BAT - Troubleshooting & General Discussion

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

This sounds more like an object issue than a materials issue to me. Also, a picture would be nice

Is the object in question thicker than 0.0 (if not a plane)? If, for example, you just have a box with 0 thickness then both sides of the box will be trying to show up simultaneously (which could cause some weirdness).

Did you do an edit poly and play with anything( eg. vertecies)? That can mess up the mapping coordinates of the object.

Have you tried a UVW map on the object? Sometimes those can sort out geometry based glitches like that.

If nothing else, try replacing the object with a simple shape and see what happens, taking into considerations the above. Best of luck,

-Todd

[Jumpthefence 74]

I just have a quick question-

When I pan or rotate, it looks like wireframe mode, but it immediately stops (without lag) when I stop panning.

Is there a way to prevent this? Is it a viewport problem?

It's not urgent, but it is rather inconvenient.

Thanks in advance.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

That would just be your (direct3d or whatever you have running the viewport) rendering your objects. If you want it to stop, upgrade your computer (videocard, RAM, etc.). Either that, or turn the viewports rendering settings down (click the little gray words at the top left of the viewport, those have the options).

[SimFox 802]

Jumpthefence, SimHoTToDDy:

Not quite. If we are speaking of 3ds Max... This behavior Jumpthefence is describing is a function of 3ds Max it is called adaptive degradation, when turned on (simply by pressing "O") it traces the frame rate of viewport re-draw (the number by default is set to 15 if I remember correctly, but could be reset to any by user). If said rate dips below said number viewport display mode is stepped down (but not to the wireframe more , rather to box mode - it looks similar, though...). So this is an intended and controllable behavior of the program. It can be turned off (in UI or simply by pressing "O") or tuned (by setting desired FramRate number).

To remove the need of such degradation not much could really be done. But most efficient is to set your max to Direct3D mode - this is most developed one as other - software and OpenGL haven't been upgraded for many, many years now. Fastest display mode is actually Smooth + Hightlights, not wire frame. Videocards as such don't really do anything to viewport performance, well, with few little exceptions...

These exceptions are - serious wire frame acceleration with professional nVidia cards - nVidia Quatro range. And acceleration of shadow and lighting (only for viewport display) by modern game cards.

Memory and other stuff have to do with overall complexity of the scene - amount of unique geometry, number of objects etc... But extra memory is always good - Max (given 64bit OS and 64bit program and why would you go any other these days is a mystery to me) can swallow as much as you throw at it.

Extra CPU cores running at faster clock speed are very good for rendering. But, at least today, don't do much with the modeling work - only one core is utilized for that...

[Jumpthefence 74]

Alright, pressing "O" solved the problem, but nonetheless, I should clear much of my hard drive, I guess for prevention.

It's at around 2% free, so, yeah. I'll get rid of some programs.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

[isayHeyz 5]

I wanted to know how to put the BAT file into the lot editor after just getting it off of GMAX. Can't figure out how I'm supposed to do it so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Sky Guy 163]

you need to use the Plugin Manager. It comes with BAT, you just locate the file you exported, then drag it to the type of building you want it to be. (prop, etc)

Then you save it and then open it in LE.

[isayHeyz 5]

Also I'm having trouble modifying the BATs while they are in GMAX. Does anyone know a good tutorial or something that could help me out with this?

[Kiwi2703 0]

Hello, I dont know if someone have already asked this, cause the forum search is not working..

I have gmax and BAT installed, everything is like new, I have not moved anything, and I cant see "beige, blue, green" night windows in rollout menu. Like this:

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8961/86703034.jpg

Does somebody know, what can make this happen? thank you..

[rjamesp 138]

hello. im just asking if its possible to make a 4x1 or a 3x1 tv screen bat that really works (i mean, not just a static image but transitions of images or a mini video) bcoz i really need it to make my city to look like time square, where it has large tv screens. i hope this is possible. and please someone make such bat. Thank You!

