Noob question - Meshes

[Ydoow]

I got into modeling a while ago for KSP, just to learn using Blender.

Any models I make freeze up the loading screen though, I\'m guessing because of Mesh files.

I just don\'t know how to make a mesh or mesh file, I don\'t know where to look to find out how.

I can export the model to a .DAE file, but there\'s a subfolder labeled 'mesh'

I just don\'t understand what is going in there, or how to make meshes that belong in there.

Any advice would be lovely.

[NovaSilisko]

Don\'t put anything in the mesh folder. That\'s where the game puts it\'s compiled model files to speed up loading.

[Ydoow]

Oh well that\'s easy

So then, just the .DAE file, and a .cfg file pointing the game towards the .DAE and the part values etc etc?

Edit: Hmm. There must be something more, because it keeps freezing when loading my part. I do have a texture file/folder. I just copied it from another part and left it as is. Looks aren\'t a concern yet

Edit: It loads in the KSP Part Lab though, so...I dunno what that means :l It does take a little while though and doesn\'t show the Author or description.

Last thing it says is

'Loading tangets... 3792 tangents expected

Null reference exception: Object not set to an instance of an object'

But I see that error is common to most other parts

Edit: So I\'m thinking that 'tangents expected' thing is just when the new model doesn\'t scale/match with the cached model in the 'mesh' folder.

I still can\'t get this to work though. Not even using unedited .cfg\'s and .DAEs from other parts.

I really have no idea what\'s going on :l

I already followed the .cfg documentation. I just don\'t know what the error is

[Tiberion]

Here\'s a checklist for exporting a mesh:

A separate object file to serve as a collider for physics, it must be named 'node_collider' - there is also a max number of polygons for it, I think its 255, but I could be misremembering.

The origin of the collider must be within its mesh, and not within 0.1m of a surface or it may randomly explode.

Both the collider and main part objects must have a material assigned to them.

If you\'re still having trouble, zip up the part folder and attach it so we can take a peek.

[Ydoow]

Hm okay. I wasn\'t aware of that.

Don\'t know aaanything about node colliders, so is there anywhere I can look to learn?

Also why don\'t I see it in any other part folder? Or is it built into the .DAE file

[Tiberion]

Yeah all objects on a single part are contained within one DAE file. Most parts are only made up of 2 objects: the main mesh object and the collider, others like gimballing engines, winglets, parachutes, etc have multiple objects related to the mesh/model in addition to the collider.

In blender you hit tab to swap between Edit mode and Object mode, in object mode you can click 'add' or 'import' to add a 2nd object (or select your current object and hit Duplicate object) - they\'ll have different names (which you change via the yellow 'cube' submenu on the right side)

When you add or import something in EDIT mode, it only adds a mesh to the object you have selected.

This thread has a tutorial and a really swell video to get you started: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=4032.0

[Ydoow]

Thank you very much

[Ydoow]

Phew, okay I got a box into the Part Loader working

I\'m a little lost on the purpose of 'UV Mapping' though. I thought this would be exported to serve as a template for texturing or something, but the video made no mention of that

[Tiberion]

Well yes, that\'s pretty much the idea, you\'re mapping the faces to a 2d image, so that anything that uses the DAE file can apply such an image containing textures. There are other ways to texture, but they are more advanced.

He didn\'t mention how to export the UV map template, though. Its in the UVs menu on the bottom-most bar during edit mode (same place he told you to turn on Constrain Image Bounds) - 'Export UV Layout' - its a PNG file which can be painted on quite easily.

[Ydoow]

Well yes, that\'s pretty much the idea, you\'re mapping the faces to a 2d image, so that anything that uses the DAE file can apply such an image containing textures. There are other ways to texture, but they are more advanced.

He didn\'t mention how to export the UV map template, though. Its in the UVs menu on the bottom-most bar during edit mode (same place he told you to turn on Constrain Image Bounds) - 'Export UV Layout' - its a PNG file which can be painted on quite easily.

Ah thank you, I found that very easily

Now to make something worthwhile haha

Thanks for all your help