Model partially underground

[KaRRiLLioN 0]

I have 3 models that I've been trying to understand.  One is a tank model, the other a WW2 halftrack, and the other a WW2 plane.

The tank and halftrack look fine when tested on my PC and fine when I use them on the dedicated server, but if an AI local to the dedicated server use either, or if it is just sitting there unused, i.e. spawned local to the server, then their treads are partially underground and they bounce.

I've tried adjusting land contact lod's, naming them, looking at roadway lod's and GEO to make sure nothing is underneath the land contact LOD's but I'm having no luck at all figuring it out.  I've also adjusted mass as well and even redone the Geo LOD.  Anyone have any idea?

On the plane, it too looks fine when I or another player use it on the dedicated server i.e. locally on a machine, but if it is sitting on the ground and local to the dedicated server then it bounces and doesn't stop until a player gets in it.

I've done all the same things for it, named the 3 land contact LOD's properly, remade the Geo LOD, given it 8,000 mass, deleted all roadway lod's, and even redone the land lod but nothing works.

So they all work fine and normally if used in SP or if a player uses them on the dedicated server, but if they are local to the dedicated server then they exhibit this odd behaviour.

Can someone please tell me what demon has possessed these blasted units?

[[aps]gnat 28]

I do remember something being said (about choppers and cars I think) once about crew and/or cargo proxies interfering with ground contact if not "done properly".

Not sure what "proper" is or why it would change from SP to MP ......

Sorry, maybe a pointer anyway .....

[chris330 0]

Can you send me over an MLOD and an associated config file for one of the units you are having trouble with - ideally a ground unit? I hate seeing people have trouble with such oddball problems as I know how frustrating they can be and I'd like to help you

I know this is stating the obvious but it appears something is causing the vehicle to have reactions with the ground for some but reason but I am puzzled as to why it is only happening with empty and AI vehicles.

Do other empty and AI operated units behave acceptably in the same scenario?

The fact that they are stable perhaps means there is nothing wrong with the model at all. Maybe there is some kind of positional data conflict going on during multiplayer games which is causing phantom discrepencies which makes the game engine cause the vehicle to react.

Is it possible there is a weird kind of double vehicle spawn going on and it is infact reacting directly with a copy of itself which is at the exact same location?

These are only suggestions I have just thrown out which I thought up on the spot. If you want me to go into a very large amount of detail for you then get back to me and you can send me the model over

[KaRRiLLioN 0]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this; I've been afk for a few days.

I can post the files on my FTP.  I've been working on a large compilation pack for my server which unifies all of the best WWII stuff and have pretty much finished it except for these oddities.

I already replaced one of the troublesome tanks, the Jagdpanzer V by John, I think, with the one by Jean Cristophe--it suffers no such issues.

I'll post the master config and troublesome units on the ftp for you and PM you the dload info.

Alternatively I also have around 20-30 WWII coops I made already on the server several of which use the vehicles in question and you're welcome to download the entire pack from my OFPwatch server (see sig) if you want to see the issue in action on the server.

Just LMK which you prefer.

Thanks!

[AiRBLaDE 0]

I also have this problem with some of my models, if I use them for unit replacement, certain models will appear to be either in the ground, or floating in the air.

so post a solution here, if you find what the problem is.

[chris330 0]

I already replaced one of the troublesome tanks, the Jagdpanzer V by John, I think, with the one by Jean Cristophe--it suffers no such issues.

Then we should be able to find out what the difference between the two is if we look hard enough.

I'll post the master config and troublesome units on the ftp for you and PM you the dload info.

That would be great. I'd love to get to the bottom of this one. I hate OFP bugs.

Alternatively I also have around 20-30 WWII coops I made already on the server several of which use the vehicles in question and you're welcome to download the entire pack from my OFPwatch server (see sig) if you want to see the issue in action on the server.

Just LMK which you prefer.

I would prefer to have a good look at an MLOD model (ideally for vehicles made by both authors) that I can get right into in my own time.

I would however definitely like to see for myself the problem in action also. I've got to go to work right now as I have a part-time job in a pub but I will reply later.

Just one dumb question, could I connect to a dedicated server and test out these units even if I were the only one playing? Or if I hosted my own multiplayer session on my own machine would I see this behaviour? Once I've have seen it once I should be ok.

Hope to hear from you soon.

*AiRBLaDE I will post up any solutions I find

[Guest RKSL-Rock]

Its usually down to missing driver/cargo proxies from lods - its not so much a hard and fast rule as a quirk of some models.

Try adding the cargoi proxies to the land contact lod and see what happens.

