The_Particles_Within

[Lowell]

A hint for those making their own buildings...
I had to work more on the buildings. Man...talk about some confusing coordinates!!!! It took me awhile on a test map to set the objects to their logical and physical centers. Sometimes the image of the building would appear far away from the white honycomb that surronds objects in the editor. You must set the coordinates for the image so it matches the same center as the honeycomb. It is kind of werd, but if you make any buildings and import them you will see what I mean. Also a couple of my buildings ended up way deep "under" the landscape surface. Their positions needed adjusted so they would touch the ground just at the right spot. Some also floated above ground and needed adjusted.

The buildings are now set. The only thing is the Engineer runs right through them as if they weren't there? What went wrong. Otherwise they are perfect...


Edit//I understand how the settings work on the images very well now. all you need to remember is that there are three settings and three settings inside each of the three. UP - FRONT - POS inside each is a X setting, a Y setting, a Z setting. If you are having trouble figuring out your buildings let me know, I can set it for you... but give it a try, you can even set the POS Y setting to have things in mid air.

[xander]

If you want to keep units from going through the buildings, you might try using the GunMetal material... I am not sure if anyone knows exactly what that does, but someone postulated that it might keep units out.

xander

[Lowell]

7991,7993,7992
7992,7990,7991
7984,7987,7993
7993,7991,7984
Strips: 1
Strip: 0
Material: GunMetal
Verts:7994
vertId [... ........... .........]


This is the end of the script for the command building, 7994 positions/vertices

The Strips, Material and vertices part I get, it's the Vert ID that's werd. In older files from the game it seems to be random on picking which verts to list as Vert Id's. If I list Material as GunMetal and say there are Verts 7994, the building is still not solid...somehow I need to figure out how to list the verts needed on the vert Id section for it to work.

[nihilesthetics2]

So what method are you using to create the shapes files. Max5 and the plugin, or the perl script?

Its much easier to position in Max than it is to fiddle with the positioning params in the shape file. Certainly for the perl script, and possibly for the plugin, do the following to get the positions correct before export.

1. Position the centre of your building object base at x,y,z = 0,0,0
2. Position your building object pivot at x,y,z = 0,0,0
3. Align your building object pivot to the world axis.
4. Make sure the top of your building is aligned with the positive world y axis.
5. If you want your building to 'float' in the air, increase the y coordinate only.

I originally spent hours fiddling with the positioning in the shape file. Ill never get those hours back Save yourself the pain and do your positioning in max!

This gets more complex when the parent of a fragment is another fragment, or the shape is dynamic. The radardish is a perfect example. Try creating a working radardish from scratch that rotates normally.

N2

[Lowell]

I made the files in OBJ format, Miah converted them for me. I had them on the ground plane when I rendered them. But for some reason a couple of them went wacky. One was miles below the surface, one was off on an angle and that one threw me off guard, it needed flipped first, then brought up, then moving via x and z angle it back to the white hex outline where the "image" should match. That took me six hours yesterday for four buildings. It took me a bit but I saw the pattern, now it's simple to do. It was great for the learning experiance. That's not my problem though.

My trouble is the GunMetal texture. I have been reading and looking for patterns on how they chose which Vertices to pick to make their "Strips." As the script in the above post shows, I have 7994 positions / vertices. At least at the base I need the vertices to be solid so the engineers etc won't walk right through them as though they were not there. So the information I need is how do I find out which vert Id's I need to assign in the vertsId field? Also I noticed that certian verts are repeated throughout the field...why and what pattern?

I will play with the verts Id stuff later this evening again. I am re-writing the storyline for the next update on The_Particles_Within. I am hoping to get it in by late tonight for the weekend. Even if the buildings aren't solid, that change won't require the player to change his / her profile if I have to do that fix later.

Edit// Oh yes I see what you are saying, make sure when I render then they are in the absolute middle... I just caught that, yes that may have been the trouble. Thanks I will remember that and render them one at a time as well... Thanks...

