LOD Model Seems To Rip

[Sanada]

I've got a problem with one of my models. It's a simple computer prop model that has one LOD level. The model compiled fine and works in-game but I noticed something. Some of the mesh on the LOD model (not the reference model) seems to rip. I've made some GIFs to help show what I mean. The bit in question is the top left corner.

HLMV

Here's a flatshaded one too:http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/7082/hlmv28kh.gif

3DSMAX

It seems to have like interlaced with the reference model or something. The exporter SMD is fine as I imported it again and looked. Does anyone know what's going on? It does this on some other models too. Not a biggy but it'd be nice to know why.

Thanks in advanced.

 

[SesS]

Its a LOD though... im guessing your using a program to make the LOD. The programs just trying to remove any unnecessary polygons, and because those corners are fairly close together it gets rid of them.

If you dont want it to happen i suggest making the LOD manually by going into max (or whatever) and just reducing the polys yourself.

(ahh just thought id point out i havent worked on HL2 very much at all , and i havent even opened a HL2 LOD, what i know is from other games)

 

[mikeandike22]

why are those things popping out in the model neways, computers dont normally have ports that go in and out. and by looking at the flat shade in the first step the corner getting changed looks pretty bad like the points are not aligned and then on the next one i think it loooks much better.

 

[Sanada]

Its a LOD though... im guessing your using a program to make the LOD. The programs just trying to remove any unnecessary polygons, and because those corners are fairly close together it gets rid of them.

If you dont want it to happen i suggest making the LOD manually by going into max (or whatever) and just reducing the polys yourself.

That's exactly what I did. I made the LOD model in max and just welded close vertices together. The LOD models are fine except that when I compile it, the LOD 1 model doesn't look like it does in max and has strange rips in it. I'm guessing it's ever something to do with the .mdl format. The only way I can think to fix it would be to do the LOD model again but it'd be pointless. :|

why are those things popping out in the model neways, computers dont normally have ports that go in and out. and by looking at the flat shade in the first step the corner getting changed looks pretty bad like the points are not aligned and then on the next one i think it loooks much better.

They're meant to be the ports on the PCI/ISA cards. The reason they go in and out is because on the LOD 1 model I deleted them to save polys. Do you mean the black line bit on the flatshaded mode?

Thanks.

 

[SesS]

oh.. so your not welding the verts in the corners? HL2 seems to be doing it automatically?

If thats the case... no idea lol

EDIT: Actually.. i sorta dont know what corner your talking about anymore..
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/7082/hlmv28kh.gif

are you talking about the black kind of line near the top right corner?

Have you tried welding all verts to like 0.001 or so.. just to make sure everythings connected?

 

[Sanada]

Yeah, the black line. Basically, that black line shouldn't be there and it should look like the 3dsmax GIF (apart from being textured) but it doesn't.

Tried welding them again but they already are. I'm starting to think that this isn't fixable and that I should just leave it.