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Modding for the Original SWBF1 and SWBF2 => SWBF1 Modding => Topic started by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 01:06:12 PM

Title: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 01:06:12 PM
Sorry for yet another help topic, but I seem to keep running into the most bizarre problems. Spent the whole day troubleshooting this, so time to ask for help.

In a nutshell, I'm adding water to the naboo plains map.

I followed This (http://www.swbfgamers.com/index.php?topic=3008.0) tutorial and another one, and I'm sure I followed everything correctly.


Now, the water seemingly Isn't the big culprit here, but it might leave a clue.

The main issue I'm having is when I add this to my modid.reg-

REQN
{
"envfx"
"naboo1"
}

This causes the main modid munger to output this error code-
"Error: (null) is not a binary UCF file!Error: munged\naboo1.envfx is not a binary UCF file!

This results in a finished munged map with a size of 921KB, which in turn loads a blank map at launch.


But if I change it to look like this-
REQN
{
"envfx"
}

Deleting the "naboo1" line causes the munger to output numerous errors (to be expected), BUT, it successfully munges a map of 13MB. Obviously crashes, but still, it makes an effort to munge the world file.


I really have no idea where to go from here.

--------
EDIT: This is now my official thread to annoy the expert modders here with my many troubleshooting problems  :)
Title: Re: Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 956kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 01:35:07 PM
For more clarification, it doesn't even attempt to make the world folder-

(https://i.ibb.co/GtnBqr9/2021-08-30-16-33-41-lvl-pc.png)
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Led on August 30, 2021, 03:29:19 PM
Ah, I see it is marked solved.

Here is another post where there was an issue with water:

http://www.swbfgamers.com/index.php?topic=13249.msg120300#msg120300
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 04:25:39 PM
Quote from: Led on August 30, 2021, 03:29:19 PMAh, I see it is marked solved.

Here is another post where there was an issue with water:

http://www.swbfgamers.com/index.php?topic=13249.msg120300#msg120300

Thanks, Led

And I really don't want to make another topic just for this, but you're pretty experienced, maybe you can help.

So like I said, I'm working on editing the Naboo: Plains map. I added a few extra trees and statue heads, and expanded the whole mapspace by around 2x.

Not only does the foliage not show up in game, but having the view distance any more than half crashes the game. I've made and played on maps much denser and much larger than what this is right now, so I doubt its due to hitting the polygon limit cause I didn't add many objects, and normally you just see objects disappearing once that's reached. Any ideas what could be causing it?
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 05:39:19 PM
I also got SPTest to work, and it gave this error right before it crashed-

Message Severity: 2
.\source\EntityHover.cpp(561)
Hover fell thru' terrain, x = -336.196930, z = -204.267136


Is there a way to easily find where this is in zero editor?
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 05:48:01 PM
Nope, never mind. Further tests in SPTest don't seem to give an exact error before it decides to crash.
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Dark_Phantom on August 30, 2021, 08:28:39 PM
Are you adding anything other than stock objects?
Are you looking a certain direction when you crash?

Usually with just a bunch of objects and a large space, the game will not crash.  It usually has to do with a broken object or some other factor, like water.
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 08:55:26 PM
Quote from: Dark_Phantom on August 30, 2021, 08:28:39 PMAre you adding anything other than stock objects?
Are you looking a certain direction when you crash?

Usually with just a bunch of objects and a large space, the game will not crash.  It usually has to do with a broken object or some other factor, like water.

Nope, only using objects that shipped with naboo plains. All the water has been removed from the level (I was doing some tests with adding a river), but there's a possibility a tile or two could have been missed, which would make sense why lower viewing distances wouldn't pick it up, since they'd be hugging the edge of the map most likely.

If I find anything useful, I'll report back.


EDIT: Nope, no missed water tiles.
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 09:16:23 PM
Quote from: Dark_Phantom on August 30, 2021, 08:28:39 PMAre you adding anything other than stock objects?
Are you looking a certain direction when you crash?

Usually with just a bunch of objects and a large space, the game will not crash.  It usually has to do with a broken object or some other factor, like water.

