How to create a mesh with masked textures

[Rubie]

Hi ,

I'm busy to make some decoration for a project.
did build some meshes sofar it looks good in editor, but when I play the map there is one decoration that does not look like it was build as the top from the mesh should be masked and is not ?
did set under properties/display/Style = STY_Masked then saved package, the moment you change this you can see it gets okay in editor nerveless it does not seems to be applied live when you play, does anyone has a solution for this

editor pic :
https://www.dropbox.com/s/11trqvmykca6n ... 7.png?dl=0

ingame pic :
https://www.dropbox.com/s/92uknwqs74464 ... 0.png?dl=0

Thx Rubie

[Skywolf]

What is the texture format you use? Because Masked textures must have indexed colors for it to work properly.

[Rubie]

What is the texture format you use? Because Masked textures must have indexed colors for it to work properly.

256x256 P8 grateCircle
256x256 P8 grate10
256x256 P8 trimPanel
128x256 P8 wood

greets,

Rubie

[Skywolf]

No idea what P8 means to be honest.

Can you sent over the texture file prior to importing it?

[[]KAOS[]Casey]

P8 = 8 bits per pixel? 8bpp?

Not too sure offhand. google says something similar.

[Rubie]

Can you sent over the texture file prior to importing it?

this are two links to the exported textures

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9l55y6cn51l5t ... 0.pcx?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/epyfjazzj4m9i ... E.pcx?dl=0

in fact P8 is the info that appears next to the texture size eg 128*128 P8
you can have also for example 128*128 DXT1 or DXT2 and ad last DXT3

this is a link to whole package from textures
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c87u68pdzsiiuk0/Hell.utx?dl=0

greets Rubie and thank you for your TIME !!!

[Skywolf]

Assuming you're using Unreal 227 can I not reproduce this with existing meshes.

Can you sent over the mesh file? Because that is the only thing I can think of now that has something wrong with it.

Also, what renderer are you using for Unreal and UnrealEd?

[Rubie]

Assuming you're using Unreal 227 can I not reproduce this with existing meshes.

Can you sent over the mesh file? Because that is the only thing I can think of now that has something wrong with it.

Also, what renderer are you using for Unreal and UnrealEd?

Link for download the U file and Classes/Models https://www.dropbox.com/s/jy72drmv2txx6 ... n.rar?dl=0

the models are build with 2.0 UED as with the 227 version MeshMaker does not work anymore ?

For editing I use software render for game itself OpenGL driver .

The model we talk about = "RuneLamp" as there are more models in the package.

I need to create this meshes for the project I'm busy on so I don't have to change to many stuff in the existing maps and I want to get as close as possible from the original layout from the series we talk about +/- 40 maps a hell of a job, did asked a couples friends to help, but there is not mush interest those days for mapping imo hehe so I continue alone in Hell........
I am on map 14 ( most are finished on build but need to add the decorations and inventory pawns etc) so for now it runs fine if you talk about time s pended on those 14 maps it is only a fraction from the time I did worked on the 2 last maps this took a year or more should look to be sure hehe, best is not to look and keep-on working !

CYA

Greets Rubie

[Leo T_C_K]

The model itself (mesh) needs to have altered polyflags for polygons you need to use masked textures on. Otherwise it is not going to work correctly.

[gopostal]

Google and download the package "UnrealFX" and place the exe on your desktop. Open your model with it and *carefully* identify the faces you need to change the flag on. You'll figure out how to do this by choosing verts in the textual window and seeing the corresponding verts change color in the model preview window.

So find all your see-through verts, change the flag, then save the model. This tool is way powerful for fixing odd issues with models that lose flag assignments for various faces. Remember though that if you save the model with altered flags you will be creating a new model that will conflict with any existing ones so using this to adjust the Warlord's wings would require you to create a new warlord subclass since the model will be different.

Hope that helps.

[Skywolf]

The model itself (mesh) needs to have altered polyflags for polygons you need to use masked textures on. Otherwise it is not going to work correctly.

But shouldn't the render style overwrite this? Because in my tests even a mesh with just normal flags renders as masked when it is set to STY_Masked.

[gopostal]

You can do that but it's mostly limited to splatters, sprites, etc. You never make a 3D model masked all over or you'd get HOM when you looked at it. Subtract a cube and texture it with masked textures and look at the results. You really need to do this on a per-poly basis using the tool I explained above if your model is anything besides a flat panel.

[Skywolf]

While I agree with you that you should use UnrealFX unless you want your entire model to have the same flags does this not explain why Rubie still had the mesh show up as non-masked despite the style being set to STY_Masked.

[gopostal]

He didn't set the texture up correctly. It's an easy mistake to make. You can be off by one single RGB point when declaring your alpha color and it will ruin the entire effect. I had to redo the entire Dragon's wing several times because I was messing it up just like that. Once you learn how to do it right though you'll always be able to do it.

Post me the texture and I'll fix it.

[Skywolf]

Nope, this is not the case. The purple parts are the first indexed color. Which, as far as I know, is the only things Unreal looks for when determining which pixels have to be transparent. Atleast when using 256 indexed color textures.

