I am not sure if this is the correct forum, so please move it if needed....


I have built a new car (1984 Pontiac Fiero), this car has pop-up headlights. (see the question comming??? LOL) I have added the new joint with Milkshape, and assigned it to the headlights. The new joint shows up as "JOINT 15" in the GMDC, but it is not listed in CRES. I used the "rebuild" function in GMDC.....nothing. I need in the CRES so I can link it to the new ANIM.......

Then comes the creating of new TTA's and TTAB's another chore LOL

Any help, or thoughts will be greatly appriciated and credited at post time.

If more info is needed PLS feel free to PM me


Thanks
AceHole

The new joint needs to be added to the CRES, at the same location as in the GMDC, and needs to be the same joint number (15) and it has to have a name.

A new ANIM for headlights up and another for one for headlights down are needed. These should be simple one or two frame rotations (referencing the joint by name) if you placed the joint correctly. Then the BHAV and TTA work can commence.

For details on the CRES work, start in the InfoCenter with Numenor's excellent article on the CRES (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=84487).

<* Wes *>

THANK you !!!! it looks like I have a LOT learning to do.....

and thank you for all your plugs......you are amazing!!!

AceHole

Quick extra note on top of what Wes described about - make sure that none of your "practical" nodes in the cres are already using the new joint number under their "cTransformNode" tab. I'm thinking they probably won't in a car, because in most cases I've seen that it's been in objects where the cres has joints but the gmdc doesn't. But it's something to check for because it's infuriatingly hard to diagnose if you don't specifically look for it (it just causes came startup crashes).

I am so lost now.... I read every thing I could find, but I cannont get the new joint in CRES...... Is there a tut that explains how to add joints to CRES for objects that already have several joints?? Also the new PIE string doesnt show up. I am totally confused!!!

Thanks for help
AceHole

Here is a link to the pic of what it looks like in the game, obviously you can see that the headlights are not visible. I think that is due to the joint not being linked to any thing. another oddity is that odd shadow, I don't have a clue what is producing it, there is nothing in the air and nothing selectable near it.

The version of the car without the popup headlights works great, and no shadow. I have the joint located and assigned properly in milkshape, I just REALLY need to get it into CRES, I can handle the rest myself

Thanks
AceHole

http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/...rent=fiero1.jpg

Adding the joint is not exactly intuitive. I shoould just pass you off to research it at the SimPE site, but instead I will get you started:

Make a backup (or two), load up your file (of course) and select the CRES into plugin view. Then look at the last tab, the CRES heirarchy. What Echo was talking about is to see that the joint 15 is avaliable. You will see them referred to as [Joint12] and similar.

If all is OK, go to the "Edit Blocks" tab. Right above the "Add button" is a long thin box that you can click and select things from a drop down list. One of the items on that list is real long, and starts with "cObjectGraphNode: trans=" and ends with "(cTransformNode)". You pick this and then "Add".

After you add it, you have to edit all the values from the content tab by selecting your new entry on the BlockList.

Now, we know this can be done, but it is also prone to mistakes that can make the game crash while loading or when picking your item from the catalog. Which is why I recommended a couple of backup copies.

If it was easy, everybody would be doing it already. It is why they say the "pioneers wear the arrow shirts".

<* Wes *>

Sorry for intrusion :o but the node also needs to be connected to a parent, or the game wouldn't notice its existence To connect to a parent, you have to:
- remember the number of your new node (the leftmost part of what displayed in the BlockList, not the joint number
- select the node which you want to be the parent (from the BlockList, or simply click on desired one on the CRES Hierarchie tab - I believe it's easier to find right one there)
- on its cTransformNode subtab, there's ChildNodes list - add item there, Unknown = 0x1, Child Index = number of your new node
- commit, close and reopen CRES - your new node should be now visible on CRES Hierarchy tab; if it's not, then you've messed up something, recheck the steps

Thanks Jasana. I guess I missed stating something very important that seemed too obvious, yes, it needs to be a part of a single heirarchy.

I got reminded of this thread by a link from AceHole's 1984 Pontiac GrandAm in the downloads section. I am excited because he got the work done, and I am pleased that he remembered us for the help.

We got to where we are in Sims2 modding now one small step at a time. BHAV programming, object meshes, recoloring, body meshes, none of that was around at first. One at a time the tools to do them appeared, and slowly one, then another user started using them.

While the Pontiac is not the actual first instance of adding a joint to an object and animating it with a custom animation (Echo gets that plum), it is one of the early ones, on a mainstream object in high demand (cars).

I do not know whether it deserves a feature. I would give it one myself, but I am not a part of the decision process at all, and what I think is not a part of the criteria. But it is a nice piece of work, and something "Ace" can be proud of accomplishing.

<* Wes *>

wes_h


THANK YOU!!!!!! and ECHO and JASANA, making the lights work could not have happened without all the support ya'll gave me. Just for FYI, I am currenly working on making the convertible top on the 69 Camaro work (up and down). MEGA thanks to all of ya'll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PROPS
AceHole