Couple Qs re: disabling/deleting static objects in the CK

[VIitS]

 

Not sure if I'll ever release this mod but, yup, I'm going to be really careful just in case I do. Maybe, although it'll be a mashup of 3 different mods - a Sanctuary cleanup, Killroyics Sanctuary bridge, and Jenn Cave's Red Rocket (I'll probably use an older version of the RR that just happens to use VlitS' RR mesh - haven't merged that part yet, but that's the plan anyways). Aside from permissions, I've always had a bit of a problem with the Sanctuary mod and don't want to publish something that's kinda quirky. That mod repairs all the roofs and cleans up some of the major garbage but, once every maybe 7 or so visits to Sanctuary, one (and only 1) of the 9 houses reverts to it's raggedy vanilla state. Have to quit and restart to fix it. Not sure if it's a mod conflict, a problem with the original mod, something weird in my current game, or a previs issue. But if I can get that working, find time to play long enough to make sure it is, and get all the relevant permissions, then yeah, I might publish it. I think there might be some other players who'd like something like that with all the previs/precombines fixed up.

 

For the reversion, it could potentially be precombineds being re-enabled. The easy way to test that is to see if you can disable it using the console. If it says 'Picked Non Ref AV Object", something re-enabled the precombineds. If they were only disabled in the first place due to you touching a REFR in that cell rather than editing the CELL record, then that is semi-likely, since that system is finicky.

 

And based on how many people complain about Scrap Everything doing a good job at living up to its name (within vanilla settlement bounds at least), there are definitely people who would like a pre-cleaned Sanctuary with no performance impact.

 

Just make sure that, when you generate previs, it is centered on the Cells that are used in the base game. Previs is done in 3x3 Cell sections, and the RVIS subrecord (viewable in FO4Edit) will tell you which cell was used for the previs of the cell you are looking at. I'm wording it poorly, but if you look at the cells in FO4Edit you'll see what I mean. Having previs be centered on a different cell means your grids won't line up with the vanilla grids (i.e. the rest of the worldspace), and may cause occlusion bugs.

 

The CK might choose the right cell for you, not sure on that, but if you check your mod in xEdit after generating previs and the RVIS subrecord is different than vanilla, you should probably look at redoing it.

 

 

Also, in case you do get it to a state you are happy with and end up wanting to release it, just credit me in the description and you can use my Red Rocket mesh. :smile:

[kevkiev]

That's all good info, thanks. And thanks for the advance permission, much appreciated!

 

Next time (assuming there's a next time) I experience that reversion, I'll try the console thing. I actually hope that's it, 'cuz it would be a nice definitive answer.

 

You know, I'm actually more worried about regenerating previs than the precombines. Especially for such a large area. I think RRTV's tutorial should get me through generating precombs, and your precombined data editor mod (if I'm understanding it correctly) should nicely clean up any spots that I'm overinclusive and end up duplicating precombines. (I'm already thinking that, especially having your precomb cleaner mod at hand, it would be better to err on the side of overinclusion.)

 

But the previs... oh boy. RRTV's gave me some good insight into the subject, but with this large an area to cover I'm probably going to have to get more of a handle on things. However, based on your comment (which was worded fine) I gather that after doing the precombs for all cells, I determine the centres (i.e. the cells the game uses for previs like you said) of all the 3x3 grids the outer borders of which cover all cells for which precombs were generated. If the outer borders of those 3x3 previs grids go beyond the cells for which precombs were generated, that's fine. It probably couldn't be helped, really. As far as I can tell, the alternative would be to generate precombs for each cell of those 3x3 previs grids (i.e. 9 cells of generating precombs for every 1 cell of generating previs), even if those cells weren't touched by a mod, which my gut tells me isn't necessary (my gut being based on what I recall from RRTV's tutorial). Man, I hope that made sense. My head spins a bit thinking about this.

[VIitS]

The previs generation tool built into the CK is much more reliable than the precombined tool, for one simple reason: Bethesda didn't make it :P . It is repackaged Umbra occlusion culling.

 

With precombineds, you have to watch out for things like: never generate precombineds if you have made worldspace changes to the cell in question since launching the CK, save and relaunch the CK. Otherwise you might have things that randomly have no collision (it was fun figuring that one out).

 

But yeah, with previs it is fairly simple:

0) Generate precombineds before doing previs

1) Locate the center Cell for the 3x3 grid(s) you need to generate for. Easiest way is to load your plugin in FO4Edit and look at the RVIS subrecord. If it is empty, that Cell is a center cell, if not it will tell you which one is. Select that as your current cell.

2) Click Visibility -> Generate Precombined Visiblity

3) Save and exit, test in game, and if it works pack everything into an archive for distribution.

[kevkiev]

Hmmmn... maybe not so scary after all. Nice going into this with a bit more confidence. Well, once I get done with all the clutter/cleanup fiddly bits. Thanks for all your input!