Blender GR2 Issues

[ArcaneLurker]

https://github.com/Norbyte/dos2de_collada_exporter
https://github.com/Norbyte/lslib

This Blender Importer/ Exporter has a well known issue with the LODs.
If you export a model from the game, edit it, whether you create the LODs yourself, or re-export the file with the default LODs, they LOD models will display incorrectly in-game after export.
It seems to be a UV Map/ Texture assignment glitch with the GR2 data.

1st LOD level where there's an issue:



Go even further and you get this issue:



The visuals of the bug changing between each GR2 export is interesting.

Here's how the LODs for Shadowheart are laid out in Blender:

Recommended Export Order:



Example of the objects that display at LOD2 distance level:


There's also some issues with the Importing & Exporting when it comes to body Armature, meaning that you can't edit a GR2 that has already been edited. You have to use the default files that were extracted from the game using the Multitool.
So it seems like this tool is better able to accurately transfer/ convert GR2 files.
https://github.com/ShinyHobo/BG3-Modders-Multitool

[rusty_shackleford]

reposting my stuff from the chat:

is gr2 just an XML file?

oh wait, is it just exporting as dae then you use the lslib tool to convert to gr2?

I can't test any of this because I don't use windows, I'd have to install windows blender etc.,

if so, provide me with one of the .dae files so I can analyze it please

I mean one you exported yourself, not one that was created from a gr2

but one that was created from a gr2 would help too

if my assumption is correct(we're exporting(?) .dae then using an external tool to .dae -> gr2), we'll need to figure out where the point of failure is first. Could be at any of step of the round-trip, so I'll need to analyze all of it.

[ArcaneLurker]

Thanks to @rusty_shackleford and @orinEsque, a workaround for this issue has been found, until the Blender importer/ exporter is fixed.

After modifying the .GR2 file, export it as a .DAE from Blender, and then open & use LSlib to convert that .DAE into a .GR2.
It's important to have the flip meshes/ skeletons unselected, or else you'll get bugs.
If you experience any armature/ animation bugs without that, you can try the "Conform to Original GR2" function, selecting the vanilla game model which you extracted using Multitool, as well as activating "Copy Skeleton."
(Obviously this is no good if you intend to drastically alter the original model, or use a custom skeleton.)

If you are doing a straight replacement of a GR2, without altering the XML data, you will need to make sure the number of LODs matches the original GR2 you edited, or else the LODs will not display.
As long as the LOD nodes in the .lsf.lsx/ XML matches the amount of LODs in the GR2, it should display correctly. If you have no LODs in the GR2 file, obviously there will be no LODs to display, so unless you set the graphics settings to Highest, or link all LOD levels to the Highest definition model, the same issue will be apparent where the head will disappear at a certain distance.

[orinEsque]

Thanks to @rusty_shackleford and @orinEsque, a workaround for this issue has been found, until the Blender importer/ exporter is fixed.

After modifying the .GR2 file, export it as a .DAE from Blender, and then open & use LSlib to convert that .DAE into a .GR2.
It's important to have the flip meshes/ skeletons unselected, or else you'll get bugs.
If you experience any armature/ animation bugs without that, you can try the "Conform to Original GR2" function, selecting the vanilla game model which you extracted using Multitool, as well as activating "Copy Skeleton."
(Obviously this is no good if you intend to drastically alter the original model, or use a custom skeleton.)

If you are doing a straight replacement of a GR2, without altering the XML data, you will need to make sure the number of LODs matches the original GR2 you edited, or else the LODs will not display.
As long as the LOD nodes in the .lsf.lsx/ XML matches the amount of LODs in the GR2, it should display correctly. If you have no LODs in the GR2 file, obviously there will be no LODs to display, so unless you set the graphics settings to Highest, or link all LOD levels to the Highest definition model, the same issue will be apparent where the head will disappear at a certain distance.

Can you upload a screenie of your lslib settings for future reference please?

[Shillitron]

How is Granny still around. Didn't it die in 2008?

[rusty_shackleford]

How is Granny still around. Didn't it die in 2008?

I was shocked when I realized gr2 was for granny, I haven't seen it used by games in ages.

[ArcaneLurker]

How is Granny still around. Didn't it die in 2008?

Larian is keeping her on life-support.

Can you upload a screenie of your lslib settings for future reference please?

I tested with & without "Conform to GR2" & "Copy Skeleton," and it works either way as long as you don't have the flipped options (which I didn't intend to have on anyway, just ****** up there).