Sprite Generator... CA ?

Come on fess up, what are you doing different. ;-)

I did this twice now again and tried just using the name and not egypt or faction behind it and got 324 tga files that dont look like they have much in them but black or yellow background. lol

My card is very reliable top end card you should now that. lol There is something with the generator that your not saying, Help me out here. please? :-)

Lt

Some details.

My command line executable.

"C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\RomeTW.exe" -sprite_script

The name of my script file.

sprite_script.txt

THe text in my script file

egyptian_archer


I have also tried egyptian_archer egypt

There must be something else your adding or doing to make 1 or 3 tga files because I get hundreds. I am doing everything as stated or I a missing something. Please help me out, we should help eachother.

Lt

my current script file is:
woodsman scythia

so that's exactly like the strings you are using. I did add a number of manualy edited sprite files (spr and dds) to the sprites dir (after creating it) before path 1.2, but I don't see how that could make any difference. You did put the script.txt file in the ROOT dir right ?

And I know your card is very good, that is exactly why I'm saying it *could* be causing the problem. As you surely know new cards often give more problems then old ones (especially the GF4 series was very compatible). Still, it would be strange, but it's the only reason i can come up with. Wanna change your card for mine ? :P

It might be worth explaining that the "root dir" mentioned here is the project root, ie the same directory in which RomeTW.exe lives, and not c:\ or some such.

Jerome, do you have any idea whats causing this? I have a high end system. P4 3.6 Prescott 1 gb Ram ddr 400 2-2-2-5, WD Raptor 10krpm HD. and my ATI x800xt PE.

This should be more than enough to make sprites. lol

I knew to put the script into the same directory as the .EXE that makes since by your post. But I am at a loss why I get 3-6oo tga files, does anyone else know in department?

Lt1956

After rearranging my show_err and sprite_script, I started getting this error (as opposed to none):

Quote:

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Generic Error: Model_db: model registry has requested a model " which was not found in model load script 'data/descr_model_battle.txt'.

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The solution seems to have been to delete my preferences, save games, all that stuff, and create a \data\sprites folder. I'm not sure what did it, but after that it stopped giving errors and started making sprites files & tgas. Empty tgas.

:(

My vid card is a Geforce 6800 GT, and, curiously enough, when I hit printscreen in game, I get blank TGAs from RTW.

Maybe I should try it with another video card?

Okay...disabling anti-aliasing in the preferences seems to have fixed the screenshots -- now I get 470 files, like lt1956.

I think the key to this is in the preferences.txt file somewhere.

Can someone who has it working correctly post, or e-mail their preferences.txt to me?

bouis (at) datasync (dot) com

i had it make and inortinate amount of tgas one time. i just deleted those and tried again and it worked fine for me.

copy paste away

Code:

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SAFE_REFRESH:FALSE
USE_TRIPLE_BUFFER:FALSE
USE_WIDESCREEN:FALSE
SUBTITLES:FALSE
MORALE:TRUE
FATIGUE:TRUE
LIMITED_AMMO:TRUE
SUPPLY:TRUE
FOG_OF_WAR:FALSE
RESTRICT_CAMERA:FALSE
DEFAULT_BATTLE_CAMERA:DEFAULT
EVENT_CUTSCENES:TRUE
SMOKE:TRUE
DESYNC:TRUE
SPLASHES:TRUE
GLINTS:FALSE
REFLECTIONS:FALSE
SHADOWS:TRUE
VEGETATION:TRUE
DETAILED_UNIT_SHADOWS:FALSE
GLOSS_MAPPING:FALSE
STENCIL_SHADOWS:TRUE
MULTI_TEXTURE:TRUE
AUTO_SAVE:TRUE
SHOW_BANNERS:TRUE
UNIT_SIZE:80
MASTER_VOL:100
SPEECH_VOL:100
SFX_VOL:100
MUSIC_VOL:70
CAMERA_ROTATE:78
CAMERA_MOVE:100
CAMERA_FOV:75.000000
ENABLE_AUDIO:TRUE
ENABLE_MUSIC:FALSE
ENABLE_UNIT_SPEECH:TRUE
DISABLE_BACKGROUND_FMV:FALSE
DISABLE_ARROW_MARKERS:FALSE
AUDIO_3D_PROVIDER:Miles Fast 2D Positional Audio
CLOUD_TRANSITIONS:TRUE
GRASS_DISTANCE:75
AA_QUALITY:AA_OFF
STRATEGY_RESOLUTION:1024x768
STRATEGY_32_BIT:FALSE
BATTLE_RESOLUTION:1280x960
BATTLE_32_BIT:FALSE
UNIT_DETAIL:SUPER_HIGH
BUILDING_DETAIL:ULTRA_HIGH
TGA_CAPTURE_WIDTH:1024
TGA_CAPTURE_ASPECT:1.333333
TGA_CAPTURE_INPUT_SCALE:1
TGA_CAPTURE_RESERVE_SPACE:FALSE
LABEL_CHARACTERS:FALSE
LABEL_SETTLEMENTS:TRUE
MINIMAL_UI:TRUE
CAMPAIGN_MAP_MAX_SCROLL_SPEED_MIN_ZOOM:30
CAMPAIGN_MAP_MAX_SCROLL_SPEED_MAX_ZOOM:30
FIRST_TIME_PLAY:FALSE
ADVISOR_VERBOSITY:0
MUTE_ADVISOR:FALSE
BLIND_ADVISOR:FALSE
CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA:FOLLOW_AI_FACTIONS
CAMPAIGN_MAP_SPEED_UP:FALSE
CAMPAIGN_MAP_GAME_SPEED:99
DISABLE_EVENTS:0
MICROMANAGE_ALL_SETTLEMENTS:FALSE
ADVANCED_STATS_ALWAYS:FALSE
UNIT_USE_SHADERS:FALSE
TERRAIN_QUALITY:HIGH
EFFECT_QUALITY:MEDIUM
VEGETATION_QUALITY:HIGH
KEYSET:0
UNLIMITED_MEN_ON_BATTLEFIELD:FALSE
CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA_SMOOTHING:TRUE
CHAT_MSG_DURATION:10
USE_QUICKCHAT:TRUE
GS_PIDS:TRUE
GS_PIDS_FULL:TRUE
GS_PIDS_CUR:TRUE
ALWAYS_LOGFILE:FALSE
TIMESTAMP_LOGFILE:TRUE

