How to set up material for good looking front light effect ?

Romlel · 05-01-2003, 05:40 AM

I have re-imported a W3D file in gmax to fix a bug ("W3D -> gmax importer 1.06"), and the importer doesn't get the materials properly from the original file.

So, the front light effect of the truck is not set up, I'd like to give it back the effect of the Chinese Supply Truck

I played around with "emissive", "Opacity", "Blend Mode", "Pass Hint" and the "Alpha Bitmap" button with no better results that the one showed here (Emissive = white, Opacity = 0.9, Blend Mode = Add, Pass Hint = Base texture, Alpha bitmap off)

Does anybody know the parameters to use ? Is there a W3D importer who can get the materials settings ?

Thanks a lot.

Oldfaq · 05-01-2003, 06:38 AM

all I do, is just make the two plane models that go accross and then I use the ini from that unit.
oldfaq

Romlel · 05-01-2003, 07:41 AM

I think the parameters are in the W3D file not the INIs...

In game, with a good INI, I can see my lights effects but they don't look good.

Navek · 05-01-2003, 08:16 AM

Easy. It looks asthough your texture for the light isnt rendering. Try reaplying it, then it myte work. If not, your SOL.

Romlel · 05-02-2003, 02:58 AM

The texture is applied good.... and it still doesn't work

The problem seems to be linked by strange darker artefacts when Light effect Polys intersect....

Perhaps the faces imported from the W3D have problems. I'll check it.

The original effect is just a textured poly with an "ADD" blending, right ?

Sleipnir · 05-02-2003, 04:24 AM

Have you set the colour of the Emissive light to white? i think its black by default

Romlel · 05-02-2003, 05:01 AM

Yes, complete list of the parameters are in my first post.

It's seems that there a Z-buffer problem, in fact.

Sleipnir · 05-02-2003, 08:34 AM

oops, didn't see that bit first time around

Romlel · 05-02-2003, 10:25 AM

So, I've redone the FrontLight Mesh by myself, so it's not the mesh.

I didn't used any textures and I still get the artefacts, so it's not the texture.

In some area, Some parts of the faces are not displayed giving this aspect. It is as if a strange Z-test was made, but "Add Blending" is made without Z-test.... :/

Have you a W3D->Gmax importer that could read material info ?
Have you a method that would permit me to know the material settings of a W3D file ?
Have you the correct set of parameter to use, or perhaps a sample or beta file from EA or westwood, in RenX format to consult ?

Thanks a lot. This bug turns me mad !