Question about a file

Arioch

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Hi!

I just got a new bike into game and now I am looking to edit the exhaust glow/flames.

The problem is, I cant figure out the name of that file. If anyone knows or knows what file type I should look for, can you please let me know? Id like to adjust the point at which they are rendered.

Thanks for listening any help is appreciated!

 

Timbab

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You're looking for a .PRT file.

You can use my tool and try to figure out which value is the correct one when you find it (.PRT are unexpored, so no real 'guide for it' yet.)

Generally, typically, you'll want to look at the datatables/mount/saddle_appearance_map.iff, find the bike and look for correct the client_data_filename. Then, you'll want look that .cdf up (They might be .iff, but same structure, if they are and you're using my tool, simply rename them to .cdf to look inside, my .cdf tool doesn't load .iff) and look inside the HOBJ/APPR/VGEFINFO chunks for the .prt times.

Now the thing is, they're attached to hardpoints/skeleton bones (Handled in the .mgn/.msh/etc) and I'm unsure how to modify those at the moment, but you might be able to move particle still inside the .prt. Which values, I have no idea, needs trial and error.

Quick tip on how .PRT structure: Each WVFM must do something specific, like axis rotation, spread, etc, so in my tool, if you click on one of the WVFM buttons, you'll get the values at the bottom.

This is of course if you got a completely new bike, like new model wise, otherwise if it's an NGE port, I'm sure getting all the files over would do the trick.
 

Arioch

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Ok Ill look for your files then, thanks! And yes this is a completely new model to the game. But its sitting place of the speederbike swoop for now until I can find a way to pack it up in addition to the speederbike instead of just overriding it. Also, I have no idea how to open the newer .tre files.

Thanks for your help!
 

Timbab

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Arioch said:
Ok Ill look for your files then, thanks! And yes this is a completely new model to the game. But its sitting place of the speederbike swoop for now until I can find a way to pack it up in addition to the speederbike instead of just overriding it. Also, I have no idea how to open the newer .tre files.

Thanks for your help!
Oh, awesome. It's a .msh then, I'd assume? I forgot, but is it possible to create hardpoints with the max script?

Look at Lasko's Guide for adding it as a new bike, that should get you started. It's for the BARC, but same logic can be applied for this.

Newer .tre files? Do you mean the .NGE ones? I assume you have them downloaded then? Best is to just open the .toc with treExplorer.
 

Arioch

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Yep! Its a .msh and its working perfectly now as far as functionality goes. The exhaust is still out of place, I played with that tool for quite a while with no luck yet. Ill try again soon.

I dont know anything about hardpoints :p lol

Im going to implement Laskos guide soon since it looks like EXACTLY what I want to accomplish!

And yep, the NGE ones. I still have all my old files from live and never tried to open .toc files for some reason so Ill get into those!

Thanks again for all your help!

Bugme - no secrets, just research on this site and you can pretty much do the same thing I did. Its not that bad once youre familiar with things in game, the editing tools and say 3ds max.
 

Arioch

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OK possibly my last question! How do I know that the game is directed to my new mesh? For instance, in a mod, I can name the new swoop mesh to match the old "swoop_bike_l0.msh" and it replaces/overrides the speederbike_swoop .msh file in game. The question is that I have named the new .msh files JKAswoop.msh and I am reasonably certain that the game has no clue what do to with those files when it finds them in the .tre. Also I cant name them after the speederbike_swopp files because Im pretty sure it would just over ride them again.

Thanks once again for your patience. I didt see this addressed in Luskos thread because he was using the BARC and its files are already in place... now that I think about it I bet your jawa tools might be the answer! Ill have a look there.
 

Timbab

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Glad I can help!

Anything SWG related is basically file chains.

For instance;

You have the object .iff which creates the object, this can link to an .sat (.mgn LOD container link + skeleton link) or an .apt (.msh (static mesh) LOD container link), in this case let's take the .msh one, that would link to a .lod, the .lod handles 1 or more meshes, then you have the msh which links to a .sht (shader), which links to a texture (.dds) and an effect (.eft (hlsl container)), the .eft then links to a .psh (pixel shader) and a .vsh (vertex shader).

