Model invisible in game

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LilyValley
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Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

I'm back and I have made an adventure prop appear in the game... well, at least in the lists and UI anyways. I made a static object but when I go to place it there is nothing. I've just started this project today and I am left wondering what has made it invisible.


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rob55rod
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

Would you mind posting your PROP.XML files for the object?
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:Would you mind posting your PROP.XML files for the object?
I'm not very experienced so I tried to study the files of the game, so in my "civicobjects" folder I have this (it's a dragon statue):

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<properties>
	<key name="parent" groupid="civicobjects" instanceid="EP1_StaticObjectTemplate" typeid="prop" />
	<string16 name="description">Dragon</string16>
	<texts name="blockName">
		<text>Dragon Statue</text>
	</texts>
	<key name="modelMeshLOD0" groupid="editor_rigblocks~" instanceid="dragon" typeid="rw4" />
	<key name="modelMeshLOD1" groupid="editor_rigblocks~" instanceid="dragon" typeid="rw4" />
	<key name="modelMeshLOD2" groupid="editor_rigblocks~" instanceid="dragon" typeid="rw4" />
	<float name="modelScale">8</float>
	<key name="#38B3D14E" groupid="editor_rigblocks~" instanceid="dragon" typeid="rw4" />
</properties>
And in the "definitions~" I have this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Code: Select all

<properties>
	<key name="parent" groupid="definitions~" instanceid="#04051EB4" typeid="prop" />
	<texts name="interactableObjectName">
		<text>Dragon</text>
	</texts>
	<int32 name="interactiveOrnamentType">7</int32>
	<uint32 name="materialType">11</uint32>
	<string8 name="nounDefinition_ResourceDescription">glass</string8>
	<key name="nounDefinition_ResourceKey" groupid="civicobjects" instanceid="dragon" typeid="prop" />
</properties>
I have the model in the folder "ep1_adventuremodels~" and it is .rw4.

Finally, in "PalleteItems" I have:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<properties>
	<key name="parent" groupid="PaletteItems" instanceid="#5C5C0759" typeid="prop" />
	<key name="modelMeshLOD0" groupid="editor_rigblocks~" instanceid="dragon" typeid="rw4" />
	<key name="paletteItemPlacedAsset" groupid="definitions~" instanceid="dragon" typeid="#03A2511E" />
	<texts name="sporepediaName">
		<text>Dragon Statue</text>
	</texts>
	<bool name="sporepediaShow">true</bool>
</properties>
Is there something I did incorrectly?
Last edited by rob55rod on Fri Mar 31, 2017 8:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Moved XML into code tags
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rob55rod
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

Well I see two things that jump out at me so far:

1. In "definitions~", your nounDefinition_ResourceDescription doesn't match the model's name.
2. Your model is not stored in "animations~". I don't know if this actually matters, but that's what I've always done, and it works, sooo...there's that.

Also you may want to check your PROP.XML files' names and make sure they all match the model's name (e.g. if dragon.rw4, call them dragon.prop.xml). Again, I don't think this is necessary, but it does make it a heck of a lot harder to get a reference wrong. Also speaking of file names, I recommend you prefix your model's (and PROP.XML files') name(s) with the initials of your mod or some other abbreviation, e.g. "DI9r_Dragon" for Dark Injection, "BrE_Dragon" for Branching Evolution, "BS_Dragon" for Bullsh-I mean, uh, BetterSpore...you get the idea. It just makes the name less likely to conflict with one in another mod.

Oh and, in future, please use code tags around each file, and denote the location and name of the file as Spore does, e.g. "definitions~!dragon.prop.xml" for a file called "dragon.prop.xml" in the "definitions~" folder. Just makes things easier for everyone if we all use the same formatting.
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:Well I see two things that jump out at me so far:

1. In "definitions~", your nounDefinition_ResourceDescription doesn't match the model's name.
2. Your model is not stored in "animations~". I don't know if this actually matters, but that's what I've always done, and it works, sooo...there's that.
I made sure to do both steps and I tested it again.. nothing seems to have changed. In the adventure editor it's still invisible. Maybe there's something wrong with the model?
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

Wait a second...can I see your model's material settings and texture?
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:Wait a second...can I see your model's material settings and texture?
Do I post a screenshot? I have assigned a texture to the material and I also added a diffuse texture to the rw4 data, so maybe those have conflicted?

