There's no batch function. I've never been able to due to time...

Hi skwasjer,

Some hours ago I was moding sh3.sdl with last S3D and noted that when i exit the game I got an error (winxp point to sound.act). After some hours trying just small modifications on any sh3.sdl using S3d (just to try to found the bug) i noticed that the problem just go away when i deleted the first entry that S3d put on the sh3.sdl, the one that s3d uses to identify it´s version, etc.

I tried with all my sh3 installations and even with stock unmodded sh3 and the problem and the solution was always the same: the problem remains on the first entry forced by s3d. Note that the problem is present even if you load the game and just exit, without made anything more. It also happens after I played a SM. The interesting is that I didn´t noticed this problem before.:hmmm:

Any idea?

Cheers,

Rubini.

flipped faces
 

do you know why there always seem to be flipped faces when importing to and from 3D Studio Max into S3D and vice-versa ?

more than annoying...

regards

keltos

Never had that problem. How are you exporting the models? Have you got any 'optimize' options turned on? Try turning them off.

we definitely need s5d...please consider to continue work, skwas.

:)

No, no and no. Not going to happen. Unless you get all 10000 users - who are eagerly using my 2-year work for free - to pay up 20 EUR each, so I can make it my dayjob.

You know, since my last release (summer 2009), where I more directly asked for donations through a 'nag' screen at first launch of S3D, only 4 people decided to do so (that's 9 months ago). It's not so much I want the money, but it is an indication to me of how unappreciative many users are... I am not wasting more time on this project, especially with Ubisoft screwing up with SH5/DRM.

I made great use of S3D, I did donate 15 or 20€ sometime in 2008 I think. Disappointed almost nobody bothered, without this tool the amount of "game changing" mods wouldn't even near 1/10th of what it is today, every mod user should consider it, not just S3D users.

Yet people rush to shell 50$/50€/28£ for some unfinished crippleware with gimmicky modding tools that lack crucial functionality. When people realize that they'll have to shell $12.500 to have a real modding tool for SH5 maybe they'll understand the gift that S3D is :)

…
 

For sure, it's a real shame … I fully support and understand your attitude since i'm also a [let's say] spare-time coder. ;)
Besides that, S3D actually reads almost every kind of files [since SH V is actually SH IV; on filetypes and files for sure], so i don't know why you should renew S3D or implement some new fileformats or something similar … :arrgh!:

In this sense

Smartcom

I'm not a user of S3D but I recognize that all of the mods I enjoy wouldn't be possible without all of your hard work. I just donated 20 Euros ($28 for us in the US) and I hope some others will see this and do likewise.

Here's a link to access the PayPal donation box:
http://sh4.skwas.net/downloads.aspx

Thanks again, Skwas.

10.000 people should pay 20 eur each? ...;)

seriuosly. i understand you very much. what sum you want to be reached...we might get this solved, with a donations run. please tell me...as we modders in sh5 need this tool! 500 euros? 1000 euros? lets get this started...

:yep:

it really pisses me off, we need to mod this game to a state, that is acceptable - i know. but you must admit, the graphics and the potential of this game is enormous...things are possible, we ever dreamed of in sh3 and sh4.

so, which amount would you make continuing work. its not, you would have to rewrite the whole program, dude. there are things need to be changed...but this might be not that complex. but tell me...and leave an amount, we need to get you back to work.

:salute:

best regards
the fish

Thanks vp, appreciate it.

My last post wasn't really a cry to get people to donate though. I never really opened my mouth about it (except for the nag screen), I'm fine with it, what I've done and the fact it's free. But that's that. I'm finished it. It's a bit annoying that I 'should just make it compatible' without people really realizing how much time was involved in making S3D.

I just don't have much free time to continue making it compatible with SH5. There's new controllers, new file-formats, and especially the .gr2 fileformat is a pain in the ass (proprietary undisclosed file format). Basically, I'll be looking at another 6 months to a year of development on several nights a week. I don't have the energy to do that anymore. I have to make a living too huh? ;)

That said, S3D remains free in it's current form as long as it doesn't cost me money (it has cost me some dev-tools, and now only hosting), and anyone willing to donate is free to do so. No obligations. Just don't ask for more :p

I totally agree that SH5 has great potential, but 1000 euro's = 2 days work for me (I am freelancer with lots of overhead in software tools, etc). In 2 days, I can get nothing done.

Of course 200K is a bit over the top, I was merely saying that 10000 people use S3D and 20 euro's isn't exactly much for what you get is it? But again, I was just making a point.

But calculate with me: S3D has taken me roughly 1500 hours... This is just a rough guess. At a VERY low rate of 20-30 euro an hour, that adds up to 30K-45K. So basically I lost 45K minus some 500 euro's in donation - in total - while making S3D... Think about that, each time you start it up.

You may think it's not alot of work to make it compatible with SH5, but I can tell you it is. But urfisch, really, the point isn't the cash. I just don't have much time. I'm seperated since one year, have a son to raise, looking for a new house and have two businesses to run... I'm kindof tied up you see :hmmm:

i invested round about 500 hours (with learning stuff, etc.) in modding sh3 and 400 hours in subwolves...and also never had a cent out of it. mostly this is modding for...doing things for free, right? and personally i think every time about the work the modders have done, when using such stuff...i am also a modder!