---

Alright!

Using the preferences you posted I've been able to get it to make sprites... well, it made three sprites instead of 300, but that's a start.

Is it supposed to do 3?

Well, it works. But it doesn't look very good:

http://www.datasync.com/~bouis/sprites.JPG

I wish it would do the shields' color.

Actually looking carefully at the sprite tga it seems that the shield is colored, but in the game the sprites are showing the guy from the wrong side?

With recent revelations of the built in sprite maker and the skeleton snimation parser, it makes me wonder if there are any other hidden mod tools in the RTW executable. Perhaps CA could release a list of command line options and other built in tools that the community might not know about.

Well if it's so simple to do these sprites, why hasn't CA released the sprites for those new Spartans? I'm fed up of the silly 'look I'm barechested... now I'm wearing a robe and a stupid looking helmet' trick. If this thing works, perhaps some nice kind person could post the sprites on the net anyway...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JeromeGrasdyke

Are you sure the original Rome dataset is still completely intact? The fact that it returns almost immediately could indicate that it's not even getting to the sprite generator execution.

Also, you need to make sure there are no -mod options on the command line, and since it's a modded game, there's a risk that some of the typenames have been renamed or removed from descr_model_battle.txt or descr_mount.txt ... i'd suggest you make sure that the typenames are there, the cas models reference valid textures, and so on. And of course run with -show_err on the command line as well.

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Well, I cut-and-pasted [cF]Adherbal's preferences, and now I get a split-second view of some freakish-looking spiky thing, and no files in data\sprites. I tried taking a screenshot of the thing, but it seemingly didn't get copied to the clipboard. I'm now running with show_err. I'm sure the model type and texture exists (I took it straight from descr_model_battle in the correct directory), and I'm not using -mod.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [cF

Adherbal]generals_horse romans_julii generals horse is wrong. The 3rd mount type parameter is for mounted units only, NOT for the mount itself (generals_horse in your case). Leave it out and it should work.

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I took that straight from Jerome's post, but it doesn't work even without.

-Simetrical

OK so maybe it was my preference settings. High end settings may mess up the generator, lower settings it may work. sheesh, I what they use a CA P2 1.2? lol

Ok,

I'll tyr the different settings and see if I can get 3 files instead of 400

Lt1956

I'm getting the hundreds of tgas per model too. I've got fairly low-end specs and settings, and I've tried fiddling with them a bit to no success.

First I just removed my preferences and tried. I did get only 1 tgs for the archer, BUT it was emptied.

I then took your settings as pasted in the preferences file,. then tried and it worked! lol There must be a setting to two that you need to use to do it. I have everything on High because my system can handle it.

Problem though. I noticed it does NOT use the textures you use. See I used different skins for egyptian_archer, but its using CAs colors because mine have blue skirts not gold! So I have a feeling you need to RENAME the model like egyptian_archers_new.

Jerome is that correct? WILL the generator look for the original model skins if the name is unchanged?

Lt1956

Getting close though, but still no cigar.

P.S. Neat thing is it only took less than 10 SECONDS to make the sprite! also when I get this down pat, if anyone wants me to make the sprites I will just send my the files and I'll make the sprites I fingure it would take 30minutes to make 200 model unit sprites.

Ok, I got it working great.

I had to specify which skins to use.

egyptian_archer egypt

otherwise it went straight to the CA default. NEAT.

Looks like I have Alot of Sprites to do, see you in half hour.

