Import/Export Paradox mesh tool

[Footloose]

In addition I have a little problem in the look of some buildings.
Some of them are shown correctly (I just put an sds modifier on the factory so it looks weird) but
some are just black and look likejust the edges where rendered...

Any ideas?

I want to make a check how many polygons can be used in a game while keeping a good performance as I feel
that the 3d models of paradox are too low-poly compared with what should be possible.

Anyway I just have a FPS drop of ~10 FPS with those buildings with 68k geometry count (the normal ones have ~300.
Also I researched and build (via console)both trees of industry capacity and build germany full of industry.

So with a bit less geometry count and a normal amount of buildings it should be possible. But what
are those black buildings? I just changed one file and they appear no matter if I build civilian or military facilities...

 

[Chernould]

So sorry about not elaborating. I can't figure out how to actually use the addon. I have installed the blender script and I have no idea how to use the actual addon. I can't see the "toolbar" and have no idea how to open the tool in order to import models. I use Blender 2.8 if that means anything.

 

[Tdecat]

How do I export animation? The option is grey for me.

 

[ross-g]

So sorry about not elaborating. I can't figure out how to actually use the addon. I have installed the blender script and I have no idea how to use the actual addon. I can't see the "toolbar" and have no idea how to open the tool in order to import models. I use Blender 2.8 if that means anything.

There's a wiki link in my signature that might help. "Sidebar" in Blender is what you probably want, "N" shortcut from the 3D view pops out a panel on the right hand side.

How do I export animation? The option is grey for me.

You probably have an old version of the tool, my fault for not keeping the OP updated as it had an old download attached.
I've updated the first post of this thread, or you can find the latest download link in my forum signature.

 

[Chernould]

Thanks for the help! Final question, how do I find and import textures onto the models? This is for Stellaris workshop addon shipsets if that helps.

 

[Mark von Trient]

What do I need to do if I want to just scale down a vanilla model? Very basic stuff, I'm an absolute beginner, but I guess someone who knows what he's doing could do this in 30 seconds. I know how to scale it down, I did it in Blender, but then I export it, put it into the mod folder, and the model doesn't show up in game anymore, and all I did was scaling down an already existing model, I kept the original name so that I don't screw the references, but still, it doesn't work. Is there anything else I need to do besides scaling down the mesh?

 

[Jffko]

Everything was ok until this day. How to fix it and why i have that error?

Edit: This error just disappeared and mesh exported , some magic isn't it? But anyway , someone can explain me why i getting this message for around few hours , what could be wrong?

 

[ross-g]

Thanks for the help! Final question, how do I find and import textures onto the models? This is for Stellaris workshop addon shipsets if that helps.

If you're importing models that come with the game then it should find and import textures at the same time. If you're making your own models then you need to make your own textures, create a material and assign the textures to it.

What do I need to do if I want to just scale down a vanilla model? Very basic stuff, I'm an absolute beginner, but I guess someone who knows what he's doing could do this in 30 seconds. I know how to scale it down, I did it in Blender, but then I export it, put it into the mod folder, and the model doesn't show up in game anymore, and all I did was scaling down an already existing model, I kept the original name so that I don't screw the references, but still, it doesn't work. Is there anything else I need to do besides scaling down the mesh?

If your end goal is just to scale things down then there are easier ways to do that without using a modelling program. But if you want to work up to making mesh changes then you need to figure out how to create the mod file structure etc correctly so that it adds to or overrides the vanilla content. There are some basic guides on the Paradox wikis but it sounds like you're nearly there, you will at least need to create a .mod file to get it to load the folder though.

Modding - Stellaris Wiki

stellaris.paradoxwikis.com

Modding - Hearts of Iron 4 Wiki

hoi4.paradoxwikis.com

Everything was ok until this day. How to fix it and why i have that error?

You're using a version of Blender that is newer than the version the tool supports. (this should at least be a warning about this) The error looks like it's to do with if you have something selected or not.

 

[Mark von Trient]

If you're importing models that come with the game then it should find and import textures at the same time. If you're making your own models then you need to make your own textures, create a material and assign the textures to it.


If your end goal is just to scale things down then there are easier ways to do that without using a modelling program. But if you want to work up to making mesh changes then you need to figure out how to create the mod file structure etc correctly so that it adds to or overrides the vanilla content. There are some basic guides on the Paradox wikis but it sounds like you're nearly there, you will at least need to create a .mod file to get it to load the folder though.

Modding - Stellaris Wiki

stellaris.paradoxwikis.com

Modding - Hearts of Iron 4 Wiki

hoi4.paradoxwikis.com

I already looked at the Wiki, I'm working on CK3 so I followed this guide

3D models - CK3 Wiki

ck3.paradoxwikis.com

I know how to create the file structure for most stuff, and I had already worked on a CK2 total conversion mod (map changes, characters, laws etc etc) but I've never worked on 3d models

I'm a complete amateur, so I don't know how to manage the mesh, textures etc and how they interact with one another, which may be the problem. I assumed that by wanting to change the shape/mesh of an object I just have to move a bunch of vertices, but in blender itself I've also seen links to the texture files, basically I don't know what that stuff in "Shading" is, all those rectangles linked to one another, so I'm not sure whether those ones are creating the problem. I assumed that by not touching them everything would have been fine

Inside the folder of the tree models there are

• diffuse, properties, normal and tint dds files
• the .mesh files for each tree model
• .asset files for each tree model, which contain the names and references to the other files (shaders, meshes, dds, ...)

