Chaos, give life to your fights! (NTW)
    - Battleterrain Mod, larger, better campaign battle maps (NTW)
    - Developer for 1800 (ETW) battle mechanics, unit stats
    - Developer for Victoria Total War (ETW) unit modeller \ texturer
    - Developer of Rise of the Eagles (MTW2 - HOSTED), creator \ db \ models \ textures
    - Risorgimento 1859 The Franco-Austrian War (NTW), creator \ developer

  5. #5

    Default Re: Equipment variant part mesh question and MS3D Issues

    Added them to mesh two. It's crashing the game, no idea why. Going to have to play around with this a bit.

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