Hi,

For a couple a months now I have been trying to make a custom corporate headquarters. Bla bla bla. I have now got myself 3ds max 7 and the plugins for civ4 from Kael's link. Long story short : My model is ready. I can do the export fine (no errors). I can open the .nif file with Nifskope and see that all is well. When I load it in BTS all I see is a red half sphere in the Civilopedia. I have tried scaling the model up to around 20000*20000*15000 in 3ds max and nothing changes about the size of the half-sphere. When I exported the model I did specify to use the Civ4 config among those possible (ex: oblivion, etc).

What could I be doing wrong ?

A red blob means there is an artdefines error, check your xml.

Strange I copy/pasted the name of the ArtDefineTag in the buildinginfo.xml, the folder to the model and nothing changes. Heres is the code for the artdefine_building.xml :

<BuildingArtInfo>
<Type>ART_DEF_BUILDING_CORPORATION_3</Type>
<LSystem>LSYSTEM_2x2</LSystem>
<bAnimated>0</bAnimated>
<fScale>0.25</fScale>
<fInterfaceScale>0.45</fInterfaceScale>
<NIF>Art/Structures/Buildings/CorporationHQ/IGFarbenHQ.nif</NIF>
<KFM/>
<Button>Art/interface/buttons/Corporation/IGFarben_HQ.dds</Button>
</BuildingArtInfo>

Here's the code of the building :

