Need help with model issue....

[Meatball0311 79]

I have been working on my first addon and finally got it in game, but there seems to be an issue with its placement in game. It is a backpack and it attaches a few meters to the left of the unit and I dont have any idea on how to fix it. Any suggestions?

[namman2 0]

i guess you used a proxy for this then the radio pack must pe centered in the p3d ,

just open the p3d and got to structure and select center all

hope that helps

[scars09 9]

if it isn´t a proxy its not added to the needed named selections. it must be member of spine2 and spine3 for sure, maybe also spine1 with lower percentage. make a named selection from the radio model and edit the weights manually, spine1 25%, spine2 75% and spine3 100%, should work then.

[Meatball0311 79]

Thanks for all of your help..

A little bit more info about the addon..

1. I do not have any proxy's for the addon. I do not understand them so if someone could explain what and how to make them I would appreciate that.

2. I went back and selected all and went to Structure > Center All and this is what I got

---------- Post added at 10:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:25 AM ----------

can someone please explain how I would make a proxy for this?

Edited June 4, 2010 by Meatball0311

[PuFu 4600]

dont understand what is wireframe?

Post a image from your O2 p3d workspace (as in screenshot)

Thanks for the explaination... I will use your code and a single folder named rum_prc117_ruck.

Please pay attention to the details posted there.

I have been in talks with Evil Echo and he has given me advice in making the multiple folders. I may misunderstood though since this is all new to me.

You could use it both ways really. I am just saying your are over complicated things instead of simplifying them..

The model.cfg is a new thing that I think may help out.

That is why the code i posted in the other thread is FOR YOUR OWN model.cfg to use.

Also I have no proxy's in my O2 model...

Neither does any of the ACE rucks..

I would ask Echo to grant me permission to look over one of the ACE ruck p3d models(i am currently not and ACE dev anymore) - (that you can download from ACE repro for preview purpose yourself, non-binarized) and have a compared look.

BTW: do you have a memory lod? do you have a view pilot lod?

[Meatball0311 79]

Post a image from your O2 p3d workspace (as in screenshot)

I have bought fraps and it works in buldozer but not in the workspace... how would I capture an image of the workspace?

Please pay attention to the details posted there.

I am trying but it is giving me an error about end of line in config? this is what I have:

1. folder named "rum_prc117ruck"

2. in that folder I have:

$PBOPREFIX$

rum_prc117ruck

config.cpp (I hope I copied your code correctly and I believe I did not do anything except add line #define _ARMA_ and add a third }; at the end)

#define _ARMA_

class CfgPatches

{

class RUM_Radio_Ruck

{

units[] = {};

weapons[] ={ "RUM_PRC117" };

requiredVersion = 0.1;

requiredAddons[] = {"ace_sys_ruck"};

version = 1.0;

author[] = {"Meatball0311"};

};

};

class CfgWeapons

{

class ACE_Rucksack;

class RUM_PRC117: ACE_Rucksack

{

scope = 2;

ACE_PackSize = 20250;

ACE_Size = 20251;

ACE_Weight = 6.5;

displayName = "PRC-117";

model = "\rum_prc117ruck\data\RUM_PRC117.p3d";

picture = "\rum_prc117ruck\data\thumbpic.paa"; Where do I get this .paa file from?

descriptionShort = "PRC 117 radio pack";

};

};

};

folder named data with my RUM_PRC117.p3d and RUM_PRC117textures.paa files

but

That is why the code i posted in the other thread is FOR YOUR OWN model.cfg to use.

so I need in the data file a model.cfg that consists of this:

class Rotation

{

type = "rotation";

memory = 1;

minValue = 0;

maxValue = 1;

angle0 = 0;

angle1 = 1;

};

class CfgSkeletons

{

class Default

{

isDiscrete = 1;

skeletonInherit = "";

skeletonBones[] = {};

};

class ace_ruck_skeleton: Default

{

skeletonInherit = "Default";

skeletonBones[]={};

};

};

class CfgModels

{

class Default

{

sectionsInherit="";

sections[] = {};

skeletonName = "";

};

class RUM_PRC117: Default {};

I would ask Echo to grant me permission to look over one of the ACE ruck p3d models(i am currently not and ACE dev anymore) - (that you can download from ACE repro for preview purpose yourself, non-binarized) and have a compared look

I sent a message to him

BTW: do you have a memory lod? do you have a view pilot lod?

I have a memory lod, geometry lod, and resolution lods 0.000 - 3.000 but I do not have a view pilot.