;)

i also worked as a freelancer and know exactly what you are talking about. even i have no son and no house to look for...etc. but please consider to take a look at the file structure of "baza_fx.dat" this is the effects file and i the effects extremly need to be modified! as i know how this stuff works with the particles, this is my mod wish. but i cannot do anything without an editor to change the controllers, add new ones, etc.

and your tool reads the data nicely, but only to the controllers. you will see what i mean, when opening it. instead of controller properties, theres just "data type byte" written...as s3d dont knows the whole file structure of the new dats.

just take a look and define some kind of time you would need...is that possible?

:)

:up:

Seeing that you need S3D so badly, you would not have been able to do your 500hr modwork if I hadn't done the gruntwork...

Besides, it's not the point, I never asked for money, prosecuted people that 'forgot' to include a credit notice to S3D (while creditting everyone else), nor am I an attention whore seeking praise of the entirety of the SH-community. S3D is what it is, free and finished. I have no further interest in working on S3D, and I have reached a point that my time isn't worth it any more:

yes, your tool was very handy, even most of my time i edited 3d and 2d data without s3d, just used it for import. later i used it quite often to modify the particle effects.

YES, YOUR TOOLS WAS THE CLUE FOR MODDING of SH3! And it should be the clue for sh5 as well...but...

ok, understand. if pleasing and the perspective to get you working againg with a donations run is not that interesting for you...ok. you have no time...what a pitty!

:cry:

but i have a last wish, as you are my last hope - even the devs can not help me. please do not deny...

please look into the baza_fx.dat with your tool and tell me, how much work it would be for a guy, who can code, to modify the tool - so it can read/save the [byte] phrases (especially particle controllers!) well again. my feeling is, that it cant be so much additional work, as 90% of the dat is read properly!

but i am no expert, you are.

:)

Does it matter? I have no idea how much time is involved but my controller parser can't deal with SH5 right now properly because some controllers that exist in SH3/SH4 have been updated and some new ones are introduced. I need to add new controller definitions without interfering with the older definitions much like you see two menu's now in S3D for both SH3/SH4. The controller definitions themselfs aren't the problem, but updating my parser is. This alone takes at least a few days. Then there's other problems that would need to be resolved as well, it isn't just with the controllers. You may think it fully supports dats, but how can you be so sure? For all I know it has some new bits and bytes in some places that S3D doesn't understand, saving the file causing it to go corrupt or worse, make a file work but unstable. THen there's the obvious lack of support for 3D files (gr2), which is a huge problem. So I need to test many files, then I need to update my installer, website, etc. And I don't like doing half work anyway, so it isn't going to happen.

You could try changing the controller definitions yourself. Check out \controllers folder. Make a mod for S3D...

Donations are always welcome btw, but please don't use it as an incentive to 'get me to do more stuff'. I find that a bit of an insult.

thanks a lot for this answer...

this is promising, as long facing the facts. i simply do not have any coding skills and just looked into the controller files. thought: you must be kidding...meaning ME to change it. i sincere would love to be able to!!!

cause then:

i wouldnt have to crouch around on my knees to bag for some help on the new dats here and could do everything on myself.

:shifty:

...

now, i guess. you take your time...and maybe rethink this in a quite, calm moment. maybe you can change your tool or maybe not. i can just ask for help, nothing else.

:(

I just wanted to say thank you , Skwasjer. That's it. Thanks for S3D.

I got it about a month ago, and have been trying to learn how to use it, and all the cool things it does. I have to admit that when I first got it, I was so excited to get to modding that I ignored the "donation" popup with the intention of donating later (no internet on my gaming computer, anyways). Then I got so busy modding that donating slipped my mind entirely.

Seeing your recent posts, and realising that I too had neglected to donate made me ashamed of myself:nope:. Well, donation sent. You've earned every penny, and if I had more to give, you would have earned that too.

Thanks again, and sorry it took so long. :salute:

Hey thanks VonHesse, appreciate it.

Urfisch, I hope you see it's not that I don't want to support SH5 or that I don't want to help you. I like the game, and would like to help if I could. But supporting SH5 is just too much work. I will be more of a player, and will support Luke's to-be-made mod (and obviously I will help other's where I can), but that takes not as much time as developing S3D further. I'll be in the backseat this time around... Now, let's put this to rest.

Regarding the controller-templates. They are not that difficult. Just open goblined, take a look at the controllers in there, and translate that to a template. For a ParticleGenerator you can compare it to S3D's included template, and update it to work with SH5. In most cases for existing controllers, just few new entries need to be added. The only thing to keep in mind is that it will no longer work with SH4/SH3 then (you'll get the byte[xx] data), because you can't define seperate templates for SH5, like I have for SH3/SH4. You can work around this by copying S3D's install folder, and change the controllers in this copy (just know you can't run two S3D's at the same time).

yes, skwasjer...thanks for the answer.

appearently i managed to modify the templates a bit - you where right its not that complicated. but i just can add a new top layer entry (e.g. new "depthtestbias" under the "depthbias") for sh5, but what if the new entry needs a sub entry? e.g. there is a new entry called "timetostart" and it needs 2 sub-entries - delay and variation, etc.

http://d.imagehost.org/0882/particle_mod2.jpg

?

;)

and there are so called "entry" labels for the single bitmaps you define...which where former called 0, 1, 2, etc. can i just leave them the way they are in s3d?

http://i.imagehost.org/0654/particle_mod3.jpg

thanks a lot!