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[mandrill]

Hi!

Making another attempt at modding static objects from the game. I can transform in-game objects into 3ds objects for GMAX. But I would like to know more about the choices I can / should be making in the mesh converter program.

For instance, the "export just mesh" command: what is that?

And the boxes for meshes / lods / hooks / collisions / shadows at the top left?? What does engaging those do?

And help appreciated!

[SAS~Storebror]

I'm not a 3D expert so what I'm writing here is just self-experience from a complete noob.
The MshConverter is a nice tool, I'm using it myself frequently, but mind you it's limited.
Converting binary (not ASCII readable text format) .msh files to 3ds format works more or less flawlessly, ASCII .msh files like all the modded 3D objects however need to be fixed a lot after conversion.

Nevertheless, most of your questions are answered in this thread:
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,3004.0.html

It's just 3 pages, recommended settings are on the opening post and a good explanation of the buttons in question can be found on page 3, together with D/L links for updated MshConverter tool.

Best regards - Mike

[SAS~Ghost129er]

For instance, the "export just mesh" command: what is that?

And the boxes for meshes / lods / hooks / collisions / shadows at the top left?? What does engaging those do?

If you're asking those questions, 1) you worry me and 2) you have a bit of reading/research to do... Those are all pretty much essentials to static objects.. Not all are necessary, but they provide models/objects with various abilities (collidable/makes shadows/level of details). There's a good tutorial by KevinP somewhere if you look for it, hope that guides you a bit.

Personally, I don't use MshConverter other than to view/preview models, I use Buggy Buggy Exporter for that, but it's all interrelated somehow and in many ways.

[mandrill]

I know what they are, but do not know whether they should be converted or what the structure of the object is when one converts to .3ds from. msh.

KevinP writes tutorials for the FMB and mission / mapmaking and I have read them all. In fact, I have been making maps for 6 years and could probably WRITE all those tutorials off the top of my head.

[SAS~Storebror]

[I don't use MshConverter other than to view/preview models, I use Buggy Buggy Exporter for that

You mean Buggy Buggy Importer and mind you, it cannot handle ASCII meshes at all.
Currently there's three ways to work on ASCII .msh files:

• Contact the original author and/or the last person who worked on the mesh in order to get the original 3ds max file.
  This should always be the preferred way.
• Use MshConverter and take the tedious route of rebuilding a mesh's internal structure (LODs, collision boxes, shadows, hooks, it all gets messed up) and rebuild all smoothing, faces, mapping etc.
• Use Stainless' IL-2 Modder and convert the mesh to fbx format. If it works, you will have less issues than with MshConverter (still some things like smoothing need to be reworked for sure), if it doesn't you have at least someone to report it to.

Best regards - Mike

[western0221]

Hi mandrill.

I know why you have so much questions about msh format and MshConverter, because of I felt similar things in my way of coming into modding / modeling IL-2 1946's objects some years ago.

Your questions are truly widespread for IL-2's msh 3D model format , not only usage of MshConverter.
Using MshConverter as only a converter from msh format into 3ds format to import it into GMAX , most options of MshConverter are not needed to be changed from their defaults. Only keeping the usage notice of MshConverter release topic, others are OK of defaults.

Your questions like why those options are ready, what those options work in converting .... are related to msh format structure.
In learning what section of msh format has what meanings in IL-2 game mission or 3D model , you will know meanings of each MshConverter's options related to the msh format sections.

And I don't know what types of mod / model you want to touch ..... those types' difference makes the difference of how deep to learn about msh format and 3D hierarchy of IL-2 1946's 3D engine.
Aircraft modding needs big knowledge about modding / modeling.
Building (map object) modeling needs not so big.

[mandrill]

Hi western

Thanks for the help.

I am a map maker. I am trying to just resize existing static objects, so I can populate my maps. For example, if I make a cathedral only a quarter of its size, I can produce a town church.

In another thread, someone was kind enough to tell me how to re-size objects and give me a step by step instruction and it worked. However, I need to know if the lods, hooks and collision model are still intact. So that is why I was wondering about all the options in the MshConverter program.

[western0221]

About buildings --- static objects --- , they are very simple.

The hook needed is only one ---- ground_level .
That hook works as to indicate the ground level (ground height) comparing to the 3D object.
When the 3D object is made as the style of staying on the ground , ground_level hook's coordinate becomes (0.001 0.01 0.001) OK .
(When set in 0.0 0.0 0.0 , unexpected 3D engine error often comes.)

Others are simple 3D mesh data of one msh file.
 - main visual mesh (most closed) , its shadow mesh
 - LOD visual and shadow meshs decreasing fps damages when the camera is far and more far, decreasing polygon numbers and texture size (not 512x512 but 128x128 in example).
 - collision box

In importing existing object into GMAX via .3ds format getting by MshConverter , those elements are already checked by default to convert. No need to change.
When you load the .3ds file in GMAX, you'll see each 3D visuals in the GMAX screen with each named objects like this.
Those object names are renamed to avoid 3ds limitation.
You have to rename them again into BuggyBuggy Exporter rule ones.


- mesh0 : main visual mesh for nearest
 - shadow0 : shadow mesh for nearest
- lod0 : LOD1 visual mesh for next near
 - shadow1 : shadow mesh for next near --- pair with lod0
- lod1 : LOD2 visual mesh
 - shadow2 : LOD2 shadow mesh
- lod2 : LOD3 visual mesh (this LOD doesn't have the shadow mesh)
- col0 : collision box
- hook0 : hook but no meanings of its position, you have to move it to the place to be.
- node1 : no need to keep, delete it.

[Stainless]

My modtool is good for checking objects, I really should add some code to make checking buildings easier though.

It takes a couple of clicks, but you end up with something like this.