Issue with replacement model "ShipwreckLargeXX_LOD.nif"

[soupdragon]

So I decided to finally do something about whats bugged me since what feels like forever, the lo res, lo poly shipwreck LOD models it offends my eye everytime I see them on the not too distant horizon.

 

I followed the "Convert nifs of various formats and export as simple 3D static for LOD" guide and used merge.bat to output a suitable LOD model and that resulted a .nif with a collection of NiTriShapes, all looks good in Nifskope can preview model just fine in CK. I'd create a lower poly model with 3dsMax if I had a copy, but I don't.

 

However when I add it to the LOD models in Meshes/LOD/Ships/ DynDoLOD has a problem with it - LODGEN64.exe will simply hang at a certain point and never complete - I have to manually close the window and DynDoLOD64.exe reports an error and it didn't complete Lod generation and to check the log files - however the log file is empty, completely blank... its definitely an issue with the custom model if I remove it from the folder DynDoLOD completes successfully.

 

Now the odd thing is if I run SSELodGen with exactly the same setup and with the LOD model in place it has no problems with it, completes successfully and - the LOD displays perfectly ingame with my replacement model. Works great. No issues at all. Its just the version of LodGen that ships with DynDoLOD that trips up over it.

 

Now obviously its simply a replacement for a vanilla model so it shouldn't need any rules added etc. So it's a bit of a mystery at this point why one version should work and the other not, as I understand it DynDoLOD64 is supposed to be just an extended version of SSElodgen.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Edited July 21, 2018 by soupdragon

[sheson]

Different version means the code was changed. It is no mystery that different code behaves different and then there is the undeniable fact of life that new code means new bugs.

 

Just send/upload the nif so I can check whats happening.

[soupdragon]

Alright here you go:

 

https://www.sendspace.com/file/bcy4fv

 

n.b. theres an known issue with transparency on the textures I need to add a custom texture at some point but thats not a problem.

[sheson]

Thanks for the files. This is fixed in version 2.42.

You can optimize the meshes a bit further in nifskope by removing the NiTriShapes Alpha02 and Object01 which seem to be duplicating other shapes.

Also, right click on the remaining NiTriShapes, select Mesh, Remove Duplicate Vertices.

For compatibility reasons, it's better to use BSFadeNode for the root node instead of NiNode. Just right click the NiNode, select Block, Convert, Bethesda, BSFadeNode.

For performance reasons I suggest to change the file names to ShipwreckLarge01_LOD_0.nif and ShipwreckLarge02_LOD_0.nif so that the high triangle count models are only use for LOD level 4 and the existing LOD models for level 8 and 16.

I added a LOD texture generation rule for shipwoodfloor01.dd that will create a shipwoodfloor01lod.dds with the alpha channel removed. To create it just run TexGen and install the output before running DynDOLOD.

However, do not change the full texture paths in the LOD nifs, just leave the full textures assigned as they are. LODGen will take care of the re-UV and LOD texture replacements automatically.

[soupdragon]

 Wonderful. Thank you for the detailed reply!

[soupdragon]

Hello there. I have some more bugs to report.

 

They're all ship models like last time and I suspect its the same issue as with the last ones LodGen64.exe reports errors with "re-uv"-ing the replacement models. SSElodgen has no issues with them, as before.

 

Its tripping over the same parts of the model each time i.e. the NiTriShapes that contain the keel, ribs, steps, mast etc. The ships wall and decking is fine. Incase that helps.

 

I thought I'd try and be clever and try and copy the branches from the .BTO's that SSElodgen successfully generated and copy 'n' paste them into the .BTO's that DynDoLOD generates (minus the NiTriShapes that DynDoLOD trips over) and... it works. Sort of. The only issue is those parts of the mesh do not disable with the rest of the LOD model when the lod is supposed to unload. I'm guessing its a DynDoLOD script issue I'm still looking into that.

 

Cheers.

 

https://www.sendspace.com/file/4roicd

 

 

 

[soupdragon]

it works. Sort of. The only issue is those parts of the mesh do not disable with the rest of the LOD model when the lod is supposed to unload. I'm guessing its a DynDoLOD script issue I'm still looking into that.

 

 

nevermind, I figured it out it needs the entire BSMultiBoundNode duplicating then it works. Huzzah.

Edited July 27, 2018 by soupdragon

[sheson]

I am looking at the files and will provide an update "soon".

[sheson]

Get the latest 2.43 version. It should generate LOD without problems with the models.

[soupdragon]

It works perfectly, thank you.