Invisible units..

**ashikamlani** · February 02, 2008, 07:01 AM

Hi everyone, sorry if this has been answered somewhere else but I have a slight problem. I created a new unit, Redcoat Musketeers, for England. I edited battle_models file, export_desc_unit etc. I have tried to use the unit in custom battle, and it works, but the unit itself is invisible. Can someone please help me rectify this? Here is the battle_models entry:

18 redcoat_musketeers
1 4
54 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_lod0.mesh 121
54 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_lod1.mesh 900
54 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_lod2.mesh 2500
54 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_lod3.mesh 6400
1
7 england
73 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/textures/RN_Light_Lmail_england.texture
72 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/textures/RN_Light_Lmail_normal.texture
41 unit_sprites/venice_Musketeers_sprite.spr
1
7 england
69 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European CB Gun_england_diff.texture
69 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European CB Gun_england_norm.texture 0
1
4 None
16 MTW2_Fast_Musket
20 MTW2_Non_Shield_Fast 1
19 MTW2_Musket_Primary 1
18 MTW2_Sword_Primary
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002
22 redcoat_musketeers_ug1
1 4
58 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_ug1_lod0.mesh 121
58 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_ug1_lod1.mesh 900
58 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_ug1_lod2.mesh 2500
58 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/musketeers_ug1_lod3.mesh 6400
1
6 england
72 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/textures/RN_Light_Lmail_england.texture
72 unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/textures/RN_Light_Lmail_normal.texture
45 unit_sprites/venice_Musketeers_ug1_sprite.spr
1
7 england
69 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European CB Gun_england_diff.texture
69 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European CB Gun_england_norm.texture 0
1
4 None
16 MTW2_Fast_Musket
20 MTW2_Non_Shield_Fast 1
19 MTW2_Musket_Primary 1
18 MTW2_Sword_Primary
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

Also, when they fire I get the sound of a bow, but I want the sound of a musket. Please help!

**Sher Khan** · February 02, 2008, 08:13 AM

Can we see the export descr unit entry as well?

**ashikamlani** · February 02, 2008, 08:50 AM

Here it is:

type Redcoat Musketeers
dictionary Redcoat_Musketeers ; Musketeers
category infantry
class missile
voice_type Light
banner faction main_missile
banner holy crusade
soldier Cossack_Musketeers, 48, 0, 0.8
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, very_hardy, can_withdraw, gunpowder_unit, fire_by_rank,
formation 1.2, 1.2, 2.4, 2.4, 3, square
stat_health 1, 0
stat_pri 17, 3, musket_bullet, 180, 20, missile, missile_gunpowder, piercing, none, musket_shot_set, 25, 1
;stat_pri_ex 0, 0, 20
stat_pri_attr ap
stat_sec 12, 3, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, sword, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex 0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 0, 9, 0, flesh
;stat_armour_ex 0, 4, 0, 0, 9, 0, 0, flesh
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 2
stat_ground 1, -2, 3, 2
stat_mental 11, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 950, 150, 100, 75, 950, 4, 230
armour_ug_levels 0, 1
armour_ug_models Redcoat_Musketeers, Redcoat_Musketeers_ug1
ownership england
era 2 england
;unit_info 12, 17, 9

I dont understand what I am doing wrong. By the way, this is my first forage into modding, so dont be too harsh if I have made an elementary mistake!

**DisgruntledGoat** · February 02, 2008, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by ashikamlani

Here it is:

type Redcoat Musketeers
dictionary Redcoat_Musketeers ; Musketeers
category infantry
class missile
voice_type Light
banner faction main_missile
banner holy crusade
soldier Cossack_Musketeers, 48, 0, 0.8
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, very_hardy, can_withdraw, gunpowder_unit, fire_by_rank,
formation 1.2, 1.2, 2.4, 2.4, 3, square
stat_health 1, 0
stat_pri 17, 3, musket_bullet, 180, 20, missile, missile_gunpowder, piercing, none, musket_shot_set, 25, 1
;stat_pri_ex 0, 0, 20
stat_pri_attr ap
stat_sec 12, 3, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, sword, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex 0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 0, 9, 0, flesh
;stat_armour_ex 0, 4, 0, 0, 9, 0, 0, flesh
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 2
stat_ground 1, -2, 3, 2
stat_mental 11, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 950, 150, 100, 75, 950, 4, 230
armour_ug_levels 0, 1
armour_ug_models Redcoat_Musketeers, Redcoat_Musketeers_ug1
ownership england
era 2 england
;unit_info 12, 17, 9

I dont understand what I am doing wrong. By the way, this is my first forage into modding, so dont be too harsh if I have made an elementary mistake!

