More than 8 modular building textures not working consistently

[Macisle]

Hi, all. I'm trying to put together a texture pack for my CMRT map project and am having trouble attempting to use more than 8 textures for modular buildings.  Does anybody have any ideas or info that might help? Here is my experience so far:

• If I have my usual full Z folder contents (uses Kieme's) installed as a complete group , more than 8 textures work.
• If I isolate the exact same modular building textures and install them in a clean Z, the Engine stops at 8 and won't see past that.
• Tagging doesn't help.
• Duplicating the stock texture set and renumbering (to 16 in this case) doesn't work.
• Adding some textures numbered past 8 from a Kieme mod for CMBS does work if I don't alter the file numbers/names. But, if I tag the same file names, they no longer work.

My understanding is that there is theoretically no limit on the number of textures allowed and I'd really like to have at least 16 for the modular buildings (I don't notice a performance difference between 16 Kiemes vs. 8 stock).

Anyway, any help on this would be great.

[benpark]

I have around 16 right now due to testing various versions, so no worries there. I recall having around 20 at one point, so I don't believe there is a game-engine limit that I am aware of. Given my (and your) propensity to test things to their breaking point, I think we are OK there.

I'd double check that all necessary textures are there- most of my bugs in this area are human error (mine!). I keep a folder open with a stock texture, and just open each individual mod folder (I keep them separate during testing to catch errors), then cross-check your mod folders.

Generally, when I'm testing something that has multiple iterations of textures involving buildings and something isn't working, I've forgotten a single texture. That then can cascade into not seeing the others if it is a low number addition.

[Macisle]

33 minutes ago, benpark said:

I have around 16 right now due to testing various versions, so no worries there. I recall having around 20 at one point, so I don't believe there is a game-engine limit that I am aware of. Given my (and your) propensity to test things to their breaking point, I think we are OK there.

I'd double check that all necessary textures are there- most of my bugs in this area are human error (mine!). I keep a folder open with a stock texture, and just open each individual mod folder (I keep them separate during testing to catch errors), then cross-check your mod folders.

Generally, when I'm testing something that has multiple iterations of textures involving buildings and something isn't working, I've forgotten a single texture. That then can cascade into not seeing the others if it is a low number addition.

Thanks for the reply, Ben. That's good to hear on no engine limit on the number of textures. That was my understanding and I've been using 16 Kieme textures in my personal Z forever.

I still can't get things to work, though. Like I said, if I install my full personal Z, the 16 Kieme/custom textures work. If I remove the entire Z and only install the same 16 textures, they don't work beyond 8. Even if I do a fresh download of Kiemes and install them into a clean Z, I can't get them to work beyond 8. Nor does adding fresh-from-rezexplode renumbered stock textures to a clean Z. The only luck I've had getting beyond 8 textures with anything but my full personal Z is a few Kieme textures from CMBS. Those will work as long as I don't tag them. If I tag them, they stop working.

It's very frustrating and has thrown me into a burn out break for a number of weeks. I have to get it sorted because the only way to make the player see the map correctly is with tagged custom textures. Testing shows that building the map to use the eight stock textures will create a texture vomit if the player is using mods. And, without a tagged texture pack, players using stock or non-targeted mods will also get a texture vomit as well. By that, I mean modular building sections will not have uniform matching textures. So, I need a custom pack and really want it to have at least 16 textures (Kiemes as base, with some custom additions).

I'm wondering if it might be time to try uninstalling and reinstalling the game. I haven't tried that yet. -Just about everything else, but not that.

[benpark]

Don't uninstall- I bet it is some oddity that is fixable.

Try doing a modular building number 9, then walk the numbers up- even renaming the same files to be certain.

I'm not near my install right now, but check that you have all the doors and windows included, etc.

Process of elimination! Or "death by a thousand cuts"!

Edited November 26, 2018 by benpark

[MikeyD]

Numbered modular building versions need EVERYTHING in order to show up. You miss one item and the game will just ignore it.
That means you need the lower and upper windows and picture window, you need the roofs, you need the balcony, you need the interior, you need the door. Its been awhile since I touched CMRT, you may need both the peaked roof and flat roof version.

[A Canadian Cat]

Does the model quality setting make a difference here? Is it possible that settings less than Best quality do have limits on the number of textures loaded?

[Macisle]

9 hours ago, benpark said:

Don't uninstall- I bet it is some oddity that is fixable.

