Why are my worldspace object LODs getting screwed up

[acidzebra]

This is dweruins02_lod_n.dds, AKA the normal map for dweruins02_lod.dds

http://i49.tinypic.com/33cn1o3.jpg

I manage to extract it to a TGA file, put it in the source folder along with my other LOD and LOD normals, and it still looks like that. Everything's fine.

 

Then I tell creation kit to generate static object LODs, and end up with this in source\DDStextures\LOD

http://i50.tinypic.com/50kw1w.jpg

 

The Dwemer ones are messed up, the rest is fine. I've tried converting with GIMP, and irfanview, and the same result every time. The regular texture map is fine.

 

OMGWTFBBQ

 

Seriously, does anyone have any idea?

Edited November 4, 2012 by acidzebra

[UnknownX12]

Are you using Vista, or why do you use the CK for Object LOD? Edited November 5, 2012 by UnknownX12

[acidzebra]

No, win7. Oscape only generates terrain as far as I can tell, not my pretty dwemer tower or other static object LODs.

 

Is there some other program I should be aware of, or am I doing it wrong? (entirely possible - this LOD stuff and specifically getting good information about it is needlessly complex)

[OakRain]

Are you familiar with the GKB Green Trees mod?

 

Included within the archive of the latest release (version 0.50) is a picture tutorial for creating LOD.The tutorial is specifically aimed at generating tree LOD but the archive also contains all the architecture LOD textures converted to TGA.

 

I have used the CK to generate static object LOD using these files and have not had the Dwemer LOD go wrong.

[acidzebra]

Am not but holy s*** that's a great resource - at least the trees and stuff - the tutorial doesn't tell me anything new and my source textures were/are fine. It's just the end result that gets messed up.

 

But thanks for the find, I know just where to use it... at least, when CK is back.

http://i46.tinypic.com/mtksqh.jpg

Edited November 5, 2012 by acidzebra

[acidzebra]

Okay, I figured it out now that I have CK running again. If you generate object LODs in CK and you have the textures checkboxes checked, CK will screw up and you will get what I had. If you leave them unchecked, everything is fine. :wallbash:

[Ga-Knomboe Boy]

I find LOD's also tend to screw up if you have actually loaded the scene.

 

As in, to do the LOD's, i'll edit an area, place static trees, save, then close the editor, and re open it without bringing up the viewport.

This means there is much less information loaded and running, which seems to be the best means of preventing improper LOD's or the editor crashing.

[acidzebra]

I find LOD's also tend to screw up if you have actually loaded the scene.

 

Trying to do LOD generation while the scene is loaded is a surefire way to make the CK crash for me. I usually just load a small interior cell, then generate for the worldspace I want. And NEVER save after that - it'll kill your heightmaps.

 

It's all kinds of buggy, but you can work around it :)

[UnknownX12]

I find LOD's also tend to screw up if you have actually loaded the scene.

 

Trying to do LOD generation while the scene is loaded is a surefire way to make the CK crash for me. I usually just load a small interior cell, then generate for the worldspace I want. And NEVER save after that - it'll kill your heightmaps.

 

It's all kinds of buggy, but you can work around it :)

 

So you dont save, just close the Ck and reload everything and the LOD files are placed in the right folder?

[acidzebra]

Yes, object\tree\landscape LODS all end up where they should, except for the texturesets, they end up in \source\DDStextures (one folder up from the main skyrim folder - heaven knows why). But I would recommend doing a run with Oscape after that - much better textures and flexibility in LOD meshes. In fact the CK screws up the textures quite often.

 

But for objects and trees it'll work fine - as long as you run while the worldspace isn't loaded and you close the CK without saving when you're done.