Problem dds textures make ship invisible

[eveningsky339]

Um, what the heck?

I have all my textures for my addon loaded and properly documented in the .msh file. When I first fired up a scenario to take a look, my vessel was not there (but the shadow was).

So, I commented out ( ; ) every texture but one in the .msh file. When I fired up Orbiter again, every part except the one with the texture was perfectly visible. It would seem that Orbiter renders my .dds textures as invisible.

I used GIMP 2.6 to convert the .bmps into .dds. The only thing I can think of is that the files somehow got corrupted along the way.

I'm really not sure what to do about this.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

You too? I thought it was just me, I did it yesterday with a simple Flag mesh. Did pretty much the exact same thing as you. What modeler did you use and what converter?

 

[eveningsky339]

You too? I thought it was just me, I did it yesterday with a simple Flag mesh. Did pretty much the exact same thing as you. What modeler did you use and what converter?

I used anim8or to put it together and I used your anim8or3ds2mesh to spit out the .msh file.

I edited the .msh file and threw in some random textures that came with the Orbiter base package (such as the dock ring). Everything showed up fine. It's the textures I made that aren't showing up.

Anyone up for an invisible Boeing CEV? :dry:

 

[Zatnikitelman]

I used Wings3d, but other than that same thing. I'll play around some more with the script see if that's causing it. You might also try using *gasp* the command line to run 3ds2msh directly instead of through the script I wrote. I'll also throw on a default Orbiter texture. What's odd is that maybe two months ago I used the same system to export another of mine with only custom-made textures and haven't changed anything about the script since then.

 

[eveningsky339]

I used Wings3d, but other than that same thing. I'll play around some more with the script see if that's causing it. You might also try using *gasp* the command line to run 3ds2msh directly instead of through the script I wrote. I'll also throw on a default Orbiter texture. What's odd is that maybe two months ago I used the same system to export another of mine with only custom-made textures and haven't changed anything about the script since then.

I never had a problem with it a few months ago, either. It's very weird. I'll try some troubleshooting and see if maybe it has something to do with the way the .dds files are being converted from .bmp.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

My texture was .jpg to .dds so maybe something there. I won't be able to really start troubleshooting this until about 17:30 EDT, but if you're willing, then what I'd try next is re-downloading 3ds2msh and possibly GIMP and the GIMP plugin.
I did try command-lining 3ds2msh directly and got the same result.

 

[cjp]

Maybe it has something to do with the different compression methods you can choose for DDS. The SDK contains a PDF which describes what options you should use.

 

[eveningsky339]

Maybe it has something to do with the different compression methods you can choose for DDS. The SDK contains a PDF which describes what options you should use.

GIMP did ask for what kind of compression during the conversion process, but I wasn't sure which to choose, so I left it at nothing. Which document within the SDK contains this information?

---------- Post added at 02:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:41 PM ----------

My texture was .jpg to .dds so maybe something there. I won't be able to really start troubleshooting this until about 17:30 EDT, but if you're willing, then what I'd try next is re-downloading 3ds2msh and possibly GIMP and the GIMP plugin.
I did try command-lining 3ds2msh directly and got the same result.

I am, in fact, using a newer version of GIMP than I did with my old addon. However, I believe I used a .dds converter at that time. (It does not work with x64 Vista, I'm afraid).

 

[liber]

Do you use your dll or spacecraft?
Sometimes custom dll could make ship invisible.

 

[eveningsky339]

Do you use your dll or spacecraft?
Sometimes custom dll could make ship invisible.

I haven't coded yet, this is strictly a mesh with textures and a shuttlePB config file.

 

[cjp]

GIMP did ask for what kind of compression during the conversion process, but I wasn't sure which to choose, so I left it at nothing. Which document within the SDK contains this information?

3DModel.pdf, section 4.3:

• You should store the textures either in DXT1 compressed format (opaque textures or textures with binary transparency), or in DXT5 compressed format (for textures with continuous transparency).

 

[Hielor]

Use the dxtex tool to convert pictures (if the one included with Orbiter doesn't work on Vista, just use the one included with the OS).

Make sure the alpha channel is correct, otherwise the transparency of your texture will be wrong.

 

[eveningsky339]

3DModel.pdf, section 4.3:

Ah, I see. I selected DXT5 as my compression in GIMP, but still no dice. Haven't tried DXT1 yet, though.

Use the dxtex tool to convert pictures (if the one included with Orbiter doesn't work on Vista, just use the one included with the OS).

Make sure the alpha channel is correct, otherwise the transparency of your texture will be wrong.

*head/desk* THAT's what I used. I completely forgot about dxtex. I'll need to give that a shot tomorrow.

---------- Post added 09-03-2009 at 08:54 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-02-2009 at 09:01 PM ----------

Ok, I took one of my textures in .bmp format, loaded into dxtex, and had it spit out a .dds texture. And it WORKED! So, apparently Orbiter isn't happy with the way GIMP converted my .bmps, at least when I selected DXT1 compression.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

I'll also try this method as soon as I can. What's odd is that GIMP was working just fine not two months ago.

 

[eveningsky339]

I'll also try this method as soon as I can. What's odd is that GIMP was working just fine not two months ago.

Was it a different version of GIMP? It was updated to 2.6 fairly recently but I can't remember the exact date.

Oh, and does anyone know if there is a way to smooth out the "crumpled paper" look that 3ds2msh produces? I do not want to use another mesh converter or to subdivide the faces.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

The version I used before and still use is 2.6.1...

 

[Eagle]

Oh, and does anyone know if there is a way to smooth out the "crumpled paper" look that 3ds2msh produces? I do not want to use another mesh converter or to subdivide the faces.

There's a mesh property in Anim8or its called 'smooth angle' that attempts to show vertexes below that angle as smooth and continuous and those sharper than that as a visible crease.

I'm not sure what its called in other editors.

 

[cjp]

Was it a different version of GIMP? It was updated to 2.6 fairly recently but I can't remember the exact date.

Oh, and does anyone know if there is a way to smooth out the "crumpled paper" look that 3ds2msh produces? I do not want to use another mesh converter or to subdivide the faces.

I used the GIMP recently, and with success. I use it on Ubuntu 9.04, which has the GIMP version 2.6.6. But I think the version of the dds plug-in is more important. I downloaded that plug-in several months ago (I think even before I upgraded to Ubuntu 9.04, so it's probably before may).

 

[Hielor]

There's a mesh property in Anim8or its called 'smooth angle' that attempts to show vertexes below that angle as smooth and continuous and those sharper than that as a visible crease.

I'm not sure what its called in other editors.

3ds2msh doesn't preserve vertex normals.