A suggestion for BC modellers

[zxiang1983]

I've noticed that you guys have made lots of wonderful new units. As I myself did modelling a lot I'd like to share something with you which I find out recently. Let's take one of your Jerusalem units for example:




As you can see there's an obvious line in the middle of their faces. Actually not only faces but legs, arms, etc as well.




This problem exists in all models done by milkshape and will also lower the performance, causing more lag. However, it is easy to solve. Just reopen your finished models in milkshape. Uncheck the "auto smooth" box in groups tap. Then go to Edit --> refresh textures, save and exit. Finally convert it to .mesh file. You'll find your mesh files become much smaller(which is closer to vanilla meshes). And the annoying line is gone or becomes much better. The performance is also improved.

[AlphaDelta]

Yeah doing that welds the entire model and completely screws the smoothing both in ms3d and in game. It also more often than not glues UV coords together meaning that remapping is near impossible on welded objects.

For most models I weld the verts by hand, but it still creates problems where by UV coordinates get joined and messed up.

If it was as simple as your suggestion I would of done it long ago. Plus even if a solution is found it's far too late as we have over 200 new units with 3 lod's each..600 models to edit. No thanks! Even if an automated script could be coded to do it, it would be near impossible to test that every model has not been screwed in some way.

Cheers

[zxiang1983]

If it was as simple as your suggestion I would of done it long ago. Plus even if a solution is found it's far too late as we have over 200 new units with 3 lod's each..600 models to edit. No thanks! Even if an automated script could be coded to do it, it would be near impossible to test that every model has not been screwed in some way.

Cheers

lol, I understand. But two days ago I just re-did all my private new units, about 100 units, almost all in 4 lods. I'm such a completist.

I didnt even notice it until you pointed it out, it's such a minor detail i dont think there's a problem.

The problem itself is quite tiny and truly not worth fixing. The value of fixing it is improving performance, very noticable improvement.

[Ahiga]

lol, I understand. But two days ago I just re-did all my private new units, about 100 units, almost all in 4 lods. I'm such a completist.



The problem itself is quite tiny and truly not worth fixing. The value of fixing it is improving performance, very noticable improvement.

Hypothetically couldn't you just do this for the first and maybe second LOD? it's not as though at further distances they will be noticable.

If it's easy enough for someone to do without much experience (Just pressing buttons) I might then be able to do it, since I'll have more idle time than AD.

[zxiang1983]

Hypothetically couldn't you just do this for the first and maybe second LOD? it's not as though at further distances they will be noticable.

If it's easy enough for someone to do without much experience (Just pressing buttons) I might then be able to do it, since I'll have more idle time than AD.

It is better to include lod2 and lod3. Because it's the key to the performance improvement. And yes, no experience needed, only press some buttons. Just as I said, uncheck the auto smooth button, open your model, edit-->refresh, save and exit, convert it back to mesh. Done.

[AdmiringtheEnemyeh?]

I didnt even notice it until you pointed it out, it's such a minor detail i dont think there's a problem.

[The Mongol]

I noticed it on a couple of models but figured it would be some sort of annoying unfixable thing. I don't think AD would leave an error like that if it was fixable, the man is a god!

[AlphaDelta]

By the way I've found another way to solve this is to use the "model information" tool. With smoothing unchecked it seems to do the job.

[crazyorc]

i like your second picture... truely asian fashion..