[Resolved] LoD with Source engine

are you using max or maya?

Quote from Seldoon182

This is what I get when I remove a couple of poly then I give to a vertex the same coordinate (x,y,z) compared to the "main" vertex coz if I try to weld them on each other the model's compil crash...

Do you just move your vertex onto another one or do you actually use the Weld tool (in 3DSMax I mean, if you use something else, I dunno how it's called or where it is)? The quickiest way to achieve that result would be to switch to Vertex editing, then click "Target Weld" and click on the two vertices you want to weld.

Sorry if you already know that, I don't want to sound condescendant, but moving one vertex to the same exact positions of another one doesn't merge them, since the edges between the vertices don't get updated/reassigned. I'd say the compiler crashes because you have 2 vertices too close to each other.

I've had issues where when I compile a model as an LOD it seems to have some kind of vertex noise, the model looks a bit messed (although not as bad as yours) but when I switch that same model to the reference slot in the QC it looks fine.

Definitely doesnt look that bad though,

if this happened in maya i would recommend freezing transformation and deleting history, dunno if there is something similar in max

I would think the similar way to do that in 3DS would be to use the Collapse tool and collapse it into a mesh. That merges all the history and modifiers in the stack. I found out that if I don't do that before exporting as ASE, the Unreal Engine will only be able to open part of my model and with messed up edges. Try doing that before exporting. It's a tool that should be by default part of the list, along with the Reset Xform (which doesn't hurt doing as well before you export).

did you collapse the xform before exporting?

also did you try compiling with the LOD as a reference just as a test?

You shouldn't have to worry about collapsing XForms and stuff in Max. The IGame/3DXI interface my exporter uses "sees-thru" all the modifiers and gets the vertex positions, etc based on all the transforms applied.

That said, for simple props, I usually collapse/convert meshes to Editable Poly after I've done any LOD modelling.

That said you mentioned error (9)

Quote

Unknown replace model 'C:\Steam\steamapps\seldoon182\sourcesdk_content\pdark\modelsrc\pdark\sewers\gasdrum_reference'

Usually that means your LOD command is trying to replace SMD mesh A with mesh B but the compiler knows nothing of mesh A. Usually mesh A is the name of the smd you gave as the $body or $model command at the top of your QC. e.g.

$body studio "gasdrum_reference.smd"


$sequence idle "gasdrum_idle.smd"




$lod 20


{


   replacemodel "gasdrum_reference.smd" "gassdrum_reference_lod1.smd"


}






$lod 40


{


   replacemodel "gasdrum_reference.smd" "gassdrum_reference_lod2.smd"


}

Note in each case you are ALWAYS replacing the body smd, not the lod level before it.

I wrote a shed load of information on LOD techniques on the Valve wiki. http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/LOD_Models