Invisible Void Zones and Model Modifications

Masq · 10/24/06, 2:27 PM

Well, apparently some of our members are consistently having issues with invisible void zones. I have no doubt in their ability to avoid them, however they continually say they were invisible. So i've been looking for a fix.

I've heard/seen videos of people using programs such as My Warcraft Studio to modify in-game art. I'm assuming that the invisible void zones are due to some sort of graphical or rendering error. So I was wondering if it was possible to change the image of the Void Zones to something else to perhaps fix this display error?.

Has anyone tried this? After doing a bit of yahoo searching, all I could come across was a link at curse-gaming that lead to an exe file, with no explanation on how to actually use it.

If anyone could provide some information regarding "My Warcraft Studio"

Malan · 10/24/06, 2:29 PM

Didn't the last patch break all the model replacements methods so that you can't do this stuff?

• Zoid · 10/24/06, 2:31 PM

It's not a model problem. Sometimes if you're far from Lady Blammo she'll drop one and your client won't get told about it when you move into visible range with her. It's a problem of updating your client from the server.

It's something Blizzard needs to fix. Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Oneiros · 10/24/06, 2:31 PM

Not me, but a friend I know currently uses custom models and uses cool little things that change the appearance of hard to see things into easier to see things, so I can say from my friend's experience that you can still use custom models.

Edit: so apparently I haven't posted in awhile... VON KAISER WTF?!? At least give me Soda Popkinsi or something. Oh, and who is Mike Tyson?

Masq · 10/24/06, 2:32 PM

Originally Posted by Zoid

Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Ahhh, my mistake. Feel free to heap this then :P

• Mygore · 10/24/06, 2:32 PM

Well I was lead to believe that a patch broke it aswell. But it seems the level 50s running around with Ashbringer proves otherwise. I did not do this myself thou someone sent me the file to put into my data folder.

Malan · 10/24/06, 2:35 PM

Originally Posted by Oneiros

Not me, but a friend I know currently uses custom models and uses cool little things that change the appearance of hard to see things into easier to see things, so I can say from my friend's experience that you can still use custom models.

Edit: so apparently I haven't posted in awhile... VON KAISER WTF?!? At least give me Soda Popkinsi or something. Oh, and who is Mike Tyson?

You can just say it was you, we won't think less of you.
And Gurg = Tyson.

Kalman · 10/24/06, 2:36 PM

Originally Posted by Zoid

It's not a model problem. Sometimes if you're far from Lady Blammo she'll drop one and your client won't get told about it when you move into visible range with her. It's a problem of updating your client from the server.

It's something Blizzard needs to fix. Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Has anyone played with adjusting the logging range and seen if that affects the invisible void zone issue? It doesn't seem like it should, but stranger things have been known to happen. (Our current strategy doesn't have me seeing Lady B until well after the point in the fight where we're wiping, so it's not really something I can test.)

Rz · 10/24/06, 2:39 PM

Originally Posted by Masq

Originally Posted by Zoid

Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Ahhh, my mistake. Feel free to heap this then :P

Not so fast... as Gurg and perhaps some other EJ members could tell you, the EULA might not be enforceable, depending on your jurisdiction. ;-)

I mean, I still wouldn't edit your model files, though.

Zyla · 10/24/06, 2:41 PM

this is tangental to the fact that in most occassions, you arent modifying any files, merely adding ones to stand in for prexisting ones.

Masq · 10/24/06, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by Kalman

Originally Posted by Zoid

It's not a model problem. Sometimes if you're far from Lady Blammo she'll drop one and your client won't get told about it when you move into visible range with her. It's a problem of updating your client from the server.

It's something Blizzard needs to fix. Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Has anyone played with adjusting the logging range and seen if that affects the invisible void zone issue? It doesn't seem like it should, but stranger things have been known to happen. (Our current strategy doesn't have me seeing Lady B until well after the point in the fight where we're wiping, so it's not really something I can test.)

What do you mean "Logging range"? Are you refering to the enviromental/terrain distance slider?

Originally Posted by Rz

Originally Posted by Masq

Originally Posted by Zoid

Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Ahhh, my mistake. Feel free to heap this then :P

Not so fast... as Gurg and perhaps some other EJ members could tell you, the EULA might not be enforceable, depending on your jurisdiction. ;-)

I mean, I still wouldn't edit your model files, though.

I found this screenshot, makes me a little more comfortable about such things.
http://wendigo.wz.cz/gmmail.jpg

Dayne · 10/24/06, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Malan

Didn't the last patch break all the model replacements methods so that you can't do this stuff?

Yes and no. You used to be able to put model files in the Data directory and if they matched the path as what was in the MPQ, it'd use those files instead, in essence, they overrode the default files. They simply stopped doing that and now just take the models straight from the mpq's, through which model swapping is still possible

Oneiros · 10/24/06, 2:49 PM

The other night all the horsemen were dead except Zeliek and I went to dance on someone's dead body and inadvertently stood in an invisible void zone for 2 ticks. Thank goodness for resists :)

This has been discussed to no end, and custom models would be cool but they would probably be hard to put in (I'm clueless about programming and such but I can't imagine it would be a simple task). Sometimes they render, sometimes they don't, its kind of something you just have to deal with until the almighty Blizz feels like fixing it.

Cryect · 10/24/06, 2:50 PM

Originally Posted by Kalman

Originally Posted by Zoid

It's not a model problem. Sometimes if you're far from Lady Blammo she'll drop one and your client won't get told about it when you move into visible range with her. It's a problem of updating your client from the server.

It's something Blizzard needs to fix. Also, editing your model files is a violation of the EULA.

Has anyone played with adjusting the logging range and seen if that affects the invisible void zone issue? It doesn't seem like it should, but stranger things have been known to happen. (Our current strategy doesn't have me seeing Lady B until well after the point in the fight where we're wiping, so it's not really something I can test.)

That has no effect really.

In fact she can cast an invisible zone on top of you when you are there so its not being out of range of her either.

As far as I can tell its not a client side issue but some sort of server side issue where your client has absolutely no idea that its there but its hard to tell. The way the model is constructed it should always be visible without any issues, the models that people are used to having issues are of the type that have no polygons and only particle effects (the Void zone model is the C'Thun Dark zone model which is a simple short fat cylinder with a single particle emitter of the circle type from guessing since I don't feel like popping it up in a program of mine).

Kalince · 10/24/06, 2:51 PM

It certainly isn't a range issue. I know that every invisible void zone that I die to is one that is placed under me as I am healing. I don't know what it is but it isn't being too far away from the horse as they are placed.