Actually Phantom, you were right. I did a couple spawn tests for 1 minute each, and looked in 4 different directions. it only crashes when I turn to the right side of the map.

So, that gives me a clue, but I still don't know where to begin troubleshooting besides deleting objects.
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 09:22:12 PM
Well, I may have found the culprit.

Did some searching around on that side of the map, and found nothing. Until I searched out beyond the terrain-

(https://i.ibb.co/z4xX04V/strange1.png)

There's foliage going up some invisible wall.

(https://i.ibb.co/hMYp4wx/strange-2.png)

Shot in the same spot looking up into the sky ^


Absolutely bizarre. I can't seem to delete or get rid of them like regular foliage. And they aren't objects. tried on all two layers.

Absolutely stumped.


EDIT: Managed to sort of trick the foliage brush. This seems to be getting rid of them.

(https://i.ibb.co/SXMbWwv/image.png)
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 30, 2021, 09:45:23 PM
Welp, that didn't make any difference it seems. Still crashing when looking to the right, or venturing out in the map too far in one direction.
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Giftheck on August 31, 2021, 03:32:12 AM
Do you have an .FX file in your World folder, containing a Water section? That stung me for ages on Scarif before I figured that one out. What I'd do is copy one from one of the stock world folders (IE Kashyyyk Docks) and rename it to your world file. You then need to edit your .REQ and un-comment the 'envfx' section.

And are you including all the water textures in your Effects folder, and referencing them in the .REQ?
Title: Re: [SOLVED] Stock Map Crashes When Adding Water? Map is also 921kb?
Post by: Antstafer on August 31, 2021, 07:32:10 AM
Quote from: Giftheck on August 31, 2021, 03:32:12 AMDo you have an .FX file in your World folder, containing a Water section? That stung me for ages on Scarif before I figured that one out. What I'd do is copy one from one of the stock world folders (IE Kashyyyk Docks) and rename it to your world file. You then need to edit your .REQ and un-comment the 'envfx' section.

And are you including all the water textures in your Effects folder, and referencing them in the .REQ?

That's some good stuff to keep in mind, but there's no water on the map anymore, nor is any of it referenced in the reqs.

Low view distance is fine, its only when its on high and I turn to the right side of the map, or go out too far does it crash
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on August 31, 2021, 10:30:09 AM
Just started from scratch again with a completely default shipped world. No crashing.

I used to be pretty good about making an edit and testing, but I got a little cocky this time around, and paid the price.

New map makers, ALWAYS test your maps, even after the smallest change haha. Save yourself days of troubleshooting.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on August 31, 2021, 09:12:29 PM
Any tutorials on adding foliage? I can't find any documentation anywhere on how to add it.

EDIT: Figured out something by myself for once!

For anyone else having trouble, go into your modid.reg file and edit out the '--' next to the prop line-

REQN
    {
        "prop"
    --    "modid"
    }


Foliage is handled by the modid.prp file in your world folder. You can edit it with notepad like most of the other files if needed.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 05, 2021, 07:13:12 PM
Ran into a frustrating problem that I hope one of the expert map makers can answer.

So I got some building pieces set up, with spawn paths on top of it-

(https://i.ibb.co/wct3Q9y/pic.png)

Even though I have the barriers set up correctly, and hubs leading down with their respected connections, the units make ZERO effort to move. They just stand there.

Is there something I'm missing?
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 05, 2021, 08:08:32 PM
(https://i.ibb.co/HGrHxqL/image.png)

So I got rid of the building, and I'm having this problem at a few other command posts as well.

I'm sure the hubs and connections are set up correctly, but the units refuse to move when they spawn.

At some command posts, most of them stand still while only a couple of them actually go and follow the path.

Am I hitting some weird memory limit? The map is pretty large.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 06, 2021, 10:34:06 PM
So apparently having over 250 hubs causes most of the ai to stop working haha. The less hubs I had, the more units would stop standing around and actually going places.

