Need tool for .modelreferencepoints file

[johnwhile]

I need a tool for read the .modelreferencepoints file.
An example of catapult.modelreferencepoints:

   serialization::archive              Engine PushPoint      €?        3·ˆ?      €?                  €?1Ç[À              €?
   Crew_Right   Engine PushPoint  €?        ß&†¿      €?                  €?�a\À              €?       Crew_Left   Artillery FrontPFX  €?        q›¸;      €?    &Ý�@          €?u?              €?   exit01   Engine StationPoint  €?        f3¼?      €?    =*±          €?uQjÀ              €?
   Crew_Right   Engine StationPoint  €?        nË¥¿      €?                  €?DZjÀ              €?       Crew_Left

My interest is decifrate the coordinate (especially for Artillery FrontPFX for change projectile start point).
I sent a message to KnightErrant but i havn't received a response
Anyone can help me ?

[johnwhile]

Sorry, resolved with a little program for convert floating point to hex

[SigniferOne]

Let's get this little project rolling a little. Can you show what hex entry you have changed?

It would be nice to be able to change where the soldiers stand near a siege engine, etc.

[Argantonio]

catapult.modelreferencepoints can be traslated in
Engine PushPoint 1,06809 0.00000 -3.434 Crew_Right
Engine PushPoint -1.0486 0.00000 -3.434 Crew_Left
Artillery FrontPFX 0.005633 4.52699 -5.7425 exit01
Engine StationPoint 1.47031 -0.00000002 -3.66122 Crew_Right
Engine StationPoint -1.2952 0.00000 -3.66175 Crew_Left
Coordinates x , y (height) , z.
Change this numbers with WinHex , you can modified the initial position of the animation missile,
Attachment 54501Attachment 54502
Dummy Crew position pushing the catapult.
Attachment 54503
Dummy Crew position around the catapult.
Attachment 54504
We can add new Engine PushPoint , one or more
Attachment 54523Attachment 54524Attachment 54525
This file are interrelated with descr_engines.txt.
With direct text modified , in descr_engines.txt , catapult have 30 adicional values.

engine_dock_dist distance of engines
Attachment 54514Attachment 54515
engine_mob_dist distance in z coordinate soldiers crew
engine_push_point dummy 0.0 -1.85
engine_station dummy 0.0 -1.93
In study , a correction factor of crew position , delay ... ?
missile_pos 0.0 1.0 0.0 ?

[johnwhile]

OH fanks, i have utilized a floating-point to hex converter (found on the Internet) and number2hex.py created by KnightErrant because i don't know now to create a tool... and resolved by me!

But i need a definitive tool for .modelreferencepoints and .modeltraversablenetwork files

[johnwhile]

I have create scorpio, giant ballista, romancatapult and now i create onager animation and a onager destruction animation whit 3dstudio-reactor and it work when replacing the original catapult but when i create a new siege engine in export_descr_unit.txt, descr_engines.txt, descr_engine_skeleton.txt and descr_projectile.txt don't work... it's really unnerving

[johnwhile]

ops i forgot:
the floatdec.exe convert a hex numer example 5A F3 83 40 (4.123456) into decimal number, you must write 0X4083F35A (i don't know the reason...)

[Argantonio]

Use xvi32
http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...vi32/xvi32.htm
Open New file
Attachment 54545
Click Tools . Encode number. 32bit IEEE double . Here.

P.D. 0X is not a Hex value ,

[johnwhile]

P.D. 0X is not a Hex value ,

yes, but to convert with floatdec.exe is necessary... THANKS FOR INFORMATION

[johnwhile]

Use xvi32
http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...vi32/xvi32.htm
Open New file
Attachment 54545
Click Tools . Encode number. 32bit IEEE double . Here.

P.D. 0X is not a Hex value ,

I have a question: my intention is to add a new referenc-point-value in to a new file.modelreferencepoint exemple i want add:

Artillery BackPFX      €?        ²þá¾      €?    Ô~¶?          €?í]Y¿              €?   exit33

found in siege_monster_ribault.modelreferencepoint and add to catapult.modelreferencepoint ( I think that to add a second projectiles must put exit02, monster ribault has 36 projectile so there are [[exit01,....,exit36]).
My intention is create a multiple projectile start point with classical catapult point (like soldier position) for create a siege_multi_arrow engine (for AnthoniusII at http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...etition&page=6)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

but the game crash. I analyzed the siege_monster_ribault.modelreferencepoint (Mrp) and catapult.Mrp and i understand that is necessary two different code between two reference-point:

exit01   Engine PushPoint

exit05   Artillery FrontPFX

but changing the hex file is dangerous !

[SigniferOne]

Wow Argantonio is there anything you can't do?

So it is possible to modify where the loading crew stand in relation to the siege engine? And how many of them there are (2, or 3, or 1)?

