Texture/entity issue

RichardRahl

So i'm having an issue with spark, for some reason when I go into the entity or paintcan tool there are some previews that show up as a red box with a white X in it, the model/texture works fine, but I can't see the preview so I don't know what i'm selecting. is there a way to fix this? if so, how.

fmpone

all that means is that the developers didn't make a preview picture for it. its kind of like........ not having a facebook profile pic or something. meaningless, other than no picture

RichardRahl

<!--quoteo(post=1862970:date=Jul 24 2011, 04:33 AM:name=fmpone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fmpone @ Jul 24 2011, 04:33 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862970"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->all that means is that the developers didn't make a preview picture for it. its kind of like........ not having a facebook profile pic or something. meaningless, other than no picture<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


but the thing is there used to be a picture for it, I mean theres like 90% of the previews missing.

pSyk0mAn

The editor creates the thumbnails for textures and props and puts them to something like here:
\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Natural Selection 2\Editor\cache

If you see the error thumbnail the editor is either in the process of creating them (takes a while for all textures and props) or maybe has some trouble accessing above directory!?

You could try deleting the cached thumbnails and then open your texture and props browser to re-create them.
Someone in the forums also uploaded the thumbnails to put them in that directory, but there are probably some new ones not included.

fmpone

worst case scenario, back up your maps and delete your local game content in the steam menu, then see if that fixes the issue for you. it sounds more serious than I initially thought

RichardRahl

<!--quoteo(post=1862982:date=Jul 24 2011, 05:14 AM:name=pSyk0mAn)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pSyk0mAn @ Jul 24 2011, 05:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862982"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The editor creates the thumbnails for textures and props and puts them to something like here:
\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Natural Selection 2\Editor\cache

If you see the error thumbnail the editor is either in the process of creating them (takes a while for all textures and props) or maybe has some trouble accessing above directory!?

You could try deleting the cached thumbnails and then open your texture and props browser to re-create them.
Someone in the forums also uploaded the thumbnails to put them in that directory, but there are probably some new ones not included.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Thanks that did the trick, I wonder if maybe you can answer another one of my questions, i'm new to making maps so sorry :)
i'm trying to create a ship map which requires some angled areas I was wondering why when I put a line segment like so it doens't make a solid surface.

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/whyh.jpg/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/9328/whyh.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

SN.Wolf

<!--quoteo(post=1862987:date=Jul 24 2011, 02:38 AM:name=RichardRahl)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RichardRahl @ Jul 24 2011, 02:38 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862987"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->why when I put a line segment like so it doens't make a solid surface.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Hold ctrl and select all line that boarder the face you want then use ctrl+F to create face. Sometimes it creates the face facing the wrong way, in that case you will need to flip the face (ctrl+F).

Seems to not do it automatically if there are more than 3 vertices or if a strait line has any vertices between end points so you have to use above method.

RichardRahl

<!--quoteo(post=1863007:date=Jul 24 2011, 07:16 AM:name=SN.Wolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SN.Wolf @ Jul 24 2011, 07:16 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863007"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hold ctrl and select all line that boarder the face you want then use ctrl+F to create face. Sometimes it creates the face facing the wrong way, in that case you will need to flip the face (ctrl+F).

Seems to not do it automatically if there are more than 3 vertices or if a strait line has any vertices between end points so you have to use above method.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

oooooo thanks Wolf, all this stuff is really confusing at first haha.

So I tried that, and it didn't work, highlisted all the 3 sides blue of the face I wanted to make hit create face, no face, checked underneath to see if it had been flipped but it wasn't =\

pSyk0mAn

Did you copy&paste the squares?
In this case there would be two vertices on the same spot between the two short lines on the face you are trying to create and thus you can't create a face.
Either weld the two vertices, which ties your squares kinda together and leads to messy geometry or just copy&paste another square and move one of its vertices to achieve the shape of the face you want.

fmpone

Look the real way to do it is quite simple: connect both of the vertices on the right with the one vertex on the left. This should create two smaller triangles inside the one larger triangle. If that does not work, then connect the lowest vertex on the right with the point in the center of the line splitting the larger triangle, so you get three triangles, one on top and two on the bottom. Then, use your line selection tool to delete each individual line, ONE AT A TIME.

That sounds really complicated, but I could demonstrate it in seconds using a video. So you just have to figure out what I meant with words.... ###### it heres a picture:


<img src="http://i.imgur.com/vUIVn.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />


Basically, the editor needs a lot of help to figure out what its supposed to do. You have to break things into smaller triangles so it has a clearer idea.