This normally Isn't an issue on open maps like hoth or geonosis, but Mos Eisley is a whole other can of worms. I've never even heard there was a limit to paths. Zero editor prompts you once you hit the 256 hub limis.

I managed to consolidate the default hub placement to something more streamlined so I could utilize the extra space.

Still never figured out why they won't move on the buildings through. Very strange.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Led on September 07, 2021, 03:48:03 AM
Thanks for the follow-ups.  Good stuff to know the limitations.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 08, 2021, 11:52:46 PM
Having an issue with units standing around again.

At each command post, there's a good 10 that stand around, while 2 or three of them actually go out and follow the paths.

I'm having to delete more hubs and command posts than necessary to even get them to do THAT much. Its bizarre. I can't pinpoint what's causing this, but it seems the default Pandemic hub placements have no issue, and units spawning close to those do just fine. I have no idea what's going on.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 09, 2021, 12:54:28 AM
Did some more testing, and I don't think the planning paths I place end up finalizing in the main map for some reason. The units don't follow the ones I placed, but they seem to follow the default ones laid out by Pandemic.

What will happen is a group of units will spawn, wait around for like 10 seconds, then one or two will slowly trickle out and seek a command post. I noticed these units do not follow the planning paths I laid out, but instead are navigating around the barriers.

SPTEST throws an error akin to- "memory pool "obstacle" is too low, set to at least 2100".

Which is obviously ABSURD. I have reason to believe now that these planning paths aren't working at all for whatever reason, and engine is struggling having all the units try and chart their own course in a very convoluted way.

Either way, I'm sure its something really dumb and obvious that I'm doing wrong, but I can't seem to find it.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 09, 2021, 06:49:51 PM
So I found a solution, but I'm not 100% confident that this is what fixed it, but here it goes.


So I got units moving around most of the map, except for this one section separated by a broken bridge. Basically it was almost like two battlefields that were separated by the downed bridge, but with a CP in the center that when captured, would allow the other team to spawn on the other side. Sounds cool, right? Well not to battlefront it seems.

My guess is Battlefront doesn't like it when hubs aren't connected to one big main net. Even though mine technically was, the end of the bridge was blocked with barriers to keep the units from falling off.

My guess is half of them wanted to fight on this isolated side, and the other half didn't want to. They wanted to go to the other command posts. To the main net.


One more tricky troubleshooting session down. Now I can continue with these maps until the next headache surfaces.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on September 12, 2021, 12:21:55 PM
So this is the big smoke effect that appears on the downed technounion ship on Geonosis.

After 40 seconds it slowly starts to disappear and never starts again.

I've tried messing with the 'LifeTime' values, but it doesn't solve the issue.

Am I missing something obvious in the code here in the fx?



