mesh_plugin_demo.zip ~ 5mb

(the demo has a 777 polygon limitation and displays a demo message at each function call. if you would like to have an unlimited version you can write me a pm or email.)

this plugin makes it possible to use two uv-sets on your models. since the mdl7 format doesn't support two uv-sets, you will need two versions of your model. one with the first uv-set and one with the second uv-set. with the ent_loadseconduvset() function you can load the uvs of the second model into the second uv-set of the first model.

* the two models must have the same triangle count
* the vertices must be at the same positions
* the triangles must have the same vertex order
(these points usually are the case if you export them from the same application)
* the plugin requires engine version 6.6 or higher
* you can't use vec_for_mesh/vec_to_mesh anymore with a replaced mesh

the most common use of two uv-sets is light mapping. the example models and the script examples show how to use a baked light map on your models.

Code:

---

	you = ent_create("landscape.mdl", nullvector, 0); // load model with texture uv-set
	you.material = mtl_lightmap; // assign light map material
	
	tempentity = ent_create("landscape_lm.mdl", nullvector, 0); // load model with light map uv-set
	ent_loadseconduvset(you, tempentity); // generate and assign a new mesh with both uv-sets
	ent_remove(tempentity); // tempentity isn't needed anymore

---

Thanks Ventilator, I use a lot of terrain/model terrains at the moment so will apply this later when I need to.

You are actually a sort of pioneer, a pioneer of shadowmapping in 3DGS.

Thank you for that effort!

would you happen to have a compiled exe to share?

thanks!

you could create an exe yourself for the demo. you just would need 6.6 from here. or do you not want to install 6.6 yet?

...i hate it that you can't edit your posts on this forum!

here is a version with exe: mesh_plugin_demo.exe ~5mb

keep in mind that it just is a quickly done test model which isn't that great. at some areas (especially the concrete borders of the road) the light map resolution is too low.

i have enabled f11. it's one 20000 polygon model. for performance it probably would be better to split it into < 5000 polygon models. with alt-enter and f5 you can try out fullscreen mode and different resolutions...

Thanks! Yes, I dont want to upgrade just yet, things always tend to break between versions...Im using a bunch of addons, sphere, intenseX...

Pardon me for my newbiness,but why cant we bake the shadows in the skin directly
and thus use a single skin ?
I mean what is the advantage of this plugin ?
Thanks.
zazang

you can but then you cannot have multiple uv maps (e.g. one huge skin for the shadows while other textures repeat and maintain their resolution)

So you can have a 128x128 pixel grass texture repeating, so it always looks 128x128. but then a single big image on top of that for shadows. This tool is mostly important for putting shadow maps on mdl entities without the huge memory hit that u get from baking your shadows directly onto huge textures