What is the correct way to add Collision via the SCOL method

[PJMail]

As my Trial version of 3DS Max has expired I am trying to fix a collision mesh of a static via the SCOL method.

I have one static "A" with a 'problematic' collision and one I created a while back ("B") in 3DS with a good collision.

They are both roughly the same shape and size so ideal for SCOL.

 

In CK I created the SCOL and saved the nif. F4 shows the collision box (in red) - looks ok.

Then via nifscope I removed the BSTrishape branches for the unwanted (B) mesh leaving only the original (A) nodes and all the physics.

Replaced original bad nif with this on and ran FO4.

 

Exactly the same in-game issue (some NPC's walk on it and some fall through it).

 

So what am I doing wrong?

 

Is there an order I should select the original statics before I Alt-O (they have the same centre of rotation)?

Should I remove the dodgy Collision from "A" before doing the SCOL?

Does it just not work sometimes?

[PJMail]

Well, after many attempts it seems the only thing that worked for all NPC's was to lower both Nif's (in nifscope) so their 'floor' (the bit I want the NPC's to walk on) was at 0.0 Z axis.

ie. they both appeared in nifscope as having the floor level with the crosshatch.

Then in the CK combining them in a SCol etc produced a nif that everyone is happy to not to sink into.

 

Originally I was adjusting the Z position of one of the Statics (in the CK) so their floors were aligned before combining them.

I still don't know why this produced a different result to the above method. It's as if the CK was ignoring the Z shift for the collision mesh (but F4 on the resulting SCOL disagrees).

 

I don't understand, but will work with it.

[DieFeM]

When you create your SCOL you can use an static object, named StaticCollectionPivotDummy, which will act as center (position x=0, y=0, z=0, angles are also relative to the pivot), so you can align the other objects related to it (in the render window) before creating a SCOL.

 

If I recall correctly the order in which you select the objects in the render window matters and you should be selecting the pivot first, or at least that's what I do, and it works right, maybe this is only my habit, but It though I would point it just in case.

 

PS: or it was last? (selecting the pivot) I'm not sure now, test both.

Edited January 12, 2021 by DieFeM

[PJMail]

Thanks DieFeM - I had seen that in the various guides but couldn't see what use it was.

How do you 'align' other statics relative to it? Is there a nice 'key' I press? So many badly documented keys in the CK...

 

I usually just select all the objects I want in the scol from the object window (at once) then drag the whole lot into my dummy worldspace. This makes sure they are all aligned at the same zero point.

[DieFeM]

 

How do you 'align' other statics relative to it? Is there a nice 'key' I press? So many badly documented keys in the CK...

 

If you want that all objects have the same position and rotation than the pivot, you need to select them all, then press ctrl+space and the mouse pointer will become a crosshair, click on the pivot when the crosshair is white, and a dialogue box will apear (Reference Batch Action), make sure that the object in the dropdown menu at the bottom (target reference) is the pivot, select Align and mark the checkboxes for position and rotation, then click Do.

 

If you want to keep the relative position of the other objects you need to convert them in to a static collection, so they are moved as a single reference, once you aligned the SCOL to the pivot, break it and create a new one with the pivot.

[PJMail]

Goodness me - the things I don't know... I have been using this list Creation kit keybord shortcuts - no mention of CTRL+space!

[DieFeM]

Take a look at Edit -> Render Window Hotkeys in the CK.