[nihilesthetics2]

Well, my theory is that the strips are triangle strips. Normally darwinia renders just triangles, but IV seem to allow darwinia to render shapes using the strip method. If Im right, and if I remember correctly, you pass an array of vertex positions to the opengl function, plus a render method. For triangle rendering it takes those vertices in groups of three and renders them as triangles. For strip rendering, it takes the first three and renders a triangle, then it takes them one at a time and creates a triangle with vertex n, n-1 and n-2. Or something like that Its more efficient to use strips, apparently. Dont ask me how to generate a vertex list for the strip method. You would have to cross-reference each vertex in your new shape file with each vertex in your original mesh, then visualize in your head how you want opengl to render the strip, and then create the list order yourself. Best to free up a couple of days for that one! However, since IV used the plugin to convert all their meshes, and some of the original meshes have strips, that would suggest there is some button or toggle within the plugin to convert the shape in strip format rather than vertex format. Anybody who has used the plugin know ?

Besides, Im pretty sure than Darwinia just ignores the Material parameter when its parsing the shape file. I think collision detection is controlled by another, unknown, factor. I do remember the original discussion of this theory, though.

N2.

[Lowell]

Ahhh. So I getting closer I wonder how the Gunmetal texture came into play? In an shp file I have for the rock head, it too has no strips and no gunmetal; neither did any of the Temple shp files I have either. So where is the SOLID info coming from?

Somehow I need to get them as solids. I have gone through your Tutorial and read through it a zillion times...Thanks so much for a great job. It inspired me to go farther. The only SHP editors on the web I can find are for making 3D Landscape maps. I would guess they might work for putting solids together.

Edit// Iuse allot of different softwares to make objects and animate them, you name it I've got it. I have Max eight though, and at their main site they list the old exporter but not sence version 6 I think.

[Lowell]

I ran into something strange. If I use the change profile button on the in game screen the game will crash. If I go into my pref's file and put the username in manually and the mod name is runs all levels and saves progress just fine. But try and use the change profile key in game and the world crashes. Now I can switch between mods in the list just fine, it is just new profiles that don't seem to work.

Not just in my Mod either, I was pulling my hair out thinking I had something spelled wrong somewhere or something out of place. Nope...I opened up the Darwinia game and tried to make a new profile in it, same thing. My old profile from when I won the game and demo run fine. But I can no longer use the change profile key in game or my mod?

I don't mind editing the pref's file as I change but what are others to do?

Is this a Steam thing? Everything works fine except that. Or have I not looked good enough for something I may have missed. All the levels are playing and saving, I go in and out often to make sure. And all the camera intros are working fine?

Think I'm ordering the CD version anyway, I want that green cover...

EDIT// Just did a new test, I can change from profile to profile just fine using the ingame menu for creating a new profile. It looks like it's only if I try to create a new one that it crashes. I can make them manually in the pref's text then fire it up just fine and switch all day long and it saves the progress of that username.
I just noticed it during testing before I release the update for the mod. I also made a habbit of deleting the old ones out of the game users file, keeping only the main three and a couple mod test names.

[Lowell]

It seems that if I wipe out the "Mod=" to nothing, then wipeout the "UserProfile=". Then startup the game, make a new Profile via the in-game button/key, then pick my Mod from the list everything works perfect.

I just thought that sometimes I had gone into the editor and gone into the mods game mode to test with the "NewUser" profile without making a new one, for sometime now. Is it that I have messed the NewUser profile inside the "Users" file in the game? I downloaded red**irt but I've not used it before, guess I need to look at it.

Edit// Can I erase the NewUser's profile and the game make a new one? Or do I have to use whatever to read it and edit it
Again I've stepped in it and need a stick...

[mellowvision2]

I saw earlier someone posted the same comment, that one of the required gates was already open and you couldn't complete the mission... is there a way to fix this?

great mod... thanks.

[Lowell]

The_Particles_Within has been Re-built. The gate at the end of electrons was the end at that time "version 0.2" I believe had only four working maps, gluons wasn't built then. The first set was way too busy, nucleus grew too big and needed trimmed down for frame rate speed and to follow the storyline/missions better. It will be based on the point system for research this time around, thanks to TheFrogger's advice, "thankyou". I will need feedback for these levels if something needs fixed as I move on to map set two.

The update is ready to post. I should post it today. I want to test a couple things first. If you thought that the mod was cool wait till you play this. A couple levels get scarry later on...angstrom turned out to be a Blast!!! But I'm not going to spoil anything this time. Give me this afternoon for testing one last time, and I will post it tonight.

