The Strangest Occurence

[Foot]

I am having a problem, not serious, but definately seriously confusing. In 0.72 the drapanai appeared as the default white-clad warriors when viewed from afar. I assume however that in the 0.73 patch they recieved their own sprites, which I must mention is very cool, however I cannot view them because beyond a certain distance the drapanai disappear. Except not fully, they leave a speckled rgb and white patch where their feet should be - its a bit difficult to explain. I assumed, therefore, that there was something wrong with the sprites and so I took a picture, which I will show. However the screenshot (and the many others I took afterward) all show the same thing, that is, they do not show the problem I am having rather they show what I should see. I am having the problem of ghost graphics!!



I realise that this is a graphical problem, but seeing as I've never encountered this before I can only assume that there is something wierd going on with those sprites. Any Ideas.

Foot

[Dooz]

I can confirm this... just in case that needs to be done... Same deal.

[Cheexsta]

Also noticed this. It's probably a typo in descr_model_battle.txt...

[Kull]

Can one of you guys run a test for me?

1) Open up describe_model_battle.txt (it's in the "data" subfolder) in any text editor, and do a search for "drapanai". That will bring you to a section containing this text:

; Dacian infantry - Drapanai / Bastarnoz Swaiut

type dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut
skeleton fs_2h_swordsman_big
indiv_range 40
texture germans, data/models_unit/textures/ebunit_TheSamnite&Aymar_barb_bastarnoz_swaiut_germania.tga
texture merc, data/models_unit/textures/ebunit_TheSamnite&Aymar_barb_drapanai_rebel.tga
model_flexi data/models_unit/ebunit_TheSamnite&Aymar_barb_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_high.cas, 8
model_flexi data/models_unit/ebunit_TheSamnite&Aymar_barb_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_high.cas, 15
model_flexi data/models_unit/ebunit_TheSamnite&Aymar_barb_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_high.cas, 30
model_flexi data/models_unit/ebunit_TheSamnite&Aymar_barb_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_high.cas, max
model_sprite germans, 60.0, data/sprites/sweboz/germans_dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite.spr
model_sprite merc, 60.0, data/sprites/merc/dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

EDIT: Deleted items 2 & 3 from the earlier "test" since they would have accomplished nothing. The actual solution can be found in Post #6 below.

[Foot]

Seeing as I started this thread I'll take a look for you. I'll get back to you with the results tomorrow.

Foot

[Kull]

Seeing as I started this thread I'll take a look for you. I'll get back to you with the results tomorrow.

Foot

Good news - I found the problem!
When you look in the data/sprites/merc folder, this file is missing:
model_sprite merc, 60.0, data/sprites/merc/dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite.spr

The solution:

1) Find the following files in data/sprites/sweboz:
germans_dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_ sprite.spr
germans_dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite_000.tga.dds

2) Copy them into data/sprites/merc

3) Rename them to:
dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_ sprite.spr
dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite_000.tga.dds

I would still like for you to make these changes and perform the test, even though I'm 99% sure it'll work. Thanks!

[Dooz]

I'm playing as the Getai, and I believe the files you said to change are for rebels right? So, what would I have to do to have it work for the Getai as well?

[Foot]

The fix works great! The sprites look like they should.

Foot

[Bonny]

@wonderland
the solution works for the getai faction, too.

@kull
I've got the same problem (no sprites) with a unit called lugoae for the eleutheroi
After reading your post I tried to solve it myself, and copied the 4 lugoae sprite files
(germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite.spr ...)
from the data\sprites\merc folder to the data\sprites\rebelfolder and renamed all with "slave_" at the beginning
(slave_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite.spr ...)

