Differences

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--- en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:storm3d_tool [2025-03-22-21-22] – [Mesh Mode] 7saturn
+++ en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:storm3d_tool [2025-03-22-21-32] (current) – [Mesh Mode] 7saturn
@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 When having selected a node that ties to a mesh group, pressing <key>F7</key> switches to mesh mode, selecting the mesh that is tied to that node.
-=== Mesh Mode ===
-Mesh mode is used to manipulate model vertices and thereby also faces made up by them. In this mode the <key>PG Up</key> and <key>PG Down</key> keys do not select an object or nodes but the different groups of the model, also making up the LODs of it. Mesh mode is activated by pressing <key>F2</key> and then <key>m</key>. When working with it, it is recommended that you work on LOD 2 first, and later align the other LODs to fit the LOD2.
-{{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:storm3d_tool_vertex_selector.png?nolink|}}Once active, the mouse pointer will be surrounded by a cyan circle-like indicator. This indicator represents how big the selector is. Keys <key>F5</key> and <key>F6</key> change the size of the mouse pointer circle. When hovering it over vertices of the currently selected group, they get high lighted by smaller cyan circle-like indicators. When shift-clicking on the vertices, they turn purple. This indicates, that the vertex is selected for manipulation. When shift-right-clicking on selected vertices they get de-selected. Manipulation can then be achieved by either right-clicking and dragging the mouse pointer (translate the selected vertices in-plain) or middle-clicking and dragging the mouse pointer to translate the selected vertices perpendicular to the viewing plain.
-As vertices have no direction, the left-clicking and dragging of the mouse pointer is free for other uses. It turns the model.
 In node mode the following information is displayed:
@@ Line 94: / Line 88: @@
     * The hierarchy below but not including including the currently selected node.
   * Bottom left you find the current mode: //NODE//.
+=== Mesh Mode ===
+Mesh mode is used to manipulate model vertices and thereby also faces made up by them. In this mode the <key>PG Up</key> and <key>PG Down</key> keys do not select an object or nodes but the different groups of the model, also making up the LODs of it. Mesh mode is activated by pressing <key>F2</key> and then <key>m</key>. When working with it, it is recommended that you work on LOD 2 first, and later align the other LODs to fit the LOD2.
+{{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:storm3d_tool_vertex_selector.png?nolink|}}Once active, the mouse pointer will be surrounded by a cyan circle-like indicator. This indicator represents how big the selector is. Keys <key>F5</key> and <key>F6</key> change the size of the mouse pointer circle. When hovering it over vertices of the currently selected group, they get high lighted by smaller cyan circle-like indicators. When shift-clicking on the vertices, they turn purple. This indicates, that the vertex is selected for manipulation. When shift-right-clicking on selected vertices they get de-selected. Manipulation can then be achieved by either right-clicking and dragging the mouse pointer (translate the selected vertices in-plain) or middle-clicking and dragging the mouse pointer to translate the selected vertices perpendicular to the viewing plain.
+As vertices have no direction, the left-clicking and dragging of the mouse pointer is free for other uses. It turns the model.
+In node mode the following information is displayed:
+{{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:storm3d_tool_mesh_mode.png?nolink&600 |}}
+  * Top left you will find the file name of the currently selected object.
+  * Next to the file name you will find the objects radius (parenthesis).
+  * Next to that the number of currently loaded objects is displayed. Light sources do count as well.
+  * Below the file name you find the LOD mode. Initially this is //AUTO//, as it is selected derived from viewer distance and size of the object. But when altering the selected LOD with keys <key>+</key> and <key>-</key>, this will turn into //LOD 1// to //LOD **n**//.
+  * Top right you will find the frame rate.
+  * Below the LOD info you will see the //MESH INFO//. It consists of:
+    * The name of the currently selected mesh. An object consists of at least one, but usually multiple meshes.
+    * The hierarchy below but not including including the currently selected mesh's node.
+    * The number of vertices of the currently selected mesh.
+    * The number of faces made up by those vertices.
+  * Bottom left you find the current mode: //MESH/VERTEX//.
 ===== Tricks =====
 ==== Removing the Starting Logo ====
@@ Line 102: / Line 118: @@
 In certain situations it is preferable to not have the starfield background be present, but a black background. However, you cannot select this starfield background, as you can with the initially displayed //Star Trek: Armada// logo. So you cannot remove it. It is essentially fixed placed in //Storm3D Tool//. But you **can** place a black background, as there is one provided by //Star Trek: Armada// itself. Simply load file //SOD\MbgBlack.SOD// and place it with <key>SPACE</key>. This is particularly useful when creating [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:Wire Frames]] or [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:buttons#creating_a_button_image|button images]].
 ===== Known Problems =====
+==== Window Too Big =====
 As the tool is rather old, it has certain problems on modern systems. Specifically screen resolutions with more than 3071 pixels can lead to problems when going to full screen mode (<key>ALT</key> + <key>ENTER</key>) or when enlarging the window beyond that pixel number. (It does not matter if that is in x- or y-direction, both are affected.) Reason for that is a bug in the used Direct3D 7 framework, which crashes upon exceeding 3071 pixels in any direction. You can enlarge the window for more convenience. (Specifically the fonts are enlarged and will therefore be readable a lot better.) But when doing so, make sure you don't create a window that is too big.
+On very old systems you may also have a problem with running out of video RAM. Below 8 MB of video RAM the tool may give you a hard time starting in any higher resolution than 640x480 or 800x600 pixels with 16 bit color depth. Recommendation is to not work on such an antiquated machine.
+==== Desktop Color Depth Wrong ====
+Depending on the situation, having set a color depth of 24 or 32 bits can prevent the tool from starting. Try 16 or 32 bit color depth settings instead, when using 24 bits. If working with a Voodoo3 based graphics card, set it to 16 bits.
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