Help for a new modeler - wok meshes.

[Legacy_3RavensMore]

               I've decided to take a break from building to dip a claw into modeling for the very first time. 

I've set up GMax and NWmax, I've created a very simple placeable, and it appears as it should in game, except of course that I can walk through it.  Now, how do I define and attach a wok mesh to the placeable?  The one tutorial that I found that mentions it seems to have been written for a much older version of NWmax, and, I'm sorry to say, that can't seem to transmogrify the instructions to the new better faster stronger version.  So, any help for a new modeler in what is probably a simple procedure?
               
               

               

                     Modifié par 3RavensMore, 13 janvier 2013 - 04:40 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <pointing out...>

I would also install Velstools, which includes a creation tool for getting objects started.

Manually: You need to define the walk-mesh (or more properly *anti*-walkmesh) by creating a plane (or 3D shape) where you do not want PCs to walk.
Name it "PWK" and link it to a dummy named "[my_placeable_name]_pwk" (remembering to trim it (from the *front* so it's only 16 chars long). Which is in turn linked to [my_placeable_name] :-)

<...possibilities>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Rolo Kipp, 13 janvier 2013 - 05:33 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_3RavensMore]

               That seems easy, except...I'm apparently doing something wrong.  I know, shocking isn't it?  Is there anything wrong with this model?  I now see the PWK in the game as a white box, and I can still walk on the placeable.

# Exported from NWmax 0.8 b61 at 1/13/2013 1:14:10 PM
# mdl file
#
#NWmax MODEL ASCII
# model: FirstMDL
#local file: C:\\gmax\\Scenes\\first model tes2.gmax
filedependancy first model tes2.gmax
newmodel FirstMDL
setsupermodel FirstMDL NULL
classification Character
setanimationscale 1.0
#NWmax GEOM  ASCII
beginmodelgeom FirstMDL
node dummy FirstMDL
  parent NULL
endnode
node trimesh Texture
  parent FirstMDL
  position 0.0 0.0 0.03
  orientation 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
  wirecolor 0.6 0.894118 0.839216
  ambient 0.0 0.0 0.0
  diffuse 0.588 0.588 0.588
  specular 0.0 0.0 0.0
  shininess 10.0
  bitmap painting01
  verts 4
    -0.5 -0.5 0.0
    0.5 -0.5 0.0
    -0.5 0.5 0.0
    0.5 0.5 0.0
  faces 2
    2 0 3  1  2 0 3  1
    1 3 0  1  1 3 0  1
  tverts 4
    0.000499547 0.000499785 0
    0.9995 0.000499547 0
    0.000499785 0.9995 0
    0.9995 0.9995 0
endnode
node dummy FirstMDL_pwk
  parent FirstMDL
  position 0.0 0.0 0.0
  orientation -1.0 0.0 0.0 -3.14159
  wirecolor 0.341176 0.878431 0.341176
endnode
node trimesh PWK
  parent FirstMDL_pwk
  position 0.0 0.0 0.0
  orientation 1.0 0.0 0.0 -6.28319
  wirecolor 0.694118 0.580392 0.101961
  bitmap NULL
  verts 8
    -0.525 -0.525 0.0
    0.525 -0.525 0.0
    -0.525 0.525 0.0
    0.525 0.525 0.0
    -0.525 -0.525 0.01
    0.525 -0.525 0.01
    -0.525 0.525 0.01
    0.525 0.525 0.01
  faces 12
    0 2 3  2  0 0 0  2
    3 1 0  2  0 0 0  2
    4 5 7  4  0 0 0  1
    7 6 4  4  0 0 0  1
    0 1 5  8  0 0 0  5
    5 4 0  8  0 0 0  5
    1 3 7  16  0 0 0  4
    7 5 1  16  0 0 0  4
    3 2 6  32  0 0 0  6
    6 7 3  32  0 0 0  6
    2 0 4  64  0 0 0  3
    4 6 2  64  0 0 0  3
endnode
endmodelgeom FirstMDL
donemodel FirstMDL
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_The Amethyst Dragon]

               I keep a "NWN building aids" page bookmarked in my browser with stuff I use all the time.  Part of it is just this text for placeable walkmeshes, showing which parts I need, how I name them, which modifier to add (to the dummy!), and how they are linked:

Placeable Walkmesh:

aurora base
- dummy (named same as base + "_pwk") (add AuroraPlaceable modifier, select PWK)
- - plane or single mesh (named same as base + "_wg")
- actual model

               
               

               

                     Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 13 janvier 2013 - 07:39 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               the name of the flat plane that represents the pwk doesnt matter i think. Only important is that it is exported as a pwk plane. The white plane that you see hints that your pwk is not exported correctly. There is an aurora modifier in 3dsmax (not sure about gmax) for pwks that is the only thing you need to add in order to get it recordnized by the exporting process. This plane needs to be linked to your  aurora base. Hope that helps you a bit
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zwerkules]

               Edit: While I typed this answer The Amethyst Dragon and Baba Yaga already answered your question.
         The important bit is adding the Auroaplacable modifier. If you just want to make static placables
         ignore all the rest I wrote. '>
        Baba Yaga is right about the PWK not having to be named PWK, it's just important that it is linked to the
       _pwk dummy, not the base.
       I also name it the same as the model with _wg at the end like the Amethyst Dragon wrote, but you can
      name it anything you like. It's just easier to find the walkmesh geometry if it ends with _wg.

Did you add an AuroraPlaceable modifier to the base dummy? Do that to make sure the model gets
exported as a placeable. Then the PWK will be in a different files. You should get the model file without the PWK in it and a separate PWK file.
It seems you only need that if it is a new model. If it was already a placeable when you loaded it, it will load the model and the pwk and you don't have to add the AuroraPlaceable modifier.
You could make a template file for a placeable which already has all the dummies a placeable needs.
The _pwk dummy is the one you absolutely need, but for a useable placeable you need many more.
There are _ground, _head, _hand, _head_hit, _impact, and _pwk_use01. There can also be a _pwk_use02 dummy there if the placeable can be used from two different sides.
_ground should be roughly at the center of the placeable on ground level, _impact where you want missiles to hit the placeable. _hand, _head, and head_hit are not so important and a placable will work without them.
The _pwk_use01 and _pwk_use02 dummies are important. You need at least one of them and it has to be linked to the _pwk dummy instead of the Aurorabase. It also should be outside the not walkable part of your placeable because this is where the PC should stand to use the placeable.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Zwerkules, 13 janvier 2013 - 07:59 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <on his hands and knees...>

Are you generating a file named "FirstMDL.pwk"?
Look for that in your export directory.

Edit: LOL, I love this group :-) Yeah, what they said ;-)

<...looking for something>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Rolo Kipp, 13 janvier 2013 - 09:01 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               @3RavensMore: This video tutorial helped me when i was in your situation...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Shemsu-Heru, 13 janvier 2013 - 09:30 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_3RavensMore]

               My problem was the missing AuroraPlaceable modifier to the base dummy.  It works now!  *raven happy dance*  Okay, now with some decorum, thank you all for you help.  Rolo is right, this group is fantastic.  Thanks also to Zwerkules for the brief on what I'll need to add for placeable functionality and targeting.  A saw that Velstools can add that for you, but at the start, I want to do this manually to really learn what I'm doing.