BAT - Troubleshooting & General Discussion

[Jasoncw 11,949]

In the material editor, there's something called "Opacity". If you lower that number your glass will no longer be opaque. So, if it's 50 then your glass will be half see-through.

[astronelson 339]

I seem to have a problem with the BAT at a very fundamental level. Whenever I open it, it's fine, but as soon as I choose one of the views and do anything, it goes like this:

I had maximised it, which is why it's showing up in the middle. Opening it again, this time without maximising it, it looks like this:

The computer is a HP Pavilion dv6 Series Entertainment Notebook running Windows 7, 1366x768 monitor, Intel Core 2 Duo, ATI Radeon graphics card.

Any advice as to how to fix this would be greatly appreciated.

[mntoes 271]

I had the same problem on Windows Vista and was advised to switch my desktop theme to windows clasic (or is it basic?). that sorted it for me. Apparently Gmax can't cope with an Aero desktop.

[astronelson 339]

Thanks, it's fixed now. It was the background, so I changed it to Windows 7 Basic and it works perfectly now.

[Jumpthefence 74]

I have the same problem, with nitemaps, that Yoshiisland had. Unfortunately, I tried JasonCW's suggestion and I couldn't find the thumbs.db file. It's also strange that I don't have any other nitemaps at the moment, though the problem arose when I tried to install my first one. And just like Yoshiisland, the default Maxis nitemaps don't show up in the BAT rollout either.

I don't think a screenshot would help much, but if you think it would, I'll post one.

If anyone knows another way to find thumbs.db, or any other way to solve this, it would be a big help.

[Jasoncw 11,949]

It's important that you can see system files and folders and hidden files, etc, since you won't see thumbs.db with Window's default settings.

The reason that the problem started once you tried installing your first one, is because that was the first time you ever viewed that folder, and so that was the first time that windows generated thumbs.db for that folder.

[Jumpthefence 74]

Okay, you've shed some light on the situation, but I still can't seem to solve it.

This is what the folder and Control Panel look like at the moment.

I've done what you said to do in your original post to Yoshiisland, but thumbs.db is not showing up, though there are hidden files showing up no problem on my desktop. I tried a number of combinations for viewing files, but still nothing. I eventually ran a system search for folders or files named "thumbs". Though I got some results, none of them were in the gmax directory. I tried deleting these four data files, but the gmax nitemaps still wouldn't show up, so I restored them [from the Recycling Bin].

It's a little frustrating, but I'm still open to ideas.

[Sky Guy 163]

Hi I have the same problem as Jumpthefence ^^^^^^^

Please help!

[NickTheGreek3 0]

hello! i am new here at simtropolis and i have a question to make. why doesn't anybody publish a video in youtube to show us how to use BAT and all these staff? There are some people, including me, who know nothing about all these designing staff and although we have some great ideas for buildings, mods etc., we don't have a practical way to guide us and we give up before we actually start doing something. i believe some videos will solve this problem.

[madhatter106 3,931]

Originally posted by: NickTheGreek3

hello! i am new here at simtropolis and i have a question to make. why doesn't anybody publish a video in youtube to show us how to use BAT and all these staff? There are some people, including me, who know nothing about all these designing staff and although we have some great ideas for buildings, mods etc., we don't have a practical way to guide us and we give up before we actually start doing something. i believe some videos will solve this problem.quote>

By using the word "staff," I'm going on the assumption that you mean "stuff."

My answer to this could be construed as a tad snarky, but I'm going to wade in here and try my best to alleviate that.  There are indeed "practical ways to guide" (as you phrase it) new users into making custom content, and those are the tutorials that are in the omnibus section of this website.  

Written tutorials.  With words.  Don't kids read any more these days?    Now, if you don't know about the tutorials, then that's fine, since you're new to the site; but if you've happened across them in the omnibus, looked at them, and already "give up" as you said, then you've given up too easily.  I do understand that some people learn visually and others don't, but right now, what we have (and what has worked for countless other BATters, myself included) is good old fashioned text.