[johnwhile]

any idea for .modeltraversablenetwork files ?

[Argantonio]

ModelTraversableNetwork file controls the path of the units along the interior of the engines.
obviously, only have file with useful information in ladders and towers of siege.
Attachment 54681
The rest of seige_engines (catapult, cannon, ballista...) or models_engines ( guns, bows, javelins...) have an empty modelTraversableNetwork file.
We do not need to get inside cannons or pistols.

The ModelTraversableNetwork file is binary and the information is for the present time is partialy unknow... I think that must be coordinates of position that allow the way into the engine, raise the ladders of seige ladders or seige towers . Is similar to the units paths in the interior of Arrow-Towers, in the file world , KE´ Wacky Table .
Attachment 54682
Rapid modifications, to change for zeros 16 bytes strings , produces bizarre effects... eliminate stair-steps and the soldiers fall to the emptiness.
Attachment 54683Attachment 54684Attachment 54685
Change modelTraversableNetwork file , siege_tower.small for siege_tower.High . see the results in siege tower small , the unit up to the roof , diferent paths.
Attachment 54686Attachment 54687
It is very interesting , in ladders and siege towers the points of reference, push points the ladders,Towers are in desc_engines.txt not in Modelreferncepoints file , and the information to raise the this ladders in modelTraversableNetwork.
Now we must translate modelTraversableNetwork to be able modified.
This file opens ways, since it allows to introduce paths for the units inside new engines.

[johnwhile]

...The rest of seige_engines (catapult, cannon, ballista...) or models_engines ( guns, bows, javelins...) have an empty modelTraversableNetwork...

I had the same intuition... Thanks for your interest, in a few weeks i'm completing my work of new roman's artillery but modelTraversableNetwork files are necessary for change drastically the tower realism

[johnwhile]

Where i find the code that describe the start's time of projectile ?

[Argantonio]

-if: impact frame , specifies the frame of the animation at which weapon impact takes place.
Look at descr_engine_skeleton.txt
Example Type Catapult ,

anim attack_commence data/animations/engine/catapult_fire.CAS -if:45

Open descr_engines.txt , search Catapult

engine_mesh siege_engines/catapult.mesh, 40.0

With GOAT_version1_1 , animerge . catapult.ms3d+catapult-fire.cas = catapult_animby_catapult_fire.ms3d
The animation have 67 frames.

Example change in descr_engine_skeleton.txt file in anim attack_commence -if:45 for -if:4
the animation impact takes place in frame 4.
Attachment 54854
frame 1
Attachment 54855Attachment 54856
frame 4 animation impact
Attachment 54857
frame 67 end of animation
I know the rock missile is present all animation , we can remove after the frame 4

[Eothese]

Thats interseting to know, I renamed an ammo cart I had converted to mesh as siege_monster_ribault to allow it to back-convert to ms3d. You may be able to give me some idea's on a problem of my own...

Suggestions seem very thin on the ground for some reason.

[Eothese]

I thought I'd ask here as you guys seem to know how this works. I want to move the position of the crewman forward, in small_ribault.modelreferencepoints. I have the hex editor, but have never used it. Could you provide an explanation of what to do and most importantly, why?

[johnwhile]

OK, this metod is utilized for all file of windows, same process for bmp, wav, mp3 ecc...
The binary data is not like text data:
Floating point:
a number exemple -4.123456*10^(x) is a classical floating point number what occupies 8 byte*4= 32 bit so (http://babbage.cs.qc.edu/IEEE-754/Decimal.html):
4.123456 (decimal) in single precision= 40:83:F3:5A (hexadecimal= 4byte) = 1.00000111111001101011010 (binary=32bit)
Why is 1 byte = 2 hex numbers/chars ? Because 1 byte = 8bit= maximum number in binary are 11111111 = FF in hexadecimal = 15*10+15= 165 in decimal (ascii table only 127 because other number for special cpu operation).
The floating point rappresentation utilize the standard IEEE 754 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_754-2008) in single(32bit) and double(64bit) precision.
The game utilize single precision because double it's utilized only fo high precision math problems!
1 bit for sign (+/-); 8bit for exsponent; 23 bit for mantissa:
11.876 = 11 + 0.876
11-->1011 integer part
0.876-->0.11100000010000011000 decimal part why 20 bit precision? because 20+4bit of integer part = 24 maximun bit for single precision
11.876 = 1011.11100000010000011000 but it's a floating point so the comma should be moved, like in deciamal (1.8 = 0.18*10^1) =1.01111100000010000011000*2^3
with this operation the first number is always 1 so is not necessary write this bit
= 01111100000010000011000
The exponent now is 3 but the IEEE utilize 127 for 1 ( because there are also negative number) so 3 = 127+3 = 130 = 10000010, exemple if the exponent are -126 = 1 but it must be write 00000001 (the -127 and +127 is utilized for other special operation cpu)
ultimately:
0 (sign=1bit)+10000010(exponent=8bit)+01111100000010000011000(mantissa=23bit)
01000001001111100000010000011000(32bit)= 41 3E 04 18
Unsigned int:
exemple 22= 16:00:00:00 , i don'k know if it's possible this interpretation:
16(hex) =22(decimal)
00 = 0
00 = 0
00 = 0
so the string: 22 0 0 0
nchar or string:
"Artillery BackPFX"=
A= 41
r= 72
t= 75
ecc...
so =41:72:74:69:6C:6C:65:72:79:20:42:61:63:6B:50:46:58 utilize ASCII table, one char= 1 byte = 8bit The Ascii table have 127 (128-1) numbers of char (255 for Ascii2).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
All this is converted quickly and simply with all programming languages like C/C++, Python, java ecc...
You can utiliza a Hex editor or this 010 Editor:
Attachment 70287