Ingame i reload a battle where i had to fight these units, and the units appeared with sprites

edit: too late

[Kull]

I've got the same problem (no sprites) with a unit called lugoae

Actually this was the first one I discovered last night, and it's the reason I knew how to find the drapanai bug. See below for the changes necessary to fix the Lugoae Sprites:

1) Find the following files in data/sprites/aedui:
gauls_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite.spr
gauls_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite_000.tga.dds
gauls_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite_001.tga.dds
gauls_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite_002.tga.dds

2) Copy them into data/sprites/rebel

3) Rename them to:
slave_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite.spr
slave_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite_000.tga.dds
slave_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite_001.tga.dds
slave_germanic_infantry_frankamannoz_lugoae_sprite_002.tga.dds

Note to Foot: Thanks for testing the drapanai- it's always preferable to get confirmation. I was testing the Lugoae last night, and didn't have time to do both. And why did it take so long to test the Lugoae..........?

[Kull]

OK Guys - Listen up. I am 99% certain that this sprite problem is causing the pre-Battle CTDs we've been experiencing! So if you make both of the changes above, that will help prevent these occurrences.

BUT. There are probably others with the same problem. So until we can be certain that all have been found, this bug may continue to exist. Now the good news is that all the new sprites appear in the data/sprites folder. The bad news is there are 5 subfolders (aedui, arverni, rebel, merc, & sweboz) and they are chock full of new sprites - and simply looking in them won't tell you if something is missing. THAT requires a check, sprite-by-sprite, of all the unit entries in describe_model_battle.txt (DMB) in order to confirm they are located where indicated. Gahhh. So until that is finished, if you guys could hunt around these boards and post links to all the reported pre-battle CTD's I'd appreciate it (that will also help in case we find some, god forbid, which can't be linked to sprites).

When you find these, please do one more thing. Ask the posters to go back and look in their save games in order to give us EXACTLY which units were in the opposing armies. Thanks guys!

[Foot]

Ano2: Playing as Getai attacking Kallatis. Attacking troops = 3 phalanx and 3 archers. Checked Descr_Strat and Kallatis starting line-up is:
hellenistic cavalry hippakontistai rebel
barb getikoi stratiotai dacia
barb drapanai dacia
rebel taxeis hoplite
greek toxotai
rebel greek akontistai

Lusitani: Playing as Romans attacking Bononia. Unknown troops.

Wonderland:
Playing as Getai attacking various. Army contains Drapanai.

Bonny:
Playing as Macedonia attacking Getia. Unknown troops.

The Dreaded Candiru:
Playing as Casse fighting against Rebels. Rebel Lugoae are the problem.

That seems to be all from the Bug Forum. The trend seems to be just the two Drapanai (Rebel and Getai) and the Lugoae (Rebel only). Kull, I believe you are right. Though I cannot understand why the CTD caused by these sprites is so intermittent.

Foot

[Bonny]

I played again some of the battles, where the game ctd's while loading, and no ctd happend
The enemy always used drapnai or lugoae.

[Dooz]

The Drapani fix didn't actually work in my campaign. The sprites are still missing. Is it confirmed that it works for the Getai? If so, it might be something I did wrong. If not, might have to be looked at.

[Kull]

The Drapani fix didn't actually work in my campaign. The sprites are still missing. Is it confirmed that it works for the Getai? If so, it might be something I did wrong. If not, might have to be looked at.

Exactly which unit is missing the sprites? I'll need to know the owning faction, too.

[Dooz]

The Getai Drapani. I'm playing as the Getai and my Drapani units are little white spots from afar.

[Kull]

There are only two flavors of this unit - German and Mercenary and both should be working after the fix. So just to be sure:

1) Open the data/sprites/merc folder

2) Do you see BOTH of these files?

dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite.spr
dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite_000.tga.dds

3) If not, follow the instructions in this post.

4) If those files are there and you are still seeing a weird looking sprite, then please post your file someplace where I can download it and test it myself.

[Dooz]

Yup, I followed the instructions in the first post the first time I saw them, so now I checked and both files are there. Which files exactly do you want me to post? Just thos two, or the whole file they're in? Can I email them to you, as I don't know how to post a zip file or whatnot.

[Kull]

No, post your Save Game file so I can open it and see the sprites myself.

You can upload it here: http://www.yourfilelink.com/

(it's like image shack, except for non-graphics files)

[Dooz]

K but, if I just post the savegame file and you're playing on your copy of it with possibly correct sprites, you'll just be seeing it the way it should be or something... right? If you don't have my sprites folder or whatnot, you won't be seeing my problem. If not then ignore that, I'll be posting up the file now.

