A-Z of Modeling a new Lightsaber

[Buzz1978]

Can somebody please help me with this sanity check error:

 

"Checking node LghtSbr09

###### Vertices in LghtSbr09 need to be welded

Weld: Vert#:30 [0.58998 16.2553 0.368006] and Vert#:31 [0.866052 16.2553 -0.110166]

Weld: Vert#:32 [0.770173 16.2553 -0.653924] and Vert#:33 [0.347205 16.2553 -1.00884]

Weld: Vert#:34 [-0.204941 16.2553 -1.00884] and Vert#:35 [-0.627908 16.2553 -0.653923]

Weld: Vert#:36 [-0.723787 16.2553 -0.110166] and Vert#:37 [-0.447714 16.2553 0.368006]

Weld: Vert#:39 [0.58998 15.1953 0.368005] and Vert#:40 [0.866052 15.1953 -0.110168]

Weld: Vert#:41 [0.770173 15.1953 -0.653925] and Vert#:42 [0.347205 15.1953 -1.00884]

Weld: Vert#:43 [-0.204941 15.1953 -1.00884] and Vert#:44 [-0.627909 15.1953 -0.653924]

Weld: Vert#:45 [-0.723787 15.1953 -0.110167] and Vert#:46 [-0.447714 15.1953 0.368005]

Weld Check failed."

 

TIA

[oldflash]

Have you reset xform?

[Buzz1978]

Have you reset xform?

 

xform resetting accomplished, yup. And the criticized vertices shall not be welded together anyway.

[J3d1W4rr10r]

xform resetting accomplished, yup. And the criticized vertices shall not be welded together anyway.

 

I asked this before too and nobody said anything so I assume its normal, I released my hilt pack with all my sabers doing this and I haven't seen no ill effects from it so its possible you don't even have to worry about it.

[Buzz1978]

I asked this before too and nobody said anything so I assume its normal, I released my hilt pack with all my sabers doing this and I haven't seen no ill effects from it so its possible you don't even have to worry about it.

 

The problem was, the damn thing just didn't want to export anything and I assumed the sanity error would be the cause... I tried it again now (and again and again...) and it somehow worked. (Must be magic or kismet.) The blade came right out of the elbow first, but now it looks fine, unless you count my problems with the skin...

[J3d1W4rr10r]

The problem was, the damn thing just didn't want to export anything and I assumed the sanity error would be the cause... I tried it again now (and again and again...) and it somehow worked. (Must be magic or kismet.) The blade came right out of the elbow first, but now it looks fine, unless you count my problems with the skin...

 

Keep pluggin away man, I didn't get mine right the first run through I think it took me like 7-8 tries to finally understand the whole process. Then it was a piece of cake, I think I ended up modeling about 30 sabers in a little over 2 months because of how easy it was once I got going. T7 did an excellent job on this tut, it may not make a ton of sense right away (what modding does? lol) but the more I went through it the better and easier it got.

[T7nowhere]

Can somebody please help me with this sanity check error:

 

"Checking node LghtSbr09

###### Vertices in LghtSbr09 need to be welded

Weld: Vert#:30 [0.58998 16.2553 0.368006] and Vert#:31 [0.866052 16.2553 -0.110166]

Weld: Vert#:32 [0.770173 16.2553 -0.653924] and Vert#:33 [0.347205 16.2553 -1.00884]

Weld: Vert#:34 [-0.204941 16.2553 -1.00884] and Vert#:35 [-0.627908 16.2553 -0.653923]

Weld: Vert#:36 [-0.723787 16.2553 -0.110166] and Vert#:37 [-0.447714 16.2553 0.368006]

Weld: Vert#:39 [0.58998 15.1953 0.368005] and Vert#:40 [0.866052 15.1953 -0.110168]

Weld: Vert#:41 [0.770173 15.1953 -0.653925] and Vert#:42 [0.347205 15.1953 -1.00884]

Weld: Vert#:43 [-0.204941 15.1953 -1.00884] and Vert#:44 [-0.627909 15.1953 -0.653924]

Weld: Vert#:45 [-0.723787 15.1953 -0.110167] and Vert#:46 [-0.447714 15.1953 0.368005]

Weld Check failed."

 

TIA

 

Before you export the model just turn off the weld to nearest vertice in the sanity check rollout. That sanity check was adding to the latest version of nwmax. For obvious reasons it is impossible to weld all vertices for a KotOR/TSL model.

[Fuu]

If you select all the polys around the ngon it will do that, what you have to do is select half of the polys around so that none of the sides are touching, extrude, then deselect and do the same to the other half of polys.

 

I found another solution after playing with it some more <I tried what you suggested but I always ended up with a notch between the two sections>. Apparently when everything around the ngon is selected you can still extrude it normally if you change the normal from group to local.

 

Thanks

 

F

[Buzz1978]

Keep pluggin away man [...]

 

That's what I'm doing. I now finally understood what this alpha channel stuff is about and why my hilt wasn't shining. But there's one small aestethically problem left: I mapped the hilt so the border of the map is at the back and right there is now a grey blurry line showing. This is only the case in TSL - in GMax it looks right. If I try to remap the polys where the line is showing, I get two grey lines at the left/right of the remapped polys...