Hope this will give you an idea of where I am at and like I mentioned earlier I am getting a " File, line 1 config: End of line encountered after rum_prc117ruckfig.cpp" when I try an launch game.

[PuFu 4600]

I have bought fraps and it works in buldozer but not in the workspace... how would I capture an image of the workspace?

LOL!!! - Made me day.

Print Screen BUTTON on your Keyboard (above numpad) then Paste in PS or Gimp or Paint or whatever??

I am trying but it is giving me an error about end of line in config?

Can you be more specific and paste the error here? Find it in the RPT

See if all {} are closed (as in a starting { needs to have a } when class closes), and after end of line there is a ;

At a brief glance the code look ok

config.cpp (I hope I copied your code correctly and I believe I did not do anything except add line #define _ARMA_ and add a third }; at the end)

that could be your culprit

picture = "\rum_prc117ruck\data\thumbpic.paa"; Where do I get this .paa file from?

you make it. That is the inventory picture

so I need in the data file a model.cfg that consists of this:

yes.

[Meatball0311 79]

LOL!!! - Made me day.

Print Screen BUTTON on your Keyboard (above numpad) then Paste in PS or Gimp or Paint or whatever??

glad I made you laugh :)

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/workarea.jpg

Can you be more specific and paste the error here? Find it in the RPT

this is what it is giving me:

ErrorMessage: File , line 1: Config: End of line encountered after rum_prc117ruckfig.cpp

See if all {} are closed (as in a starting { needs to have a } when class closes), and after end of line there is a ;

At a brief glance the code look ok

I cant see any

that could be your culprit

removed them still getting error

you make it. That is the inventory picture

I will make one but this should not be causing the problem.

[Meatball0311 79]

UPDATE:

All day I have been getting this error

ErrorMessage: File , line 1: Config: End of line encountered after rum_prc117ruckfig.cpp

I think I fixed it, but I had to go back to what I sorta did earlier. I am still experiencing a problem with the model attaching itself to the unit sideways, so if anyone can help with that I would appreciate it. Evil Echo has given me advice and pufu has also. This is what I did:

1. made a file named "rum_prc117_ruck"

2. inside that I have:

$PBOPREFIX$ file

rum_prc117_ruck

config.cpp

#include "script_component.hpp"

class CfgPatches {

class rum_prc117_ruck {

units[] = {};

weapons[] ={ "RUM_PRC117" };

requiredVersion = REQUIRED_VERSION;

requiredAddons[] = {"ace_sys_ruck"};

version = VERSION;

author[] = {"Meatball0311"};

};

};

class CfgWeapons {

class ACE_Rucksack;

class RUM_PRC117 : ACE_Rucksack {

scope = 2;

ACE_PackSize = 20250;

ACE_Size = 20251;

ACE_Weight = 6.5;

displayName = "RUM_PRC117_RUCKSYSTEM";

model = "rum_prc117_ruck\data\RUM_PRC117.p3d";

picture = "rum_prc117_ruck\data\ruckICO.paa";

descriptionShort = "RUM PRC117 RUCK";

};

};

script_component.hpp file

#define COMPONENT rum_prc117_ruck

#include "\x\ace\addons\main\script_mod.hpp"

#ifdef DEBUG_ENABLED_rum_prc117_ruck

#define DEBUG_MODE_FULL

#endif

#ifdef DEBUG_SETTINGS_rum_prc117_ruck

#define DEBUG_SETTINGS DEBUG_SETTINGS_rum_prc117_ruck

#endif

#include "\x\ace\addons\main\script_macros.hpp"

a folder named "data" and in that folder I have:

model.cfg

class Rotation

{

type = "rotation";

memory = 1;

minValue = 0;

maxValue = 1;

angle0 = 0;

angle1 = 1;

};

class CfgSkeletons

{

class Default

{

isDiscrete = 1;

skeletonInherit = "";

skeletonBones[] = {};

};

class ace_ruck_skeleton: Default

{

skeletonInherit = "Default";

skeletonBones[]={};

};

};

class CfgModels

{

class Default

{

sectionsInherit="";

sections[] = {};

skeletonName = "";

};

class RUM_PRC117: Default {

};

};

my RUM_PRC117.p3d and RUM_PRC117 textures.paa

my O2 workarea looks like this:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/workarea.jpg

and this is what it looks like in game:

My model has no proxies. It has resolution LOD's 0.000 - 3.000, geometry LOD, and a ShadowVolume 1.000.

