Import Store remake

Does .TGA vs .BMP make a difference?

Guess you could split up the surface to prevent the issue? would mean more polygons within the map but since we don't need to aim for the machines SWAT use to run on it really shouldn't be an issue with hardware we have now.

Not sure if .tga behave different than .bmp files. Haven't explored that aspect.

The only problem is that we haven't figured out how to hack .tga image sizes like we have with .bmp files. We are stuck with 256x256 with .tga files.

As for splitting up the geometry yup that is a good idea. I used that technique actually in the LA city skyline that you see down the alleyway. The texture is on 2 boxes so that I could use two 256x256 .tga files side-by-side.

Wonder if its possible to change the mip resolutions by hacking the SWAT.exe? I quickly used 3DRipperDX to capture textures while in SWAT to see what sizes and it is divisible by 2 which I would expect.

Take Convention Center for example with its "Welcome to International Hall" sign.

I have 4 textures with the following resolutions.
512 x 256
256 x 128
128 x 64
64 x 32

With any luck in HEX we would just need to find 128x128, 64x64, 32x32 and bump them all to 1024x1024 to match with max res? something tells me its not that simple though, its more likely there is just a value of 2 sitting in there some where for what to make the texture divisible by so would need to find that and change to 0.

DarkSynopsis wrote: I have 4 textures with the following resolutions.
512 x 256
256 x 128
128 x 64
64 x 32

The Last Resort texture replacement called "y_sign_1f_shmtl.bmp" is 512x256. I don't even recall who made that texture to be honest. It may have been Drummer or Enforcer.

It is a huge texture for a small sign but I got to say it doesn't do that blurry thing from a distance. Because the texture is so huge it stays almost perfect from the long walk up to it in Convention Hall day mission.

Yes, I agree finding where the game deals with mip maps with a hex editor would probably be impossible. Even with a disassembler I imagine it would be very hard because you would need to know about DirectDraw calls and assembly language.

The extra settings in the func_solidref are for smoothing lighting from lights and the effect the ambient light is how much the ambient lighting affects the object.

Taken from the old FAQ pages in 1.6
Cast Shadows - Select "No" if this is an invisible object.
Recieve Shadows - Select "No" if this is an invisible or self-illuminated object.
Light Backsides - Select "Yes" if this is a self-illuminated object.
Smoothing Angle (0-179) Degree to which smoothing will be attempted.
Smoothing Dir/Light - Name of light source used to smooth the object.
Smoothing ambient(0-1) - Amount that the backside of the object is lit.

Flags
Weaker clip - Activate if you wish this object to refrain from clipping solid geometry.
No skybox cull - Activate if this object is in a skybox only cell and you wish it to render.
No player clip - Activate if you wish to avoid collision with characters.


Smooth Angle: Value between 0 - 179 degrees is how much of the light will shine on objects based on angle from the light. The default for lit rooms is around 120, darker rooms 80, outside direct light is 140

Smooth Ambient: Value between 0 and 1, it is the intensity that ambient lighting affects the object. This is to prevent ambient lighting from washing out the object, 1 is default when no value is present, 0 is no affect. for ambient lighting I usually go .5

The Dir/light i have never messed with this because normally i want all lights to smooth

The Ramp 45 degree angle is fixed by ticking Weaker Clip and No Player Clip.
This means you can have an angle up to 88 degrees (example: ladder) I think this wasn't figured out because of the flags value on func_solidref were not fully understood. These flags are now fully understood.

About the trash bags, you got it! there are a lot of kewl objects we can use in Swat 3 as lit actors, but I have found that using the Launcher entity will allow the 3d object to take shadows, and lighting, much better than before.

I always wanted to put together an ultimate prefab map, with everything ever created. Makes mapping easier.

Bombs and Launchers are now understood too, and triggers can do more than just turn on and off lights, try turning a room's atmosphere to explosive atmosphere or changing a cell's skybox.

Hmmm even with your detailed explanation I still can't imagine what affect it would have on the objects when you change the "smoothness" of the lighting. I am a little thick in the head. I guess I need to experiment some day to see for myself.

Do you think it will help at all with lights getting dark on distant objects (and getting brighter when you approach them)? I suspect it won't because the engine is hard coded into making distant objects dark. I think it is a limitation with the engine that we have to live with.

The Ramp 45 degree angle is fixed by ticking Weaker Clip and No Player Clip.

Hmmm, if you put "No Player Clip" wouldn't the player just fall through the ramp?

About the trash bags, you got it! there are a lot of kewl objects we can use in Swat 3 as lit actors, but I have found that using the Launcher entity will allow the 3d object to take shadows, and lighting, much better than before.

Would love to get my greedy little paws on the trash bags to add them to the Import Store map. That map has been sitting on my hard drive unfinished far too long. Before my work gets busy again I want to make a push to finish it.

Thanks!