How to add LOD to models using HXD or else?

[VINC.XXIII]

Hello,

I'm trying to use the model called "Barb_Base_Full", its a barbarian model that have normal proportions and its barelegs. So its compatible with unused CA Exomis.

Now the issue, its that models has no sprite or LOD I don't know.

[IMG][/IMG]
Do you see what I means?
The model desappears...

My very question is how I add LOD to that model? In HXD its not understable for me, I don't get what is related to LOD or sprites, its a bunch of letters and numbers that not make sense..

I add a screen in AK to show(according myself) what is the issue with that model
If you scroll the LOD part of other models(look where its red...) you will see that other in-game models has their LOD(4 or more)
Now, that barb_base_full one has nothing as 3th LOD(only eyes and mouth, so the body will desappears when you take distance from the unit)
[IMG][/IMG]

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

Hmm what about barb_cine_full?

[VINC.XXIII]

You knows, CA made almost all their barbarians like actual body-builders . There is polygone-clashing if you put Exomis on barb_cine

Only Barb_Full_Base has reasonnable proportions of a normal human that allow to add(without glitches) the unused greek Exomis.

Thanks you for the finding though! but its kinda frustrating

Simpler solution its to know where to add the missing LOD, then reskin the faces to bring diversity and accuracy

[Solitudo]

The various LODs are just the same model with lower poly count. They act mostly when you zoom in and out.
The only way to include them in the game is to take the barb model and adding the other LODs through a 3D program.

[VINC.XXIII]

seriously...arghhhh thats terrible.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

seriously...arghhhh thats terrible.

Okey Guys take it easy now I am looking into it.

Ahhhh just went though all the skin files, and found nothing, the other barb_full get their one nipple to stick out.
its sad that they never finished those two 3d asset, they are that half bad, ahhhh this really bump me out today....

[Comrade Kane]

you shouldn't need LOD 2-4 at all, only LOD1.

I found that when I make models I can get away with not using any LOD at all except the main LOD. I believe that LOD is actually used to show decay and degradation of a model. Example LOD2-4 for a body would be used when the unit was killed and they begin to quickly decay through the LOD stages until they disappear so the disappearing is gradual and not instant. The same happens with weapons and kit. If you don't have those other LODS then the game simply continues to display the main LOD until the timer is up.

LOD, as far as I can tell, is not generally used for distance effects, or at least not directly, and there is a way around it.

Instead simply set one of the other unit models as the imposter, and since the features are not noticeable at such a distance it doesn't matter the imposter is not identical to the original. Thus up close you will see your chosen unit and at a distance where LOD 1 is not visible you will se the LODS of a different unit.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

Do you mean as decay as in "dead bodies vanish"?

Because Lods are there so its doesn't pull to much machine power if I have understood correctly :3

[VINC.XXIII]

you shouldn't need LOD 2-4 at all, only LOD1.

I found that when I make models I can get away with not using any LOD at all except the main LOD. I believe that LOD is actually used to show decay and degradation of a model. Example LOD2-4 for a body would be used when the unit was killed and they begin to quickly decay through the LOD stages until they disappear so the disappearing is gradual and not instant. The same happens with weapons and kit. If you don't have those other LODS then the game simply continues to display the main LOD until the timer is up.

LOD, as far as I can tell, is not generally used for distance effects, or at least not directly, and there is a way around it.

Instead simply set one of the other unit models as the imposter, and since the features are not noticeable at such a distance it doesn't matter the imposter is not identical to the original. Thus up close you will see your chosen unit and at a distance where LOD 1 is not visible you will se the LODS of a different unit.

As you see here(thats the varientmesh of the unit above)
<VARIANT_MESH>
<SLOT name="skin" >
<VARIANT_MESH model="variantmeshes\_variantmodels\man\skin/italic_base_full.rigid_model_v2" imposter_model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/skin/roman_skin1_shape1.rigid_model_v2" />
</SLOT>
</VARIANT_MESH>

Its already have a vanilla imposter model.

[Comrade Kane]

Do you mean as decay as in "dead bodies vanish"?

Because Lods are there so its doesn't pull to much machine power if I have understood correctly :3

Thats what a lot of people think and so did I, but experimenting with making models for Rome 2 I no longer think it's that simple.

Okay when a unit is killed it steadily decays through the LODS until reaching the last and least detailed LOD and then disappearing. This happens for all units killed and rubble and dropped weapons and is the way the game presents decay.

this way dead bodies dropped weapons and rubble don't hang around forever but also don't disappear instantly.

now they DO NOT require LODS. I know because none of my models have more than Lod1 yet work perfectly. When dropped they do not decay but slowly fade. They do not disappear at any distance though they do seem to become more sprite like when zoomed out, which I believe is based on their mip maps which is a texture thing not part of the model itself.

so since models don't require more than Lod1 to work properly, obviously the problem with that particular unit model the OP mentioned is not LOD based.

there is definitely something wrong with it. I have briefly tested it but dismissed it as useful because it seems to have wrong animations or bones assigned to it.

