Warning previous texture variation oddity

[Fidcal]

This is odd. I was testing a new variation of an existing shader in the game folder but doom kept using the earlier version. It showed correct in DR. After trying many things I wondered about the file name; I had used temp.mtr. So I renamed it to grime_test.mtr and now it works. So initially it was saying 'warning: soandso in temp.mtr previously defined in soandso' but now the exact same file (all but the name) in the same path gives 'warning soandso in soandso previously defined in temp.mtr' so it is now giving a different priority.

[OrbWeaver]

I suspect it loads the files alphabetically, so renaming the file may change the order.

[ungoliant]

alternatively if you don't want to deal with duplicates and load orders, just rename the shader and use that instead of renaming the material file.

[Fidcal]

Yes but then I couldn't switch back and forth in seconds using reloadDecls to compare before and after. Well, I could but I'd have to change find and replace all the occurrences in the map to the new temporary shader name, dmap etc (11 minutes) then later restore everything and dmap again.

[OrbWeaver]

You could rename the shader inside the MTR file, i.e. switch myshader to myshader_old and vice versa, then reloadDecls to pick up the changes

 

It would never have occurred to me to rely on loading order to override assets, but I guess it's an effective technique if you rename your modified file to zzz_overrides.mtr or something.

[Fidcal]

The key brightener download works by overriding. Players just drop it in a materials folder. It's not a good fix because any changes will be overriden but I figured there would rarely be changes. May have to update it though with 1.03...

[ungoliant]

I have my own solution to the reloaddecls in-game instantly deal. I create a custom shader, and copy-paste between the original shader code and my custom code in text editor, save changes, reloaddecls. I have an entire custom dirt/grime folder devoted comparing/contrasting original dirt decals with my modifications in-game. usually the mods are very small, so they can be switched out easily by commenting out 1 or 2 lines in the shader. works very well for me.

 

edit: the same technique works phenomenonally well when you are experimenting with global/stage keywords to figure out what stuff actually does, or trying new things. this is the basis of my self-education on how to manipulate d3 shaders to do my bidding. its quick and easy.

Edited November 26, 2010 by ungoliant