<BuildingInfo>
<BuildingClass>BUILDINGCLASS_CORPORATION_3</BuildingClass>
<Type>BUILDING_CORPORATION_3</Type>
<SpecialBuildingType>NONE</SpecialBuildingType>
<Description>TXT_KEY_CORPORATION_3</Description>
<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_CORPORATION_3_PEDIA</Civilopedia>
<Strategy>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_CORPORATION_3_STRATEGY</Strategy>
<Advisor>ADVISOR_ECONOMY</Advisor>
<ArtDefineTag>ART_DEF_BUILDING_CORPORATION_3</ArtDefineTag>
<MovieDefineTag>NONE</MovieDefineTag>
<HolyCity>NONE</HolyCity>
<ReligionType>NONE</ReligionType>
<StateReligion>NONE</StateReligion>
<bStateReligion>0</bStateReligion>
<PrereqReligion>NONE</PrereqReligion>
<PrereqCorporation>NONE</PrereqCorporation>
<FoundsCorporation>CORPORATION_3</FoundsCorporation>
<GlobalReligionCommerce>NONE</GlobalReligionCommerce>
<GlobalCorporationCommerce>CORPORATION_3</GlobalCorporationCommerce>
<VictoryPrereq>NONE</VictoryPrereq>
<FreeStartEra>NONE</FreeStartEra>
<MaxStartEra>NONE</MaxStartEra>
<ObsoleteTech>NONE</ObsoleteTech>
<PrereqTech>NONE</PrereqTech>
<TechTypes/>
<Bonus>NONE</Bonus>
<PrereqBonuses/>
<ProductionTraits/>
<HappinessTraits/>
<NoBonus>NONE</NoBonus>
<PowerBonus>NONE</PowerBonus>
<FreeBonus>NONE</FreeBonus>
<iNumFreeBonuses>0</iNumFreeBonuses>
<FreeBuilding>NONE</FreeBuilding>
<FreePromotion>NONE</FreePromotion>
<CivicOption>NONE</CivicOption>
<GreatPeopleUnitClass>UNITCLASS_SCIENTIST</GreatPeopleUnitClass>
<iGreatPeopleRateChange>1</iGreatPeopleRateChange>
<iHurryAngerModifier>0</iHurryAngerModifier>
<bBorderObstacle>0</bBorderObstacle>
<bTeamShare>0</bTeamShare>
<bWater>0</bWater>
<bRiver>0</bRiver>
<bPower>0</bPower>
<bDirtyPower>0</bDirtyPower>
<bAreaCleanPower>0</bAreaCleanPower>
<DiploVoteType>NONE</DiploVoteType>
<bForceTeamVoteEligible>0</bForceTeamVoteEligible>
<bCapital>0</bCapital>
<bGovernmentCenter>0</bGovernmentCenter>
<bGoldenAge>0</bGoldenAge>
<bAllowsNukes>0</bAllowsNukes>
<bMapCentering>0</bMapCentering>
<bNoUnhappiness>0</bNoUnhappiness>
<bNoUnhealthyPopulation>0</bNoUnhealthyPopulation>
<bBuildingOnlyHealthy>0</bBuildingOnlyHealthy>
<bNeverCapture>0</bNeverCapture>
<bNukeImmune>1</bNukeImmune>
<bPrereqReligion>0</bPrereqReligion>
<bCenterInCity>0</bCenterInCity>
<iAIWeight>0</iAIWeight>
<iCost>-1</iCost>
<iHurryCostModifier>0</iHurryCostModifier>
<iAdvancedStartCost>-1</iAdvancedStartCost>
<iAdvancedStartCostIncrease>0</iAdvancedStartCostIncrease>
<iMinAreaSize>-1</iMinAreaSize>
<iConquestProb>100</iConquestProb>
<iCitiesPrereq>0</iCitiesPrereq>
<iTeamsPrereq>0</iTeamsPrereq>
<iLevelPrereq>0</iLevelPrereq>
<iMinLatitude>0</iMinLatitude>
<iMaxLatitude>90</iMaxLatitude>
<iGreatPeopleRateModifier>0</iGreatPeopleRateModifier>
<iGreatGeneralRateModifier>0</iGreatGeneralRateModifier>
<iDomesticGreatGeneralRateModifier>0</iDomesticGreatGeneralRateModifier>
<iGlobalGreatPeopleRateModifier>0</iGlobalGreatPeopleRateModifier>
<iAnarchyModifier>0</iAnarchyModifier>
<iGoldenAgeModifier>0</iGoldenAgeModifier>
<iGlobalHurryModifier>0</iGlobalHurryModifier>
<iExperience>0</iExperience>
<iGlobalExperience>0</iGlobalExperience>
<iFoodKept>0</iFoodKept>
<iAirlift>0</iAirlift>
<iAirModifier>0</iAirModifier>
<iAirUnitCapacity>0</iAirUnitCapacity>
<iNukeModifier>0</iNukeModifier>
<iNukeExplosionRand>0</iNukeExplosionRand>
<iFreeSpecialist>0</iFreeSpecialist>
<iAreaFreeSpecialist>0</iAreaFreeSpecialist>
<iGlobalFreeSpecialist>0</iGlobalFreeSpecialist>
<iMaintenanceModifier>0</iMaintenanceModifier>
<iWarWearinessModifier>0</iWarWearinessModifier>
<iGlobalWarWearinessModifier>0</iGlobalWarWearinessModifier>
<iEnemyWarWearinessModifier>0</iEnemyWarWearinessModifier>
<iHealRateChange>0</iHealRateChange>
<iHealth>0</iHealth>
<iAreaHealth>0</iAreaHealth>
<iGlobalHealth>0</iGlobalHealth>
<iHappiness>0</iHappiness>
<iAreaHappiness>0</iAreaHappiness>
<iGlobalHappiness>0</iGlobalHappiness>
<iStateReligionHappiness>0</iStateReligionHappiness>
<iWorkerSpeedModifier>0</iWorkerSpeedModifier>
<iMilitaryProductionModifier>0</iMilitaryProductionModifier>
<iSpaceProductionModifier>0</iSpaceProductionModifier>
<iGlobalSpaceProductionModifier>0</iGlobalSpaceProductionModifier>
<iTradeRoutes>0</iTradeRoutes>
<iCoastalTradeRoutes>0</iCoastalTradeRoutes>
<iGlobalTradeRoutes>0</iGlobalTradeRoutes>
<iTradeRouteModifier>0</iTradeRouteModifier>
<iForeignTradeRouteModifier>0</iForeignTradeRouteModifier>
<iGlobalPopulationChange>0</iGlobalPopulationChange>
<iFreeTechs>0</iFreeTechs>
<iDefense>0</iDefense>
<iBombardDefense>0</iBombardDefense>
<iAllCityDefense>0</iAllCityDefense>
<iEspionageDefense>0</iEspionageDefense>
<iAsset>8</iAsset>
<iPower>0</iPower>
<fVisibilityPriority>1.0</fVisibilityPriority>
<SeaPlotYieldChanges/>
<RiverPlotYieldChanges/>
<GlobalSeaPlotYieldChanges/>
<YieldChanges/>
<CommerceChanges/>
<ObsoleteSafeCommerceChanges>
<iCommerce>0</iCommerce>
<iCommerce>0</iCommerce>
<iCommerce>2</iCommerce>
</ObsoleteSafeCommerceChanges>
<CommerceChangeDoubleTimes>
<iCommerce>0</iCommerce>
<iCommerce>0</iCommerce>
<iCommerce>1000</iCommerce>
</CommerceChangeDoubleTimes>
<CommerceModifiers/>
<GlobalCommerceModifiers/>
<SpecialistExtraCommerces/>
<StateReligionCommerces/>
<CommerceHappinesses/>
<ReligionChanges/>
<SpecialistCounts/>
<FreeSpecialistCounts/>
<CommerceFlexibles/>
<CommerceChangeOriginalOwners>
<bCommerceChangeOriginalOwner>0</bCommerceChangeOriginalOwner>
<bCommerceChangeOriginalOwner>0</bCommerceChangeOriginalOwner>
<bCommerceChangeOriginalOwner>1</bCommerceChangeOriginalOwner>
</CommerceChangeOriginalOwners>
<ConstructSound>AS2D_BUILD_BANK</ConstructSound>
<BonusHealthChanges/>
<BonusHappinessChanges/>
<BonusProductionModifiers/>
<UnitCombatFreeExperiences/>
<DomainFreeExperiences/>
<DomainProductionModifiers/>
<BuildingHappinessChanges/>
<PrereqBuildingClasses/>
<BuildingClassNeededs/>
<SpecialistYieldChanges/>
<BonusYieldModifiers/>
<ImprovementFreeSpecialists/>
<Flavors>
<Flavor>
<FlavorType>FLAVOR_GOLD</FlavorType>
<iFlavor>10</iFlavor>
</Flavor>
</Flavors>
<HotKey/>
<bAltDown>0</bAltDown>
<bShiftDown>0</bShiftDown>
<bCtrlDown>0</bCtrlDown>
<iHotKeyPriority>0</iHotKeyPriority>
</BuildingInfo>

