Custom unit models are partially invisible

**DekuMemer** · September 09, 2020, 09:46 PM

I am making this post because I have come across a specific issue that I've been unable to solve on my own.

I'm relatively new to M2TW modding, and I've been attempting to get a custom model in the game. The EDU files have been properly edited, and the modeldb entries are functioning properly. However, when I actually enter a battle, the custom unit has parts and geometry that will disappear completely depending on how far away the camera is from the unit. This shouldn't be an LOD issue, because all of the LODs for the unit are set to 0. For example, the entire head of the model will completely vanish unless the camera is close. I've tried this with multiple models, including one I made myself. I've checked the models in blender to see if the normals of the geometry are messed up, but in both milkshape, and in the GOM converter they appear fine. I haven't messed with the models at all in MS3D, I've only checked on them to make sure everything was in order. Does anybody know what's going on!!??

(The yellow textures in the images are intentional, as they are quick placeholders to test.)

Example 1- The Soldiers in this picture have the tip top of their helmets floating, and the Soldiers on the far right (Next to the captain) are barely visible.

https://i.ibb.co/3YjYmM1/20200909185853-1.jpg

Example 2 - The Soldiers in the back are missing their heads.
https://i.ibb.co/L5BMJkr/20200909185906-1.jpg

Example 3 - Here is a view of the .MS3D file version of the Soldier.
https://i.ibb.co/9nYJxr3/fig1.png

Please forgive me if anything I've written is not up to the standards of this website- I barely have ever had to use forums to get an answer. But this time i'm truly stumped.

**Vladyvid** · September 10, 2020, 03:46 AM

First, welcome to the TWC!

As for your problem, i think i know whats wrong, or at least the symptoms are very familiar.

For me it looks like there are some of, or all of the following problems:

- not all vertices are assigned to correct bones, or assigned at all (thats why parts of the model are invisible) in the milkshape model
- there can be some comments missing or wrong comments in the model groups in milkshape, so that should be checked
- there can be wrong texture mapping, but thats hard for me to say because i dont know if this is just a test texture intended as such or not, but wrong texture mapping is possibly also the case at least for some of the model groups

**DekuMemer** · September 10, 2020, 04:25 AM

Thanks for your reply! I'll be sure to look through all those possible problems and see if it fixes my issue.

As for the yellow testing texture, the entire image is solid yellow. But now that I think about it, the model I was using had multiple groups in it, so there's probably some things I wasn't accounting for.

**Vladyvid** · September 10, 2020, 05:21 AM

As for the yellow testing texture, the entire image is solid yellow.

Then there is probably another texture assigned to the attatchment groups, because i see the shields display what looks like one of the vanilla attatchment textures. So for those groups, its not the yellow texture what is assigned.

**DekuMemer** · September 11, 2020, 02:47 AM

Semi-good News! I got the model rigged correctly. I switched to Milkshape 3d 1.8.4 and the model's rigs are working properly. There's no more jesus posing, but I'm still encountering the invisible faces problem.

**Vladyvid** · September 11, 2020, 08:26 AM

So whats the problem? I already told you what to check and correct.

**DekuMemer** · September 11, 2020, 07:42 PM

For context, I redid everything you told me to do with a new custom model that I made myself. It functions the same way as my last reply says, which is that the model's animations work properly with no jesus posing, but the face dissapearing problem still persists. This is what it looks like in MS3D (Flat shaded): https://i.ibb.co/qNGhnyD/Capture.png

I checked my joints, nothing is left that hasn't been assigned, according to milkshape's "Select all unassigned" button.

The mapping of the textures seems to be fine. (See photo below)
https://i.ibb.co/YTtGSYS/Capture.png

Here are my comments on my file. Perhaps i'm making a mistake that I'm unaware of...

Model comments:

0.06288020.177784
0.0845277
1.21358
/

My custom model that I'm using has one group named "herkbody_01", here is it's comment:
Body
herkbody_01
0

None of the materials nor the joints have any comments on them, as I haven't seen any other custom models feature comments on them.

Feel free to let me know if I forgot something.

**Vladyvid** · September 13, 2020, 04:12 AM

Ok, but to solve this i need to see what it looks like in game without those faces like you said, and probably best if you upload your milkshape file so i can check it.

From what you are saying here, i have some ideas what could be wrong, but id rather see than comment blindly. Are the face vertices assigned? Best upload your milkshape file for me to check.

**DekuMemer** · September 13, 2020, 04:56 AM

Sure, here's the milkshape file (.dds texture is included)
herkashonan_infantry_lod0.zip

**DekuMemer** · September 16, 2020, 04:43 PM

I'm gonna do some more research. I feel like I'm making a mistake in how I'm rigging the model.

**Vladyvid** · September 17, 2020, 02:05 AM

Ive taken a look at that model, and yes there are some rigging problems. As for the head, or face, i dont think you should rig the brow and jaw, only the head bone. That may be the problem for the faces bug, im not exactly sure but personally i never rigged those bones. From what else i can remember, the arms are not rigged correctly, but they will still display in game.

EDIT:
Another strange thing i remember, but not sure if it has any effect on how things work - the texture file you have there, that texture is not a square but a rectangle. Ive never seen a rectangle texture file before, and i always assumed that the correct formats are multiples of 256x256 pixels, so either 512x512, 1024x1024 or 2048x2048.

Now im not really sure if that matters, but maybe someone else reading this can comment?

**DekuMemer** · September 17, 2020, 07:12 PM

I'm gonna try to re-rig those things that you mentioned. I'm not sure if the texture file resolution actually does anything, but I'm gonna redo the textures in the correct resolution just in case.

**DekuMemer** · September 17, 2020, 10:20 PM

Good news! Changing the texture's resolution fixed the faces issue, and the models behave as they should. I have one final question. When I go into game, my models are ridiculously shiny. Is this an issue with the normal maps?

**Vladyvid** · September 18, 2020, 03:42 AM

Yes, most likely the alpha channel mask is done wrong.

**DekuMemer** · September 19, 2020, 07:52 PM

I fixed the alpha channel mask and the model is now fully complete, all of my questions have been answered. I greatly appreciate the help you gave me. I would've never figured this out on my own.

**Vladyvid** · September 20, 2020, 04:20 PM

No problem. You can browse the tutorials section for more info about different stuff, so you can learn a lot that way.

**Miscoozi** · September 25, 2020, 01:37 AM

I have a similar problem - how did you fix your texture resolution? Just made ot squared? Mine is 2048x2048.

I live dont have the 'Jesus' units but textures appear and disappear as they move.