same label, two LODs issue

[UllyB 1,206]

If I have two different LODs as label, but they use the same label for bitmaps, what can I do to transform , for one of them, the bitmaps labels which are inside the LOD ? Is there other way other than using the 3dsMax ? And if it isn't can anyone, please, who have the skill to help me here changing their names into the LODs ? I need that for a pair of canards. I have one for the SU-30SM, but they are blue, and one for the SU-30MKI, which are grey. The name of the LODs are different , but the bitmaps, inside LODs calls for the same bitmap, as name, so it's impossible to put the bitmaps into weapon folder (to use them as fake fuel tanks) because they have the same name, but different colors.

Or maybe someone, who got into the same situation already solved it and changed the bitmps/jpgs etc names. If so could you, please share it ?

If you are asking why I don't use the fakeseat/fakepilot trick is because that is limited to 200m and it looks ugly, at least for me. I would be happy if I can see the canards from 2000m. Thank you.

PS- By the way does anyone know WHAT application, except Mue LOD viewer, reads the LOD format ? From what program one saves the 3D model into the LOD format ?

Edited January 10, 2019 by UllyB

[bazillius 1,258]

Rename not texture but model and folder of canards. for example, you have in your aircraft data file

[Canards]
SystemType=PILOT_COCKPIT
Position=0.0,0.0,0.0
PilotModelName=FakePilot
SeatModelName=Su30SMCanards <-----------------------------
SeatPosition=0.0,1.9,0.47
SeatID=2

Copy from your Pilots folder  folder Su30SMCanards and rename it for example Su30SMCanards2 and go into this folder and rename ini, lod and out files. recolor your bitmaps.

go into SU-30MKI and in datafile  fix

[Canards]
SystemType=PILOT_COCKPIT
Position=0.0,0.0,0.0
PilotModelName=FakePilot
SeatModelName=Su30SMCanards2  <-----------------------------
SeatPosition=0.0,1.9,0.47
SeatID=2

copy your new Su30SMCanards2 folder into Pilots folder

I did it for myself some years ago. But i deleted it from my Mod Folder. This canards itself do not do the Su-30 to a Su-30SM these aircraft is to different and not only canards. i an its seen even from distance. I do not use them at all. It is better to wait till somebody will do Su-30SM and upload it. The chance is not 0%

[UllyB 1,206]

No, you can't see them from a distance (bigger than 200m). If you don't believe me, please go check for yourself, you'll see that I'm right. I wish it would have been that easy. I already explained why in a previous thread. I'll do it again: the vanilla pilot has a 200m seenable field. Over 200m you won't see anything that uses a fakepilot. It's just a limitation in the game because TK or anyone else didn't see the reason to make another LOD, for bigger distance, for the pilot, which is understandable. So bottom line, the fake seat/fakepilot trick won't work, as I said.

Edited January 10, 2019 by UllyB

[bazillius 1,258]

i just want to say that real Su-30 is not the same than real Su-30SM. This is different aircrafts and differents not only in canards. But you saying to me about distance in game.

Only the way is to wait that somebody do and share Su-30SM

Edited January 10, 2019 by bazillius

[+mue 715]

It should be possible to change texture filenames inside a LOD file with a HEX editor, but I haven't done it myself yet. If you send me the lod file and tell me what texture file name should be changed, I can try it.

[UllyB 1,206]

2 hours ago, mue said:

It should be possible to change texture filenames inside a LOD file with a HEX editor, but I haven't done it myself yet. If you send me the lod file and tell me what texture file name should be changed, I can try it.

Thanks a lot Mue, I already sent the files to you.

[UllyB 1,206]

4 hours ago, bazillius said:

i just want to say that real Su-30 is not the same than real Su-30SM. This is different aircrafts and differents not only in canards. But you saying to me about distance in game.

Only the way is to wait that somebody do and share Su-30SM

I know that. That matters little here  if you think what is realistic and what is not in a game. Does SU-30 , in the game, behave, exactly, like SU-30 in real life ? The same with SU-30SM, even if this one is a new generation aircraft, another breed of its kind.

[Wrench 9,851]

Hex editor is the easiest and simplest way to do it. We've been doing it since 2004, rename the lod, create (if needed) new skin, repaint skin (if needed), save an new unique name -this is the important part-- a name that has the exact number of characters as the original , open LOD with hex editor, "search" for the bmp's name, and edit each instance to match the new skin.

How do you think we've created over 100 differing pilot figures, all from the same original 3W lod, but with different skins (most of which I did the hex editing for, while pappychksix did the artwork -- see SF1 downloads)?

[+Nyghtfall 2,154]

5 minutes ago, Wrench said:

a name that has the exact number of characters as the original

For safe and easy use thats correct.

 

But it's not really needed, as the length actually _can_ differ. You just have to watch carefully, how the characters etc. are coded.