[Nucks8 1]

What programs do I need to make something, if I need one?

 

 

 

 

To make an error is human, to really screw up you need a computer

[DCMetro34 576]

Hey guys.

I have been trying out gmax for a while and have gotten decent with the controls...except for one thing. I can't for my life figure out how to make an elevated platform. I can't find any tutorials about it here though. Every time I try; it always starts from the ground. When I try placing it in a different view port, it goes in the opposite direction that I want it to go in.... I am sure there is way to do this; I am newbie though, and can't figure it out.

And help at all would be great.

Edit: I figured this out.

-DCMetro34

[timcravey 168]

I am trying to shoot a very tall building in GMax but the standard Light Rig doesn't illuminate all the way to the top.

I've found the larger light rigs and manage to merge one into the scene, but now the camera doesn't rotate from the South view. Can someone explain to me how to use the Big Light Rig? How do I merge it into the scene correctly?

[SimFox 802]

You don't! Riggs are NOT in the scene. THey are stay in own files and are just referenced. So you simply replace with it one you already have.

[timcravey 168]

You were right, I wasn't referencing the file correctly. Here's what I came up with --

1.   Go to File/XRefScene

2.   Select the camera rig

3.   Browse to the location of the desired rig and select it

Seems to work.

[c-doodlez-man 16]

I am basically trying to cut out a section of a retangle extruded to 0.4 (wall) so there is an opening in it. here is a diagram.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

You can do it a number of ways, one is to make separate objects that form the shape you want, or you can use boolean, boolean might be easier at this stage. If you make a box (you will need one for each wall) that fits your outline of the wall and is thicker than it, select your wall, select the geometry tab, click on the drop down that says "standard primitives" and hit "compound objects". From there you can select "Boolean", then hit "pick operand B" and then select your box. A hole will appear in your wall where ever that box was. You might want to make it a little bigger so that the bottom and one side over lap the edges of the wall just to make sure there are no left overs (you will see what I mean).

Whenever possible, use splines or a series of objects, boolean can cause some mapping issues and some other issue if it is overused on the same object. Try changing it to an edit mesh and adding uvw maps if things get weird.

Best of luck,

-Todd

(figured I'd post this here in addition to your PM so other folks might see it).

[adys 1]

Hello,

Today I made my first building in BAT and already I encountered a problem. As you can see in the image, building has night lights, but when I put it in simcity4, the lights do not appear.I did all the updates from EA website, and all other buildings  downloaded from the STEX works.

Can you help me please?

Thanks

[TGYoshi 0]

 It's my first bat, and I have a little big problem .

When I'm zooming too far onto the object, it's just an odd box.. But when I'm zoomed a bit more out, everything looks proper.

See attachment.

Do someone know what's wrong?

~ Eggmaker

EDIT: Attachments are dead?

[thingfishs 416]

this is a common problem, one that I've had myself (and resolved), but I can't remember what the solution was, although I'm fairly sure that if you made a new scene in gmax and merged this one into it (as well as refitting LODs) that you'd fix it. But I'm sure someone will be past with more accurate info soon enough.

[~Yoshi~ 0]

Ouch, that's odd.

I'll try it .

EDIT: Too bad it wasn't the right solution... I can see something from every zoom now, but I can only see a little part, lol. The rest is 'invisible'. Just the top-part of the sign without textures.

[thingfishs 416]

hmmm.... and you did both things I suggested? Are you making custom LODS? When merging the new scene are you only importing the necessary parts...

As I said before, this is common and there is an easy solution (once you know what it is) Someone will let you know (it's frustrating not being able to remember myself)

[~Yoshi~ 0]

I managed to fix it. I had to merge, so you were on the right path .

Quote:

"

If you get something like this, watch out cause your model is done for...

