Tree Fade System

08-02-2006, 04:17 PM

I made this system for my D&D 3.5 Rpg map.

This can be used for all kind of Rpg maps that use big trees for a better realistic looking terrain.
When a unit gets near a tree, this tree fades automatically to the player that owns the unit. This grants players to see their own units under trees in every situation.

This system uses standard tree models modified adding a "stand alternate" animation that uses a ghostlike material.
If you are going to modify other tree types I suggest you to download a .mdx -> .mdl converter and look how the custom model has been modified.

Last Version Changes 4/08/2006
-Fixed Memory Leak on "Check Tree Opacity Trigger"
-Trees now looks faded and not ethereal.
-Triggers Reworked for better performance. With 10 players it resulted really heavy.

Attached Images

	TreeFadeSystem1.jpg (230.5 KB)
	TreeFadeSystem2.jpg (227.2 KB)

Attached Files

TreeFadeSystem1.2.w3x (43.3 KB)

08-02-2006, 04:24 PM	#2
Callahan	It's not really a system but a model. I used a similar thing but with houses and only the roof get faded.

08-02-2006, 04:34 PM	#3
Bibendus	It's a system because it uses localplayer to hide trees ONLY for player that approaches them.

08-02-2006, 04:43 PM	#4
Callahan	The tree model can be improve because the trees are brightly when faded.But the system is usefull.

08-02-2006, 04:49 PM	#5
Bibendus	There is no way to make the model more transparent without using custom textures (this mean many kbytes to import) or turning trees to units using a vertex coloring (but game can't manage 5k of tree units placed in a map)

08-02-2006, 05:08 PM	#6
Bibendus	I'm not a great model editor, if you know a better way to make transparent models plz explain me how to do it ^_^ Maybe if u have a link to a tutorial or something else...

08-02-2006, 05:15 PM

Blade.dk

I agree that it is a bit simple, but I think it is a useful system.

I cannot approve it at the moment, because it has memory leaks.

Trigger:

Destructible - Pick every destructible within 1200.00 of (Position of Footmans[(Integer A)]) and do (Actions)

Leaking a location here (in the "Check Trees Opacity" trigger).

Fix the location leaks, and add some implementation instructions (so it is easier for other people to use), and I will approve it.

08-03-2006, 12:08 AM

Bibendus

Ahaha great... i kept the normal material that hides in the stand alternate showing only the alpha blended material

Code:

		Layer {
			FilterMode Transparent,
			static TextureID 0,
			TwoSided,
			Alpha 5 {
				DontInterp,
				167: 1,
				1170: 0,
				1300: 1,
				1833: 1,
				6667: 1,
			}
		}
		Layer {
			FilterMode Blend,
			static Alpha 0.15,
			static TextureID 0,
			TwoSided,
		}

08-03-2006, 12:25 PM	#9
erwtenpeller	cool system indeed.

08-04-2006, 07:51 AM

#10

Bibendus

RETRYING FOR APPROVAL

Ok i fixed the memory leak I forgot to remove and changed the tree transparency, now it looks cool (screenshoot changed).
Thanks Litany for the help, I added you to this system credits ^_^

Another thing.
I found that this trigger was really heavy on my rpg map with 10 players soo I reworked the trigger to run the tree animation only once. Unfortunately there is no custom value for Destructible soo I used Occlusion Height to store the "has played animation" flag and restore the old value back.
The Occlusion Height is changed only for 0.01 seconds soo units flying over trees are not affected by the change.

08-04-2006, 11:53 AM	#11
Blade.dk	Please add some instructions about how to implement the system in other maps - Which variables to copy, how to import the model, how to modify the destructable and so. Then it will be approved. You might also want to remove the debug message.

08-04-2006, 04:40 PM

#12

Bibendus

C'mon It's just a copy'n'paste system made of 3 stupid triggers.
Normal map makers know how to modify the basis of the trigger like "change the destructible type of the tree to fade" or "change the unit that triggers the fading trees".

I'm not here to explain how to import files on a map or how to copy/paste triggers from a map to another. There are other tutorials about it.

The only thing that really could help is a modeling tutorial on how to edit doodads to add a faded "stand alternate" anim but I think it should be posted externally and linked here.
The system works as it is with ashenvale canopy trees.

I'll disable the debug message if you want, i kept it to show people how many trees get checked on the system.

08-04-2006, 09:14 PM	#13
Blade.dk	Then write that people just shall copy'n'paste it, or it will not be approved. Shouldn't take long time. And I don't care what a normal map maker knows or not, it is a rule, to prevent stupid questions from map makers that aren't normal.

08-05-2006, 12:07 AM

#14

Freakazoid

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade.dk

Then write that people just shall copy'n'paste it, or it will not be approved. Shouldn't take long time. And I don't care what a normal map maker knows or not, it is a rule, to prevent stupid questions from map makers that aren't normal.

QUMP!!

Mind this if I use it in the RPG system?

Btw, it will work good with 10 players??

1200 posts :)

08-06-2006, 02:31 AM	#15
Bibendus	It should work fine if 10 players are not spread everywhere in the map with 20 trees around them ^_^ This would mean 200 tree animation triggered every 0.5 secs