The pattern in the picture is character, followed by "00" (the dots in the right column). Add those "dots" on the left side by typing 00....if you hit the "dot-key", you will get the hex-value of the actual dot, which is not "00".

Follow this pattern and don't overwrite stuff other than "00" and it will work with longer or shorter names too.

[+Menrva 4,202]

49 minutes ago, Nyghtfall said:

But it's not really needed, as the length actually _can_ differ. You just have to watch carefully, how the characters etc. are coded.

Seriously, you have no idea how long I was looking for this bit of info. I was always thinking to alter the Hawkeye callsign for the Navy TACC, so that it reads Red Crown or something different. I hope it's the same pattern inside .STR files. Anyway, thank you very much! 

[UllyB 1,206]

I solved the issue (Mue helped). Yes ,you are right, the Hexa editor is the easiest way, but to know that,  somebody must tell you this info in the first place. That is why I ended up here asking. Now I know, so I learned, again, something new. Thank you for your help guys.

[Crawford 570]

20 hours ago, UllyB said:

.By the way does anyone know WHAT application, except Mue LOD viewer, reads the LOD format ? From what program one saves the 3D model into the LOD format ?

For example, such a terrible pirated program like 3D Object Converter. But Mue's LOD viewer is better.

However, to convert the model into a LOD file, you MUST need a 3DS Max with the Third Wire Objest Exporter plug-in installed.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Crawford

[UllyB 1,206]

No, I didn't want to convert any model into a LOD format, I just wanted to modify the bitmap's names from inside the LOD to use it with for different colored canards.(the ones for SU-30Sm were blue, the ones for SU-30MKI were grey, and the bitmap for both LODs had the same name so I couldn't use them as fuel tanks, in the same time)

[Crawford 570]

I understood you. In this case, you only need this program, as mentioned above.

 

Hex-editor_XVI32.rar

[UllyB 1,206]

Yes, I do, thank you.

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

You just create a second folder like

Su-30sm parts

In the pilot folder, place the files and textures in it and you dont need to rename anything. 

Just make Sure the ini's are calling for the right files 

[UllyB 1,206]

23 hours ago, 76.IAP-Blackbird said:

You just create a second folder like

Su-30sm parts

In the pilot folder, place the files and textures in it and you dont need to rename anything. 

Just make Sure the ini's are calling for the right files 

Nope, it won't work (it's about SF1 environment), it's easier to modify with the hexa editor. Anyway problem was solved.

[Wrench 9,851]

for old style (1stGens) just dump all the parts at the root of the /Objects folder.

actually, at the 08 patch level, you should be able to have an /Objects/Pilots/folder. It's no different from /Weapons or /Decals. And we KNOW those work

[UllyB 1,206]

I see...so the last patch for SF1 enables such a possibility...I didn't know, now I do. Thanks.

By the way, I tried the same trick , that worked (for the two canard versions with one LOD), for a weapon skin in SF1. Everything looked fine, but in game  I can't see the skin, it's "invisible" and I can't pinpoint what I did wrong. If it worked for canards why didn't it work for the weapon skin ?

Edited January 14, 2019 by UllyB

[+Menrva 4,202]

2 hours ago, UllyB said:

I can't see the skin, it's "invisible" and I can't pinpoint what I did wrong. If it worked for canards why didn't it work for the weapon skin ?

Beware, SF1 only reads .BMP textures, IIRC. No .JPGs or other formats.

[UllyB 1,206]

I know that. They are BMPs. When I have, separately, the LOD and the bitmap, and double click the LOD, I can see the model and skin correctly. However after I move the LOD and the bitmap in the weapon folder,  It becomes invisible in the game . However I didn't know what I did, now it appears but it's white, as if the skin name is not correctly written. I'm out of ideas.

[Wrench 9,851]

do you have a main ini for the item?

[UllyB 1,206]

there is no a ini for them. It's just the LOD and the bitmap. I even checked the original CAT for WOI, it's not there any of them, so they are surely 3rd party custom made. It's the Swatter.LOD and the Rockets.bmp. Take a look please, maybe you can sort things out quicker.

swatter.7z

Edited January 15, 2019 by UllyB

[simonmiller416 1,877]

Hi UllyB

I found these in su-30sm_data.ini

[Canards]
SystemType=PILOT_COCKPIT
Position=0.0,0.0,0.0
PilotModelName=FakePilot
SeatModelName=Su30SMCanards
SeatPosition=0.0,1.9,0.47
SeatID=2

 

So actually, this mod have a "pilot" to be canards,Genius！LOD and texture can be found in pilot folder,

[PeacePuma 569]

Interesting revelation hehe ... thinking of other ideas, will editing the hex allow you to change a map from bmp to tga? I have thought several times to modify elements of a LOD with transparency and it cannot be done by mapping without redoing the 3d ... would this option work?

For example, to remove elements that are part of a larger mesh but have a different texture, would it be a solution?