Making surs for ships

Well, ive found Forsaken’s tutorial of making surs by using ms3d and lithunwrap:
http://the-starport.net/freelancer/forum/viewtopic.php?start=0&topic_id=1002&viewmode=flatℴ=ASC&status=&mode=0

I made that step by step but couple of things didnt work:
-When i save the 3ds file from unwrap and import into ms3d the modell appears in default grey not in black.

-When i try to export into .sur by using sur exporter, the window appears properly but the “OK” button still grey so i cant export it.

The settings i used:
-scale down value: 1
-orientation: back to front
-collision mesh: shield buble

• activated disable directX button
  -number of groups:1
  -shipmass: 150
  -added valid name, matching to the ship’s cmp name.

The primitive shapes were welded (it appears properly when i click the group/select/1, no regrouping, materials, original ship groups or else, and i checked the shapes by convex tool.

Any idea?

@BBalazs
thanks for the tip.

@mknote
if i cant fix it, i will send my ms3d, mat, and cmp files in this afternoon.
thanks in advance,

I belive, the exporting issue is kind of compatibility problem, because i made a simple box in ms3d and i tried to export into .sur got same results… I use sur exporter v1.1 im gonna try an other version.

mknote wrote:
Er, the only other SUR exporter is v1.2 which, to be blunt, blows.

What version of Milkshape are you using?

MK

ms 1.8.2
i havent had any other problems so far, just this sur exporting issue. The mat cmp md3 exporter/importers work properly.

@Forsaken
Email sent sir

@mknote
check pm please
EDIT:
email sent MK

@Balazs
Thanks, it works!

Umm, i solved the issue, but its a bit weird…
I read over the tutorial(s) again, before i write something stupid, but this thing isnt there, and im not sure, my solution is normal, and the sur will work properly:
If i assign an existed .sur on the sur exporter window and rename it, i can convert it, but if i just type the properly name of the sur referring to my shipmodell, the button is grey.

Only one step remains to put the sur in game and test it, but i need to know if this method can be used or i expect CTD and any other sweet things.

EDIT:

SOLVED

StarTrader wrote:
Well, don’t be too sure it’s solved.

You must test your new sur file by letting NPCs use it and its ship against other NPCs and get killed by them many times.

Mine seemed OK for a short time but failed after 30 minutes sometimes.

Hmm, and why is that?
It works for 30 minutes then just collapse? I remember FF once told me, npcs use different collision detection, but how it shows itself… I dont know.

FriendlyFire wrote:
ST means that you need a large sampling to be able to properly determine whether your SUR is good or not. The longer the SUR is getting tried by NPCs, the less likely a problem is to pass uncaught.

He was saying that even after 30 minutes of tests, some SURs still had issues that were discovered only later.

I know i have to make areas for npcs to test the sur, what i dont understand why custom sur “getting tired” by npcs.

FriendlyFire wrote:
Make it enemy to all NPCs and watch it getting pounded? If shots get through, it isn’t done.

Hehe…no… sorry my english is bad, i meant how does a custom sur make problems like ST mentioned before.
You got same ship or npcs got same ships, they shoot, kill each other, both the shield and the hull work properly and sometimes you got crash, randomly.
So that is what i dont uderstand.

FriendlyFire wrote:
Not necessarily a crash, it can also be that shots pass through or don’t damage the ship.

Remember all it takes is ONE extremely small area where the SUR is bad, one which can take really loooong to find.

I see…thanks. Is there any connection with the primitive shape types (box, cylinder, etc…) the .sur build from?