[0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

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King of Worms
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[0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by King of Worms »

I decided to move this to "Help & Support" from "Modder support" because Ive realized this is a actual bug of the system which is supposed to work and not a request for a new feature. I also plan to report all other issues I find with XML system here, to keep it all at one place & easy to navigate. When working with XML, I go according these guidelines: https://www.dfworkshop.net/projects/dag ... #ui-images

REPORTs:
1) XML files used to alter the nature sprites size are not working
Here is the XML file + modded sprite from the swamp biome. The sprite is easy to find ingame, its big and red.
You can see the XML is set to 100x the size, but the sprite dimensions stay the same
Swamps.rar
(135.14 KiB) Downloaded 117 times
2) XML files for interior static NPCs do "work" but if you increase the sprite size, the sprites get buried to the ground.
Expected result would be that the sprite stays leveled to the ground after size change.
XML Size.jpg
XML Size.jpg (225.38 KiB) Viewed 2187 times
3) Ive created a HD DREAM version of the HUD for the Hazelnuts "Travel options" mod. We placed the HD files in streaming assets, they loaded ok but took the whole screen :) That would be manageable thru XML files in a same manner it should work for standard HUD files, but in this case, the XML files do nothing.

Posts in the Travel options mod: http://forums.dfworkshop.net/viewtopic. ... f&start=80
Example of file which I cant properly replace:
TOcontrolUI.png
TOcontrolUI.png (310.49 KiB) Viewed 2077 times
Last edited by King of Worms on Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:39 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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Interkarma
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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Interkarma »

I'll move this one to bug reports for some attention later.

The wilderness terrain foliage works on a different system (heavily batched GPU shader) compared to when the same flats are used in towns (individual billboards). It should be possible to observe the XML scale for both sets, but will need to look at the related systems again to refresh.

Don't know what's up with the resized NPC not being placed properly. I'm sure that can be fixed. :)

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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by King of Worms »

Thanks a lot, much appreciated ๐Ÿ˜Š

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Daniel87
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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Daniel87 »

+1, Thank you! :)
In Julianos we Trust.

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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Daniel87 »

Digging up corpses here, but it would come in really really handy for additional variety, if there was a way to rescale nature billboard flats somehow.
Is there any news on this front?
In Julianos we Trust.

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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by King of Worms »

This is unfortunately dead for a very long time, I asked for this long time before I created this thread as well.
Not blaming anyone here, just saying. The XML files are more of a modding territory, and that used to be Lacus domain. This is not high on priority list :cry:

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Interkarma
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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Interkarma »

Hey guys. :) Yep, nobody has picked this one up yet. The whole bug reports queue is basically on the backburner while I work through Localization system and try to stay above water with the PRs coming in. I'm not getting as much help with items here as I used to at the peak of things.

I've taken a look at scaling wilderness sprites using XML. Here's a quick feasibility update:
  1. These foliage billboards are generated by DaggerfallBillboardBatch.cs. Their origin, translation, and scale are all controlled through static vertices assembled into a vertex buffer and assigned to a mesh.
  2. Preloading/caching the XML data will go a long way to ensuring speed is consistent and won't add much extra overhead.
  3. When billboard position and scale is allocated in DaggerfallBillboardBatch.CreateMesh() then XML scale can be applied to default scale.
  4. Some extra work might be required elsewhere to ensure billboards remain properly aligned with ground and don't float or sink like our blacksmith friend up there.
Other than the extra work reading files and caching scale data, the billboard batch system can support this without impacting runtime performance. The developer time required is primarily 1) read XML files and cache data, 2) apply scale values when creating batch mesh, 3) ensure billboards remain properly oriented to ground.

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Daniel87
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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Daniel87 »

Interkarma wrote: โ†‘Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:47 am Hey guys. :) Yep, nobody has picked this one up yet. The whole bug reports queue is basically on the backburner while I work through Localization system and try to stay above water with the PRs coming in. I'm not getting as much help with items here as I used to at the peak of things.

I've taken a look at scaling wilderness sprites using XML. Here's a quick feasibility update:
  1. These foliage billboards are generated by DaggerfallBillboardBatch.cs. Their origin, translation, and scale are all controlled through static vertices assembled into a vertex buffer and assigned to a mesh.
  2. Preloading/caching the XML data will go a long way to ensuring speed is consistent and won't add much extra overhead.
  3. When billboard position and scale is allocated in DaggerfallBillboardBatch.CreateMesh() then XML scale can be applied to default scale.
  4. Some extra work might be required elsewhere to ensure billboards remain properly aligned with ground and don't float or sink like our blacksmith friend up there.
Other than the extra work reading files and caching scale data, the billboard batch system can support this without impacting runtime performance. The developer time required is primarily 1) read XML files and cache data, 2) apply scale values when creating batch mesh, 3) ensure billboards remain properly oriented to ground.
Just a quick question, as I didn't touch the subject of XMLs in DFU yet. Where can I find the XML files governing the meta data of nature flats and can they be modded?
As far as I understand, DaggerfallBillboardBatch is not really moddable right now, is it? Otherwise maybe I could write an overload for CreateMesh() that takes a float for a custom scale.
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Interkarma
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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Interkarma »

XML files are provided separately by modder. This page covers how it works under Billboards. KoW provides a sample texture and XML file in first post.

https://www.dfworkshop.net/projects/dag ... billboards

The limitation KoW raises is that billboard batch doesn't follow this data, which is because nobody has made it do so yet. My reply outlines the changes required for this and it to remain performant. Then this XML data would work consistently in location foliage and batched wilderness areas.

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Re: [0.10.27] - (MOD - BUG) XML files for nature sprites do not work + other XML issues reports

Post by Daniel87 »

Interkarma wrote: โ†‘Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:38 am XML files are provided separately by modder. This page covers how it works under Billboards. KoW provides a sample texture and XML file in first post.

https://www.dfworkshop.net/projects/dag ... billboards

The limitation KoW raises is that billboard batch doesn't follow this data, which is because nobody has made it do so yet. My reply outlines the changes required for this and it to remain performant. Then this XML data would work consistently in location foliage and batched wilderness areas.
Ok, I think for now rescaling the Nature Billboards has one of the lowest priorities, I can later on still add a scale randomization feature, once it's working.
Will focus on the tile texturing for now and stop bothering you here about the feature. Thank you so much for your patience!
In Julianos we Trust.

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