[Rubie]

Hi again,

I did used the unreal FX tool to set the faces need to STY_Masked see picture link below, did verify everything then saved the new compiled model and created a new U file .
Result is same as ( but renders now also if you play map)first model, and if you set it to STY_MASKED under properties is does looks good in editor and if you play map also, only if you save map Close and reopen map again it is not masked anymore , conclusion if I save the changed properties from the U file it does not save the settings to Masked . Maybe there is something else I need to figure out ? Maybe the texture should not be set by default/masked and only when you build brush then after apply the masked flag under surface properties from the brush itself ? will try this once......  [smiley=wink.gif]

Greets,

Rubie

I hope you did have a nice WEEKEND ?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9r4i2m6lpo1xu ... 3.png?dl=0

[Rubie]

Hi again,

I did used the unreal FX tool to set the faces need to STY_Masked see picture link below, did verify everything then saved the new compiled model and created a new U file .
Result is same as ( but renders now also if you play map)first model, and if you set it to STY_MASKED under properties is does looks good in editor and if you play map also, only if you save map Close and reopen map again it is not masked anymore , conclusion if I save the changed properties from the U file it does not save the settings to Masked . Maybe there is something else I need to figure out ? Maybe the texture should not be set by default/masked and only when you build brush then after apply the masked flag under surface properties from the bush itself ? will try this once......  [smiley=wink.gif]

Greets,

Rubie

I hope you did have a nice WEEKEND

Did rebuild the model with no flags set to the textures then exported brush again /build a.3d model / compiled new u file again / added the new made actor in map then did set actor in map to STY_MASKED build map again saved  closed unreal editor again the reopen and now I see the actor looks as should => Masked so that's fine to me, will now compile again with unreal FX all surfaces again to set them masked and after safe will recompile  U file again I hope it works now hehe, just 1 question is there an option I can configure so the lamp when placed is not upside down as is now on placing (collide ?)

defaultproperties
{
  DrawType=DT_Mesh
  Mesh=Mesh'RuneLamp'
  bCollideWhenPlacing=True
  bCollideActors=True
  bCollideWorld=True
  bBlockActors=True
  bBlockPlayers=True
  CollisionRadius=32.00000
  CollisionHeight=45.50000
  MultiSkins(0)=Texture'Hell.GRATECIRCLE'
  MultiSkins(1)=Texture'MetalDwarf.PANEL12'
  MultiSkins(2)=Texture'Wood.WD9_cd'
  MultiSkins(3)=Texture'Hell.GRATE10'
}


Greets Rubie

[Skywolf]

There are three ways you can do that. Set either Pitch, Yaw or Roll under RotOrigin in the model's properties to 32768. You can set the rotation in the class's properties to the same thing or you can do it while compiling by adding this to your .uc file:

Code: Select all

#exec MESH  ORIGIN MESH=RuneLamp X=0 Y=0 Z=0 YAW=0 PITCH=128 ROLL=0

Which in this case sets the RotOrigin Pitch to 32768 while importing.

[Rubie]

Did tried almost everything to have it default MASKED , but didn't work out, also to rotate it upside down while placing doesn't, decide to leave as is now it appear in map as should only need to rotate it and set  under display to STY_MASKED!

Thanks for your help guys

Greets ,

Rubie

ps. maybe there is one thing I can do to make it rotate and this is build the mesh with a feet that is a bit bigger than the top from the lamp, I think it always try to paste it in map with biggest surface to the floor ?

[gopostal]

Do me a favor Rube and copy this actor into a simple box and send it to me as you have it now. You can include your raw import files if you want, doesn't matter. I'll fix it and send it back and show you where you are making your mistake(s).

[Rubie]

Do me a favor Rube and copy this actor into a simple box and send it to me as you have it now. You can include your raw import files if you want, doesn't matter. I'll fix it and send it back and show you where you are making your mistake(s).

Done !

I will be glad to see where it went wrong this helps me a lot to keep on making progress!

Greets,

Rubie

[gopostal]

Got the email. I'll check it all and post back by tonight.

Update:
I guess since this is for Rune I have almost nothing to try to get this stuff open. Because of that I recompiled the model in Unreal and imported it into a test map:
[img]http://imgur.com/I98zI9U.jpg[/img]

I recompiled the entire mod so the other decos are there on the ground. They are skinned with 'Book' on everything I didn't have so that's why they look weird.

Anyway, your model looks OK. I didn't change anything in the imports or in the model itself. You can see that a masked texture renders correctly. In order to take the next step I'll need all those texture files you exec imported into the mod, or at least the ones used in this decoration. I think the problem is in the texture itself.

[Rubie]

Maybe its my fault dunno this, I did as follows:
exported all textures from all packages, then imported into unreal and named the packages as originals where named. so I could import the exported maps with those new made packages this was okay as I needed to get rid from the footstep sounds that where original implemented in the texture packages.( as it did search for sounds that are part from the rune engine.)
After this I did created the new texture packages I did see the masked textures where not set masked in the packages (the ones I think that should been) , so I did set those textures to masked in the properties and saved all those packages where textures that should be masked in my opinion. So maybe this is the error I did made
A masked texture can easily be recognized in the editor if you click on it so that's the reason I did  changed that in the properties. I can switch back all this but not yet tried.

Greets,

Rubie

Maybe the texture should not be set by default/masked and only when you build brush then after apply the masked flag under surface properties from the brush itself ?

[Rubie]

Finally found out , the textures should not be default => Masked , as I was thinking need to build the model with non masked textures, then select the surfaces that need to me masked and enable the flag on it then build,intersect and export the model to compile it, also then if you open the model with NaliFX you can see the surfaces are already masked so no need to fix the model with this program also the pitch=128 worked fine!

Thx for help Guys:)

Rubie

ps I learn learn that's really fine with a little help from my friends remember the song hehe