pepperman35 Posted June 3, 2021 Posted June 3, 2021 I am working on a little substation packin. Inside I have a number of wires (spines) connecting things (decorations only). Is there a way to lock items in place within the packin so that if raised, lowered or rotated the items including the splineendpoint connectors stay aligned?
YouDoNotKnowMyName Posted June 3, 2021 Posted June 3, 2021 As far as I understand it, packins are just kind of like saying "select this, this and that in the object window and put it here, here and there".After placing a PackIn, the things are not "connected" to each other anymore (not like a SCOL). So they are useful for doing things like "I want to place some clutter in this room but I am too lazy to drag and drop every individual static from the object window into the renderwindow" What you are looking for sounds like "grouping objects together", kind of like a SCOL ... But I might be wrong ...
pepperman35 Posted June 3, 2021 Author Posted June 3, 2021 Unfortunately, a static collection can't contain splines, or at least it didn't when I tried that approach.
niston Posted June 3, 2021 Posted June 3, 2021 Try refattaching the splines/endpoints; "Attach Ref" is preserved in PackIns.The thing you refattach to must have a node in it's NIF that is called REF_ATTACH_NODE. If it doesn't, add one in NifSkope.
pepperman35 Posted June 4, 2021 Author Posted June 4, 2021 REF_ATTACH_NODE...good copy. I learn something new here on a regular basis, thank you sir.
niston Posted June 4, 2021 Posted June 4, 2021 Yeah, Beth loves to use hardcoded names and stuff.Sometimes in mysterious ways: If you create a trigger volume NIF and name the root node "TRIGGER", it will not work as a trigger. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
DieFeM Posted June 4, 2021 Posted June 4, 2021 Group the objects of the packin, if not before creating it (I don't recall if packins preserve groups), right after placing it.Once grouped, when you select one object of the group all of them will be selected, and all them move together.
pepperman35 Posted June 4, 2021 Author Posted June 4, 2021 Okay, so a workflow could be like this: 1) assemble the objects that will make up the packin; 2) select all the objects that will encompass the packin, right mouse click on those objects and create the packin; 3) identify the location for placement of said plug in, freeze all layers, create a new layer named accordingly, make it the active layer, and drop the packin into place; 4) select all the objects of the packin (or active layer), right click and group; and 5) make move and rotation adjustments to the group as needed Thanks folks...seems like a good workflow.
RoNin1971 Posted June 5, 2021 Posted June 5, 2021 As far as I understand it, packins are just kind of like saying "select this, this and that in the object window and put it here, here and there".After placing a PackIn, the things are not "connected" to each other anymore (not like a SCOL). So they are useful for doing things like "I want to place some clutter in this room but I am too lazy to drag and drop every individual static from the object window into the renderwindow" What you are looking for sounds like "grouping objects together", kind of like a SCOL ... But I might be wrong ...You are.A bit, at least ;) A packin doesn't just contain a list of items and where to put them, but it also links everything together with scripts, masters, etc.Like the elevator packin, containing everything you need to put a working elevator inside your cell. Not just the objects, but they are all linked and scripted. You can move parts of it, so the elevator goes up 2 or 5 floors, which ever you need. Or swap out the objects. So, besides objects and positions, the power of packin's lies within the included "functionality". If you just want to create a collection of statics, better use just that: static colections. (this will affect game performance too, a packin will not)
South8028 Posted June 6, 2021 Posted June 6, 2021 there are no problems with elevators, trains, cars and flying platforms, by the way. If someone posted an elevator animation in fbx in order to look at everything humanly once, in max, and not in a nifscope, it would be possible to make as many elevators as you like, and in general any transport, with any number of animations (for example , a train traveling throughout the commonwealth) whatever comes to mind. Now there are only two states. Two animations.https://youtu.be/52sy4tprz8Q
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