I selected all went to structure > center all.

What can I do to get the rucksack addon to attach to a unit normally?

[PuFu 4600]

Glad you fixed it on your own.

Why don't you rotate it on it's "problem" axis?

edit: see PM

Edited June 6, 2010 by PuFu

[Meatball0311 79]

Glad you fixed it on your own.

Why don't you rotate it on it's "problem" axis?

edit: see PM

That is exactly what I figured out last night... I thought that there may be a quicker way but I think I got it to where I am happy atm.

This bottom pic is the only thing that I would like to fix, but I dont know if it can. It seems when unit is in the prone the pack gets all in his head. Just a little thing that I would like to look better

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/arma22010-06-0612-39-01-75.jpg

As for the UV mapping and textures.. I will be working on that in later version, but I think this will be good enough especially since this is my first work with O2.

Thanks for all the help and if anyone has any comments on how to maybe fix the prone position please let me know.

Edited June 6, 2010 by Meatball0311

[PuFu 4600]

As for the UV mapping and textures.. I will be working on that in later version, but I think this will be good enough especially since this is my first work with O2.

Not for a public release it doesn't. For private use, yes i guess it flies. But i guess it depends on where you put the bar...

Thanks for all the help and if anyone has any comments on how to maybe fix the prone position please let me know.

Comparing with ACE rucks, they behave the same.

Bear in mind that the whole ruck system is scripted system, and it has its limitations..

Best of luck

[Meatball0311 79]

Not for a public release it doesn't. For private use, yes i guess it flies. But i guess it depends on where you put the bar...

How do you mean? Are you implying that I need some _nohq, _smdi and rvmat files before it would be ready for a public release?

I need help with understanding what they are for and why I need them. Also how do I incorporate them into the addon? Do I just add those files to the data file or do I have to use a program and pathways?

Comparing with ACE rucks, they behave the same.

Bear in mind that the whole ruck system is scripted system, and it has its limitations..

Best of luck

I can deal with it like how it is...

[[frl]myke 14]

I also suggest that you take the effort to create proper normal and specular mapping. This requires a normal map, a specular map and a rvmat file.

Normal mapping is also known as bump mapping. Simply said, it "fakes" more details as you have modelled. To see normal mapping just start ArmA 2 Editor, load Utes or Chernarus, place yourself somewhere and look the ground. Although you see rocks, stones and dirt, this is not modelled but a normal map. The modelled surface is 100% flat.

Specular mapping determines light reflections. How bright a object appears, simply said. You remember the glowing cows at the start of ArmA 2? I guess this happened because the specular map was wrong. For your model, i guess the display on top could be a part that reflects a lot of lights while other parts don't.

It also gives an object a more realistic look as determining on the reflections, one could guess the material it is made of.

Both normal and specular maps are brought together with the rvmat file. Here you can also finetune a bit how reflective the specular map should be. You can even make it glow (worth to think about that for the display as i guess it has backlight).

And i have to agree, for a public release i would strongly recommend those files as without, it just looks unfinished. Besides that, it wouldn't fit into the rest of the game, visually.

[PuFu 4600]

myke is 100% right

How do you mean? Are you implying that I need some _nohq, _smdi and rvmat files before it would be ready for a public release?

I need help with understanding what they are for and why I need them. Also how do I incorporate them into the addon? Do I just add those files to the data file or do I have to use a program and pathways?

regarding how exactly you make them, just search around those forums, ofpec etc, as there tuts and threads on the issue. I'll have a look around and point you to a very brief tut bout it myself.

DOWNLOAD PDF TUT

BUT that was not the entire point of my post:

1. You uv map is not properly done - there are stretches on your model, overlapping faces etc etc - you can check that easily using a checker board texture instead of your diffuse one: DOWNLOAD TGA FILE

2. The difuse map you have is, in most of it's part just a solid color, with no detail whatsoever, the resulting image being way too uniform ( it actually looks more like a rigid box with an antenna and a dispaly rather than a backpack).

I am just trying to be critic in a constructive way here

Edited June 7, 2010 by PuFu
added DNW links

[Meatball0311 79]

I also suggest that you take the effort to create proper normal and specular mapping. This requires a normal map, a specular map and a rvmat file.

Hello mate thanks for the instruction and explanation! I think this all may be making a little bit more sense now and I am starting to understand how to implement these files into my addon.

pufu thanks for the positive feedback and tut suggestions. I have to step out for a bit, but will be working on normal mapping, specular mapping, and rvmat when I get home.