 

Any ideas?

[J3d1W4rr10r]

That's what I'm doing. I now finally understood what this alpha channel stuff is about and why my hilt wasn't shining. But there's one small aestethically problem left: I mapped the hilt so the border of the map is at the back and right there is now a grey blurry line showing. This is only the case in TSL - in GMax it looks right. If I try to remap the polys where the line is showing, I get two grey lines at the left/right of the remapped polys...

 

Any ideas?

 

When your mapping are you making sure you detach to element? That was one thing that I kept doing wrong in the very beginning, just a hunch if not we'll try something else..lol

[Fuu]

The funny thing is I encountered the same issue as Buzz < the model not refrencing the texture> i fixed it in gmax, but I was wondering.... what would I have searched for <hex editing> in the 006.mdl to set the appropriate filename <hilt texture file name>? I was confused on this because it seems this model didnt have its own skin in the firstplace......? When I originally used the Malak saber I just reskinned the blade .tga and to my memory I could not find a hilt texture for the original malak saber.

 

That said:

I've got my new model finished and in game, I just have to edit the .uti some and fix my texture haha I shaded the alpha in the wrong places and my grips ended up being transparent. <Weird! you could see her hand through the middle!>

 

EDIT: Now I know this is caused by foretting your .txi.....wheee

 

 

I do have a small problem though.... my model's icon isin't working....the original model I replaced was lightsaber 006 <malak's> what do I search for <in the text find, hex edit app> to tell my model to use my icon?

 

Oh and BTW I actually plan to release this one once its finished. Yay!

 

Fuu

[T7nowhere]

@Buzz1978

 

When your mapping your model you must also detatch to element the same poly groups that you set up in the UV editor.

 

If you do not do this, the poly groups that were made in the UVW editor will stitch back together when you compile the model and this will cause portions of the UV map of the copiled model to change and the texture will distort.

 

So the way that you lay out and isolate your poly groups in the UV editor must be reflected on the actuall model.

 

@Fuu

 

Malaks model is really a modified version of the short lightsaber hilt so it uses w_ShortSbr_001 for the hilt texture.

 

I've got my new model finished and in game, I just have to edit the .uti some and fix my texture haha I shaded the alpha in the wrong places and my grips and up being transparent. <Weird! you could see her hand through the middle!>

 

If you add an Alpha channel to the hilt texture to make it shiny don't forget to create a .txi with the shader info, or the area's that you used the alpha on will be transparent.

 

I do have a small problem though.... my model's icon isin't working....the original model I replaced was lightsaber 006 <malak's> what do I search for <in the text find, hex edit app> to tell my model to use my icon?

 

The icons are not referenced in the model, the baseitem.2da takes care of the gui elements. If your ever in doubt or can't find the icon for a model check column "itemclass" in baseitems.2da for the model and add an "i" to the front of the word, SO for a lightsaber it would be iw_lghtsbr_xxx( _xxx is the model variation OR Number that you gave your model)

[Fuu]

I've re-named the icon .tga to iw_Lghtsbr_079.tga but unfortunately it still isint working. I've even tried renaming it with a lower case L, but still I'm getting bupkis. What am I doing wrong? I checked the baseitems.2da to be sure and iw_Lghtsbr is the correct prefix.....

 

</frustration> So close yet so far. Well at least I've already completed the tut <finally> so thanks for all the help T7.

 

Fuu

[Buzz1978]

When your mapping are you making sure you detach to element? That was one thing that I kept doing wrong in the very beginning, just a hunch if not we'll try something else..lol

 

When your mapping your model you must also detatch to element the same poly groups that you set up in the UV editor.

 

If you do not do this, the poly groups that were made in the UVW editor will stitch back together when you compile the model and this will cause portions of the UV map of the copiled model to change and the texture will distort.

 

I really thought, I'd have all the poly groups detached... Ok, obviously I did not. After mapping it all over again (once more) it looks like it's supposed at last. Thanks again.

[T7nowhere]

I've re-named the icon .tga to iw_Lghtsbr_079.tga but unfortunately it still isint working. I've even tried renaming it with a lower case L, but still I'm getting bupkis. What am I doing wrong? I checked the baseitems.2da to be sure and iw_Lghtsbr is the correct prefix.....

 

</frustration> So close yet so far. Well at least I've already completed the tut <finally> so thanks for all the help T7.

 

Fuu

 

Strange, As long as your model is named w_lghtsbr_079 and the model var in the uti is 79 it should work.

[LoneFerret]

Hey there,

Good tut, but I still got some problems. Read the darn thing at least 20 times

and I good thru a few problems on my own. What I would like to have is some more explinations on certain aspects.

Exporting form gmax->.mdl:

Where? from the nwmax panel or mdl base parameters?

With the export button in the nwmax panel I get Weld problems. Basically

it tells me that my hilt is not welded, according to the sanity file.

With the export option from the mdl base parameters I don't seem to get my hilt when I use mdlops.(but at least it exports) In item 12 of part 3 from T7's

tutorial, I don't seem to get "lhandle01 to be replaced by Myhilt"...

