What assets require a bake to show?

Neverwinter Nights 2
1

Hi all. I am a bit rusty on the toolset, so before I go ahead and start trying things I thought I’d ask.

I am preparing an update for Return of the Exile. One that will also require me to place some things on areas, like map points, encounters etc. Any of you know what such changes require a bake to show in game? Is it only the walkable path or also placeables?

For example, would a map point show? Would a placeable show but be walked through and not act as obstacle? Or to put it another way, if I make no changes to the terrain itself and the walkable path, can I afford to never bake these areas again and just add things to them?

Thanks.

2

I’m certainly no expert when it comes to this, but from my experience adding waypoints (and encounters, I think) and characters don’t require baking, but as soon as you add placeables and do something with the walkable path the area needs to be baked for it to not be buggy (edit: not as buggy as it always is).

3

placeables have a flag in their Properties: “Dynamic Collisions”

if it’s TRUE the walkmesh shouldn’t have to be rebaked; but it’s a more intensive calculation …

it is sort of an artform to optimize the walkmesh, using such options along with walkmesh cutters/helpers, terrain painting, etc etc

4

Well, my areas usually look like Piet Mondrian paintings. They consist of clear borders of what is non-walkable and what is walkable, in a really OCD function :slight_smile: . I don’t think I need to add placeables around for this updatem but encounters, creatures, map points and things like that. Then from what you guys say I should be fine without rebaking.

Thanks.

5

yep  :)

ps. terrain colors or grasses (etc?) would need a bake tho /iirc

6

Yes, I think if you do anything to the terrain it needs a rebake to appear, including texturing.

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