Decals disappeared with Win 8 and Directx 11 - how to fix?

[Snailman 517]

Greets everyone!

 

I have recently reinstalled SF2  (all to NA) but without the latest patch as I read it has its problems. So, I have the same game setup I made and tested my plane mod with. The difference is, that now I have a new laptop with Windows 8 using directx 10(or 11?). 

 

The problem is

 

The plane 3D object was modified by me, to have transparent rectangles (lets call them nameplates) placed very closely to the fuselage at the intake section. I had multiple decal flow issue with the plane before, numbers appearing on both side and inside the intakes. I placed the decal on the transparent nameplate objects, and it perfectly solved the problem. At least on Windows XP and Dirx 9. With the new op system, these nameplated decals are not appearing. And not only for me, but for others too having Win 7 and vista.

 

Im sure someone else had experienced this before, I'd like to know how to fix this issue please give me a hint. thanks a lot!!!!

[JediMaster 451]

Well, the obvious immediate fix is ForceDX9=True in Options.ini, but I don't have that problem with my Win7/DX10/11 install. So I don't know why you are.

[Zola25 3]

I suspect you are correct that the problem is due to differences between DX9 and DX10/11.  Not sure this is the best solution, but running the game in DX9 mode would prove this.  In your options.ini file change ForceDX9=FALSE to ForceDX9=TRUE.

Edit - beaten by a Jedi Master  

By any chance, are you using Intel integrated graphics?

Edited August 28, 2013 by Zola25

[Snailman 517]

It is problem with 3Dmax  and LOD rendering  i am sure. I tried almost everything, combination of settings and texture types... no help. I export the lod, copy in... decal is still missing. other decals set on other objects appear. So it must be a prob in 3D file.... but what?

 

Setting Force DX 9 does not help, if other users will have the same problem who will download my addon. I cannot ask all downloaders to Force DX9  just because my  addon is badly done

[+logan4 847]

If you work on it by any chance in max , did the part get renamed? Other option is a single mesh can handle only 4pcs of decals, if you have multiple decals on same mesh and they show up on both sides of the surface they might already using up 4 places before the one you want to see gets placed on it. It is only a theory of my.

[Snailman 517]

Let describe... theres a mesh Fuselage. includes the intake tubes. Before the fix, the decal was applied onto the fuselage. the decals did appear inside too. I made two extra meshes Leftnameplate and Rightnameplate. Added some invisible material and placed them close to Fuselage. in decal ini, the decals are applied to the nameplates not the fuselage. so there is only one decal per mesh... In directx9, on my old notebook, it worked perfectly. Now they do not... Must be dirx11 handling something differently... but what??

[+russouk2004 6,958]

sounds like meshes connected...decs shouldnt show thru other meshes.I had that happening years ago,as mesh for part was attached to one behind.

make intakes seperate meshes.ive had no problem with dx 11

Edited August 29, 2013 by russouk2004

[Snailman 517]

sounds like meshes connected...decs shouldnt show thru other meshes.I had that happening years ago,as mesh for part was attached to one behind.

make intakes seperate meshes.ive had no problem with dx 11

 

I figured it out, it is a material problem. But here I am stuck again... for this basic object of only 2 faces (child of fuselage, btw) I used the Completelyclear.TGA from fakepilot.  In Dx9 it was really ok, it worked. Now it either fails to show up, or if I change opacity-diffuse whatever settings, it becomes a black rectangle still without decals showing up.

I tried to change the material to the semi-transparent material the cockpit uses, and voila, the decals appear on it. but of course it is semi transparent so the rectangle object is not invisible anymore.

I double checked material setting... nothing. Swapped materials... same result.

I figured it out, the the TGA files being used are somehow different. with the same settings, the completelyclear TGA is not shown as cockpit glass, at all. The crystal.TGA used as cockpit glass works like I mentioned above, semi-transparent. I loaded Photoshop to check whether it needs Alpha settings changed,but both TGAs were set up the same way...

What is different? How to make a properly working transparent or semi-transparent material?

[Snailman 517]

update... when I change the Alpha, the decal changes with it too... if  alpha level is 100%, the decal attached on that object is not shown at all. In Dx9 it was working differently...