Try doing a modular building number 9, then walk the numbers up- even renaming the same files to be certain.

I'm not near my install right now, but check that you have all the doors and windows included, etc.

Process of elimination! Or "death by a thousand cuts"!

Thanks, Ben. I've tried that with both mod buildings and renamed stock buildings, but no joy. I even created a set of 16 building textures with numbered walls to test with. That is what is so infuriating. The same files stop working if not used with the full Z. However, at this point, I've done so many things that it is all a blur. Since I'm coming off of a morale reboot period away from the game, I'm inclined to start fresh.

8 hours ago, MikeyD said:

Numbered modular building versions need EVERYTHING in order to show up. You miss one item and the game will just ignore it.
That means you need the lower and upper windows and picture window, you need the roofs, you need the balcony, you need the interior, you need the door. Its been awhile since I touched CMRT, you may need both the peaked roof and flat roof version.

Yeah, I did some testing and thought I was onto something by adding some pieces from stock that seem to be missing in Kieme's, but still no joy. Like I said above in response to Ben, I need to restart testing from scratch using solid controls.

5 hours ago, IanL said:

Does the model quality setting make a difference here? Is it possible that settings less than Best quality do have limits on the number of textures loaded?

I haven't seen anything that would point in that direction. When my full personal Z is installed (buildings, vehicles, terrain, etc.), everything works fine. Otherwise, nothing I do can get me past 8 modular building textures, except for those few higher-numbered CMBS Kieme files (just added as a test), which stop working if I add tags to them. As I'm working, I usually flip the 3D model quality between Better, Improved and Balanced as needed (mostly stay on Improved). All other graphics settings are maxed. I've never seen the graphic settings noticeably affect what textures show up.

 

The logical thing would seem to be MikeyD's suggestion that the Engine isn't finding all the files it wants and is thus ignoring numbers beyond 8. That might explain how my full personal Z works. Perhaps it is finding something it needs in a place I'm not aware of. However, I've tried so many things and been through all the files pretty thoroughly. As mentioned, I've even used stock files in a clean Z and started added stock files beyond 8 with changed numbers from 9 on. That didn't work either.

I just had an idea for a new test, if anyone is up for it. If someone could test a group of more than 8 modular building textures in an otherwise clean Z at their end, confirm that they work, then dropbox them to me to test the same way on mine, that might tell us if we are looking at a problem with my install.

What do you think?

[benpark]

If you list the file names of building 9, I can try to take a look and cross-check them.

[benpark]

This what I have in a random working folder as far as files go.

If that doesn't work, Your setup may be technically different, etc. Lots of variables.

[MikeyD]

Another possible reason might be that your map is assigned to the wrong region. No tag means basic Russia region. If you inadvertently have the editor set to eastern Europe region it wouldn't show up.

[Macisle]

7 hours ago, MikeyD said:

Another possible reason might be that your map is assigned to the wrong region. No tag means basic Russia region. If you inadvertently have the editor set to eastern Europe region it wouldn't show up.

It's set on Soviet Union.

11 hours ago, benpark said:

This what I have in a random working folder as far as files go.

If that doesn't work, Your setup may be technically different, etc. Lots of variables.

Thanks for taking the time to post that graphic, Ben. None of these files are missing as far as I can see. Maybe it would be helpful for me to post a few graphics to show what's happening and what my files look like.

Here is a screenshot taken when my personal Z is loaded. That includes all the mods I use for CMRT when I play the game or work on the master map for my project. No files are tagged and more than 8 modular building textures work -- except number 9. IIRC, nothing in that slot has ever worked and way back when I had to renumber Kieme's 9 texture to something higher to get it working.

 

Now, here is what happens if I copy-paste exactly the same modular buidling files into an otherwise empty Z. Nothing works beyond 8, causing texture mismatches.

 

Here is a screen of the full list of modular building folders and a sample of the files in one of the folders. The sample is number 12. Like I said, if I have my full personal Z installed, 12 shows up. If I copy-paste only the building files, 12, along with everything past 8 disappears.

Tagged modular building files never work past 8. That includes both these mods and fresh rezexploded stock files renumbered above 8. Non-tagged fresh renumbered stock files past 8 will also not work. The only thing that always works is installing my full personal Z. But again, those same modular building texture files will not work past 8 in isolation in a clean Z. The only files that have worked that way are a few CMBS mod files from Kieme used as a test. And those stopped working when I tagged them.