 

I've done a few of the tutorials from gmax.. the mace, part of the face(didn't finish it tho...) did some animations, and the one for svosh that helped also....

Starting the get the hang of gmax after so many tries now.

 

Detaching & mapping:

Well, I detached everthing from element in the same order(group of polys) that I did the mapping. This is right...right? Put some nice colors in photoshop

for testing...(at least I know photoshop LOL no frustrations there ROFL).

 

So do any of you (like Paul senior would say) "idears"?

 

Thanks for the help..

 

LoneFerret

[T7nowhere]

Exporting form gmax->.mdl:

Where? from the nwmax panel or mdl base parameters?

You need to click on the items aurora base and then the export button will be on the right in the modify panel.

 

With the export button in the nwmax panel I get Weld problems. Basically it tells me that my hilt is not welded, according to the sanity file.

You can click past that sanity error as it has nothing to do with KotOR/TSL models, however I would advise just turning it off in the "Active Sanity checks" rollout. Simply uncheck "weld to nearest cm".

 

With the export option from the mdl base parameters I don't seem to get my hilt when I use mdlops.

Make sure your model is linked to the animation dummy and that the old hilt is unlinked.

 

 

Detaching & mapping:

Well, I detached everthing from element in the same order(group of polys) that I did the mapping. This is right...right?

Yes.

[LoneFerret]

Thx... well... I checked out what you said, and I'm pretty sure everything

checks out

Here

 

I'm sure it's a stupid thing that I keep forgetting, I just hope I don't annoy

anyone here... but..

I just can't seem to see what I'm doing wrong..

 

On vacation right now, so let's just say I've been spending LOTS of time on

this these past few days....

 

Any other suggestions? Need anymore info from my part? Bon dieu aider moi quelqu'un! lol

 

LoneFerret

[Fuu]

Exporting form gmax->.mdl:

Where? from the nwmax panel or mdl base parameters?

I exported from the MDL base parameters and mine came out fine.

With the export button in the nwmax panel I get Weld problems. Basically

it tells me that my hilt is not welded, according to the sanity file.

Ignore this sanity check.... I think it was T7<?> that said "its impossible to weld all the faces on a lightsaber".

<snip>

 

Detaching & mapping:

Well, I detached everthing from element in the same order(group of polys) that I did the mapping. This is right...right? Put some nice colors in photoshop

for testing...(at least I know photoshop LOL no frustrations there ROFL).

Sounds like youre doing it right........

 

I had some trouble UVMapping initially, if you'd like to see the feedback that I got you can find it in:

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?p=1888766#post1888766

 

 

 

EDIT: Fixed that link

 

Hope this helped you.

Fuu

[LoneFerret]

Thx Fuu

 

EDIT:

I am getting frustrated here...

I even imported a saber, and changed the name and exporting it back, and still

the same problem. Using mdlops, it doesnt give the option to replace the hilt

mesh... AHG... the feeling of being beaten by an inaminate object.. darn it!

 

LoneFerret

[LoneFerret]

hehe

Finally got iT!

Don't know what I did differently really... thx for the help... hmf

Anyways my colors suck, but at least the game doesn't crash...

 

 

LoneFerret

[LoneFerret]

Hello again, I'm not trying to bump this on top, but I finally fugured out

why I could never select my hilt in the replacer in mdlops.

It's actually pretty simple, but if it happened to me it could happen to

other people...I just seem to get the weird ploblems

The window from mdlops that shows which mesh you wish to replace the old

hilt by the new one was never appearing. Then I checked my taskbar... It was

appearing on another screen, just not the ones that were active on my computer.

I remembered that the only time I got this to work, was when I had only one

active screen. When I have 2 active, it seems to want to go to... let's just

say not 1 or 2... hehehe If only I had plugged in my third screen, I would've

saved myself lots of frustrations... LOL

Anyway. check those screen people...

 

A big thanx to T7 for the Tut and svosh for the UV mapping Tut somewhere

else on this board... There are so many, I get lost fast in here...

 

Now I'm off to make nice looking hilts, with bad color coordination!

 

 

LoneFerret

____________________________________

'Don't move! Or I'll fill you full of... little yellow bolts of light'

John Crichton|: Farscape

[Captain_H]

I don't know if anyone has described this problem, but here goes. I have made the model, did the uvmapping, exported the model, and converted it but when I get it in game the model shows up without a texture. Any ideas as to why?

 

Note: The .tga 32 bit texture is also in the orveride folder with the models.

[T7nowhere]

^^^

Did you apply the texture to the model in the material editor. Assuming you did is the texture a perfect square (ie, the dimensions 256x256, 512x512, ect)

[LoneFerret]

WooHoo... D'oh!

 

Here's my first try.. not great, but at least it's not too bad ( I think ) for a

newbie...

The colors are not as bright I would've liked it, but that will come in time.

Wanted to know what otherpeople thought...?

It's a first serious try... trying my hand at nice colors But I ain't worth

crap in that department, so the model is not very complicated to be able to

juste apply straight foward colors...

 

LoneFerret

________________________________________

'On my planet we don't marry people we don't love unless they're critically ill billionaires.'

John Crichton