Struggling with troubleshooting invisible unit

[Micon]

Mod: Third age total war: Divide and Conquer

After getting a knack for editing text files, I have begun trying to edit models and textures. I attempted to create a new unit by merging parts of two gondorian units. The model looks good with texture in milkshape, but is invisible in game. I used the GOM converter to convert the model back to mesh, and DXTbmp to convert the texture.


Unit 1: Gondorian infantry
Unit 2: Warden of the White Tower


programs used:
Milkshape 1.8.4
GIMP 2
GOM converter
DXTBmp
Texture2dds


Milkshape work:
I merged the gondor infantry model with the white warden surcoat, shield and sword. I attempted to close the top part of the rear surcoat by adding two planes and grouping them as Backplate_1. I linked this group to the figure texture.


Texture work:
Figure texture: I changed the surcoat texture of the unit.
Attachtment texture: I changed shield and sword hilt colour.

For the norm textures i used the Gondor infantry for the figure, and white warden for the attachment.




Yes, I know I spelled Ithilien wrong.


modeldb entry:

Increased the number of entries at the top from 1019 to 1020.

Modeldb

ithilen_reclaimers 1 1 51 unit_models/_Units/NGU/ithilen_reclaimers_lod0.mesh 6400 1 6 sicily 63 unit_models/_Units/NGU/textures/ithilen_reclaimers_diff.texture 63 unit_models/_Units/NGU/textures/ithilen_reclaimers_norm.texture 46 unit_sprites/sicily_gondor_infantry_sprite.spr 1 6 sicily 78 unit_models/_Units/NGU/attachments/ithilen_reclaimers_attachments_diff.texture 78 unit_models/_Units/NGU/attachments/ithilen_reclaimers_attachments_norm.texture 0 1 4 None 14 MTW2_Swordsman 0 2 18 MTW2_Sword_Primary 14 fs_test_shield 0 16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

Export_unit

type ithilen_reclaimers dictionary ithilen_reclaimers category infantry class heavy voice_type Heavy accent GondorInfantry banner faction main_infantry banner holy crusade soldier ithilen_reclaimers, 50, 0, 1.2 officer gondor_captain_early_flag officer gondor_captain_early_flag mount_effect camel -1, elephant -2, simple horse -2 attributes sea_faring, very_hardy, can_withdraw, free_upkeep_unit formation 1.2, 1.0, 2.4, 2.0, 5, square stat_health 1, 3 stat_pri 11, 4, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, sword, 15, 1 stat_pri_attr no stat_sec 0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, melee_simple, blunt, none, 0, 1 stat_sec_attr no stat_pri_armour 14, 8, 5, metal stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh stat_heat 4 stat_ground 1, -2, 0, -1 stat_mental 17, disciplined, highly_trained, lock_morale stat_charge_dist 6 stat_fire_delay 0 stat_food 60, 300 stat_cost 3, 1170, 400, 200, 200, 1170, 1, 117 armour_ug_levels 5 armour_ug_models ithilen_reclaimer ownership sicily era 0 sicily era 1 sicily era 2 sicily recruit_priority_offset 60

model mesh and textures files provided in the link bellow.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fyfj9xdv8...NsXTgxmUa?dl=0


Any help is appreciated.

[paleologos]

Try this in your game and post some screenshots of the results whatever they are:
ithilen_reclaimers_1_lod0.7z

[stevietheconquer]

in the modeldb,you must put a number before the unit name,like ithilen_reclaimers, must be 18 ithilen_reclaimers ,just a thought,because i have sometimes invisible unit because of this little mistake

[paleologos]

in the modeldb,you must put a number before the unit name,like ithilen_reclaimers, must be 18 ithilen_reclaimers ,just a thought,because i have sometimes invisible unit because of this little mistake

How did I miss that one!
It is like stevie says:
The first number in every line tell the program how many letters to the name that follows.
If you miss that number the game will ignore the following entry.
In this case the name "ithilen_reclaimers" is made up from 18 letters so the line needs to be"
18 ithilen_reclaimers

Try this with your original model and if it doesn't work try my model because I did find and fix some errors and I don't now how much trouble they would create.
Do come back to post screenshots and tell us how it worked.

[Micon]

Thanks for the fast responses. The number for the name missing was my mistake, I copied the content without checking every line. The number 18 is in place.
I changed the model to the one you provided, Paleologos, but the unit is still invisible.

I have attached two pictures of the unit in the link bellow.



https://imgur.com/a/JTHxS





By the way, what changes did you make to the model, Paleologos?

[paleologos]

They were in the comments of the whole model and some of the groups.
You can compare and see.

[paleologos]

Let me take a look at the textures.

[paleologos]

Let me take a look at the textures.

Someone is going to have to upload those textures you know...

[Micon]

Someone is going to have to upload those textures you know...

The textures are supposed to be included in the OP link, in sub folders called textures, and attachment.

[paleologos]

The textures are supposed to be included in the OP link, in sub folders called textures, and attachment.

Sorry, I was in a rush earlier and did not notice.
I had to download five files separately though.
Next time place them all in a folder and compress the folder, like this:
2nd_Try.7z

Use the files in the folder, make sure you have the spelling right in the game's text files and let me know what happens.

[Micon]

They are no longer invisible. Got the crucifix thing going on though. https://imgur.com/a/tHDxJ
The shield texture are also missing. Have the shield group been unlinked to the attachment texture? Did you change anything with the textures? Was it the norm.textures that was done wrong?
Thank you.

[paleologos]

I changed two things with the textures.
One of them was save in DXT1, I re-saved in DXT5 as it ought to be.
Another was named in a way that did not match the Modeldb name.

I will not work with it any more tonight, I will pick it up tomorrow again.
If you want to keep working at it port it to milkshape and re-assign all vertices.
It's a tedious thing to do, but it's part of fixing it.

[Micon]

Thank you for all your help, Paleologos, and thanks Stevietheconqueror. I will try to do the rest myself.

Cheers.

[paleologos]

If you still find that you cannot fix it, post here again, that's what I'm here for.