Pretty weird, huh!

[benpark]

Oh- it's ALWAYS weird! And generally the weirdness comes from something I've done at 4am.

Do you have a building "9"? Because if you skip one, the game engine won't see the next hierarchical number. And I don't see a "9" in that folder.

Copy over another folder (with proven, working modded files), rename all the file numbers to "9", then load it. If that doesn't work, let me think of other possibilities.

Edited November 28, 2018 by benpark

[umlaut]

Hi
A few thoughts - that might or might not help:
Have you tried installing the Stalingrad mod set? Because I just checked the files - and we had 67 modular buildings in that set. So if you try to install that mod set and it works - then I guess the problem should be with the way you set the files up.

I remember that at first I myself had some problems getting more than the original number of modular buildings to work. Unfortunately, I cant remember exactly how I fixed it, but I think it had something to do with the original files not being a part of the modded folder. In other words, I think I began with the buildings 9 and upwards in the z folder - and it didn´t work. But I then added the first 8 buildings to the mod folder as well - and then buildings 9 and upwards loaded too. As I said, I am not sure - but I think it was something to that effect.
Unfortunately, I havent got the Stalingrad mods installed now - so I cant test it myself. But I hope this was helpful.

[benpark]

The fact there is no folder "9" in that screenshot really makes me suspect this is the issue- there must be a folder 9 with all requisite files for the next number to show up. The numbers must be consecutive, and each instance recorded. Unless the "9" files are nested somewhere else. In which case, spend a silent minute considering the inane world of file management.

[Macisle]

On 11/29/2018 at 5:59 AM, umlaut said:

Hi
A few thoughts - that might or might not help:
Have you tried installing the Stalingrad mod set? Because I just checked the files - and we had 67 modular buildings in that set. So if you try to install that mod set and it works - then I guess the problem should be with the way you set the files up.

I remember that at first I myself had some problems getting more than the original number of modular buildings to work. Unfortunately, I cant remember exactly how I fixed it, but I think it had something to do with the original files not being a part of the modded folder. In other words, I think I began with the buildings 9 and upwards in the z folder - and it didn´t work. But I then added the first 8 buildings to the mod folder as well - and then buildings 9 and upwards loaded too. As I said, I am not sure - but I think it was something to that effect.
Unfortunately, I havent got the Stalingrad mods installed now - so I cant test it myself. But I hope this was helpful.

I did try the Stalingrad mod way back when and to my knowledge, it worked. I always have buildings 1-8 present in the mod folder, so alas, that isn't a fix.

On 11/29/2018 at 10:12 AM, benpark said:

The fact there is no folder "9" in that screenshot really makes me suspect this is the issue- there must be a folder 9 with all requisite files for the next number to show up. The numbers must be consecutive, and each instance recorded. Unless the "9" files are nested somewhere else. In which case, spend a silent minute considering the inane world of file management.

Yeah, logic would point there, but I've tried things based on that in the past and no joy.

 I'm tied up until mid-week, but will retest the 8-9-10 transition and Stalingrad mod on my day off (Tues). I'm thinking of doing a fresh test with "clean" stock files 1-8 and then renumbered duplicate stock files for 9-10. That, plus a full test of the Stalingrad mod, followed by Stalingrad buildings 1-10 to see if there is a drop off after 8.

I'll report back in after that. In the meantime, if anybody wants to suggest a specific test, feel free to post your idea.

Thanks again, guys!

[Macisle]

Didn't have any free time until today and then only just enough to test some things. Here's what I found:

• Modular buildings in the Stalingrad mod seem to all work.
• Only using Stalingrad buildings 1-18 in isolation from the rest of the mod also works.
• Have tested before, but testing again, using stock buidlings 1-8 in a clean Z folder, with building 8 files duplicated and renumbered to 9 to make buildings 1-9 does not work past 8. Building 9 does not show up.
• Doing a clean game installation from v2/4 master download does not fix the problem.

So, the Stalingrad mod working would point to the issue being related to file structure, but the fact that stock files themselves don't work past 8 adds hassle, since they can't be used as a control.

I didn't have time to try tagging the Stalingrad files to see if that makes them stop working past 8. Will try that next, but I may not have time until next week. My game time is very limited these days.

[kohlenklau]

I need this bumped up...