[Mod] 3D Road meshes [Feedback request]

[dukefx]

Hello fellow modders

 

I'm working on real 3D road meshes and I'm looking for feedback. The truth is... I've been working on this for about 2 weeks now. I've recreated about a dozen meshes several times and ran into various issues after finishing quite a few. I tried adding rocks on top of the existing roads and making the road mesh below use the dirt01/02 texture. Results were unsatisfactory. There was a high contrast between the flat road and the lower edges of the rocks, i.e. one could clearly see where the rocks started. Next try: don't replace the road texture. Everything looked almost perfect (the rock pattern on the flat road around the 3D rocks didn't match perfectly, but it was acceptable) until I finished 2 curvy roads and realized the UVs were off on those, but only under a few rocks, the others were alright. This time I figured I'd patch up that horrible road mesh that Bethesda created (lots of overlapping polygons >.<) and use that as a starting point. Anyways, one mesh is finished and ready for testing: Download (place it in meshes/landscape/roads if you'd like to try it out). There's one of these right in front of the Honningbrew Meadery.

 

If you are willing to test and provide feedback, here's what I'd like you to analyze:

Height: higher/lower

Specularity: since it's not flat anymore there's an increase in specularity. Should I keep it at the default value or lower it?

Visibility: how much of a difference do you see compared to flat meshes?

 

Here's a preview

During the night with magelight as light source

Click to see image

 

During the day, close up

Click to see image

[Mattiewagg]

These look loads better. I'll test them in a few hours, when I have time.

 

When do you think the mod will be released? I recognize it's probably a long way from finished but you should look at posting a beta version on the Nexus when it's ready. When it is I can do a mod review for it on my site Skyrim MW.

[dukefx]

The meshes should take a few evenings (a week probably), and a CK edit about 2 hours, but I need feedback first. If you go to Dawnstar and start going down the road you'll notice that the snow/road textures are reversed. I already tried changing the NiTriShape order in NifSkope, but it keeps reverting, but a CK edit should fix that.

[Mattiewagg]

Ok. It turns out I may have to test this later tomorrow. But I definitely will, and then I'll get back to you.

[Percevan]

testing right now... back in 5.

[Percevan]

Ok, I tested it.

 

You need to do a simple correction, it will resolve your oddish texture "order" (that's not really the issue actually, but anyway), by letting the normal maps do their job (they can't currently).

 

In nifskope: spell menu > batch > "update all tangent spaces". And save. Right now they are messed-up, probably by the export plugin that you used, I guess.

 

before:

http://imagecurl.org/viewer.php?file=39126533374613244348.jpg

 

after TS correction:

http://imagecurl.org/viewer.php?file=28711417957072224620.jpg

 

Other than this simple fix, it works nicely.

oh, and don't mind the odd dirt missmatch on my screenshots, it's on me, not from your work :smile: (just testing textures right now).

Edited July 1, 2014 by Percevan

[dukefx]

That's odd. I don't have any normal map issues (see screenshots) and haven't touched the mesh since I uploaded it :o

Updating tangent spaces, facing normals, setting BS Num UV Sets and updating arrays are always done when I import my own mesh into an existing NIF file, but I'll def. give it another shot and see if the other variants (snow, dwemer, reach etc) have their textures fixed. Currently Skyrim simply assigns the first mesh texture A and the second mesh texture B for the other variants. The first is the second and the second is the first and Nifskope won't save my mesh order, that's the current issue that requires CK editing. See screenshot.

 

Anyways, thanks for the feedback and the screenshot. I think that screenshot pretty much answers most of my questions (height and specularity look good under different conditions as well). May I ask which textures you are using? I'm going to need a list of compatible textures. Some textures have a deviating pattern that won't really work with my meshes.

 

Edit: I just updated all tangent spaces and no change on my end. Normals were OK in the first place and snow textures for example are still reversed.

I'll start working on another mesh.

 

Edit2: RoadStraight01 is up and running. You can download it here

Screenshot

Location for testing: Riverwood has some

 

@Percevan please see if this has the same issue you described. It works exactly like the previous one for me. Tangent spaces are updated, I double checked.

Edited July 1, 2014 by dukefx

[Percevan]

Well that's odd indeed because in your previous files, I found abnormal tangents and bi-tangents. When I updated them, on my side, Nifskope even gave a different array, numbers and, obviously 3D preview of them too. And it made all the difference to me when re-testing again ingame, at the same place, point of view, and hour of the day.

On the other hand, I don't understand how your texture order issue could be related to the nif file itself, that sounds like a CK/.esp issue to me. I may be missing something, it's possible, but Nifskope doesn't switch texture sets between NiTriShapes.

As for the textures, I think these comes from 'Skyrim Realistic Texture Overhaul", by Frozunswaidon.

 

I opened your Edit2/new nif file in nikscope. Same T & Bi-T issue, as you can see here:

http://imagecurl.org/viewer.php?file=13829714923618315380.jpg

Sure, the array is "activated" by the correct BS Num uv set flag, except that its an empty array.

It should be like this:

http://imagecurl.org/viewer.php?file=32433236408241092244.jpg

 

odd, ain't it?

Edited July 1, 2014 by Percevan

[dukefx]

It is indeed as you say. I left tangent space updates for the last action taken before saving this time just to be sure, although I never had these normal map issues. The other meshes will be done this way and I'll double check the preview in Nifskope for the upcoming meshes as well. Thanks for the feedback.

 

As for textures being mixed up...

Skyrim assigns new textures for lets say snowy roads

First mesh it finds gets snowroad01.dds

Second gets a snow01.dds or maybe 02, can't remember

 

The issue is... while I edit the NIF file, the NiTriShapes get switched in order. RoadStraight01:0 should be above RoadStraight01:2

If I move the whole RoadStraight01:0 branch up and save, it won't save the new NiTriShape order.

It's nothing I can't fix with the Creation Kit, but it's still annoying.

 

 

Edit: due to my bad routine I updated tangent spaces before setting the UV sets. This one (RoadCurve90R01) should be OK now. It's also the one that had mismatching UVs with the ground mesh in my previous attempt where I separated the rock meshes from the road to avoid having to patch up the road mesh with overlapping polygons resulting in having a lot of wrong open edges. I haven't tested this one myself as I need to get back to work now. As far as I remember there should be one near the entrance of Riverwood.

Edited July 1, 2014 by dukefx

[Percevan]

downloading. Will try it out tonight after work. :)