RichardRahl

<!--quoteo(post=1863123:date=Jul 24 2011, 06:51 PM:name=fmpone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fmpone @ Jul 24 2011, 06:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863123"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Look the real way to do it is quite simple: connect both of the vertices on the right with the one vertex on the left. This should create two smaller triangles inside the one larger triangle. If that does not work, then connect the lowest vertex on the right with the point in the center of the line splitting the larger triangle, so you get three triangles, one on top and two on the bottom. Then, use your line selection tool to delete each individual line, ONE AT A TIME.

That sounds really complicated, but I could demonstrate it in seconds using a video. So you just have to figure out what I meant with words.... ###### it heres a picture:




Basically, the editor needs a lot of help to figure out what its supposed to do. You have to break things into smaller triangles so it has a clearer idea.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Oh I see, i'll go try that.

so I tried it in two different fashions

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/220/whyg.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1281/whyg.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

that didn't work, and as you can see on the side areas theres only places where the line segments should have created faces but didn't and i'm not sure why.

fmpone

I see I've confused you, Richard, my apologies. That picture was unintentionally unclear. Do this:

1. You see that triangle you created on the top left of your picture? That is good, that is the correct first step. Now do you see the triangles you created on the top right? Take the general idea of that but do it on the left.

2. So, split the triangles you have created on the top left in the fashion you did on the right.

3. If you're still confused, try to take another look at the picture I posted. That red arrow between the demonstrates the two steps above, not two separate processes.

Tldr: create two triangles. Split one of the triangles but NOT along the outermost hypotenuse, along the inner one! It's hard to put such things in words... once you have split the inner hypotenuse, delete the 4 created lines one at a time.

RichardRahl

<!--quoteo(post=1863149:date=Jul 24 2011, 07:34 PM:name=fmpone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fmpone @ Jul 24 2011, 07:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863149"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I see I've confused you, Richard, my apologies. That picture was unintentionally unclear. Do this:

1. You see that triangle you created on the top left of your picture? That is good, that is the correct first step. Now do you see the triangles you created on the top right? Take the general idea of that but do it on the left.

2. So, split the triangles you have created on the top left in the fashion you did on the right.

3. If you're still confused, try to take another look at the picture I posted. That red arrow between the demonstrates the two steps above, not two separate processes.

Tldr: create two triangles. Split one of the triangles but NOT along the outermost hypotenuse, along the inner one! It's hard to put such things in words... once you have split the inner hypotenuse, delete the 4 created lines one at a time.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I did that yet the faces still won't hit. I also checked from the bottom of the level to make sure the faces wernt getting reversed, but they were not.

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/42/whyc.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1546/whyc.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

also thanks for all the help guys I appriciate it greatly, if I ever get this map done you're all goign to be in the credits for sure :)

as you can see =\

UncleRay

Guys, not sure if you quite know about this, but use triangles in order to fill in the walls. Triangles are your friends :] Oh, and anything over 45 degrees works ;]

fmpone

<!--quoteo(post=1863151:date=Jul 24 2011, 07:38 PM:name=RichardRahl)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RichardRahl @ Jul 24 2011, 07:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863151"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I did that yet the faces still won't hit. I also checked from the bottom of the level to make sure the faces wernt getting reversed, but they were not.

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/42/whyc.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1546/whyc.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

also thanks for all the help guys I appriciate it greatly, if I ever get this map done you're all goign to be in the credits for sure :)

as you can see =\<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Here is the proper way to do it, sorry for all the vagueness, I didn't have access to the editor

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/xQTop.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

and, the application:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/U9GXl.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Now, if you don't want all those boxes inside the larger shape, you can apply this whole concept to your whole shape and get one larger face:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/QDVnu.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

RichardRahl

Wewt finally, after a day and a half of fiddling finally the command deck floor is completed :D with the help of everyone who came and helped me, than kalot guys I appriciate it :)

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/508/whye.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6885/whye.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

now I can begin making walls, texturing lighting and propping the room :)

fmpone

<!--quoteo(post=1863183:date=Jul 24 2011, 09:48 PM:name=RichardRahl)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RichardRahl @ Jul 24 2011, 09:48 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863183"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Wewt finally, after a day and a half of fiddling finally the command deck floor is completed :D with the help of everyone who came and helped me, than kalot guys I appriciate it :)

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/508/whye.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6885/whye.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

now I can begin making walls, texturing lighting and propping the room :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

:)