Are the tutorials a bit old?  Well, yes, as SC4 and BAT are getting a bit long in the tooth themselves, but the programs and methods have not changed much (if at all) when they were originally posted.  You still make a spline the same today as when you made one in 2005.

Are the tutorials a bit long?  Well, yes, but you have to work through them as there are lots of steps to take.  Dreaming up custom contents, mods, buildings, etc. may be the "easy part," just as thinking up a design for a new car may be, but when it comes down to it, you're going to have to learn how to make it once you've dreamed it up.  For something complex like that, it is going to take time to learn.  The old motto "anything worth learning takes a little time" is fitting.

Now, I know it's a YouTube generation, but like I said, it's an old game and gmax is an old program - so there aren't a whole ton of us out there as an audience for this sort of video tutorial to begin with.  There are tons of "make your own aircraft" tutorials in gmax on YouTube, though.  I, personally, would welcome a SC4 BAT tutorial being made if someone wanted to invest the time and effort to do it, and do it RIGHT; but I do find that many online tutorials are poorly shot, poorly explained, poorly paced, and with voices that make me want to claw my face off.  There was one in particular that I found way back when I was learning a bit about the lathe tool in gmax, and I wanted to crawl through the monitor and stab the speaker with an icepick, his voice was that annoying.  The other caveat is that there is no one sure-fire way to do something in gmax - there are different ways of getting the same result, and both are viable.  (For example, for this wall with the door, do I create a spline, or do I make a box and punch a boolean-shaped door through it?)  So, one man's tutorial may be another's trap?

If someone is the type of person who wants it "now NOW NAOW" in an attention-deficit-disorder-frenzy, then BATting is something that will be like climbing Mount Everest the first time you do it, no matter what kind of tutorial is in front of them.  Patience is the key.

[NickTheGreek3 0]

Thanks for the quick reply and your advice. Sorry for the "staff" and my other spelling mistakes, I'm Greek and my English are not perfect yet.

I didn't know about the text tutorials - I was looking for tutorials on Youtube (like every other tutorial). I guess I have to spend a lot of time reading... hehe! Anyway, thanks again for your help.

[madhatter106 3,931]

Originally posted by: NickTheGreek3

Thanks for the quick reply and your advice. Sorry for the "staff" and my other spelling mistakes, I'm Greek and my English are not perfect yet.

I didn't know about the text tutorials - I was looking for tutorials on Youtube (like every other tutorial). I guess I have to spend a lot of time reading... hehe! Anyway, thanks again for your help.quote>

No worries, glad to have been of help.  Re: "staff," it took me two readings to figure out what you meant, but I eventually got it.  

Click on the omnibus section at the top of the site, and it will take you to a whole list of tutorials and user-created collections of material.  Have a good look at the one that philipbo did in the BAT section - it's very long, but thorough, and most of us use this tutorial as the launchpad to a great BAT career.

I also suggest, once you get the hang of things, to open your own BAT thread here in this forum, where you can get advice and tips on how to make your work better before sharing it on the STEX.  Definitely listen to the many wise folks around here, as they've been where you are, and have lots of great tips and pointers on getting better...

Happy BATting and good luck!

[Jumpthefence 74]

Is there a way to reset/reinstall the BAT? I've messed around with the function file for the BAT and its nitemaps, I've tried different format types, I've tried finding thumbs.db, and prettymuch anything else I can do. I'm still open to ideas, but reinstalling seems like the only way to get nitemaps to work. The problem is, won't I lose my files or history if I reset?

Any ideas?

[Jasoncw 11,949]

Your files are just .gmax files and you can move them around and transfer them between comptuers, etc. So if you want to resinstall gmax for whatever reason, you can.

I don't know what else to try for the nitemaps. The only problem I've ever heard with the nitemaps has always had to do with thumbs.db.

[Jumpthefence 74]

Okay, that sounds like a good idea. I just wanted to make sure I uninstalled right and wouldn't lose the files. I assume I can just put my files on a thumb drive and keep it near the computer until gmax has successfully reinstalled? I'll check back sometime tonight, hopefully.

