LoadModel Help

[Clackdor]

I am trying to replace my instances of LoadMesh() in my program with LoadModel() to take advantage of the automatic LOD properties of a model. However, when my character is declared as a Model, the animations no longer work. The model resorts to the T-pose. If the character is declared as a Mesh, then the animations work fine.

 

The Animate() documentation says this:

Important:This will only have an effect when used directly on a mesh or on an entity that has a mesh child entity (e.g. a Model).

 

It doesn't seem to be working out for me. I've tried various children of the model for animating and loading the animations.

[Matthew Nicholls]

Hi Clackdor,

If you have a look at the animation loading in the skeleton lua script you have to load the animations in to each LOD level. I'll try to convert this to a C++ version as well so you can see how it works. I just load the animations in the lua script and they run fine when called from C++. When I upload the updated lua script I'll do a quick video to show the animation crontrol in C++.

[Clackdor]

So, what you are saying is that I'm seeing an LOD model that doesn't have the animations loaded?

 

I would use a command like:

 

LoadAnimation(GetModelLODEntity(object.model,lod), "abstract::"..object.Animations[Anims].fileName ..".gmf" )

 

I'll have to see if that GetModelLODEntitiy command is valid in C++.

[Matthew Nicholls]

So, what you are saying is that I'm seeing an LOD model that doesn't have the animations loaded?

 

Yes. You need to loop through each LOD and load in each animation. I haven't done this in C++ yet, I'll look at it this morning =). Are you wanting to write it all in C++ and leave lua out?

[Clackdor]

OK, yeah, looks like I have two problems. I cannot figure out how to reference each of the LOD entities in C++. The animations are only Loaded on to the LOD3 model and not the base, LOD1, or LOD2 models.

 

The other issue I am having is that the LOD3 models is standing on its head when I animate it.

 

Yes. You need to loop through each LOD and load in each animation. I haven't done this in C++ yet, I'll look at it this morning =). Are you wanting to write it all in C++ and leave lua out?

 

I am avoiding Lua. I'm operating on the assumption that everything that can be done in Lua can also be done in C++. Gaining knowledge in C++ is my primary motivation for starting this project. It helps me in my actual bread-winning life.

 

I'm also trying to stay consistent. My other animated model is done entirely in C++. The difference between her and the skeleton model is that I don't need to do the LoadAnimation() command. All of the animations are in a single sequence and already loaded in the base model. Once you release the UU3D files, I may combine all the animations so the skeleton does the same thing for me.

 

The other things I'm toying with in my head is to write my own LOD switching function that just uses the meshes. I just figure that the engine will do it "better".

[Josh]

GetModelLODEntity() and CountModelLODEntities() will let you access all LOD versions of a model.

 

LOD entities get removed from the model hierarchy and are not children when they are not in use at a certain distance. This is because a simple rotation or repositioning of the root model requires all child matrices to be updated. If you have a character with 100 bones, and three LOD levels, that means ~300 matrices have to be updated each time anything moves!

 

In Leadwerks3D, hidden entities will simply not have their matrices updated at all, and LOD entities will still be children. This is a tradeoff because it means you can never count on a hidden entity to have correct matrix data.

[Matthew Nicholls]

This must be why you have to load in to each LOD any attachement you want to add to a model.

[Clackdor]

GetModelLODEntity() and CountModelLODEntities() are not valid C++ functions. Am I forced to use Lua here?

 

Interestingly these are referenced in the LEO libraries, but they don't exist in engine.h or engine.cpp.

[Matthew Nicholls]

 
extern int CountModelLODEntities(TModel model);
extern TEntity GetModelLODEntity(TModel model, int index=0);

 

These are in the engine.h under the model section not entities FYI

[Clackdor]

And lesson learned to always use the most recent engine files.

 

HOLY GOD IT WORKS!

[Rick]

Yeah that always gets ya because it doesn't seem Josh always announces these the best way. We need like a giant banner on every page for a week that says "NEW UPDATE!!!!"

[Matthew Nicholls]

HOLY GOD IT WORKS!

 

I'm glad you did it! I'm having trouble my self porting my code from Lua . It is so easy in lua I might stick with it as it can be used for each language to load assets. Good luck with C++ .

[Clackdor]

So, I'm down to figuring out why my first instance of loading the skeleton object doesn't have an axe. I can load up to N skeletons just fine, N-1 skeletons have an axe and 1 doesn't, always the first instance. IT'S THE SAME DAMN CODE!!!!

 

I'll figure it out some day.

[Matthew Nicholls]

Same problem with Lua and loading... first skeleton no axe all others with axe. I've tried it with a whole set of armour and the same result first nothing then others equiped. Thing is it is also like this in the Editor. I'm not sure what it is as sometimes it is a different skeleton depending on which one you are close to when you load the level. It must be a bug!

[Clackdor]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad you are having problems, too.

[Rick]

So you load the skeleton model. The load the axe. Then position and parent the axe to the skeleton and you then don't see the axe?

[Clackdor]

Yes, but only the first time.

 

The second on up has the axe. It's actually a fun little mini game to try to find the skeleton without the axe.

[macklebee]

yes i can confirm this as well... its an odd little bug... first instance of any model won't show the attached item but subsequent models will...

 

interestingly enough though, it only seems to be a problem with models with LOD's. if no LOD's, then just attaching to the model instead of the GetModelLODEntity seems to work just fine with the first instance of the model...

[Matthew Nicholls]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad you are having problems, too.

Ditto lol. I'm glad someone else has had this problem too. I though I was going mad.

 

if no LOD's, then just attaching to the model instead of the GetModelLODEntity seems to work just fine with the first instance of the model...

 

This is a major problem for me as my characters like the skeleton require multiple LODs and the ability to attach accessories/gubbins, as the first level is 8k triangles. Having LODs is essential if you want a massive army of the undead! My human characters should be around 5k ,but that still requires LODs to work well. Maybe for a hero character you can get away with a high poly model and no LODs so then it wouldn't matter. I really hope there is a work around or bug fix for this as it is a big worry.

[Clackdor]

Hmm, bug tracker is missing in new website layout.

[macklebee]

i sent a PM to Josh with an example that shows the issue - he has read it but has not responded.

[Matthew Nicholls]

must be a bug