In my opinion the problem lies with the skin modifier of that mesh. That's where they rig in the skeleton and the animations are set by that skeleton. I can make it work when set as an officer but for anything else like general or line unit it glitches. I think they were a third officer type prototypes before it was decided to only have two types line unit and cine. It's a third in between type that was abandoned and it's skeleton is thus different to the others and has missing animations or something like that.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

Hey Just a quick question how do I edit lod tex?

Or disable the other levels of lod models from loading? So it will just be kept at lod1 no matter what.

Ps. editing on a exiting model ingame, the african_headwrap_2

I might have a clue have to test it out later, for current issue and barb_full

[VINC.XXIII]

Hey Just a quick question how do I edit lod tex?

Or disable the other levels of lod models from loading? So it will just be kept at lod1 no matter what.

Ps. editing on a exiting model ingame, the african_headwrap_2

I might have a clue have to test it out later, for current issue and barb_full

The issue its, maybe the lod things are written in the rigid model(that you can open with HXD and that change the textures assignation). But since its a bunch of letters and numbers that make no sense, you cannot understand it. We need Matt Damon
Anyway, please share it if you fix it

[Comrade Kane]

you cannot edit a models lods without access to the raw model files in .max format and using 3ds max

I have thought more and think that perhaps the body has lod 1 and the eyes have lod 1 and maybe lod 2 or higher so that when zoomed in you see everything but when zoomed out it switches to lod 2 or higher and gives you visible eyes but no body. It wouldn't normally switch to a higher lod if none existed, but the higher lods for the eyes force it to switch up. Perhaps. I couldn't tell for sure without the raw files. With the raw files I could fix this model as I have 3ds max.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

Hmmm could not make it work replaced all eyesteeth_*rest of name*.dds, with the respectable counter part barbarian_*rest of name*.dds and it didn't work...........

What if the 3d item get a mask? how will that work out?

Well Butter My ing biscuited and rustled my jimmies!! I made it work with my own model so my theory holds water!!!!!

So I believe it is the model itself which needs to have attach "lod" lines to the model, so far there are no lines to write which texture it needs to pick up then lod_3 get in action. and so on.

And yes I do use HXD for file editing can't remember why?? but it works.

[VINC.XXIII]

.

please do man, that would be a great ressource as well for everyone.
Not only the exomis need that body, but lastly, I've noticed CA modellised a very nice "numidian_tunic", that work only for now on african bodies for the same reason than exomis.(polygone clashing)

Hmmm could not make it work replaced all eyesteeth_*rest of name*.dds, with the respectable counter part barbarian_*rest of name*.dds and it didn't work...........

What if the 3d item get a mask? how will that work out?

Well Butter My ing biscuited and rustled my jimmies!! I made it work with my own model so my theory holds water!!!!!

So I believe it is the model itself which needs to have attach "lod" lines to the model, so far there are no lines to write which texture it needs to pick up then lod_3 get in action. and so on.

And yes I do use HXD for file editing can't remember why?? but it works.

I don't understand.
Did you succeeded to give normal lods to this model?

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

I don't understand.
Did you succeeded to give normal lods to this model?

Yes I forgot to say it was the other model I was working on the african_headwrap_2.
But as I said, I only use HXD so I can't attach new texture to the different lod models, if it even have any?

[Balbor]

i tried using the larger barb model what has all LODs and adding an alpha channel mask to resolve the issue with the clipping but for some reason the mask doesn't work. It just appears as black in game

[VINC.XXIII]

i tried using the larger barb model what has all LODs and adding an alpha channel mask to resolve the issue with the clipping but for some reason the mask doesn't work. It just appears as black in game

I tried too before posting this thread; not every meshes can become invisible by blackouting.

but glad you tested yourself, its prove my theory about black alpha channel.

[Stealth4Health]

I have just noticed this thread and thought I could try to solve this problem by just importing the model into 3ds Max using Ultimate Unwrap3D and then converting it again to rigid_model_v2 by using BOB. Ultimate Unwrapp3D only loads lod1 however. So I would need to recreate the other lods. Also the rigging part could be tough.

When I bring it to work this way, I will come back and tell you.

[Stealth4Health]

Got it to work, created lod2, lod3 and lod4 using the ProOptimizer modifier and the rigging part was far easier than I thought initially. I can upload it somewhere or send it to you if you want.