Lights?

[Snake]

I keep seeing these "lights" in stock map assets but they have no sort of geometry. What is it? What does it look like? does it work by just placing it in ZE?

[SleepKiller]

Lights are attached to other objects by using the AttachODF line they must be attached to a HP by using the AttachToHardPoint line. For instance.

AttachODF = "giantbluelight"
AttachToHardPoint = "someHPname"


If you know the name of a HardPoint but the light isn't attaching to it. Try adding

-keep YOURHARDPOINTNAMEHERE

to the option file of the .msh.

[RepComm]

I open the MSH file up in XSI 7.5 via ZETools, and try to find a primitive null (if it's meant for light, it's usually called HP_LIGHT or hp_light, in bfII they are longer names like hp_light_attach_point)
Primitive nulls are the HP names you are talking about, theoretically, you could use DummyRoot as a point, but I don't think it is exported, just all that is under it in XSI.

Anyways, I find a null in XSI and copy the name down in the ODF like SK said.
But for you people that "don't do XSI," I open up the MSH in notepad or XVI32, and search for hp or light, and if you find it, you can edit it's ODF and add those lines SK said and type the null name in AttachToHardPoint = "" line.
--
On a side note, if you want light coming from any particular model, facing any particular direction, you can tell me here, and I'll edit it in XSI and upload it here for you're use.

It only takes like 5 minutes, I have done it to Kamino and Naboo objects already.

Edit: DO. NOT. Place just the light ODFs in ZeroEditor, it WILL crash the game.

[tirpider]

There is a handy dandy tool for viewing the nulls in any msh right here:
[tool]SWBF_MSH_INFO v0.05 alpha

I wouldn't use it for anything other than viewing the data, though.  The code was buggy(er) back then.

[Snake]

Ohh, that makes sense. Thanks!