Mesh and Anime Buffer files - how do they work in W3?
What I know about buffer files comes from here - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb147196(v=vs.85).aspx
However, what I'd like to know is:
- Why is it necessary to pack VANILLA buffer files for vanilla mesh mods? Let's say you edited mesh properties and removed LOD levels (aside from level 0 of course). Why include buffer files? The game already comes with buffer files for that mesh. Doesn't that mean that the game will simply load vanilla buffer files? It makes sense when custom meshes are used, but not if the game compensates by loading vanilla meshes...
- How do you cook those "CRC Corrupt" meshes, like the ones HalkHogan has in HDRP 4.8? You need to cook those meshes to get buffer files for them and he has those, which means he cooked them somehow, yet CRC Corruption prevents cooking/creating buffer for those files when they are uncooked and attempted to recook with W3Oven. The only way I can think of is that they were not CRC Corrupt originally, then they were cooked, buffer files were created, then they were simply unpacked, edited with W3 Edit and repacked, which does not check for any CRC corruption. That's how you can have vanilla meshes with non-0 LOD levels removed and also have buffers. Simply unpack, not uncook, edit properties, and repack.
- What are animation buffers? They are definitely unnecessary for completely custom animation mods like Animations of Rivia. Does it make sense to pack buffer files with EDITED animation files, like E3 Dodge System? Wouldn't buffer files differ for edited content? For all we know, they may be the reason W2ANIM animation mods are so problematic. I don't think there's one that uses such a file and does not have problems (often quite major ones). Only Animations of Rivia does not have animation-related issues in the game, but it causes crash-log generation upon exiting the game, although does not cause any crashes. Can buffer files be created/cooked somehow? Cooking W2ANIM files with W3Oven does not generate buffer files. I think it's a custom CDPR tool or 3rd party tool that they use that we aren't going to get...
P.S. Moderators told me its totally cool to make multiple threads as long as they are on different topic and not excessive. Don't care for being a "wall-poster" because if you get down to very important details, there is no way around it. There's no way to write a Mod Merger "Merge-It-All" guide for Newbies without a ton of steps, even though it's a relatively simple process.
What I know about buffer files comes from here - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb147196(v=vs.85).aspx
However, what I'd like to know is:
- Why is it necessary to pack VANILLA buffer files for vanilla mesh mods? Let's say you edited mesh properties and removed LOD levels (aside from level 0 of course). Why include buffer files? The game already comes with buffer files for that mesh. Doesn't that mean that the game will simply load vanilla buffer files? It makes sense when custom meshes are used, but not if the game compensates by loading vanilla meshes...
- How do you cook those "CRC Corrupt" meshes, like the ones HalkHogan has in HDRP 4.8? You need to cook those meshes to get buffer files for them and he has those, which means he cooked them somehow, yet CRC Corruption prevents cooking/creating buffer for those files when they are uncooked and attempted to recook with W3Oven. The only way I can think of is that they were not CRC Corrupt originally, then they were cooked, buffer files were created, then they were simply unpacked, edited with W3 Edit and repacked, which does not check for any CRC corruption. That's how you can have vanilla meshes with non-0 LOD levels removed and also have buffers. Simply unpack, not uncook, edit properties, and repack.
- What are animation buffers? They are definitely unnecessary for completely custom animation mods like Animations of Rivia. Does it make sense to pack buffer files with EDITED animation files, like E3 Dodge System? Wouldn't buffer files differ for edited content? For all we know, they may be the reason W2ANIM animation mods are so problematic. I don't think there's one that uses such a file and does not have problems (often quite major ones). Only Animations of Rivia does not have animation-related issues in the game, but it causes crash-log generation upon exiting the game, although does not cause any crashes. Can buffer files be created/cooked somehow? Cooking W2ANIM files with W3Oven does not generate buffer files. I think it's a custom CDPR tool or 3rd party tool that they use that we aren't going to get...
P.S. Moderators told me its totally cool to make multiple threads as long as they are on different topic and not excessive. Don't care for being a "wall-poster" because if you get down to very important details, there is no way around it. There's no way to write a Mod Merger "Merge-It-All" guide for Newbies without a ton of steps, even though it's a relatively simple process.