The mod is still under construction, somewhere near eighteen levels when complete. Right now the mod has ten finished. I will make this second post for everyone to play and let me know what needs changed.

This new update for The_Particles_Within will be number 0.3 Everyone will be required to setup a new Profile for this update as massive changes have been made. I am also working on new and better buildings for this next set. They work but engineers and such can walk through them, I am still working on how to make the files "Solid." That fix can be added to a new update without effecting your progress later on. I also am trying a new editor that makes objects and landscape maps in the shp format. It's called Grass and is freeware, there are others out there as well. Tiberian Sun has one if anyone is looking.

I find the best way for me to startup a new Mod Profile is to open your /darwinia/preferences.txt file and set your "UserProfile" to none and "Mod=" to blank, startup darwinia, make your new profile, open up the Mod list and click on whatever mod. Wham...you're there. I like to use "camera walkthroughs" when you enter levels, they are short but fly over highlights. It also allows me a spot to interject storyline. Let me know if I have done too much or if it's anoying somehow. Me being a film buff I always like that stuff, others may think it's not needed. Also I don't have a hard drive running with Linux, I have an older Susie but haven't turned it up in awhile. Please let me know if there are issues so I can get help, likewise with the Mac's.

If anyone would like to Help on the making of this Mod drop me a line...

[Lowell]

Anybody know if Research as a secondary target can get a text tag like the primary objectives?

If you Absorb with the officers, do you prefer Farming?

Should I remove all research and let you use just points? The point system is worked into my storyline. I have added only three cubes on three different maps, thinking someone may get stuck, but you still have to fight for it. They should have enough points by then anyway...maybe they should just be removed?

[hitm4n]

extra points may be handy for some, so leave em in. Especially if they hold an extra challenge in a map.

[ult]

as soon as I load the mod, I'm getting "INVALID MAP SPECIFIED"

here's the blackbox

=========================
DARWINIA BLACK BOX REPORT
=========================

VERSION : win32-full-steam-v1.4
ERROR : 'Invalid map file specified'

=========================
====== PREFERENCES ======
=========================

ServerAddress = 127.0.0.1
BypassNetwork = 1
IAmAServer = 1
TextLanguage = english
TextSpeed = 15
HelpEnabled = 1
SoundLibrary = dsound
SoundMixFreq = 22050
SoundMasterVolume = 255
SoundChannels = 64
SoundHW3D = 0
SoundSwapStereo = 0
SoundMemoryUsage = 1
SoundBufferSize = 512
SoundDSP = 0
ScreenWidth = 1024
ScreenHeight = 768
ScreenWindowed = 0
ScreenZDepth = 24
ScreenColourDepth = 16
ScreenRefresh = 60
RenderLandscapeDetail = 1
RenderWaterDetail = 1
RenderBuildingDetail = 1
RenderEntityDetail = 1
RenderCloudDetail = 1
RenderPixelShader = 0
ControlMouseButtons = 3
ControlMethod = 1
BootLoader = random
UserProfile = none
RenderSpecialLighting = 1
ModSystemEnabled = 1
Mod = The_Particles_Within

=========================
====== STACKTRACE =======
=========================

retAddress = 0042134F
retAddress = 004A8FDB
retAddress = 004AA8D6
retAddress = 004A3699
retAddress = 00490703
retAddress = 004D0120
retAddress = 004B35F1
retAddress = 004B3D65
retAddress = 00425FA4
retAddress = 004D2576
retAddress = 7C816D4F
retAddress = 00000000

[Lowell]

Here is the latest update of maps for The_Particles_Within. I have rebuilt nucleus and several changes over all maps. A new profile will be needed.

I am late getting the update out because map Hadron is giving me fits about having a team one AI Unit. The map runs great without it, but I want it in. That can be fixed on the next update and won't effect your game play. If I get it worked out in the next day or two I will post a new update for it. As I said the mission runs fine without it.

If any modders would like to look at map Hadron, I have the AI Unit set as team zero right now, if anyone sees something I haven't please let me know.

EDIT// bumped to a new version...see new link.
Any comments are greatly appreciated as it olny makes for better games for everyone. If anyone has any mission ideas let me know.
Lowell