Also, correct me if I'm wrong but do the textures save with the .rw4?
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

LilyValley wrote:
rob55rod wrote:Wait a second...can I see your model's material settings and texture?
Do I post a screenshot?
Yes
LilyValley wrote:I have assigned a texture to the material and I also added a diffuse texture to the rw4 data, so maybe those have conflicted?
I do that all the time. Not going to make a difference.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong but do the textures save with the .rw4?[/quote]
The textures are packed into the rw4 model.
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:
LilyValley wrote:
rob55rod wrote:Wait a second...can I see your model's material settings and texture?
Do I post a screenshot?
Yes
Here's my settings (very quick and messy screenshot edit) : Image
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

Does your model have a skeleton?
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:Does your model have a skeleton?
Nope, does it need one?
For reference, I'm trying to add in a fixed(static) object.
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

LilyValley wrote:
rob55rod wrote:Does your model have a skeleton?
Nope, does it need one?
For reference, I'm trying to add in a fixed(static) object.
Yes, it does. The skeleton doesn't have do do anything other than exist, though...
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:
LilyValley wrote:
rob55rod wrote:Does your model have a skeleton?
Nope, does it need one?
For reference, I'm trying to add in a fixed(static) object.
Yes, it does. The skeleton doesn't have do do anything other than exist, though...
Well, would parenting need to come into play? What is parented to what?
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

LilyValley wrote:
rob55rod wrote:
LilyValley wrote: Nope, does it need one?
For reference, I'm trying to add in a fixed(static) object.
Yes, it does. The skeleton doesn't have do do anything other than exist, though...
Well, would parenting need to come into play? What is parented to what?
No.
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

It didn't appear at all so I went into the xml and did research. The groupid in civicobjects has to be the folder where the model is kept, so I corrected it and.. boom! It appears in game! A few issues, though. The model when placed is vertical instead of horizontal, and the alpha channel appears anyways. I think I will need to change that "alpha" material setting to "excluding" (if I remember the name right).

Edit: The alpha channel isn't working. Where it should be transparent, there's a black texture.
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rob55rod
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by rob55rod »

LilyValley wrote:It didn't appear at all so I went into the xml and did research. The groupid in civicobjects has to be the folder where the model is kept, so I corrected it and.. boom! It appears in game!
...I thought it did match. That's what groupid is - the folder .-.
LilyValley wrote:The model when placed is vertical instead of horizontal
Just make sure it's rotated correctly in Blender and Apply all Rotation modifiers.
LilyValley wrote:and the alpha channel appears anyways. I think I will need to change that "alpha" material setting to "excluding" (if I remember the name right).

Edit: The alpha channel isn't working. Where it should be transparent, there's a black texture.
Yes, that's what happens when you set it to Excluding or Opaque...that's the whole point :lol:
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LilyValley
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Re: Model invisible in game

Unread post by LilyValley »

rob55rod wrote:
LilyValley wrote:It didn't appear at all so I went into the xml and did research. The groupid in civicobjects has to be the folder where the model is kept, so I corrected it and.. boom! It appears in game!
...I thought it did match. That's what groupid is - the folder .-.
LilyValley wrote:The model when placed is vertical instead of horizontal
Just make sure it's rotated correctly in Blender and Apply all Rotation modifiers.
LilyValley wrote:and the alpha channel appears anyways. I think I will need to change that "alpha" material setting to "excluding" (if I remember the name right).

Edit: The alpha channel isn't working. Where it should be transparent, there's a black texture.
Yes, that's what happens when you set it to Excluding or Opaque...that's the whole point :lol:
I had it alpha in the first place which still had a black texture. I reset the rotation already and it appears fine, save for that alpha channel bug. Until I find a solution for that, I'll stick to models that don't utilize it. Case in point (pun intended), I made a suitcase that you can pick up.
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