It's the same with the particles for the bike, etc, you just gotta find the top level file, which tends to usually be a database .iff or an object .iff.

You can rename the file links accordingly in any of those link files inside that chain, either with tools or a hex edit.

I'm in the process of creating a wikia that'll explain chains better and file structures, but if I can help ya with something more specific, let me know.

But yes, if you use the same name, it overwrites, which is why even for simple mods, I tend to favor doing unique filenames everywhere.
 

Arioch

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Thats some helpful information! thanks again! Im gonna take a break from the swoop and see if I can get a model from one of the newer .tre/.toc's into the environment. It might be easier to learn from files that are already named correctly and working together.
 

Timbab

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One warning for new files from the NGE, some tend to have 'buggy' hlsl shaders, if it crashes or shows up oddly, it's best to look at a comparable object and use whatevet .eft (from PreCU) link it uses in the .sht.
 

Arioch

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Ok thanks for that too! I have run into an issue... when I add the new .tre to the server config file, it doesnt keep my changes. I noticed that when I uncomment planets, the same thing happens. It just rewrites the original file when I run the dev env.
 

Lasko

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don't use "run_dev", start the core from the teminal window with ./core3

or

$ cd /home/swgemu/MMOCoreORB/bin
$ ./core3

run dev starts the core using the config file in the /home/run folder which basically overwrites the /conf/config.lua
 

Arioch

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OK, I put the sandtrooper backpack into the dev env, and when I grab one form the frog, I get a message that I received a %TO but nothing shows up. It builds with no errors though, so glad for that lol.

EDIT - Ok Ive found that its a CRC issue. Havent resolved it yet, but still trying different things.

 

Lasko

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That sounds like you haven't added the crc to the object_template_crc_string_table.iff or if you have it isn't reading it correctly.

There's a guide for the BARC you've seen, Pt 2 is how to add.

Check the file and check it's being read, or that the .tre you created has compiled correctly.

EDIT.......

Actually, re reading the error.
You might want to check all of the Lua files for that object for typo's....twice:)

You can sometimes associate a Null Object template with that.

Check both anyways, let us know how you get on:)

Failing that, put the files in dropbox or similar and I can check em for you.
 

Arioch

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Ok Great! Ill have something for you soon either way. It throws me off when Its supposed to be empireday_sandtrooper_backpack and when it should be shared_empireday_sandtrooper_backpack.

LOL typed that wrong had to edit

I checked the spelling didnt notice anything. And the .tre seems good. I may have to use dropbox soon :p

Update - OK. Ive found that if I edit the .sat of the Travel Pack to reference the sandtrooper .lmg, then I can pull a Travel Pack off my frog that looks like the Sandtrooper pack. But still not getting the sandtrooper .sat to work, though the code in the file is identical. Im thinking that the game doesnt know to use the sandtrooper.sat and it is never referenced. Does anyone know if there is a server file I need to make/edit in order for the dev env to load the sandtrooper .sat?




Might be faster just to let you have a look...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s9kpo72qzfbyb62/data_additions_00.tre

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rkbjd8c69g7q1s5/empireday_sandtrooper_backpack.lua

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kqu04llvkcx3316/objects.lua

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hysjig53dy3ujcc/serverobjects.lua

https://www.dropbox.com/s/p45zcsnfhz2ur8c/terminal_character_builder.lua
 

Arioch

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Ok just an update here. Timbab and Lasko provided great help in the last day or so and thanks to them, Ive been able to produce good results. Ive now got 8 backpacks on the dev env that werent there, and more to come. Ill put screenshots in my next post, and Ill start writing some documentation to post should anyone wish to follow down this path. Thanks to both of you guys for all of your help.
 

Lasko

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Great to hear your making progress, can't wait to get home and see what you've done:)
 

Arioch

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OK so far, these are all working nicely. I also have 2 belts that hold 50 items each that you can wear with a backpack. But they fit like hula hoops. Im still having issues with the token errors though.







 

Lasko

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Nice work. You can see the name errors with the string files I was talking about. I have found some more BP's in the TCG .iff's.

The hula hoop issue, I've seen documented somewhere. I thought it was here but I can't find it atm.

When I get home I'll see what I can turn up:)
 
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