How do I correct this?

[cogeo]

Yes, there are benefits in using the planar model (in comparison to a BAT model):
- BAT rendering, with all its known problems (blurring, pixelation, loss of detail, colour shift etc) is not involved in the process (all your work is basically texturing). As a result, the final quality is superior. You can see amazing details, without having to make it HD.
- You don't need to wait for exporting, and manipulate your texture, wondering what BAT will finally export, instead you see the result of your texture adjustments immmediately.

And it's not really hard to implement it, what you have to do is make a prop referencing a 1-Z/R model. Check my SC4 Automata as Props tutorial, it's about automata, but actually can be applied to any 1-Z/R model. Making a texture and partitioning it to 128x128-px-large tiles looks much more labourious to me.

The reason why the (exported) posts are different width is because of "flaws" of the exporting algorithm. The BAT objects, although identical, are projected on the LODshell (and its textures). The projected object may not fall exactly on the pixels' boundary, it may be half between, and then the algorithm has to "decide" whether to render a pixel or not, so differnces of +/-1 pixel may occur, even if the objects are identical. Moving an object a few cm can cause the algorithm to include or exclude a pixel.

But instead, it may be caused by your system. Make a short test: plop more instances of your lot, say five. If the posts look different in some lots, then it's the game's rendering actually (models are projected on the 2D screen), and of course nothing can be done for this, except maybe running the game in high(er) resolution.

[Diggis]

Why not just make them lot textures?

[thingfishs]

Why not just make them lot textures?

What's the difference between lot textures and what cogeo's referring to here?

Making a texture and partitioning it to 128x128-px-large tiles looks much more labourious to me.

[Orange_o_]

I does not understand where is your problem. You just have to create textures with a software like Photoshop and after integrate them with SC4Tool.

I think that Cogeo, wanted to create S3d?

[cogeo]

Basically I suggested using a very simple planar model (S3D), with only 4 vertices (the four corners). This can easily be resized in the reader, or moved in LE (just like all other props). It's just like a panel carrying the field texture.

The alternative method (making a set of overlay textures) requires positioning of the texure in advance (before partitioning it) as in LE these can only be moved in multiples of 16m (whole tiles). And of course it must be scaled to the correct size (16m=128pix). So it is a procedure that must be carried-out very carefully. But you could use this one too, if you find it easier (imho it's not).

[Orange_o_]

It is rather simple to create a precise overlay. Look how I work.

[callagrafx]

If you go that route, you MUST get your own texture ID range by requesting one here:
http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2101.220

This then needs to be used with SC4Tool to make game overlay textures

[mattb325]

Just to throw my two cents in....

The others have the texture argument with the oval spot on; with the goal posts I can offer two suggestions which have worked for me in the past with skinny little things....

1) I assume you have made your posts from the cylinder option? Try making a box instead and add more vertices when converting to an editable mesh: then, pull in the corners to slightly simulate the roundness of the cylinder, experiment with chamfering the corners, and about half way up the post start uniformly scaling the vertices to achieve a more tapered top. Secondly, make sure your texture is very clean - in fact I would probably avoid a uvw map and just use one of the colour selections available.

2) Make an alpha map (which is incredibly easy as it will be a single white line) and then make four seperate skinny little post splines/meshes/shapes. Attach your alpha and texture to each of the sides (usually phong/double sided) and it should work. You may need to make a small top to avoid the cutaway look that alpha maps can bring.