Guide:Creating Tree LOD Models: Difference between revisions
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Like most object LOD, DynDOLOD-compatible tree LOD uses a simplified LOD model 'imposter' or 'dummy' version of the full model in order to render trees in object LOD while keeping the performance hit to a minimum. In order to accomplish this, DynDOLOD must be able to associate the LOD model with its corresponding full model. This can be done by either using unique tree names for assets and plugin references, or by incorporating the CRC32 checksum of the full tree model into the file names and path references of corresponding LOD assets, which is the ''de facto'' standard. | Like most object LOD, DynDOLOD-compatible tree LOD uses a simplified LOD model 'imposter' or 'dummy' version of the full model in order to render trees in object LOD while keeping the performance hit to a minimum. In order to accomplish this, DynDOLOD must be able to associate the LOD model with its corresponding full model. This can be done by either using unique tree names for assets and plugin references, or by incorporating the CRC32 checksum of the full tree model into the file names and path references of corresponding LOD assets, which is the ''de facto'' standard. | ||
== | == General Procedure == | ||
=== 1. Copy From Full Model Into Empty NIF === | |||
LOD models should contain only BSTriShape or NiTriShape nodes from the base model copied/pasted into an 'empty' NIF using [https://github.com/niftools/nifskope/releases NifSkope]. This is a relatively simple task for most trees, but skinned trees or trees using BSMultiBoundNode can be a little trickier. Only the visually obvious nodes need to be copied (trunk and crown) and not the small details that will not be apparent at the distance of LOD. Click on the trunk and crown in the NIF viewer to expose the relevant nodes in the left pane of NifSkope. | |||
* '''Standard LOD models''' can be created by simply copying each node into an instance of <code>..\DynDOLOD\docs\trees.ultra\tools\emptypassthru_lod.nif</code> and then renaming this into <code>meshes\DynDOLOD\lod\trees\[TreeName]_[CRC32]passthru_lod.nif</code> of the tree mod where 'TreeName' is the base file name of the reference mesh and 'CRC32' is the CRC32 checksum of the reference mesh. These are then ready for use by DynDOLOD. | |||
* '''Hbrid LOD models''' will be more performance friently, since they use flat trunks with between 4-8 triangles rather than the 'full' trunks which usually have upwards of tens to hundreds of polygons. | |||
Revision as of 17:56, January 4, 2022
Creating Tree LOD Models
A Quick Start to One Approach
by: The Step Team
Purpose & Background
For complete reference, see the official DynDOLOD documentation describing this process. This is meant to be a simplified, step-by-step guide to a workflow devised by z929669. The goal is to aid other mod authors in operationalizing the methods described in the official documentation in order to produce LOD for their tree mods or for updates to existing tree mods.
Like most object LOD, DynDOLOD-compatible tree LOD uses a simplified LOD model 'imposter' or 'dummy' version of the full model in order to render trees in object LOD while keeping the performance hit to a minimum. In order to accomplish this, DynDOLOD must be able to associate the LOD model with its corresponding full model. This can be done by either using unique tree names for assets and plugin references, or by incorporating the CRC32 checksum of the full tree model into the file names and path references of corresponding LOD assets, which is the de facto standard.
General Procedure
1. Copy From Full Model Into Empty NIF
LOD models should contain only BSTriShape or NiTriShape nodes from the base model copied/pasted into an 'empty' NIF using NifSkope. This is a relatively simple task for most trees, but skinned trees or trees using BSMultiBoundNode can be a little trickier. Only the visually obvious nodes need to be copied (trunk and crown) and not the small details that will not be apparent at the distance of LOD. Click on the trunk and crown in the NIF viewer to expose the relevant nodes in the left pane of NifSkope.
- Standard LOD models can be created by simply copying each node into an instance of
..\DynDOLOD\docs\trees.ultra\tools\emptypassthru_lod.nifand then renaming this intomeshes\DynDOLOD\lod\trees\[TreeName]_[CRC32]passthru_lod.nifof the tree mod where 'TreeName' is the base file name of the reference mesh and 'CRC32' is the CRC32 checksum of the reference mesh. These are then ready for use by DynDOLOD. - Hbrid LOD models will be more performance friently, since they use flat trunks with between 4-8 triangles rather than the 'full' trunks which usually have upwards of tens to hundreds of polygons.
