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[Rapid99]

Hello again :D

While continuing my conversion project, i've run into another small issue that I could use some help with.

One of the models i'm currently converting is a freeway overhanging sign. Since these are passed through, I need to tweak the physics model to make this possible. This is the current model.



I've been following the information outlined in the "Collision Hulls in 3ds Max for Source" tutorial video, and I have to say everything is coming along wonderfully, these tools are great. However, when I go to export the model, I get a pop-up error.

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There were problems.

One or more of the meshes are missing UVW data. At the moment, the Wunderboy SMD Exporter will fail if you do not have UVW data for every vertex on a mesh. The objects with missing UVW data have been selected for you.

I'm stuck again ._.

Any clue what this error means, and what I can do to fix it?

Thanks again ahead of time :]

[wallworm]

Unless I've introduced a new bug (which I have done from time to time :) )... this means that the object(s) you've assigned as the hull(s) do not have UVW coordinates assigned... which is normal when making hulls with the Hull Helper. The warning is there because the current version of the Wunderboy SMD Exporter will crash when you try to export any mesh that doesn't have UVW data. Wunderboy knows about this but is currently on a Sabbatical from development .

You have a couple options here.

1) In the WWMT Collision Hull Rollout, click the Select Collision Hulls Button to select your current hull(s). Then apply a UVW Map Modifier to the selection. Now export.
2) You can change the exporter in the WW settings to the WWMT Fallback SMD Exporter which does not need the UVW coordinates.

[Rapid99]

Hm... well. This didn't work out as hoped... lol.

Ok so the UVW mapping thing is now fixed, so big thanks there. However, after all that, I still have a screwy collision model ._. it's still acting as if the original model is the collision model.




I'll go through what i'm doing exactly. Maybe i'm missing something here :|

Step 1: Select model and put in it's information. (surface property, scale, static prop, model and material paths, model name.)




Step 2: Click Wall Worm Hull Helper.
Click Prepare From Selection.
Detach the model into 5 different elements using the Detach button.




Step 3: Click Unhide All




Step 4: Click Create Hulls From Selection




Step 5: Apply UVW Map modifier




Step 6: Click Add CM Sel to add selected meshes to collision model.




Step 7: Export model.


(I find that pictures are helpful)

Is it, for some reason, using the original model as a reference for collision IN ADDITION to the new collision model, possibly?

[wallworm]

You need to check the $concave option in the hull rollout.

Originally I had WW checking for this automatically, but the check is actually slow and I decided to opt for users just learning for it rather than slowing down the tool.

[Rapid99]

Well that half worked.
The newly made collision model is exporting, but it's also still trying to use the old model as a reference as well...

[wallworm]

Maybe the initial large piece got added.

In the Hull rollout, click Show CM then Select Collision Model. See if only the pieces you made are part of the hull.

For example, this could happen if you click the Quick Hull button then convert that quick hull again with the Prepare From Selection. Quick makes a hull and prepare from selection copies the selection into a new object... which leads to multiple objects.

It could also happen if you use Prepare from selection and assign the temporary hull it made... because the Prepare function only makes a COPY of your selection for then cutting up... then the Create Hull make entirely new objects.

So in essence, if there is still a large piece that shouldn't be part of the hull, select it and in the Collision Hull Rollout click Del Sel.

Then re-export.

[Rapid99]

Hnnnngh

Ok, lol. I right clicked and selected unhide all. It turns out it was hiding a copy of the original model, and it was named something along the lines of "Billboard9 Hull Master" or something. I deleted that, re-aligned the hull with the model, and exported. And yet, it's STILL looking the way it does in the above picture... no idea what's going on here x.x

This is a picture of the hull that is being created and selected when I click "Select CM"... the model behind it is the original model.
Looking at the selected collision model in the picture... there is no area of collision below the signs, as wanted. But when exporting, it's doing the same thing it's been doing before :/

[wallworm]

When you deleted the Master object, did you first select it and click the Del Sel in WW? If not, there may have been an error with the export because the old object would still be assigned... and if it tried to export a deleted object the HULL SMD may not have exported (and still show old one).