No, just kidding, it can be fixed. Maxis suggested that the above problems could be a lighting rig or LOD problem and suggested that the lighting rig should be deleted, then re-fitted, and the same for the LODs. For me, that didn't work. Instead, I did the following (can be considered a general "fix-all" solution for something really wonky that nobody seems to know what it is):

1. Select your entire model, leaving out any cameras or lights you didn't add;

2. Go to File >Save Selected and give your building a unique name (this is the same as exporting just roof junk);

3. Open a completely clean BAT file (the best way to make sure this happens is close the BAT and re-open);

4. Go to File >Merge and select your building model;

5. Re-export.

Problem solved! Something like this is just like Maxis suggested, an LOD or Lighting/Camera Rig problem. Since it went all buggy for no apparent reason, it's a good idea to start with a clean slate. Note that first, you may want to double-check to make sure you don't have any geometry or splines unexpectedly sticking way out of the model.

"

The camera or something was wrong .

Thank you =D.

[timcravey 168]

fcsteaua -- How are you lotting the building? As Landmark, growable, or Prop? If you have made it as a Prop it will not show lights in-game unless you manually turn them on. In Plugin Manager go to Advanced tab, change Lights from False to True.

~Yoshi~ -- If this problem recurs for you, get Texture Bug Fix from here: http://simcity.ea.com/coolstuff/bat/index.php

Place the file (ModelNames.ms) in your GMAX/gamepacks/BAT/Scripts folder.

[anubis89 107]

I've got a small question: what way of mirroring objects in gmax does not mess up the textures?

[JLAAPRTM 12]

Aha! The perfect thread for my question!

When I was making a BAT, I saved it, and then shut off the computer. When I tried to open the BAT the next day, I opened the file but then it said it failed to open the file*. I tried again, and it still didn't open. I reopened it and it STILL didn't open! Then I noticed that it didn't have a "thumbnail picture". Is that why it isn't opening? I tried every other BAT file which had a thumbnail picture and it would open. I was wondering also if it took more than one day to create this thumbnail picture? Is there any way to get my favorite BAT and latest BAT open? Thank you so much!

*I might edit this to say exactly what it said later, because right now, I'm on a different computer.

[SimFox 802]

you can't open your file cause it has got corrupted (this normally happens on Save. This is also responsible for missing thumbnail. However all not necessarily lost. GMAX does automatically back up your working file (every 5 min by default) 3 times (after that oldest back up file is overwritten). If you haven't spend too much time in either new or other old files you should be able to retreat you LAST working file. It is located in ..GMAX\autobackup\ folder.

The reason for corrupt file are most probably faulty memory and weak redundancy of the GMAX files. So if your computer is new I would recommend burn test your memory with Prime95 one memory module at the time and replace (under warranty) every module that fails test within 12 hours.

[JLAAPRTM 12]

Thank you so much, SimFox!

[EMTechie 6]

Okay, so I have a BAT-ing problem that has had me pulling my hair out for the last four days (or would have been, if i had hair)...the problem is getting my lighting to work in the game. I have tried everything i found in the various threads here and have tried making my own lighting and using the maxis pre-set lighting...anything that I could think of. I have the latest updates and everything, and in the previews, the night views even show the lights...i am including the link to one of my multiple test buildings (this one set to use maxis lighting), with the gmax file and the exported files to go into the plugins folder...i have not put this one on a lot yet (or, not in a file on a lot), but now i want to know if anyone can look at what i have and find a way to get it to work? because it's driving me insane. please let me know if you can help me figure it out, or am I just a lost cause at BAT-ing?

EDIT*:  okay, so after working on it more last night and into today, i finally figgured out the lighting...thanks for anyone who may have taken a look and tried to figgure out what my problem was, i'm still not completely sure myself, but i've memorized how to do it right now

[jb2010 0]

Before I go installing BAT lots from the STEX, I thought I'd read the omnibus. It made reference to a buildings and vehicles props download, which was linked, but these links appear to have been removed. Do I still need these files, and where can I get them?

Thanks