I tried to make sure those references were still good, by keeping the same names for the files, but it doesn't work. I also tried to take the mesh of a different tree and save it as the mesh for the tree I want to change, and the models just don't show up in game, which may be due to the fact that the new mesh I used is still linked to different textures, while the textures in the .asset file are still the original ones. That's one thing I didn't understand, having references to the textures both in the .asset file and in the "Shading" tab in Blender seems redundant

If I just wanted to move a bunch of vertices, or scale an object, or do both, is there any way for me to know what I have to do exactly (besides moving the vertices/scaling the object)? I don't want to do anything fancy as I said

 

[aldelur]

Hi ross, thanks for the addon.

I have zero experience with blender and this is my first time fiddling with it.

I have been trying to add vertices to CK3's vanilla clothings.

I am able to load the mesh, scale the meshes and export them successfully.

However when i try to add more vertices by subdividing a small section of the vertices of the mesh, i am no longer able to export the mesh and the error msg below pops up

I did a trial run by subdividing vertices on the cube that loads up when you open blender and then trying to export it and the same issue happens again.

Could you please let me know what i am doing wrong? Does it have something to do with UV mapping or something?

Thanks

 

[ross-g]

If I just wanted to move a bunch of vertices, or scale an object, or do both, is there any way for me to know what I have to do exactly (besides moving the vertices/scaling the object)? I don't want to do anything fancy as I said

Aside from changing the mesh you see in Blender and then exporting there are no other steps for making pure mesh changes. The "Shading" network setup in Blender is just for preview purposes but it is required as this data does export texture assignments into the .mesh file. The .asset file then overrides those assignments. If you copied a different type of tree and renamed it to overwrite a particular tree .mesh file in your mod folders, but it didn't make any changes to the game then it sounds like your mod is not loading correctly. Not sure I can help you with that!

You could also try swapping the textures around, so just copy the normal texture and rename it to diffuse. That should produce a very obvious visible change in game if your mod is loading.

However when i try to add more vertices by subdividing a small section of the vertices of the mesh, i am no longer able to export the mesh and the error msg below pops up
View attachment 639343

Hi, unfortunately that error screenshot doesn't really show much.
To really check errors in Blender you will need to locate the "System Console" and "Info" panel.

• Main menu > Window > Toggle System Console.
  This will open another window that reports errors, just select all and copy.
• From a Blender panel, click the icon in the header bar and change the Editor Type to "Info"
  Then just select all and copy from this window.
  
  

 

[Russ]

Hi ross-g - fantastic exporter you have built! I have recently started dabbling with 3d from a coding background, so this might be a silly question. I've managed to export a mesh into Stellaris, by creating and assigning a pdx material to it.
However the mesh I need to create requires multiple materials (or at least multiple meshes I can assign textures to in the gfx file. However if I attempt to assign and export multiple it throws back an error.
Am I doing something wrong?

 

[ross-g]

@Russ - Thankyou for the compliments! If you could let me know what sort of error you are getting back that would be helpful (I assume you mean an error from either the exporter or the 3d application, not the game?)

Also, if you mention which 3d application you're using then I can give some short instructions on how to setup multiple materials on a single mesh object.

Cheers

 

[Russ]

@Russ - Thankyou for the compliments! If you could let me know what sort of error you are getting back that would be helpful (I assume you mean an error from either the exporter or the 3d application, not the game?)

Also, if you mention which 3d application you're using then I can give some short instructions on how to setup multiple materials on a single mesh object.

Cheers

Thanks @ross-g - I think I have figured it out, by adding the same pdx material in blender to each "section" and then using the exporter. I do find that sometimes it will throw an error, but still export quite happily. It really is a fantastic bit of coding and creation!!

I do have one issue remaining, which could well just be a rookie Blender mistake (I come from a coding background and 3d is a whole new world!!) but when I export my model and then assign a texture via the gfx file, I cannot for the life of me get it to scale and fit onto the model in the same way as it does in blender. lol this is probably a newbie mistake & in complete fairness doesn't relate to the awesome exporter in any shape or form!

 

[Pentasas09]

Hi i have a big problem . when exporting or saving this error!

 

[Sid Meier]

Do you have normals?

 

[ross-g]

I do have one issue remaining, which could well just be a rookie Blender mistake (I come from a coding background and 3d is a whole new world!!) but when I export my model and then assign a texture via the gfx file, I cannot for the life of me get it to scale and fit onto the model in the same way as it does in blender.

Missed this question last time around sorry, you need to look into some tutorials on UV mapping in Blender. This is what controls how a 2D texture is mapped onto the model surface.

Hi i have a big problem . when exporting or saving this error!

What version of Maya are you using? If it's 2020 or newer then you'll have to downgrade or wait for a fix, as I don't have that version available to me.
The same bug is already known here https://github.com/ross-g/io_pdx_mesh/issues/31

 

[Pentasas09]

Hi My problem was solved, I set up Blender and it worked, but I was only able to convert the game's own models, but when I want to get a outgoing new model, I'm faced with this rover

.

 

[ross-g]

You need to create materials using the tool in order to select which game shader they should use. Anything with once of those materials applied to it will export.

So you can't use regular Blender or Cycles materials that you made yourself. Create a material with the tool and then edit it, instead of creating with the Blender UI.

 

[Pentasas09]

Hi
I want to add a new unit to a faction in hoi4 I'm learning to add a new model but only have problems with asset and gfx editing How do I do this?