Author Topic: Creating a Matching Arch for a Door  (Read 3381 times)

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Offline shastakiss

Creating a Matching Arch for a Door
« on: March 09, 2020, 03:31:09 AM »
You'll need:
A door that doesn't already have a matching arch (e.g. Leefish's 1-tile-centered-on-2-tiles Walnut Door)
Two SimPe windows
   Open the first one via taskbar or desktop shortcut and size it to fit the left half of your screen. I'll refer to this as Arch SimPe. Click Object Workshop (OW) at the bottom. While the OW resources are loading...
   Open the second SimPe window by right-clicking the door file (straight, not diagonal) and Open with > SimPe. Size it to fit the right half of your screen. I'll refer to this as Door SimPe.

It looks pretty wordy but it's not bad, I promise. Creating a matching arch for a door was the first mesh I ever made, so it's not that complicated (look at the gold stars I gave myself;)


PART ONE: STRAIGHT MESH

A. Extract / Export the mesh
Door SimPe, select the GMDC in the Resource Tree and open the ...doorframe_n_gmdc in the ResourceList
In Plugin View, make sure all models are ticked (in this case wood and wallshadow)
Export... opens the Export Mesh Window
File name: walnut2tile-[leesester-9.4.2011-051e]_doorframe_n_gmdc
   (it's fine to keep it the same)
Save as type: Maya Object Exporter by Delphy (*.obj)
Save
Back in the ResourceList, open the ...doorframe_s_gmdc and repeat the same steps as for the ...doorframe_n_gmdc.
You should have two .obj files: one north-facing (n) frame (aka the arch on the left side of the wall) and one south-facing (s) frame (aka the arch on the right side of the wall).

B. Creating the File: Clone an arch
Lee should have cloned a 2-tile door, and preferably they chose a base-game door.
How do we know which one?
Door SimPe, open one of the GMNDs.
In Plugin View, look at a few of the entries in the Blocklist's dropdown menu and see which ones mention the original door that was cloned. In this case, 0x3: wallshadow and 0x4: surfaces both reference doorcolonialtwotilearch. That's good, no eps required. We want to clone that door's matching 2-tile arch.
Arch SimPe, in OW catalog + Other + Door > Select Door - 2 Tile - Colonial Empty Arch
Next > Task: Clone > (Click the orange Set Defaults but untick Change Description) > Start
In the Scenegraph rename Wizard window
ModelName: your choice but I'd name it walnut2tilearch
Click the blue Update and OK
File name: your choice but I'd name it WalnutArch_Straight_Centred_on_2_tiles_by_LeeFish
Save.

C. Creating the File: Unique Resource Edits in Arch SimPe
Catalog Description (CTSS)
Select CTSS in Resource Tree and Catalog Description in ResourceList.
Edit the title and description. For example:
   Walnut Arch on 2 tiles
   For when a one tile arch just looks daft
   credit and thanks to leefish for the original door
   matching arch by shasta
(I referred to Door SimPe's catalog description for mine.)
Click Default lang only and Commit File.
Geometric Data Container (GMDC)
Select GMDC and walnut2tilearch_doorframe_n_gmdc
We need the models in cGeometryDataContainer tab to match the Door SimPe's models.
In Groups tab, click doorcolonialtwotilearch_glass and Delete. Click surfaces and change Name: wood
Open cGeometryDataContainer tab again and Import... Navigate to the ...n_gmdc.obj you exported earlier.
Mesh Group Importer window:
Select wood, and in Group Settings, Action: Replace
Select wallshadow and in Group Settings, Action: Replace
Click OK to close that window. Click Commit and OK to Changes were commited.
Select GMDC and walnut2tilearch_doorframe_s_gmdc and repeat the same steps but navigate to ...s_gmdc.obj when you Import...
Material Definition (TXMT)
Shift-click to select all four diagonal resources and right-click Delete
Object Data (OBJD)
Select Door - 2 Tile - Colonial Empty Arch
RAW Data Tab, select Decimal
0x0012: price Your choice but I'd change it from 650 to 90 to match Door SimPe's price
Please follow the Assigning GUIDs with the Hash Generator tutorial for multi-tile objects.
Optional but I would also change all five Filenames (e.g. Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch, Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch 0,0, etc.).
Texture Image (TXTR)
Shift-click to select both diagonal resources and right-click Delete
   in Door SimPe: TXTR Resource Tree, select ...0-0-0-n-wallmask_txtr in ResourceList
   Export... the image
   Repeat for ...1e-0-0-n-wallmask_txtr
in Arch SimPe: select ...0-0-0-n-wallmask in ResourceList
Import... the door's 0-0-0-n wallmask. Commit and click OK
Repeat for ...1e-0-0-n-wallmask_txtr.

D. Creating the File: Repository the Arch to the Door
Lee's door is repositoried to the EA Walnut door, we need to repository the arch to EA Walnut door too.
Shape (SHPE)
Arch SimPe ~and~ Door SimPe: Open ...doorframe_n_shpe from the ResourceList
Arch SimPe:
Select doorcolonialtwotilearch_glass and delete (in blue)
Select wallshadow and copy/paste Material Definition File: doorwalnut_shadow_alpha from Door SimPe to Arch SimPe
Select surfaces, rename to wood and copy/paste Material Definition File: doorwalnut_wood_walnut from Door SimPe to Arch SimPe
Commit.
Arch SimPe ~and~ Door SimPe: Repeat for ...doorframe_s_shpe
Geometric Node (GMND)
Arch SimPe ~and~ Door SimPe: Open ...doorframe_n_gmnd from the ResourceList
Arch SimPe:
Blocklist: 0x2: tsDesignModeEnabled, rename surfaces to wood
Blocklist: 0x3: tsMaterialsMeshName, rename surfaces to wood, and change String: doorWalnut (copy/paste from Door SimPe's tsMaterialsMeshName)
Commit.
Arch SimPe ~and~ Door SimPe: Repeat for ...doorframe_s_gmnd

E. Creating the File: Finish
Arch SimPe: Toolbar > Tools > Object Tools > Fix Integrity
Save (ctrl-s)
Load up your game and check it out!