Try changing the line that reads:

soldier Cossack_Musketeers, 48, 0, 0.8

to

soldier redcoat_musketeers, 48, 0, 0.8

There may be a conflict between that line and your armor_ug line.

**ashikamlani** · February 02, 2008, 03:08 PM

unfortunately that does not work... Any other possible solutions?

**Sher Khan** · February 02, 2008, 03:16 PM

I hate this error, it gets me sometimes and is a real annoyance. Along with what DG suggested...

Have you tried adding a name, descr, and descr_short entry in export_units.txt (delete the .strings version after edit)? Sometimes this has solved my invisible unit issues, but not always.

**ashikamlani** · February 04, 2008, 04:28 AM

Originally Posted by Sher Khan

I hate this error, it gets me sometimes and is a real annoyance. Along with what DG suggested...

Have you tried adding a name, descr, and descr_short entry in export_units.txt (delete the .strings version after edit)? Sometimes this has solved my invisible unit issues, but not always.

I havent deleted the .strings version after I edited the exoprt_units.txt. Is this an issue? As soon as I get back to my computer, I will delete the strings version and also I will be able to change the serialisation number like Surgeon said.

Thanks for the help guys, and I will reply with results ASAP!

**KnightErrant** · February 04, 2008, 03:59 PM

It depends where you add them. If you add at the end of the modeldb
file then the number is crucial. If you add in the middle then you just lose
some of the baltest units off the end if you don't change the number.

**ashikamlani** · February 11, 2008, 10:55 AM

I put the new unit at the end. So what should I change the serialisation number to?

**Alletun** · February 03, 2008, 01:02 PM

The soldier line in the EDU only tells the game from which modelDB entry it should get the animations (the animations are specified in the end of the entry, such as fast musket etc.). Therefore the soldier line cannot cause invisible units (it can, at most, cause a CTD if the skeleton used in the animation doesn't match the bone assignments in the model).

Usually when a unit is invisible there are two causes:
1) There is no file at this location:
unit_models/_Units/RN_Light_Lmail/textures/RN_Light_Lmail_england.texture
I think the programming term for this is a null pointer exception. It's probably the most common mistake.
2) Check the alpha channels of your textures. They should be all black. The normal map's alpha channel is where transparency information is stored, so if it's all white the unit will be invisible.

There is one more reason ... but i've been so long out of modding that i've forgotten it ... -_-

Hope any of this helps.

**vonPeretz** · February 03, 2008, 01:14 PM

I have a problem:

This unit was added to new faction (EDU, EDB, battle_models.modeldb). In descr_character.txt for this faction:

strat_model crusader_captain
battle_model Northern_Captain

If there is not my general in a battle (only captain) he is not visible.

Sorry. Generals and captains in the end of the battle_models.modeldb file!

**Surgeon** · February 03, 2008, 01:26 PM

Every time I get the dastardly invisible units it's almost always because I've forgotten to change the serialization line at the top of modelDB. Basically, the very first line of modelDB reads something like "22 serialization::archive 3 0 0 0 0 790 0 0 " (bolding mine). You need to change the bolded number by +1 per entry.

e.i. In your case you have two entries for the redcoats and their upgrade models, so you would need to add 2 to the number, making it 792. Hope that helps.

**DisgruntledGoat** · February 03, 2008, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by Surgeon

Every time I get the dastardly invisible units it's almost always because I've forgotten to change the serialization line at the top of modelDB. Basically, the very first line of modelDB reads something like "22 serialization::archive 3 0 0 0 0 790 0 0 " (bolding mine). You need to change the bolded number by +1 per entry.

e.i. In your case you have two entries for the redcoats and their upgrade models, so you would need to add 2 to the number, making it 792. Hope that helps.

That number is meaningless. Mine has remained unchanged and no issue has ever arisen even though I have added numerous amounts of entries and deleted many as well.

**Surgeon** · February 03, 2008, 02:14 PM

The heck? For me it's always an issue :hmmm:

Edit: Wait, you say you deleted entries too? Technically if you deleted as many as you've added then that would balance it out... However if not then I don't know what's up. For me, every time I don't add one to that number along with a new entry, the units are invisible. If I delete an entry and don't decrease the number, the game crashes. Strange...

**Socal_infidel** · February 11, 2008, 11:28 AM

If that redcoat musketeer is the only new unit you've added, increase the serialization number by two - one for each new model entry you've added (i.e. the initial and the ug1 models).