--------------------classical data file------------------------------------

16 00 00 00 = 22 is the number of chars of the string "serialization::archive"
73 65 72 69 61 6C 69 7A 61 74 69 6F 6E 3A 3A 61 72 63 68 69 76 65 = the string "serialization::archive"
03 04 04 04 08 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 2C 00 00 00 00 02 = string number: 3 4 4 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 44 0 0 0 0 2 =make attention because the 14th byte is the number 44 and it's the sum of all miniblock that i will explein below

--------------------First miniblock-------------------------------------

11 00 00 00 = 17 is the number of chars of sting "Artillery BackPFX"
41 72 74 69 6C 6C 65 72 79 20 42 61 63 6B 50 46 58 = the string "Artillery BackPFX" (in all file of the medieval2 is utilized this metod)
Only for the first miniblock there are a zero, i don't know why...
00:00:00:00 = 0.0 (only for first miniblock)
00:00:80:3F = 1.0 (all number data are a floating point)
00:00:00:00 = 0.0
00:00:00:00 = 0.0
00:00:00:C0 = -2.0
00:00:00:00
00:00:80:3F
00:00:00:00
00:00:A0:40 = 5.0
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00
00:00:80:3F
17:31:9A:3F = 1.20462310314
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00
00:00:80:3F
06 00 00 00 = number 6 (no floating) = number of char
65 78 69 74 30 31 = string "exit01"

--------------------Other miniblock (total = 44 miniblock)---------------
same procedure but attention: there aren't the first 00:00:00:00.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


AND NOW MY PROGRAM CONVERT IN TEXT FORMAT:

22 serialization::archive
3 4 4 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N=44 0 0 0 0 2 

17 Artillery BackPFX 0
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462155342
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462155342
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462155342
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20234656334
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    2.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20234656334
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    2.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20234656334
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

17 Artillery BackPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    2.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462155342
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462155342
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    5.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462155342
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20234656334
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    2.0    0.0    4.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20234656334
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    2.0    0.0    3.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462310314
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.35098870164e-038
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20234656334
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

18 Artillery FrontPFX 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
0.0    2.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    1.20462167263
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
6 exit01

16 Engine PushPoint 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -1.04806125164
0.0    1.0    0.0    0.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    -3.44345402718
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
9 Crew_Left

16 Engine PushPoint 
1.0    0.0    0.0    2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    0.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    -3.44345402718
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
10 Crew_Right

16 Engine PushPoint 
1.0    0.0    0.0    -2.0
0.0    1.0    0.0    0.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    -3.44345402718
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
9 Crew_Left

16 Engine PushPoint 
1.0    0.0    0.0    1.06809079647
0.0    1.0    0.0    0.0
0.0    0.0    1.0    -3.44345402718
0.0    0.0    0.0    1.0
10 Crew_Right

-------------------------------------------------
exemple first miniblock:
17 Artillery BackPFX 0 (the unknow zero only for first miniblock)
1.0 0.0 0.0 -2.0
0.0 1.0 0.0 5.0
0.0 0.0 1.0 1.20462310314
0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
6 exit01
all this number are a rototraslation matrix so
[1 0 0]
[0 1 0]
[0 0 1]
= identiti matrix (no rotation) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_matrix

movement vector
-2.0 = x ; 5.0 = y ; 1.20462310314 = z (but make attention in the milkshape the x is inverted so is +2.0 in milkshape)

[0 0 0 1] always the same, is not utilized in the game but is necessary to transform the matrix in a 4x4 matrix

[johnwhile]

Artillery BackPFX; Artillery FrontPFX = projectile effect and start point, Argantonio create 20 start point like moster_ribault_engine.
Engine PushPoint; Crew_Left; Crew_Right = soldier position...
You must analize other file to understand now it work Crew_Left or Right is the same thing in the descr_export_engine.txt at the end of file but you already known now it work

If you want to know the magic rotation matrix read this: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...07#post6504307