[Help] Wire-frame Issue

[Majestic]

Hello all, while I lost internet connection for a couple of days I decided to nail out the wire-frames and build-buttons for the stations in COE. However I have ran into a problem where the wire-frames don't show up correctly in-game. I have looked through what I have done but I haven't found any errors that I can see.

I am using one targa for five ships kind of like what stock has done.

The overall size of the wire-frame is 640 pixels, with five columns and rows. Each individual image is 128 pixels. The wire-frame runs horizontally.

Here is the sprite entry data:
* Note the follow applies, (crstat02 is the first row, followed by crstat01, crstat09 and finally crstat10. There is no fifth row currently, I'll probably throw a ship in there when I do the ship wire-frames. The individual wire-frame sections for each ship run horizontally like the stock ones).

@reference=640
@tmaterial=interface

crstat02w1			MSFC_wireframe_card01	0	0	128	128
crstat02w2			MSFC_wireframe_card01	128	0	128	128
crstat02w3			MSFC_wireframe_card01	256	0	128	128
crstat02w4			MSFC_wireframe_card01	384	0	128	128
crstat02w5			MSFC_wireframe_card01	512	0	128	128

crstat01w1			MSFC_wireframe_card01	0	128	128	128
crstat01w2			MSFC_wireframe_card01	128	128	128	128	
crstat01w3			MSFC_wireframe_card01	256	128	128	128
crstat01w4			MSFC_wireframe_card01	384	128	128	128
crstat01w5			MSFC_wireframe_card01	512	128	128	128

crstat09w1			MSFC_wireframe_card01	0	256	128	128
crstat09w2			MSFC_wireframe_card01	128	256	128	128
crstat09w3			MSFC_wireframe_card01	256	256	128	128
crstat09w4			MSFC_wireframe_card01	384	256	128	128
crstat09w5			MSFC_wireframe_card01	512	256	128	128

crstat10w1			MSFC_wireframe_card01	0	384	128	128
crstat10w2			MSFC_wireframe_card01	128	384	128	128
crstat10w3			MSFC_wireframe_card01	256	384	128	128
crstat10w4			MSFC_wireframe_card01	384	384	128	128
crstat10w5			MSFC_wireframe_card01	512	384	128   128

Also another question, does anyone know what each of the w# are, as in w1 being engines as an example etc?

I have also included an image of the wire-frame as it is currently showing up (incorrectly). The system logos are supposed to be on the left-hand side. It appears to me to be showing the middle-ish of 4 wire-frames.

Any help will be greatly appreicated.

 

[Atlantis]

I thought A2 only likes to use files with the square numbers (32,64,128,256,512,1024)... I may be wrong, but that's the only think I can think of right now that may be causing it.

 

[USS_Excalibur]

I thought A2 only likes to use files with the square numbers (32,64,128,256,512,1024)... I may be wrong, but that's the only think I can think of right now that may be causing it.

With correct referencing any dimension should work. However, I do find it a bit curious.

What program did you construct the WF with? Sometimes certain photoshop programs view the same material differently.

I would however suggest that If possible maybe post a copy of the wireframe file so that we can see both ends of the problem.

 

[Starfox1701]

Try resizing ti 512X and use the double the stock numbers. The order is shelds, engines, weapons life support, sensors.

 

[Majestic]

Well the file is square, 640x640. It was made with Photoshop CS3 Extended (aka version 10). I could try turning it into a 1024x1024 and see if that makes any difference.

Thanks Starfox, for the system order, it will certainly help me here.

 

[Majestic]

Thank you all for your help I have discovered the issue, however my templates are out so I have to re-start them a third time, which I won't be doing today as I'll get too frustrated as I hate re-doing work and will spit the dummy at COE.

So I'll look at doing some modelling or some coding or something rather than fiddle with pesky wireframes. I now know why I avoid them in single ship releases.

Hopefully once I get a correct template set up I will finally be able to pump them out like people do build-buttons. But that's a job for another day.

Just to clarify, Atlantis was right, the game doesn't like 640 size textures even for wireframes, they need to be 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 or 1024 etc. I knew ships are supposed to have square textures of those sizes but I wasn't aware that wire-frames needed to, I guess we do learn something new everyday even as adults.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
It is a good thing you figured out. And yes, the game doesn't like other sizes for files, including for our models I think. But for the wireframe, the game may accept other sizes, but then you'll have to figure out the codings to allow you to use the wireframes correctly, and that is just too messy I suppose. So better to stick with the sizes we are used to.

 

[Atlantis]

Hello:
It is a good thing you figured out. And yes, the game doesn't like other sizes for files, including for our models I think. But for the wireframe, the game may accept other sizes, but then you'll have to figure out the codings to allow you to use the wireframes correctly, and that is just too messy I suppose. So better to stick with the sizes we are used to.

Question 1: Does the @reference need to be the same as the texture file size?
Answer: No. If you put an @reference=256 with a 512 texture it will work, but the buttons will be twice as big as you expect. The game uses "relative" coordinates, not absolute ones.

Question 2: Do all of the "2^n" numbers work? @reference=8? @reference=4?
Answer: I don't know. Just a theory. See below.

If you used, say, @reference=4 (even though the texture file is 512x512 (or whatever), then instead of your location codes being (256 384 128 128) it would be (2 3 1 1). Much easier to work out, much easier to change later.

An 8 by 8 grid of build buttons or wireframes. Use @reference=8, and just count down and across to get your coordinates, and use (1 1) as your size.

In theory...