You should be able to test by closing WWMT, re-opening WWMT, select your model and try exporting again.

Generally speaking, click the Del Sel for an object in WW before physically deleting it.

[wallworm]

Actually, I neglected to mention another possible suspect.

Once the model is loaded into WWMT, click the Process CM button in the hull rollout. It is necessary for $concave hulls that haven't got correct smoothing groups.

If this or the above suggestions don't work, send me the scene and I will see what might be wrong.

[Rapid99]

Hey sorry for the delayed response. With college classes starting back up soon i've been a little distracted, lol.

Ok so this is driving me crazy o.o I still haven't figured out the issue. I made sure the Master model was deleted from the CM before deleting it from the scene. I've made sure that ONLY the CM created for the model is part of the actual CM Selection. I've lined up the model with the CM, and made sure to Process the CM. I've made sure $concave is flagged.
Still getting the CM of the original model.

I will say this. I am getting a number of warnings in the CMD prompt when I export the model. They probably have everything to do with my dilemma.

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WARNING: Model has 2-dimensional geometry (less than 0.500 inches thick on any axis)!!!

It repeats that in yellow text about 60+ times.

Then below that, it says...

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WARNING: COSTLY COLLISION MODEL!!!! (129 parts - 40 allowed)
WARNING: Error with convex elements of FreewaySign2_hull.smd, building single convex!!!!
Model has 66 convex sub-parts
Collision model completed.

Now that I actually read that bit, i'm starting to feel like it's the culprit here... (before I thought it was just telling me the model was poorly optimized, so I ignored it because it was still letting me export)

I'm not 100% sure on what to do about this, however.

[wallworm]

There is a global WW settings. It's in the Collision Hull Options group under Expensive Collision Hull Handling. For most engines you should choose Match $maxconvexpieces to Hull Count. For some older mods, choose use -fullcollide. Then re-export.

See, by default, the compiler will fail if the hull has more than some number of objects (I think it is 20 but it may be a little higher). You model has 66 parts).

This should solve it.

[Rapid99]

*shakes fist* damn my work for making me work on labor day!

Ok so.. sort of a... circle of hate going on here now. Lol.

Your suggestion seems like it will fix the issue... except now the model won't export ._.

for some insane reason, it's giving me the "one or more of the meshes are missing UVW data" error again. Even though the model is fully textured and the CM has a UVW map applied to it...

Hnnnngh

[wallworm]

Turning that on shouldn't really cause this issue. Is there any chance you didn't accidentally add another item to the hull or other parts that has missing UVW?

THe easiest solution is to change the WW settings to use the WWMT SMD Exporter... then it won't stall the export process with missing UVW data on an object.

[Rapid99]

>.<

Alright. So..

I restarted from scratch in case I made any errors.
Picked the model > input statistics > prepared CM > segmented into elements > created hulls from selected > applied UVW map > Processed CM > added selected to CM

Unhid all, made sure to select original master, deleted from CM, then deleted from scene.

Aligned model with CM (clicked Select CM and Select Model just to make sure they were separate)... ticked off $concave flag... made sure Match $maxconvexpieces to Hull Count was flagged in global settings... exported, as usual, using Wonderboys SMD (if I use the WWMT SMD, nothing happens. I click the button, and then nothing...)

And it gave me the same exact error o.o Same exact 'too many pieces' issue as before...
Double checked it in model viewer, but no joy. Still a wonky CM.



Also, I tried deleting the CM and making a new one... after I did that, THEN it gave me the UVW Map error. So i'm pretty sure I can circumvent that... but yeah. When it comes to making this whole thing come together, it doesn't seem to like me much, lol.

Out of curiosity, has a new version of the tool kit come out recently? I recall when I downloaded it a few weeks ago (like 2 or 3 weeks ago) you were mentioning that a new version with a few small fixes was coming out within the following 2 days or so.
If there is a new version out, would that be worth the shot? o.o

Worst case scenario, maybe you could take a look at it...