Pen32Win Alpha Transparency for Round Craters

[Devildog73]

Anybody know what package had the fix for the square bomb craters to make them round.

Uncle Tgt suggested the fix, but looking over all of Pen32Win's add-ons, I do not see them listed.

Thanks,
DD

[dvslats]

Hi DD73,

Are you referring to the craters from Pen's "AF_BnkrPak " ?

[Allen]

Don't think there is a fix for the square bomb craters look as the lower LODs are not texture. Many of the CFS2 objects are set up this way.

[Devildog73]

dvslats,

I have those installed on all of my CFS2 installs.

I was just looking as UT told me my craters were square and he thought Pen32Win did a mod to correct them.
We all work within the limitations of CFS2 coding left to us by MS...:very_drunk:

[Allen]

Stock craters are square or more more accurately flat top pyramid. LOD 100 to 25 are textured and LOD 10 is just a brown flat top pyramid.

39323

39324

39325

Also I can't seem to edit the stock. inf.bgl. SCASM kicks an error when I try to make it back to a .bgl from a .sca. Can't get SCASM to repack the stock inf.bgl once BGL Analyze as made it to a .sca. Not sure if BGL Analyze is causing an error when it convets from .bgl to .sca

[Robert John]

Allen,
do you use a heading like this, if not add header and complie, let me know.

Header( 1 N90:00:00.00 S89:60:00.00 E180:00:00.00 W179:60:00.00 )
LatRange( S89:60:00.00 N90:00:00.00 )
Set( BUF 8192 )
Set( areamx 8192 )
Set( LINBUF 8192)

RJ.

[Robert John]

Hi Allen,
Re compiled, no probs,

RJ.

[Allen]

My BGL Analyze is version 1.0.0.2. Are you using a newer one? SCASM is from sca296.

EDIT:

Looks like I needed to add

Set( BUF 8192 )
Set( areamx 8192 )
Set( LINBUF 8192)

to the .sca BGL Analyze made.

SCASM is compiling to a BGL fine now from the looks of it. Will dump in a crater I updated in gmax and make sure it working.

EDIT2:
Looks to be working fine now. Thanks RJ!

[Robert John]

Hi Allen,
I do not think yoU can mix old with new, gmax uses vertices in its coding some 3d programs uses points.
Delete the object in the inf file you do not want and make a new library, use the old guid number for you rebuilt object.

RJ

[Allen]

Was able to with the weapons.bgl when I updated the US bombs but not so with the inf.bgl *deathstare.png* It compiles and shows in Model Conveter X but CFS2 kicks model can't be displayed and give the Guid number of the crater I tired to update.

I do want to one day update all of the stock Inf objects so the last LOD on them have texture. Some just change to the last LOD that is un-texture so quickly that it looks bad. The inf_large_pillbox and inf_barracksb are the worst offinders I know of off hand but rebuilding all 68 objects dosen't sound like fun.

39357

[Robert John]

Hi Allen,
Just because the object shows up in Modelconverterx does not mean they work in the game, I also found this out whilst rebuilding the cfs1 library. In theory if the last lod only shows at a distance and not close to viewer at all during game play Untextured distance lod would be more frame rate friendly, in Cfs2 as the game becomes more active with lots of Aircraft, Buildings, Explosions, Fire etc the draw of the objects lower lods become closer to the viewer due to the computers processing rate.
Now with faster computers we can continue to push the boundaries of this game and have more detail in objects we create and more objects in view, a busier environment altogether.

[dvslats]

Hi Guys,

I was just going through B-24 Guy and Pens (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=45&id=5924) rework of the inf.bgl in scasm form.

It looks as if all the lods made are textured with the bmp I posted above.
In MCX it shows all the loads being the same in detail.
10 triangles and 1 drawcalls for all.

Still it shows in sim as square. :confused:

Dv

Addendum: Searched some older posts and read about the craters showing "round" when added via MB Gsl Editor. (Lindsay)
When added as infrastructure to a mission, this is when the square effect happens.
So I tested and it proved to be true. Pics,

[Allen]

Looks like some one forgot to make the craters transparent via material on the last LOD. The square look like a shadow. If the material for all LODs are given some transparency (even 1%) the game won't make a shadow for the object.

[The B24 Guy]

Hi Guys,

I was just going through B-24 Guy and Pens (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=45&id=5924) rework of the inf.bgl in scasm form.

It looks as if all the lods made are textured with the bmp I posted above.
In MCX it shows all the loads being the same in detail.
10 triangles and 1 drawcalls for all.

Still it shows in sim as square. :confused:

Dv

Addendum: Searched some older posts and read about the craters showing "round" when added via MB Gsl Editor. (Lindsay)
When added as infrastructure to a mission, this is when the square effect happens.
So I tested and it proved to be true. Pics,

Pen32win had a problem getting SCASM to recompile the entire inf.bgl so he broke it into two parts. I hex edited the bgl's so that they would work with MB and as GSL calls.
Later investigation reviled that a few objects are missing or incomplete.
This may cause a problem in some missions. So I would not use this mod.

Regards,
B24Guy

[Allen]

Its going to take time but I working on rebuilding all of the stock inf.bgl in gmax to add texture to the lowest LODs.

[Allen]

Okay all of the stock inf.bgl object now rebuilt! The lowest LODs are now textured. This may not be a big change for PTO but if your using repainted PTO objects in your Euro install it should be!

I don't know how to combine them into one large.bgl like MS did so each object has its own .bgl. Below is a zip with all 68 stock inf updated. A blank inf.bgl to replace the stock one and a backup copy of the stock inf.bgl in a folder so you can go back if you don't like what I have done. Before you go back to the stock inf.bgl you must remove all 68 inf_* I made.

39622

[dvslats]

Wow Allen. Thanks!
After some 15 years of square craters...no more. Or annoying "pop in view" either. :cheerful:

https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7407/27798734860_0287a2b437_o.jpg

Dave

[Allen]

Glad they are what you wanted!