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What is the problem here?

Started by joostjoost, August 22, 2011, 02:00:40 PM

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joostjoost

Hello guys,

So i continued developing an old project: The Erasmus Bridge. I have a strange problem. The support piece i created acts like a repeat piece. I checked the model ID's twice to be sure, also in the .dat file it seems to be OK. Do you guys recognize this problem?



Also the support piece is a 1 by 1 tile in the game while i developed a support piece 1 by 13

xannepan

Quote from: joostjoost on August 22, 2011, 02:00:40 PM

Also the support piece is a 1 by 1 tile in the game while i developed a support piece 1 by 13

Joost, based on the info you provide here I see two problems.
One is that you need to set multiple parameters besides the ID to make a piece act like a repeat, support, or end piece. If you carefully read the tutorial you should be able to check if everything is set as supposed to.
Secondly, in order to use support pieces and repeat pieces of diffrerent width (1 and 13 in your case) you also need to create complex RUL files. Otherwise you can only have repeat and end pieces of 1 tile wide.

Hope this helps,

succes!
Alex

joostjoost

I think I got all the settings right. I followed the JRJ PDF document and the topic: 'some advanced modding'



Is there any tutorial available on how to make these RUL files?

threestooges

First, based on your exemplar file there, you have your repeat and support values mixed up. You set a support interval of 8 spaces, which is happening with what you've marked as your "repeat piece" in the picture above. Your "support piece" then appears to be coded to be a repeat piece.

Second, where did you get those bridge IDs, both the bridge exemplar, and the piece IDs?

xannepan

joost, Threestooges is correct. But even if you set the support interval the repeat piece will keep repeating on every tile, unless you include RUL files (which is beyond my capabilties, so I cannot advice you on this).
In my paris bridges the same occurs. The only trick is that visually you don't see it because these are relatively simple models. WIth you bridge I don't see how you can succeed without RULs. Don't want to discourage you... I will help whereever en whenever possible.

Secondly I really advice you to ask in the appropriate thread for some bridge examplar and piece IDs as threestooges suggested. Without good IDs your bridge will mess up other bridges, or not display correctly at all. Correcting IDs afterwards is a terrible lot of work (speaking from experience here)

Alex

xannepan

Joost,

I have an idea for your bridge. It will make modelling and modding easier. My suggestion is as follows:
Don't model the bridge pylon and wires as repeat or support pieces. Instead use the most simple support and repeat pieces, basically only including the bridge road (or TIR) surface and the bridge border. Bring these models back to the most simple shape possible. For the pylon + wires itself you create a completely independent model. For this one, you don't have to use thight fitting LODs! (which makes live sooo much easier). In case of the Erasmus bridge, since the pylon is assymetric make sure is is place assymetric around the origin (see later in this mail why you need to do this!)

For the endpieces of the bridge you still need models, again here make them as simple as possible. (if needed also here you can create an independent model for the more complex parts, just make sure in this case these models are rotational symmetric).

Now render all the models. For the repeat, support and endpieces follow the tutorial exactly (and make sure you request some IDs!  ;D)
For the pylon+wires piece, just render them as you would with a normal BAT, you don't need bridge IDs for these.

I now recommend you first test if the end, support and repeat pieces display correct in the game. If not now is your change to tune them.. later on it will be near to impossible because of the next steps:

Once you are done you need to get into some more complex modding in the reader (actually not too complex at all, just a lot of repetive work and you need to do some godd book keeping in order not to make mistakes). What you need to do is open the pylon+wire model, select each individual s3d file listed and export them. Then open the support piece model. Select a s3d file and then use the "Add s3d" button and select the appropriate s3d file (i.e. a Z5S piece from the support piece model should be merged with the Z5S piece from the pylon model). Repeat this for each and every s3d file.
what will happen now is that the game will display the pylon+wires model together with your support piece! The model will be displayed centered on the support pieces, so you have to make sure your assymetric model is positioned correctly around the origin (that explains my earlier comment).

Benefits of this are: you don't need RUL files. The pylon+wire model can have night lighting (Note: this won't be possible if you would try to achieve the same via T21 exemplars, which would be another way to add the pylon model to the support piece).
Disadvantages: your pylon will repeat for each and every support piece. You can solve this by making sure you set a large support interval (which you need to do anyway). (Tip: set the support interval to the same number as you pylon model width (in tile (16m) units)
But even with large support interval you cannot prevent for very long bridges you will get >1 pylons. (the same is happening to my London tower bridge).

I hope this is clear a bit... if not then ask. You can also look at my Tower Bridge model in which I used the same technique.

Good luck!
-Alex





joostjoost

Okay i think i know what you mean, but i can only export as 3DS and when i insert the 3DS files the program crashes. Is there a way so i can export as .s3d

smoncrie

joostjoost,

I gather that you want a bridge with one asymmetrically placed support pylon.  If this is the case, you might try setting SupportInterval to 255, and setting EndSupportInterval  to adjust the pylon's distance from one end of the bridge.

These settings worked for me in a quick test.