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Please, can you check at which version exactly the textures went dark/black. Version 0.1: http://combatace.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=126169 Update 0.2: http://combatace.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=126870 Update 0.2.1: http://combatace.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=126894 Update 0.2.2: http://combatace.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=126937 Update 0.3: http://combatace.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=127098 If you zoom in, does the texture "jumps" from black to the normal color or does the texture color gets smoothly brighter from black to the normal color?

You wrote, that LODViewer version 0.1 worked. Is that correct? With version 0.4 does the black textures happen with all objects? What are your system specs?

Version 0.4 is ready! Changelog: -added toolbar -nodes can be hidden -multiple nodes can be selected -animations -simple transparency (no depth ordering of triangles) -bounding and hit boxes of nodes are shown -write a file with information about all nodes and materials Please read the readme.txt! I changed the mouse view control within the 3D view window. The update zip file: LODViewerUpdateV0.4.zip Copy the content of this zip file (LODViewer.exe and readme.txt) into the LODViewer directory of the old version (overwrite the two old files). Version 0.1 can be downloaded here: http://combatace.com/topic/85079-lod-viewer/?do=findComment&comment=684342 Screenshot:

What info are you interested in exactly? The bounding boxes (xmin,ymin,zmin) / (xmax,ymax,zmax) of each single node or of a group of nodes? Do you need some visualizations?

I don't own FE2. Maybe the install directory file structure or the cat file format is different from SF2. Is it possible that FE2 still uses the old SF1 cat format? Currently LODViewer doesn't support the old cat format, but it's on my todo list.

The LOD Viewer doesn't read and therefore doesn't use any other material properties (e.g. specular, diffuse colors, bump mapping,...). It only reads the texture file name. There is a known bug in LOD Viewer: It can not display 1x1 textures. Those are used mostly for canopies or lights.

My current plan is only for a target area editor ( = target object placement tool) and not for a terrain&tile editor. With TKs and gerwins tools we already have two terrain editors.

Maybe it has something to do with this: I were asked if I would publish a cat extractor for the locked cat files. I declined. I think TK locked the lod's on purpose so that it is harder to "steal" them. I don't like his decision but I will respect it. In my opinion the LOD Viewer is a good compromise: for the community it helps to reskin stock lods and for TK it keeps the lods locked. Yes, I also remember a conversation where TK allows us to modify/patch the executables. But I don't think that it includes a permission to extract the lods.

Thanks for the confirmation that y-trees don't work. Yes, to write a converter for creating tod files should be possible. But currently I'm busy with another project. What do you mean with "engine on the fly creates the meshes from TOD files". Can you explain it in more detail?

The uv mapping window only shows meshes those texture uv coordinates lie inside the "normal" interval between 0 and 1. Maybe the model uses texture coordinates that lie outside this interval. You can deselect a node: 1.) in the node list view with ctrl + left click on the node entry or 2.) in the 3d view with ctrl + left click in an empty area. A "hide node" option is on my todo list. Yes I can add support for the older formats. Before I looked at the cat files myself I searched this forum for some infos about the cat file format and I found your posting that described the old format. It helped me a lot. The new formats are not that different. Although the locked cat format added some obfuscation / scrambling. The reload button only reloads the textures.

Thank you, but actually, I don't see me as a modder since I haven't created and published any mods yet. I'm more of a tool developer. No, you only need the first package (since this contains all needed qt libraries) and the latest update. The "update process" is only copying the two files from the update zip package into the lodviewer directory.

Thank you all. You, the community, create fantastic mods for this series and I'm glad that I could give something back to the community. With right click in the material list window all nodes that use the selected material are shown on the texture. Maybe that helps you?

Update Version 0.3 -reads expansion pack 1 / 2 and sf2na cat files (maybe it also reads the objectdata002.cat files that are different from mine file, but I couldn't test it) -reads "pre locked" unicode lod files LODViewerUpdateV0.3.zip

The name/location of the install directory path doesn't matter. You have to select the install directory eg. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Thirdwire\Strike Fighters 2" and NOT the Objects directory or any cat files. But since you are on patch level jul2012 and not jul2013 I doubt that it will work anyway. For those who can not see the stock lods: Can you send me the following informations please (preferably as pm, as to not clutter this thread): -Exact size of your ObjectData002.cat -your version.ini Thank you!

