Billboarding

[richard_crosby]

I have been searching everywhere for the correct method to getting a billboarded 2d plane and have had no luck thus far.

So far what I've tried is:

Create a plane in Gmax and create a simple bone. Change the bounds via the envlope/skin modifier and then export the lot via the Dex script.

Then opened up the model in Magos, located the bone in the node manager and added the billboard check to it. The model is then saved and converted to mdx via the Warcraft 3 Mdlx converter tool.

I import the model into the world editor and use it as a unit or a buff effect. When I load up the game it either crashes warcraft 3 with a fatal error once the loading bar has completed or as soon as I cast the effect with the model as the buff effect.

I have also tried adding pivot points in Gmax and adding the 'Billboarded,' line to the bone in the mdl text file.

I have no idea how to figure this one out and there doesn't seem to be too much coverage on the subject. Any help would be much appreciated

Richard,

 

[chilla_killa]

What I do to create a billboarded glow or something like that:

1. Create a plane facing the front view
2. Texture it
3. Create a Bone at the position of the plane
4. Attach the plane to the bone
5. Open the model in Magos
6. Change Material of the texture to Filter Mode Additive
7. Go to Node Manager, right click on the bone of the plane, choose Edit Node, tick the box Billboarded

 

[richard_crosby]

Couple of questions:

Attaching a bone to a plane is done by using the skin modifier on the plane and selecting the bone right?

And is it quite important that the plane is textured? I always left the texture blank (It would end up being replaced by ReplaceableID1 or something, so that the entire object would be coloured using the player colour)

Richard,

 

[chilla_killa]

Then you would have to use the ReplacableTexture2 (TC Glow). But that would work, too.
You don't have to texture it. But you have to create a Material for it.
I have no clue how it is in GMAX.

 

[richard_crosby]

Alright thanks for your help. If I have any trouble with this I'll repost back here

 

[richard_crosby]

Still not working! I must be being really dim or something :S

So I skinned my model correctly in 3ds max this time making sure to add a material to it before using the latest NeoDex to export it.

I then opened in Magos, changed the filter mode to additive and changed the bone to Billboarded. Saved and then converted using the Mdlxconv converter.

I still get fatal errors

Here's the mdl file if anyone can spot anything:

//+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//| Plane01.mdl
//| Generated by War3 Model Editor v1.07
//| Monday, August 30 2010 11:54:55
//| http://www.magosx.com
//+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version {
	FormatVersion 800,
}
Model "Plane01" {
	NumGeosets 1,
	NumBones 1,
	BlendTime 150,
	MinimumExtent { -0.000103934, -90.9281, -91.8561 },
	MaximumExtent { 3.93402e-006, 89.0719, 88.1439 },
	BoundsRadius 129.25,
}
Textures 1 {
	Bitmap {
		Image "",
		ReplaceableId 1,
	}
}
Materials 1 {
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Additive,
			static TextureID 0,
		}
	}
}
Geoset {
	Vertices 4 {
		{ -3.93402e-006, -90.9281, -91.8561 },
		{ -3.93402e-006, 89.0719, -91.8561 },
		{ 3.93402e-006, -90.9281, 88.1439 },
		{ 3.93402e-006, 89.0719, 88.1439 },
	}
	Normals 4 {
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
	}
	TVertices 4 {
		{ 0, 1 },
		{ 1, 1 },
		{ 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0 },
	}
	VertexGroup  {
		0,
		0,
		0,
		0,
	}
	Faces 1 6 {
		Triangles {
			{ 2, 0, 3, 1, 3, 0 },
		}
	}
	Groups 1 1 {
		Matrices { 0 },
	}
	MinimumExtent { -0.000103934, -90.9281, -91.8561 },
	MaximumExtent { 3.93402e-006, 89.0719, 88.1439 },
	BoundsRadius 129.25,
	MaterialID 0,
	SelectionGroup 0,
}
Bone "Bone01" {
	ObjectId 0,
	Billboarded,
	GeosetId 0,
	GeosetAnimId None,
}
PivotPoints 1 {
	{ -1.39211, -0.232019, 0 },
}

 

[chilla_killa]

I don't find any obvious errors or something like that.
But I'm no expert at .mdl editing.

 

[richard_crosby]

Can nobody else help?

Chilla could you possibly do me a favor, and create a billboarded plane model that you know works and send me the mdl/mdx/3ds max file? That way at least I can understand how the mdl file differs from my own. It doesn't have to be anything complicated, just a plane will do

That would really help me a lot!

Thanks,

 

[chilla_killa]

Okay, if I find time, I'll do it this evening.

EDIT: Here you go.

//+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//| TestBillboardGlow.mdl
//| Generated by War3 Model Editor v1.07
//| Thursday, September 02 2010 22:00:07
//| http://www.magosx.com
//+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version {
	FormatVersion 800,
}
Model "MilkshapeExported" {
	NumGeosets 1,
	NumBones 1,
	BlendTime 100,
	MinimumExtent { 0, -30, -29.625 },
	MaximumExtent { 0, 30, 30 },
	BoundsRadius 42.294,
}
Sequences 1 {
	Anim "Stand" {
		Interval { 100, 500 },
		MinimumExtent { 0, -30, -29.625 },
		MaximumExtent { 0, 30, 30 },
		BoundsRadius 42.294,
	}
}
Textures 1 {
	Bitmap {
		Image "",
		ReplaceableId 2,
	}
}
Materials 1 {
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Additive,
			static TextureID 0,
		}
	}
}
Geoset {
	Vertices 4 {
		{ 0, -20, 20 },
		{ 0, -20, -19.75 },
		{ 0, 20, -19.75 },
		{ 0, 20, 20 },
	}
	Normals 4 {
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
		{ 1, 0, 0 },
	}
	TVertices 4 {
		{ 0, 0 },
		{ 0, 1 },
		{ 1, 1 },
		{ 1, 0 },
	}
	VertexGroup  {
		0,
		0,
		0,
		0,
	}
	Faces 1 6 {
		Triangles {
			{ 0, 1, 2, 0, 2, 3 },
		}
	}
	Groups 1 1 {
		Matrices { 0 },
	}
	MinimumExtent { 0, -30, -29.625 },
	MaximumExtent { 0, 30, 30 },
	BoundsRadius 42.294,
	Anim {
		MinimumExtent { 0, -30, -29.625 },
		MaximumExtent { 0, 30, 30 },
		BoundsRadius 42.294,
	}
	MaterialID 0,
	SelectionGroup 0,
}
Bone "BillboardJoint" {
	ObjectId 0,
	Billboarded,
	GeosetId Multiple,
	GeosetAnimId None,
}
PivotPoints 1 {
	{ 0, 0, 0.25 },
}

 

[Deolrin]

richard, can you please post your model here? I'm pretty sure the problem is that you have no sequences whatsoever.