Lt

Well it took 3 minutes to do 2 units worth of sprites. I still need to figure out the Mount thing correctly, I beleive I add that string to make the unit mounted with a horse? Oh well. It works and thats all that counts.

Thanks Adherbal, I knew you did something different to get it to work! All it was was in the Preferences file. I'll have to look to see whats different and caused that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simetrical

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [cF
Adherbal]generals_horse romans_julii generals horse is wrong. The 3rd mount type parameter is for mounted units only, NOT for the mount itself (generals_horse in your case). Leave it out and it should work.

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I took that straight from Jerome's post, but it doesn't work even without.

-Simetrical

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woops, you are right, I was wrong about this (that could explain the error I got) it should work without the mount type parameter tho, but I guess you should include that so the generator knows the scale of the horse model.

Quote:

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Actually looking carefully at the sprite tga it seems that the shield is colored, but in the game the sprites are showing the guy from the wrong side?

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correct, it only generates half the sprites, and mirrors them for the other directions (just like in MTW actualy). I think thats a pitty because the difference between the shield side of a unit and it's sprite is very noticable.

Has anyone else had this problem. When I convert the TGA files to DDS and played in game they worked, BUT if you look at the side of the unit and zoom out they disappear! lol I'm not sure whats causing that glitch, when they are in TGA format no problem. Soundsl ike an alpha issue, but then why is one effected and not the other? Since its obvious one of the dds files wasnt working.

Just wanted to ask, other than that this WORK perfect! Units with the correct skins blend in MUCH better and there is less noticeable change between the switch in game!

Lt

BUG thanks Jerome, Let the guys as CA know I truly do love their game, I just want to be the best it can be. The 3d Sea battles would really have been great, too bad we were never told why they did make it in. Now there is that Copycat game out which basically looks like they took the ideas from RTW.

Ok guys i just figured out what make the generator pruduce hundreds of tga, the problem is here:
STRATEGY_RESOLUTION:1024x768
STRATEGY_32_BIT:FALSE
BATTLE_RESOLUTION:1024x768
BATTLE_32_BIT:FALSE
You must disable 32 bit so that it produces the textures for the sprites.

None of the other settings effect it?

Lt

Would lower unit settings make lower detailed sprites? Anyone know?

Highest unit detail settings remove sprites altogether in-game, I know that. Could that be the problem?

-Simetrical

Quote:

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Highest unit detail settings remove sprites altogether in-game, I know that. Could that be the problem?

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erm, I seriously doubt that. Even low poly models should cause a much higher slowdown then sprites (basicly 2 poly models). The distance at which units turn into sprites is just much higher.

Quote:

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Has anyone else had this problem. When I convert the TGA files to DDS and played in game they worked, BUT if you look at the side of the unit and zoom out they disappear! lol I'm not sure whats causing that glitch, when they are in TGA format no problem. Soundsl ike an alpha issue, but then why is one effected and not the other? Since its obvious one of the dds files wasnt working.

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so it doesnt do that with the TGAs ? interesting...

[cF]Adherbal, I kept trying but everytime I convert them to dds files there is an alpha issue. The prites are missing in areas ingame and makes them look funny, Unless you keep them TGA then they are perfect.

Its really wierd has anyone tested this Ingame to see if this is just me or if its going to be a problem. and if someone got it too work can they tell me. Because the TGA files are large. lol

Lt

I know the shield side doesn't show up in the sprites (instead it mirrors the other side), but didn't know that only happens after converting the files to DDS - actualy I find that hard to believe. I will try it myself and get back to you. And is that what you mean by "sprites are missing" and "look funny" or is there another problem ?

Bouis gave me a link to a converter of TGA to DDS its works good. It can convert a pile all at the same time. When I Converted them using the paint program something was wrong with the alpha and animations were missing, go figure. lol Sometimes units could disappear. But with the converter its seems fine, I already converted the files and added the tga so the file can read them I tested all of them out and found no problems.

Is there anyway to fix that shield side Problem? Did Jerome say if there is a switch or something?

Anyway the converter link can be found in the SPQR released trhead on this page. Hope it helps you because it helped me. The only problem with the sprites is the lack of shields like you said other than that they blend in wonderfully.

Lt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [cF]Adherbal

I know the shield side doesn't show up in the sprites (instead it mirrors the other side), but didn't know that only happens after converting the files to DDS - actualy I find that hard to believe. I will try it myself and get back to you. And is that what you mean by "sprites are missing" and "look funny" or is there another problem ?

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What would hapened if you mirror the shield in the .cas, would it show the shield on the other side so that the sprite look correct, have you tried this?

the shield side of the units are not included in the texture (otherwise what would be the point of not displaying it properly), so in order to make that work you would have to add those shield side images to a new texture and edit the spr file so that it points to those new images instead of mirroring the other side - if that is even possible, I certainly couln't do it. Has anyone checked whether the sprites in RTW vanilla have shield sides ?