[chris330 0]

Its usually down to missing driver/cargo proxies from lods - its not so much a hard and fast rule as a quirk of some models.

Try adding the cargoi proxies to the land contact lod and see what happens.

Good suggestion Rock, thanks for mentioning it It would be nice though if we could work out exactly why this happens for some models and not others. I'd love to see two addons side by side, one which suffers from it and one which does not so the difference could be found.

I'd be more than happy to put a lot of work into that one

[KaRRiLLioN 0]

You can get the zip file with the master config and the Jagdpanzer in two separate folders that you'll need to pbo. There are two p3d models in the Jagpanzer folder. The BCW_Jagdpanzer.p3d is the Jean Cristophe model which works fine, then the BCW_Jagdpanzer2.p3d file is the one which starts with its treads partially undergound only when it's on a dedicated server and a player is not in it.

You can join a dedicated server and see the models in action but you'll need to have the addons on the server obviously. I have some missions with these in it but you need the entire ww2 pack and I don't have the messed up Jagdpanzer in the pack anymore.

What I usually do is at home I have another machine that I set up a dedicated server on and then test items on. I worked on this and the other two models I mentioned but could never figure out what caused them to behave oddly in MP but not in SP or when a player was in them. If the vcl is local to you then it sits on the ground properly, but if it's local to the dedicated server then it behaves oddly.

Anyway get the zip at this link:

ftp://addons:corn@208.63.124.254/BCW_Test.zip

You'll have to adjust the config.cpp in the BCW_Config.pbo to add the 2nd Jagdpanzer model, btw. ATM it's configged with the first one.

If you want the entire pack to play with it's here:

ftp://addons:corn@208.63.124.254/@bcw1.zip

and the config items here:

ftp://addons:corn@208.63.124.254/@bcwconfig.zip

There are several coop missions and such on my server (see sig) to see the issue in.

[chris330 0]

Just been sorting out something for (I think) a German guy who has been porting FS2002 textures into Flashpoint to make some superb static planes. I'll have a damn good look at both models both in Oxygen and their configs and see if I can spot anything.

It would help if you could point me in the direction of the best dedicated server to look at the problem on. I have no idea where to go to see it at the moment

**Edit:

Quote[/b] ]It would help if you could point me in the direction of the best dedicated server to look at the problem on. I have no idea where to go to see it at the moment

Spot the gut who didn't read the last line of someone's post or their signature

[chris330 0]

Okay on a first pass study I have noticed a few inconsistencies in the original version which have been done far more reliably in the version that works. In particular (and this would seem to tie in well with what has been mentioned so far) in the Gunner, Driver and Commander proxies. In the old Jagdpanzer their positions very quite dramatically for each distance LOD whereas they are positionally rock solid throughout the entire LOD range for the Jean Christophe version.

Just on a side note too I can hardly believe how good these models are. They are incredibly good renditions of the real thing.

Whilst on the subject I even read in the addon ownership thread that some military customers of VBS have been using community made OFP addons for their simulations and training exercises! Seeing the quality of this stuff leaves me in no doubt as to why

I will make sure that the next step I take is to witness this problem in action on your server. Is there a specific mission which would be best to view it on?

[KaRRiLLioN 0]

Hmm, I'll check into that. There are several WW2 missions on my server but none of them use the buggy model for the Jagdpanzer V. You'd also need the entire pack from my earlier post to try it out.

Band of Brothers is one that has the halftracks roaming around and you can see how they bounce around. There's about 20 coops or so and 10 CTF's that have those vcls in it I believe, just look for ww2 in the file name when looking at missions. Several are on Normandy.

Thanks!

[UNN 0]

Quote[/b] ]I will make sure that the next step I take is to witness this problem in action on your server. Is there a specific mission which would be best to view it on?

Chris, download the OFP server and run it on the same machine you run the game on. You should be able to connect up to the dedicated server localy. It's not good for testing some MP things, but it should allow you to see the problem caused by proxies.

All you need to do is make a simple MP test mission. Just in case you don't know already, you need to close the server every time you change\update your test mission.

[chris330 0]

Quote[/b] ]I will make sure that the next step I take is to witness this problem in action on your server. Is there a specific mission which would be best to view it on?

Chris, download the OFP server and run it on the same machine you run the game on. You should be able to connect up to the dedicated server localy. It's not good for testing some MP things, but it should allow you to see the problem caused by proxies.

All you need to do is make a simple MP test mission. Just in case you don't know already, you need to close the server every time you change\update your test mission.

If only everybody in the community had the same attitude you do UNN we'd be alot further on than we are now when it comes to understanding this game

Thanks again mate, I'll do exactly as you suggested