ParticleEmitter("Smoke")
{
   MaxParticles(10000.0000,10000.0000);
   StartDelay(0.0000,0.0000);
   BurstDelay(0.2000, 0.4000);
   BurstCount(1.0000,1.0000);
   MaxLodDist(1000.0000);
   MinLodDist(800.0000);
   BoundingRadius(40.0);
   Size(1.0000, 1.0000);
   Hue(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Saturation(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Value(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Alpha(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Spawner()
   {
      Spread()
      {
         PositionX(-0.4000,0.4000);
         PositionY(3.0000,4.0000);
         PositionZ(-0.4000,0.4000);
      }
      Offset()
      {
         PositionX(0.0000,0.0000);
         PositionY(0.0000,0.0000);
         PositionZ(0.0000,0.0000);
      }
      PositionScale(0.0000,0.0000);
      VelocityScale(1.5000,1.5000);
      InheritVelocityFactor(0.0000,0.0000);
      Size(0, 5.0000, 7.7500);
      Red(0, 175.0000, 175.0000);
      Green(0, 117.0000, 117.0000);
      Blue(0, 78.0000, 78.0000);
      Alpha(0, 0.0000, 0.0000);
      StartRotation(0, -30.0000, 30.0000);
      RotationVelocity(0, -10.0000, 10.0000);
      FadeInTime(0.0000);
   }
   Transformer()
   {
      LifeTime(10.0000);
      Position()
      {
         LifeTime(3.0000)
         Accelerate(2.0000, -0.1000, 0.0000);
      }
      Size(0)
      {
         LifeTime(10.0000)
         Scale(3.0000);
      }
      Color(0)
      {
         LifeTime(1.0000)
         Move(0.0000,0.0000,0.0000,170.0000);
         Next()
         {
            LifeTime(9.0000)
            Reach(175.0000,117.0000,78.0000,0.0000);
         }
      }
   }
   Geometry()
   {
      BlendMode("NORMAL");
      Type("PARTICLE");
      Texture("underlitesmoke2");
   }
   ParticleEmitter("Smoke")
   {
      MaxParticles(10000.0000,10000.0000);
      StartDelay(0.0000,0.0000);
      BurstDelay(0.2000, 0.4000);
      BurstCount(1.0000,1.0000);
      MaxLodDist(1000.0000);
      MinLodDist(800.0000);
      Size(1.0000, 1.0000);
      Hue(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Saturation(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Value(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Alpha(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Spawner()
      {
         Spread()
         {
            PositionX(-1.0000,1.0000);
            PositionY(3.0000,4.0000);
            PositionZ(-1.0000,1.0000);
         }
         Offset()
         {
            PositionX(-3.0000,3.0000);
            PositionY(-1.0000,1.0000);
            PositionZ(-3.0000,3.0000);
         }
         PositionScale(0.0000,0.0000);
         VelocityScale(1.5000,1.5000);
         InheritVelocityFactor(0.0000,0.0000);
         Size(0, 2.0000, 4.7500);
         Red(0, 175.0000, 175.0000);
         Green(0, 117.0000, 117.0000);
         Blue(0, 78.0000, 78.0000);
         Alpha(0, 0.0000, 0.0000);
         StartRotation(0, -30.0000, 30.0000);
         RotationVelocity(0, -10.0000, 10.0000);
         FadeInTime(0.0000);
      }
      Transformer()
      {
         LifeTime(10.0000);
         Position()
         {
            LifeTime(3.0000)
            Accelerate(2.0000, -0.1000, 0.0000);
         }
         Size(0)
         {
            LifeTime(10.0000)
            Scale(4.0000);
         }
         Color(0)
         {
            LifeTime(1.0000)
            Move(0.0000,0.0000,0.0000,170.0000);
            Next()
            {
               LifeTime(9.0000)
               Reach(175.0000,117.0000,78.0000,0.0000);
            }
         }
      }
      Geometry()
      {
         BlendMode("NORMAL");
         Type("PARTICLE");
         Texture("underlitesmoke2");
      }
   }
}
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Antstafer on May 25, 2022, 10:04:35 PM
Quote from: Antstafer on September 12, 2021, 12:21:55 PMSo this is the big smoke effect that appears on the downed technounion ship on Geonosis.

After 40 seconds it slowly starts to disappear and never starts again.

I've tried messing with the 'LifeTime' values, but it doesn't solve the issue.

Am I missing something obvious in the code here in the fx?