I don't know what else to try for the nitemaps. The only problem I've ever heard with the nitemaps has always had to do with thumbs.db. quote>

Learning something new never hurt anyone. Embrace experience. Et cetera.

[Jumpthefence 74]

Page flip?

[Jasoncw 11,949]

...and more page flip

[nic49548 16]

I asked a question about texturing aircraft downloaded from FlightSim, but no one answered that thread. Does anyone know how to here? (As well as how to make textures for aircraft models)

[Jumpthefence 74]

Wow, this pageflip is baaaaad...

Edit: Pageflip fixed!

Anyways, first I'll point everyone to that thread...

Second, I'm no expert on texturing UI, but I know you need FSH format files if you want to do it a certain way. There may be other ways to make moving UI/automata, but I don't know them. If you want to make props, I don't think you need FSH files, you just need to select the type of file you want for textures.

Though you really should get advice from someone who does this sort of thing, this should help for now.

[Sky Guy 163]

Hey, I am still having the problem of my nitemaps not showing up. I took out all thumbs, even though there were none in the gmax folder. I tried reinstalling like jumpthefence mentioned- still nothing

ANy advice? Also, Is it something where it only effects preview, or will the lights still not work after exporting?

Thanks

[Sky Guy 163]

Okay, I tried exporting, and it still didn't solve the problem- the lights don't light up in Simcity.

Also, this "bug" is not only affecting one model (I have several different versions of the house) but ALL of them.

Please please help me

Thanks

[Jumpthefence 74]

Here's what solved it for me:

As the result of my nitemaps issue i had to reinstall the BAT. I uninstalled it, but to reinstall it, I needed to have Simcity installed. Too bad that 3 days earlier I had uninstalled it due to technical issues. I needed to find disc 1, which I thought was in my basement, but a 5 hour search found nothing. So I had to borrow Simcity from a friend. He got it to me and I couldn't install it. I essentially gutted all my Simcity related anything software, and it installed without problem. Then I was able to reinstall everything. This is in the time span of about three weeks.

...quite a tale, eh?quote>

That was from a post on the NYBT thread, but anyways.

I don't know if reinstalling Simcity will help, but if you're as desperate as I was, I think you'll at least give it a shot.

Of course, after reinstalling Simcity it would be a good idea to reinstall the BAT.

Best of luck.

[Sky Guy 163]

Thanks, that worked. I have a new problem though,

I made a diagonal version of the house, and in the LE, parts of it are missing:

 

[nofunk 1,933]

It looks like your LODs are set for the original version of your house. You will need to reset your LODs to fit the new, angled version and export again.

[Sky Guy 163]

how do you reset the LODs? lol sorry

[nofunk 1,933]

No problem!

Just to make sure, first right-click anywhere in one of your viewports and select "Unhide All." Then find the three boxes named LOD3, LOD4 and LOD5 and delete them. (Be careful to delete the LODs ONLY and nothing else!)

Then:

(1) Click on the Utilities menu (the hammer)

(2) Click the B.A.T. button

(3) Expand the Parameters rollout

(4) Click the "Re-fit LOD's" button

Now you should be able to export without problem!

[Sky Guy 163]

Thanks so much nofunk! I got it working.

[madhatter106 3,931]

Anyone have any input on running BAT/gmax on Windows 7?

Are there any problems or tweaks?

I just got a new laptop, and have not installed the BAT on it yet, but figured this might be the place to ask. Sorry if this has been addressed before, here or elsewhere, but my search-fu is weak today...

[SimFox 804]

Mine one runs fine on W7 Ultimate x64

[scba 180]

I'm getting all kinds of headaches. Haven't opened up the BAT in almost a year, and I've lost the ability to texture.

Right now, I'm trying to make a tennis court. I could swear that I'm doing all of the steps correctly, and it looks fine - up until I export. And then all the lines on the grass start going all inverted and diagonal and twisted, etc in the render preview. Don't understand what would be causing this, since I'm not using any rigs/lights or anything.