posted 12-07- 05:07 AM               

AC3D has an export as LOD OPS doesn't seem to be able to import LOD am i doing something wrong or is this a shortcomming for OPS??

thanks

posted 12-07- 05:39 AM               

But you'll have to use AC3d to change the or alter the lods appearnce.

I'm new to this, so I may be wrong.

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Zoycite {GS}
GUNSLINGERS

visit The War Paint Factory

posted 12-07- 05:49 AM               

1. Copy and paste some item of the plane in OPS - make sure you paste it under the parent you want to use for the new LOD. (copy LOD, then click in the left window on the new parent, then paste)

2. Go into the names tab at the left - find the new part name - it will be the same name as the part you copied with a number after it (like LWing1, etc.)

3. Double click on this, now change the name to be the name for the new LOD.

4. Save the SM file in OPS.

5. Move the SM file into a new directory. Use Hippie's Extractor and extract the SM file - you will get the asc file and billion LOD files.

6. Open the plane.htm file (the name of your plane) - here you can find what LOD # your new part has - there may be more than 1 LOD for that part! The lower number LODS are HIGHER DETAIL - edit these first.

7. Import this LOD into AC3D if you need to just make some basic changes. Otherwise start a new AC3D object and design it from scratch.

8. Now export as LOD from AC3D - make sure you use the same name (yourPlane045.lod for example) - this will overwrite the old LOD

9. Open the LOD and verify that the switch-in distance is correct, and that the texture index is what you expected - make any needed changes to this file.

10. Use Hippie's builder to re-build the SM file - this will now incorporate your new LOD! Builder uses the asc file and LOD files to reconstruct the SM file

11. NOw copy the SM file back into your aircraft folder and Open it in OPS.

12. Position your new LOD in OPS!

Done!

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-Sv =FC=

WWI in SDOE!

posted 12-07- 05:55 AM               

we really need to get that process streamlined a bit

isn't that going to make moving LODS around really hard?

is this on your site SV? if not you should add it

posted 12-07- 06:09 AM               

"2. Go into the names tab at the left - find the new part name - it will be the same name as the part you copied with a number after it (like LWing1, etc.)"

i can find my new part in the models tab but not in the name tab

posted 12-07- 08:13 AM               

I think you might need to reload the SM file to see it in the name list.

The process is not as bad as it looks - it goes very fast once you do it a couple (of hunderd) times

I am quite sure that Bryan is building a LOD import/export plugin for OPS - but he is in bug-fix mode right now.

You also don't need to rename the new LOD if you don't want, I do it just to keep organized. You can also change the name in the ASC file - just make sure you get every occurence!

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-Sv =FC=

WWI in SDOE!

posted 12-07- 08:19 AM               

thanks alot

posted 12-07- 05:16 PM               

I expect that a LOD plugin will happen probably next week.

Also a bit of a side note, don't always rely on the lowest number LOD being the highest detail one. This only happens with an OPS written file becuase the LODs are sorted when they are loaded.