six_ten

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I like that idea. A new question: is it possible to create a dock system similar to the helipads? I've seen how AI can fly to and land on them, is there a way to do this with boats, so AI can be instructed to sail to a dock and anchor? Has there ever been anything like this that I just haven't seen?

No idea. I use the paid version and it works.

I think you'll have to update pboProject and the new versions are no longer free.

The shaders that make it pretty have nothing to do with it being bulletproof. Post screens of your fire LOD, your GEOM LOD, Hitpoints LOD and maybe someone can help you.

Generally ARMA provides a base system to which you add the detail you want. If you want those ranks you can create a mod to do it.

I had something similar happen last month -- didn't crash, but a few hours after working in Eden, came back and all my settings (including the tutorial notification in Eden) were as if it was the first time I'd run the game and tools. I still had the achievement for the tut, but had to reset every control.

Why don't you use a .paa instead of .jpg?

On the guy's steam page for "his" mod he says, "Sorry, I made this mod for one mission for a few friends. This mod allows you to wear any faction's uniform. The host has to have it for it to work." I downloaded the Armaholic version (same username, same photo of him in avatar) and looked at the files: //Class unlocked_uniforms : config.bin{ class CfgPatches { class Unlocked_Uniforms { units[] = {}; weapons[] = {}; requiredAddons[] = {"A3_Characters_F"}; author[] = {"Haleks"}; [snipped for brevity] }; }; Not very smart, this one.

If you cannot give any specific detail as to why it crashes then I can't help you. Often pboProject will say specifically why it fails. If you can find that reason then you can solve it.

What does pboProject say is the problem?

Sure.

I don't mind the question at all. I post questions I need answered in this thread. If people answer them it helps me proceed and the release will be sooner; if I have to figure them all out by trial and error on my own, the release will be later. If you have even a bit of an answer to anything I've asked in this thread, please post it; even if it isn't the complete answer it may give me help in solving the problems -- I want to release the mod too!

Draw calls -- Currently the sloops and gunboats use proxies for the cannon. I want to reduce the number of draw calls and at the same time keep polycount down. Is there any problem with using proxies for the LOD1 cannons, and actual geometry for the lower LODs? I think if I build the guns into the lower LODS I can reduce section count dramatically for them (10 carriages, 10 barrels) on those lower LODs, while by using proxies for the Cargo and LOD1 still have the nice detail up close. Any flaws in this that I don't see? The 4 pounders: LOD0 5140 polys LOD1 1037 LOD2 425 LOD3 124 LOD4 58

BLACKPOWDER_Alpha_v5 ................ -- At the moment im working on the splintered sections of the sloop -- when you shoot the upper sides of the ship they disappear as does the geometry that protects crew. I've added the first damage replacement model to the middle upper section in the version you have -- now you'll see holes appear in the sloop instead of big sections vanishing. Right now im re-doing the entire sloop so there will be a new model, but the current version has the prototype in it. Same with sails, as you shoot them holes appear (and ship's sailing speed decreases) -- Lots of terrain improvements. -- Added vent firing effects to vents of muskets and all cannon. Now in addition to the main flash and smoke, there's a small flash and smoke at the vent. Still haven't got the vent to fire, then a delay, then main charge, but its a step in the right direction. -- I think the big guns need adjusting still, it seems they are very accurate sometimes, and others they aim way off target. Close up they usually wont shoot at all. Far off they aim behind or ahead of target. At a couple hundred meters or so they're deadly accurate. -- Ship crews are unarmed for now -- I made a new class, Sailor. Will add cutlashes, boarding pikes and sea service muskets (the latter may just be for Marines). -- There's a spyglass in the hold.

I recently (probably in biki) read that 4096 textures can degrade in quality of rendering faster than say 2048 -- for example if a player has lower quality texture settings in game the LOD adjusts downward faster. If you're using 4096 textures (which I tested for some of my models) there's 4x the data, not 2x 2048. If I run across it I'll update this, but dig into it yourself -- the LOD system in ARMA isn't linear and depends on individual player settings.

Thank you. I can see how that will save a lot of effort.

I have no idea what you mean here. I'm making a mod and have no clue what they are, so they cannot be essential. "Vanilla Only" is the one that interests me. Can using it improve my mod somehow; what is it?

What are these for? What can you do with them?

mikero's tools are worth the price and there won't be a new free version. If youre making lots of stuff, pay the money (basically amounts to a couple of rounds of beer on a Friday night, right?) and get the good tools

Well, for a start is CfgClutter in that folder?

Get the new version or use BIS tools.

Are you using the latest paid version of pboProject?

"What goes in the Data and the source folders? It seems textures go in data." The way I think about it is "source" is just that: source materials that are going to be processed by TB, while "data" is the result. For example when you process your giant satmap, TB chops it up into smaller tiles so they can load in game more efficiently. The source stuff isn't packaged with your_terrain.pbo. Nor is your original source terrain model (the .asc or .tif or .xyz) TB makes a copy and keeps it internally. "- In the tutorial, they came with ground textures like sand and dirt, etc. Do I have to find the textures I like and put them in the data folder BEFORE terrain builder?" Only if you want to use custom ground textures (in which case you'll also have to write custom classes to use them). If you stick to stock ARMA textures you don't have to do anything to them, just use ARMA's classes and textures by referencing them in your config. Which partly answers your next question: "What is the A3 folder for? The A3 folder has all A3 content, including those textures. Do I move what I like into one of my folders or do I leave them there?" The A3 folder is a stand-in for the real game files; TB calls upon the files in there (for example you use their trees and rocks and a gas station model, or whatever). Leave that A3 folder alone. You only need to reference them, for example when you create an object template, you're telling TB "here's the path to the gas station model I want to place in my map." TB internally makes a list of all those things you use, then when you package your terrain for others, since that list is included anyone with your map, their copy of it calls out to their A3 folder. You do not move any of the files from that A3 copy, you just link to them via your templates. "Cause If I can point to that folder while in bulldozer, why do I need the data folder?" I don't know what you mean about pointing to it in buldozer, but the data folder is processed satmap and mask tiles, shaders, etc -- it is the final stuff that gets packaged. The next time you process a map or mask, open the data layers folder and watch as it fills with files after you start processing. It will create all those png tiles, and all the shaders for each tile. That's what your players will see in game.

As macser said above, I understood your question perfectly well. Did you understand my answer? You're approaching this in a way that isn't going to help you get where you want to go. I gave you a route that should help you achieve your goal of learning to use the tools. Have you opened Bushlurker's sample terrain that I gave you the link for in my earlier post? Have you got it working in game as-is? What questions do you have about getting it running? This is how you can learn how to use TB -- when someone who's done it gives you a lead, follow it and make some effort, any effort, and when you get hung up ask for help, describe what you've done, describe what you're trying to do, and you'll likely get useful answers.