PART TWO: DIAGONAL MESH
It's optional. Make a diagonal if you, as a builder, have been frustrated enough when your custom door, window, or arch didn't have a corresponding diagonal.
Please follow Numenor's Linking Straight and Diagonal Objects tutorial. Like Section D above, you'll be referencing the EA walnut door in the SHPE and GMND instead of Leefish's door.


I'm happy to clarify anything so please feel free to ask questions  :love
« Last Edit: June 28, 2020, 11:11:21 PM by shastakiss »
 
The following users thanked this post: CatherineTCJD

Offline CatherineTCJD

Re: Creating a Matching Arch for a Door
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2020, 04:12:19 PM »
WOW! That was fast  :thx
I can't wait to get started on this - gotta get the home-schooler schooling first...
I'm gonna have my arch before my build session tonight *squeeeee* Thank you so much, Shasta  :hug

ETA
Welp... poopie-dukes, it didn't work the first time. I had a beautiful second version of Lee's 1-on2T arch. *le sigh*

So, I'm gonna try again. I have a few questions though first:
In part C - after assigning my GUID (which I reused from a failed item I attempted back in 2008, or so  :blush) when do I commit? Do I 'update' first? and tick the box for all MMATs?
And, when I hit 'fix integrity' at the end, the box came up with a bunch of diagonal resources listed in it. I thought I deleted all those? Or, is that a list of all the parts of the package that I changed?
Also I noticed that the GMDC preview (after I had saved and was done) did not have a 2T arch, it was still the 1T arch. It shoulda been 2T, right?

Everything you wrote seems clear and straightforward. I'm sure I just did something wrong. So, I'll try again...

ETAA
OK, the second attempt is loading up...
After I put in my GUID I hit update (but, did not tick the box) then committed.
And, when I hit Fix Integrity at the end, I did not click 'update' - right?
The gmdc preview still shows a 1T arch. I don't think it's gonna work... Nope. same as before. Another one of Lee's 1-on-2 arches.
I'll wait for help to arrive before trying again  ???
« Last Edit: March 09, 2020, 08:37:09 PM by CatherineTCJD »
 

Offline shastakiss

Re: Creating a Matching Arch for a Door
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2020, 02:26:44 AM »
About assigning GUIDs...
The main GUID (the one without any numbers after it) is the only one where you tick update All MMATs and click Update.
^ Repositoried files don't even have MMATs so there's no need to worry about it too much in this instance. But it's better to learn the correct steps even if sometimes they are unnecessary (and also harmless).
This 2-tile arch has five OBJD resources and each one needs its own unique GUID.
In the ResourceTree, select the main one first (the one without any numbers after it) Door - 2 Tile - Colonial Empty Arch


1. Optional: rename it Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch
2. Optional: change the price to 90 in the RAW Data tab
3. Replace the GUID with the one you're recycling
4. Tick update all MMATs
5. Click Update
6. Commit

Then for each of the remaining OBJDs that end in numbers (e.g. 0,0)

1. If you changed the name for the first one, you need to change the rest
   Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch 0,0
   Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch 0,1
   Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch 1,0
   Door - 2 Tile - Walnut Arch 1,1

2. Assign a unique GUID for each resource using the Hash Generator
(Or you can continue to recycle GUIDs from unsuccessful projects as long as they are all different from each other)
For the four resources with numbers at the end of their filename, do not tick update all MMATS and do not click Update
3. Commit

Quote
when I hit 'fix integrity' at the end, the box came up with a bunch of diagonal resources listed in it. I thought I deleted all those? Or, is that a list of all the parts of the package that I changed?
I'm sorry, I gave you bad info. When you've deleted resources like that, you have to save first, then 'fix integrity' and then save again.

Quote
when I hit Fix Integrity at the end, I did not click 'update' - right?
Right, you only click 'update' if you've changed the Modelname.

Quote
I noticed that the GMDC preview (after I had saved and was done) did not have a 2T arch, it was still the 1T arch. It shoulda been 2T, right?
Lee's door is 1 tile centered on 2 tiles and your arch will look like 1 tile in the GMDC preview. If you want a 2-tile arch that actually takes up most of 2 wall sections, then we're on the wrong track.  o.O
« Last Edit: June 28, 2020, 09:49:59 AM by shastakiss »
 

Offline CatherineTCJD

Re: Creating a Matching Arch for a Door
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2020, 08:36:52 PM »
Ah... yes, it was the 2T arch I was after. I wondered how I could magically make one from a 1T door without having to mess with the mesh at all... Sadly, my Blender skillz stinketh and I don't have Milkshape. So, I will make do with one of the other 2T arches.

BUT - I'm really grateful you showed me how to make the 1-on-2 Walnut Arch!  :hug

I want to remake it (again) this time with newly hashed GUIDs (instead of my recycled old ones - it's too bad we've lost the old GUID database - I had a block of, like, 300 of them, but I can't find my record of what they were. I'd only officially used 8-10 of 'em!) ...anyway - remake with new GUIDs and a diagonal, and then I'll put it up at MTS and LeeFish, in case anyone else would like it too. Thank YOU  :love
 

Offline shastakiss

Re: Creating a Matching Arch for a Door
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2020, 01:51:07 AM »
Happy to help! I can tell you're a quick learner so I bet we'll be seeing some new add-ons from you soon  :love
 

 


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