ParticleEmitter("Smoke")
{
   MaxParticles(10000.0000,10000.0000);
   StartDelay(0.0000,0.0000);
   BurstDelay(0.2000, 0.4000);
   BurstCount(1.0000,1.0000);
   MaxLodDist(1000.0000);
   MinLodDist(800.0000);
   BoundingRadius(40.0);
   Size(1.0000, 1.0000);
   Hue(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Saturation(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Value(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Alpha(255.0000, 255.0000);
   Spawner()
   {
      Spread()
      {
         PositionX(-0.4000,0.4000);
         PositionY(3.0000,4.0000);
         PositionZ(-0.4000,0.4000);
      }
      Offset()
      {
         PositionX(0.0000,0.0000);
         PositionY(0.0000,0.0000);
         PositionZ(0.0000,0.0000);
      }
      PositionScale(0.0000,0.0000);
      VelocityScale(1.5000,1.5000);
      InheritVelocityFactor(0.0000,0.0000);
      Size(0, 5.0000, 7.7500);
      Red(0, 175.0000, 175.0000);
      Green(0, 117.0000, 117.0000);
      Blue(0, 78.0000, 78.0000);
      Alpha(0, 0.0000, 0.0000);
      StartRotation(0, -30.0000, 30.0000);
      RotationVelocity(0, -10.0000, 10.0000);
      FadeInTime(0.0000);
   }
   Transformer()
   {
      LifeTime(10.0000);
      Position()
      {
         LifeTime(3.0000)
         Accelerate(2.0000, -0.1000, 0.0000);
      }
      Size(0)
      {
         LifeTime(10.0000)
         Scale(3.0000);
      }
      Color(0)
      {
         LifeTime(1.0000)
         Move(0.0000,0.0000,0.0000,170.0000);
         Next()
         {
            LifeTime(9.0000)
            Reach(175.0000,117.0000,78.0000,0.0000);
         }
      }
   }
   Geometry()
   {
      BlendMode("NORMAL");
      Type("PARTICLE");
      Texture("underlitesmoke2");
   }
   ParticleEmitter("Smoke")
   {
      MaxParticles(10000.0000,10000.0000);
      StartDelay(0.0000,0.0000);
      BurstDelay(0.2000, 0.4000);
      BurstCount(1.0000,1.0000);
      MaxLodDist(1000.0000);
      MinLodDist(800.0000);
      Size(1.0000, 1.0000);
      Hue(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Saturation(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Value(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Alpha(255.0000, 255.0000);
      Spawner()
      {
         Spread()
         {
            PositionX(-1.0000,1.0000);
            PositionY(3.0000,4.0000);
            PositionZ(-1.0000,1.0000);
         }
         Offset()
         {
            PositionX(-3.0000,3.0000);
            PositionY(-1.0000,1.0000);
            PositionZ(-3.0000,3.0000);
         }
         PositionScale(0.0000,0.0000);
         VelocityScale(1.5000,1.5000);
         InheritVelocityFactor(0.0000,0.0000);
         Size(0, 2.0000, 4.7500);
         Red(0, 175.0000, 175.0000);
         Green(0, 117.0000, 117.0000);
         Blue(0, 78.0000, 78.0000);
         Alpha(0, 0.0000, 0.0000);
         StartRotation(0, -30.0000, 30.0000);
         RotationVelocity(0, -10.0000, 10.0000);
         FadeInTime(0.0000);
      }
      Transformer()
      {
         LifeTime(10.0000);
         Position()
         {
            LifeTime(3.0000)
            Accelerate(2.0000, -0.1000, 0.0000);
         }
         Size(0)
         {
            LifeTime(10.0000)
            Scale(4.0000);
         }
         Color(0)
         {
            LifeTime(1.0000)
            Move(0.0000,0.0000,0.0000,170.0000);
            Next()
            {
               LifeTime(9.0000)
               Reach(175.0000,117.0000,78.0000,0.0000);
            }
         }
      }
      Geometry()
      {
         BlendMode("NORMAL");
         Type("PARTICLE");
         Texture("underlitesmoke2");
      }
   }
}


Hey if anyone ever runs into this problem, you need to set the MaxParticles to MaxParticles(-1.0000,-1.0000);. This will create an infinite loop of particles, sort of like a fountain effect. Took me way too long to figure out.
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Led on May 26, 2022, 04:27:11 AM
Quote from: Antstafer on May 25, 2022, 10:04:35 PMHey if anyone ever runs into this problem, you need to set the MaxParticles to MaxParticles(-1.0000,-1.0000);. This will create an infinite loop of particles, sort of like a fountain effect. Took me way too long to figure out.

nice find  :cheers:
Title: Re: Antstafer's Many Modding Problems
Post by: Dark_Phantom on May 26, 2022, 05:40:39 AM
Lol, I wish I had remembered this post was here.
I learned this when building my electric trap thingy for Ruusan. Took me a while to figure out as well.
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