LODViewer expects patch level jul2013. In "Extras->Settings->Strike Fighters 2 Installation Directory" you have to set your sf2 install directory not the mod directory. E.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\ThirdWire\Strike Fighters 2. LODViewer scans for all cat files in the Objects and Terrains directories. Currently cat files from both expansion packs and SF2NA can not be opened. But I'm working on it. I've made a test already and merged installs don't seems to alter ObjectData002.cat. But I don't have any DLC.

Your file size is different from my file. So you have a different cat file. No need to check the checksums. Probably your file is a bit different encoded/scrambled than my file. And thats the reason my program crashes on your file. But I don't understand why your file is different? Because you also have patch level jul2013, right?

Strange. What error message do you get? I can load both aircraft. Its in ObjectData009.cat. Do you have it?

Yes lodviewer can open the locked objectdata002.cat. For me it works. I don't know why the application crashes for you. Maybe your objectdata002.cat is different from mine although we have the same patch level jul2013. I don't understand the locked cat format fully, but I could it reengineer enough to open my exemplar of objectdata002.cat. My objectdata002.cat has the following properties: Size: 355.175.658 Bytes Checksums/Hashes: CRC-32: 26deb66a MD4: fc9ad4a71a0ad5bc33666d364e219b69 MD5: 6b8d2c47c201cf97acb8d798d69d2f9c SHA-1: 9c35aeaaa7ba9a5ed0a611cf08cd048f47567e02 Can you compare it with your objectdata002.cat please? Btw: Can anyone else read locked lods with lodviewer?

I have also a fully merged installation, but no DLC. And it works here besides that lodviewer can still not read the cat files from SF2NA and the expansion packs, but it does not crashes. I'm curious what cat files do you have in your Objects and Terrains directories. Probably DLC cats are saved there? What you can try to do is to create a "fake" SF2 installation directory. In the fake directory create the subfolders Objects and Terrains and copy one cat file after the other into those directories. Test the lodviewer after each cat file copy with that fake directory and see with what cat file the program crashes.

Have you tested the latest version with windows xp? I changed a compiler setting for compiling the exe. Now the programm starts on my windows xp system, but then the graphic card driver crashes. I'm curious, probably it works for you?

It's update time again. Version 0.2.2 -bugfix: texture files with extensions different from the one referenced in the lod file were not loaded correctly LODViewerUpdateV0.2.2.zip If I load the ini files (VautourA_IDFcamo.ini or VautourA_IDFSilver.ini) I can see the textures. What patch level do you run. Which sims (SF2, SF2V, SF2E,..) have you installed? Does it really crash or is the program "hanging"?

Those who see only black textures, please try this update version 0.2.1: LODViewerUpdateV0.2.1.zip

I could reproduce the black texture bug on an ati graphic card. Do you have an ati card? At home I only have nvidia cards, therefore I didn't notice this bug. I will fix it asap. But selection with the mouse should still work. Also right click in the node list window and material list window should work.

Probably you downloaded only the update zip file. You still need the version 0.1 zip file. It contains all libraries. Then you copy the content of the update zip file into the LODViewer directory of the version 0.1 zip file.

Ok, version 0.2 is ready. Whats new? - Lod files can be opened via opening ini files - Needed files (textures, lods) are read from cat files (patch level jul2013). Enable this feature in Extras->Settings. You must also set the SF2 installation directoy path. - 3D coordinates are shown - Display and export of uv maps - Improved texture file lookup - Filename can be passed as commandline argument The update zip file: LODViewerUpdateV0.2.zip Copy the content of this zip file (LODViewer.exe and readme.txt) into the LODViewer directory of the previous version 0.1 (overwrite the two old files). Version 0.1 can be downloaded here: http://combatace.com/topic/85079-lod-viewer/?do=findComment&comment=684342 Have fun!