Thermal Signature Question

[Volantarius 1]

Hello I'm having an issue with finding out how to change the thermal image map for a unit.

Is this defined in rvmats? Also how can I change a rvmat without creating duplicates?

Can I use a hiddenSelections entry to change this aswell?

 

Basically all I want to do is make a unit appear blank on thermal.

[Jackal326 1158]

I've been out of the modding scene for quite some time and I'm trying to fall back in where I left off but I'll try to offer some advise as best as my (out of date) knowledge will allow.

The thermal imagery textures are ending with the suffix *_ti_ca.paa

These are defined in the rvmat file as such:

class StageTI
{
	texture = "a3\characters_f\opfor\data\clothing_ti_ca.paa";
};

To change these you would need to edit the relevant rvmat file and then point it to the new texture you've created.

Thats where it (potentially) gets complicated as you'd have to now tell the model to use this new rvmat and the only way to do that (that I'm aware of/can think of) is via hex-editing the model. There may be some tutorials on that somewhere but the basic gist of it is to search for the rvmat that you're wanting to change - alter the hex code to your new path (but making sure you keep the hex path the same number of characters in length so as not to cause the p3d to be unreadable by the game) and then saving it as a new p3d file inside your addon pbo.

[Volantarius 1]

Damn, yeah you're right. I just spent yesterday making a custom face with custom rvmats and the face is the only thing that was cold. All of the uniforms and hats would need a new rvmat.

 

Although I was looking at a arma 3 sample model.cfg and it has properties for metabolism factor and temperature. I could try it on a unit config but im sure its only for model.cfgs.

Thanks a lot!

[Volantarius 1]

Alright so that didn't work.. But I did some thinking. The Wounds class for swapping materials on units has a fully damaged material, and if I swap it with a custom one that has StageTI use a precedual texture I can hide the thermal.

Only issue though is that not all uniforms can't share this custom material but hey it works!

[Volantarius 1]

class Wounds /// changes material of skin according to damage
		{
			tex[] = {};
			mat[] = {
				"A3\Characters_F\Common\Data\basicbody.rvmat", 			/// what material is changed
				"A3\Characters_F\Common\Data\basicbody_injury.rvmat",	/// how does the material look like in damage 0.5 and more
				"A3\Characters_F\Common\Data\basicbody_injury.rvmat",	/// how does the material look like while the part has damage 1
					};
		};

Just to be clear for anyone else, the last two rvmat entries can be custom rvmats. Here they can have the StageTI be different!

[Jackal326 1158]

I've just had another thought.

Depending on which model it is you're altering, provided it is compatible with hiddenSelections, you can use the HiddenSelectionsMaterials config parameter to simply change the rvmat relevant to that selection/texture. That way you don't need to go through the hex-edit route.