Any ideas ?

(EDIT : I have added the file in case there is a problem with the way I'm doing this : http://www.mediafire.com/?2nnzhgnnmm9)

thank you for your time

Are there any special settings that have to be made for exporting to loadup properly in the game ?

EDIT : I have posted the .max file in case somebody might wanna look at it : http://www.mediafire.com/?m4zmdiy4lzv

EDIT : I have realized that my exported files arent even 1k in size (266 bytes). As this ever happened to anybody else ?
I'm not sure how to fix it.

In my experience, a red blob simply means that you pointed the artdefine at a model that doesn't exist.

Most likely, the file path where you put the model, and the filepath your artdefine points to, are not the same.

I believe that its case sensitive, caught me out a few times.

Actually no.

I installed another 3ds max export plugin named : niftools-max-plugins-3.4.2.4632.exe from sourceForge (I believe that Kael's linked file is useless...but I have no stature here to stand behind).

Wonderful !

My model and dds works in Civ4 now ! :)

To complete this rudimentary 1st work of mine I must find out something.

How do I make my model NOT OVERLAP on other buildings when on the main map ?

Thank you for your time

Civ4CityLSystem.xml
Be afraid, be very afraid.

Civ4CityLSystem.xml
Be afraid, be very afraid.

Ok...I think I found something acceptable. The surrounding buildings are a bit tight but I guess it will do.

All I did was to edit the <LSystem>LSYSTEM_2x2</LSystem> line in the BuildiingInfo tags to something bigger (3X3) and I resized my model.