Here we go.
http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=48640

[Kull]

As you can see from the attachment, there's nothing wrong with the Getai Drapanai sprites. To make sure that this graphic is caused by the two files discussed above, i kept the sprite and deleted the dds file and the game ctd'd, citing that file by name. So. I don't want to seem harsh, but it is IMPOSSIBLE for you to have created those two files and STILL not see the Getai Drapanai sprites. I can only assume you put them in the wrong folder or didn't rename them properly or renamed the wrong files. Please post a screen shot of your file structure, showing that dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite.spr and
dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite_000.tga.dds are in the data/sprites/merc folder. It's the only way I can help, at this point.

If that doesn't clearly identify the issue, then I'll post known good files for you to try.

[Kull]

Something like this:

[Dooz]

Heh, I don't mind harsh or whatever. It is of course possible I've made a mistake. As far as the screenshot you posted, was it visible to you in-game? Because the first poster said it wasn't in-game, but in the screenshot afterwards it showed.

Anyhoo, here's my files.





-edit-
Oh my, I think I see the problem. For the dds file, there is a space between the three 0's. I copy
+pasted the file names from the fix you posted, and hadn't doublechecked, so I guess that was it : )

3) Rename them to:
dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_ sprite.spr
dacian_infantry_drapanai_bastarnoz_swaiut_sprite_0 00.tga.dds

Maybe edit the post just in case someone else copy+pastes. Sorry for the waste of time!


-edit2-
Umm... nevermind that last edit I guess... didn't work. It's still not showing properly. It'd be best if you posted the working files I guess.

[Batahr]

-edit-
Oh my, I think I see the problem. For the dds file, there is a space between the three 0's. I copy
+pasted the file names from the fix you posted, and hadn't doublechecked, so I guess that was it : )



Maybe edit the post just in case someone else copy+pastes. Sorry for the waste of time!


-edit2-
Umm... nevermind that last edit I guess... didn't work. It's still not showing properly. It'd be best if you posted the working files I guess.

There is also a space in the other file name that shouldn't be there, just before the word 'sprite' and after the '_'.

[Foot]

There is also a space in the other file name that shouldn't be there, just before the word 'sprite' and after the '_'.

Well caught!! I'd had a look but couldn't see any anomalies, but I reckon that this will solve the problem.

Foot

[Dooz]

Oo, I'll be trying that now. Hopefully that'll do it. Be back!


-edit-
Good new is, it worked. Drapanai sprites are functional. Nicely done Batahr.
Bad news... and I mean bad news is, I got a crash in the middle of a huge, very important battle. Doesn't have anything to do with the sprite issue, but goddamn did it piss me off. The most heated part, action all around, dealing the decisive blow both in the battle and in the overall picture....... I'm crying right now..... I believe it has something to do with the sword/spear something or other? Any solution for this in sight? Demoralizing like you wouldn't believe....

[Kull]

Oh my, I think I see the problem. For the dds file, there is a space between the three 0's. I copy
+pasted the file names from the fix you posted, and hadn't doublechecked, so I guess that was it.

@$^*^%#!!! I copied those files names straight in from explorer....for some reason the bbs doesn't like really long text strings and randomly inserts spaces. Even if you fix it (which I just did), the spaces just move someplace else in the string.

Gahhhh!

[khelvan]

The middle-of-battle CTD noted above is definitely the animation problem we're working very hard to fix.

[Dooz]

The middle-of-battle CTD noted above is definitely the animation problem we're working very hard to fix.

Until then, any way to revert the guilty animations to the originals to prevent such things for now? I wouldn't mind waiting on the animations a bit longer if it means no CTD's.

[khelvan]

You would have to remove either the javelin or swordsman animation's skeleton from DMB, and remove the corresponding weapons in the EDU unit entries, from the offending models. The hypaspistai model is an example of this, but I haven't really tested this myself so I can't give you specifics. In theory, it should work just fine.