New tool for Mappers: Propper

[XFunc_CaRteR]

Hi there.

I was wondering: are there a finite number of materials that you can use with Propper? I'm doing a larger model, and it's crashing now.

Here's the compile log:

** Executing...
** Command: propper.exe
** Parameters: -game "c:\program files\steam\steamapps\xfunc_carter\half-life 2 episode two\ep2" "c:\program files\steam\steamapps\xfunc_carter\half-life 2 episode two\ep2\maps\dropship52"

Propper 0.3 by crazycarl. Adapted from vbsp.exe by Valve Software. (Apr  3 2011)
2 threads
materialPath: c:\program files\steam\steamapps\xfunc_carter\half-life 2 episode two\ep2\materials
Loading c:\program files\steam\steamapps\xfunc_carter\half-life 2 episode two\ep2\maps\dropship52.vmf
ConVarRef mat_reduceparticles doesn't point to an existing ConVar
===============================
Creating model: "props_NoWayHome/Custom/DropShip52_Hull"
===============================
Building mesh...
Material: tools/toolsnodraw - Material deemed invisible. No conversion needed.
Material: tools/toolsblack - UnlitGeneric shader: Adding $model to VMT.
Material: metal/metalceiling010a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metal_dropship52_hull_camo - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: glass/glasswindow007a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metal_dropship52_hull_brown - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metal_dropship52_hull_tan - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalchrome002 - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metal_dropship52_floor - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metaldoor018a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: dev/dev_lowermetaldoor01 - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalcomputerpanel001a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalpanel011a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalpanel010a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/greymetal - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalwall057a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalbreaker001a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalbox005a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: decals/decalwire002a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalbreaker002a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/metalduct003a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: props/elevatorbutton003b - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalhull003b - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalvent006a_nwh - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalgrate002a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalwall048a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalhull003d - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalcrate004d - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: misc/blackleather - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: misc/metalspeaker002a_nwh - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalchrome001 - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: dev/dev_lowerwallmetal01a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.
Material: metal/metalpipeendcap001a - LightmappedGeneric converted to vertexlitgeneric.

By the way, I fixed the earlier problem just by deleting the sw.vtx and .dx80 versions of models (game version is Alien Swarm).

[Karlos_Modder]

The limit is in Studiomdl. Its limited to i think 32 unique textures (including tool textures).

Edit..
A question. When Pakrating my bsp it seems the texture of my custom models dont get packed. How can i correct this, ive extracted the texture(s) from the GCF and placed it in the same loction as the generated vmf but when i pak the bsp and test the map on another system the model appears but the model texture does not. It displays the checkerboard.

[XFunc_CaRteR]

I was reducing the number of materials, but one time it managed to compile through to an error message, without crashing. It said that the maximum limit of 10,900-ish polygons had been exceeded. So I started pairing down my geometry, and I managed to compile the model.

[cfoust]

There's a string that holds the names of all the materials you've used (to avoid converting them over and over again). If that gets filled up, it might crash.

Karlos: if you are using the models in the same game you made them in, you shouldn't have to extract anything. You just need to pak the vmt files that Propper created. If you are trying to move textures from a newer game to an older one, they may not be compatible.

[Karlos_Modder]

Im trying to move it to garrys mod. The only reason why i havn't got a config for GMod is because hammer tends to crash a lot on anything other than Ep2.

Edit-
Figured it out, its a pakrat issue, it doesn't pickup the textures location automatically. So i have to manually add the models textures to pakrat then save. Auto-scan doesnt work.

[scojer 2.0]

I'm trying to make something with propper but it isn't turning out properly. If I send the prefab to someone could a propper expert help me out with it? Thanks!

[XFunc_CaRteR]

Originally Posted by scojer 2.0

I'm trying to make something with propper but it isn't turning out properly. If I send the prefab to someone could a propper expert help me out with it? Thanks!

Can you describe a bit what is happening?

[scojer 2.0]

Some of the edges extend themselves, and the model's "box" around it grows bigger, and the model doesn't show up in game.

[XFunc_CaRteR]

Originally Posted by scojer 2.0

Some of the edges extend themselves, and the model's "box" around it grows bigger, and the model doesn't show up in game.

The edges extending themselves and the "box" growing bigger most likely indicates you have invalid shapes. You've probably manipulated one or more vertexes or edges such that a given brush is no longer a valid.

Basically, all faces in a brush must be flat. As soon as you do things that warp or manipulate the shape, you can make faces that are warped / not flat and thus invalid.

One solution is to not manipulate individual vertexes (only edges) - or to cut blocks diagonally so that you have a triangle face, after which you can manipulate individual vertexes, as no matter where you put the corners of a triangle the triangle will remain flat (provided any other square facings sharing an edge with this triangle aren't themselves warped and rendered invalid).

The large box in Hammer, and the model not showing up in game, are two things that happen when you make a model that has that problem.

Google around for tips on vertex and brush manipulation, as this is a common error when mapping.

[XFunc_CaRteR]

You can start here: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/...licated_Shapes

[XFunc_CaRteR]

Originally Posted by cfoust

There's a string that holds the names of all the materials you've used (to avoid converting them over and over again). If that gets filled up, it might crash.

Karlos: if you are using the models in the same game you made them in, you shouldn't have to extract anything. You just need to pak the vmt files that Propper created. If you are trying to move textures from a newer game to an older one, they may not be compatible.

CFoust, do you know how I can purge this string? A complex model I'm making in Propper will no longer compile. (I added a propper_skin entity, to give it another skin, and it won't compile now. When I compile, it just dies when building the .smd. Also, the .smd file is pretty large.)

PS: The model is a dropship, which you can see in this video: http://www.preparetodrop.com/2012/08...off-on-my.html. All the dropships you see - basically *everything* in this video, except for the Marine and the sentry guns on the dropship - was built using Propper.

[cfoust]

I think I fixed that problem three months ago. Maybe I should release it?

Yes, I should. Try this version and see if it works better. http://www.mediafire.com/?dahp6bba11cbxbd

Also that dropship looks awesome.

[XFunc_CaRteR]

Originally Posted by cfoust

I think I fixed that problem three months ago. Maybe I should release it?

Yes, I should. Try this version and see if it works better. http://www.mediafire.com/?dahp6bba11cbxbd

Also that dropship looks awesome.

Thanks.

Actually, it was just that I had peaked over 32 textures in the model. I removed just enough to get to 32 and then it compiled fine.

[XFunc_CaRteR]

Another issue I've been meaning to ask about...

On this video (which I linked to before) if you look closely you'll notice that the marine, when the ceiling becomes transparent, is crouching beneath a red light. But you can't see the beam of the light. When he walks toward the bottom you can see two more of these red lights, and those ones you can see the beam. All three have a point_spotlight - which produces the red spotlight beam effect - but the effect is only visible on the bottom two.

Basically, I'm finding that transparent of effect materials are not rendering in the proper order. Sometimes they are drawing behind the model instead of in front of it. I also have some flame particles (if the dropship gets hit), and even though they are on top of the ship (where the camera has an unblocked view to them), they sometimes render behind the ship.

I even get this problem inside Hammer.

Would this be a problem with my material shaders? I'm only using the most basic shader for the original texture (lightmappedgeneric, which propper converts to vertexlit). Should I add some other parameter to the material to correct that problem?

[cfoust]

It's an engine issue. Sorting transparent materials by depth is actually a pretty complex problem; if you have too many of them on-screen there can be errors. Source seems to be better at sorting transparent objects if they are brush entities, rather than models.