[Meatball0311 79]

UPDATE:

Thanks to all who have basically pushed me out of my comfort zone to learn some new and amazing things to the Armed Assault world. I believe I have figured out how to make nohq, smdi, and rvmat files. Now I am assuming there is still much to learn and these files might not be perfect and may need a little tweaking, but I am sure I am going in the right direction (hopefully at least :) ).

I have decided to take this into a new direction. I am going to make three different models. RUM_PRC117_SINCGARS, RUM_Rucksack, RUM_PRC117_Ruck. Basically model the radio and rucksack by themselves and then a model of both together. Hopefully all three of these will be able to make it into the game and that it would make for a more professional looking addon.

I am hopeful to document as much as possible to help others out who are wanting to create addons. Now I am using GIMP, so much of it will be explaining how to do it with GIMP, but as I learned you can also take pieces of lets say the process of using photoshop and intelligently (I would like to think I did) put it together and figure out how to use GIMP in the process.

So to start I would like to add a few links to some pages that helped me out with figuring out nohq, smdi, rvmat:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Normal_Map_Creation_in_The_GIMP

ftp://ftp.armedassault.info/armad/docs/LS_Normal_Specular_Mapping_Tutorial.pdf

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Texture_Map_Types

http://www.aos.armaholic.eu/tutorial2.html

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Mondkalb%27s_Addon_Tutorial

http://www.modwiki.net/wiki/Start_a_Specular_map_with_a_Normal_map

that should be a good start for now... Due to time I have to run, but will be back later to post any updates that I do have.

Please feel free to carry on the conversation or add anything that I have missed. I know what the hardest part for me was understanding what and why do you need these. Hopefully I will be able to put more together later.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Meatball0311

[Meatball0311 79]

UPDATE

So I have decided to work this project as three seperate addons. 1) RUM_PRC117_SINCGARS 2)RUM_RUCKSACK 3)RUM_PRC117_RUCK.

I am currently focusing on the standalone radio addon RUM_PRC117_SINCGARS. And there seem to be two problems I am having.

1) I can walk right through the addon

2) I cannot place it on top of desks, buildings or anytype of structure.

I was told that I would need a Geometry LOD that would consist of an object (box) inside the addon named Component01. That I have to give it mass(Alt-M) in kg (7.212). That it must be closed (alt-A select object structure> Topology> Find Non-Closed) and that it needs to be convex (Structure> Convexities> Find Non-Convexities) then to close them (Structure> Convexities> Convex Hull). It also mentions that the Geometry object needs to be at least 0.5 thick ( that should be the z axis... correct?)

Anyway the unit is still walking right through the addon.

and this is a screenshot of my Geometry LOD in the work area in O2

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/screenshot.png

Do I need a Fire Geometry LOD if I have a Geometry LOD?

Now for my landContact LOD I placed one vertices at that bottom of the radio and named it "landContact01".

here is a screenshot of the LandContact LOD in the workarea of O2:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/landcontactLOD.png

My question is how would I get the addon object to be solid and how can I get it to be placed on top of desks?

-----------------------------------------------

additionally I selected all and pressed "E" in every LOD and set the texture to "rum_prc117_sincgars\data\rum_prc117_sincgars_co.paa" and material to "ca\data\Penetration\plastic_material.rvmat". The addon looks cleaner but my question is:

1) I understand plastic is not strong so you will be able to fire through it, I can still walk through the radio though.

2) I cannot place radio on any objects.

3) also is the nohq.paa and smdi.paa that I made for the rum_prc117_sincgars_co.paa getting used and how since I dont have anything pathed to them?

Edited June 11, 2010 by Meatball0311

[Meatball0311 79]

I am still having trouble with two things:

1) I can walk and shoot through my addon

2) Cannot place addon on top of objects (tables, roofs, etc...)

This is what I have done in attempt to fix these problems:

1) Made a Geometry LOD with a name selection of "Component01", set the material of the faces to rum_prc117_sincgars.rvmat, gave a mass of 7.212 kg, closed all faces and convexed hull.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/geometryLOD.png

2) Made a FireGeometry LOD closed and convexed. I did not give it a named selection... do I have to?

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/fireGeoLOD.png

3) Made a landContact LOD with one verticies with a named selection of landContact01

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/landcontactLOD-1.png

My rvmat looks like this in the MatEditor.exe:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/Meatball0311/RUM/MatEditor.png

how do I make my addon solid and able to be placed on objects?