[AC3D] Face flags and group flags?

jimson

I use AC3D to create content  for a game I play, or at least I used to before they changed  their system.

They are terrible at providing documentation so there is no hope of getting any answers from them.

Here are samples. These aren't the same models but they show the differences in the structure. 1st is the previous way i used to make objects.

OBJECT world

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "model"

loc 0 -139.554 0

data 13

MaxDist=52800

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "tabby"

data 14

MaxDist=52800

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "str0"

data 14

MaxDist=52800

kids 2

OBJECT poly

name "plane"

loc 0 9 0

data 14

MaxDist=16000

Here is the way it is now..

OBJECT world

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "model"

data 20

GroupFlags=268435459

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "objects"

data 20

GroupFlags=268435459

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "h"

data 114

GroupFlags=268435465

MaxDisplayDist=100000000.000000

MaxFadeRange=150.000000

LodOrigen=0.000000,1.777333,-0.479010

kids 1

OBJECT group

name "o536"

data 20

GroupFlags=268435457

kids 1

OBJECT object

name "tex0"

data 14

FaceFlags=2054

loc 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000

texture "sheep.bmp"

crease 45.000000

I don't understand what the group flags and face flags indicate and how those numbers are arrived at.

If anyone can help, please let me know. I can send the entire file and I believe they can be imported into other than AC3D.

Eric Chadwick

You should edit your thread title to start with [AC3D] so people know which software you're talking about.

Your question is particular to that. You need to attract people who know that tool. 

I've never heard of this tool, it sounds unusual for game art dev. Maybe it's for military sims??

Eric Chadwick

Have you actually tried contacting them? Can't hurt to try. They also have a forum it looks like. Have you searched it, posted on it?

jimson

Thanks Eric, Yeah, I've tried, but so far have gotten no answers.

AC3D is a simple low cost program. It's not what their developers use, but what they have made compatible for players to use. They allow you to export objects into the .ac format to modify or you can create things from scratch, but you generally have to do some hierarchy editing in notepad before converting them back into the game.

I've been on the AC3D forum, but it's just not very active.

I was hoping some of this was universal enough that those with general 3D knowledge might know something.

"Face flags"  don't seem to do with surfaces because those numbers don't match. I have no idea what "group" flags refers to. I have gotten simple test objects in game just by copying those numbers from one of their exported objects, but I don't think I will be very successful if I don't figure out what they are and how to set them.

Even with their plug in, I don't see a way to do it in the AC3D program.

throttlekitty

Just some generic advice: flags usually refers to the options set on a particular thing. So when you see a large number like that, it's a good indicator it's a binary structure for a series of checkboxes to say a feature is on or off. Hopefully that helps points you to something in the software to look at. It sounds like you're doing some modding, so there's a chance these flags may relate to some shader aspect if it's specific to this game. So if you need to compare against typical game files, use a decimal<>binary converter to get a feel for what flags are set.

jimson

Thanks TK. I just tried something. By importing an AC3D object into the games object editor and then exporting it back out to AC3D. The flags are set to this format.

This way I can set the hierarchy correctly and then import it back in.

Got to some more testing, but this may be the simple process I was missing.