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Question Construction Stages?

jkateel

New Member
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9
Hello all! I'm starting to make my own plots in hopes of one day that I can soon share with everyone else. I do have a quick question about the construction stages that I didn't really find in the guide.

Are they another layer that static objects (constructionstage1) go on? Do I need to build it like as the a, for example, L1 layer and then L1_StageItems layer? Does the script recognize it as a step to get to the level 1 plot?

Hope this wasn't too confusing a question. In the meantime, can I share pictures of my large chicken coop? Complete with tiny "radchicken" eggs!

ScreenShot2.pngScreenShot1.png
 
So building stages are just little in between things that show changes. If you building doesn't change any between levels no need for them. Pro tip: use SCOLS for your building stages not models. Less file size.

I usually use about 3 from level 0 to 1 and about the same between levels IF my building does change appearance between levels.
 
Are they another layer that static objects (constructionstage1) go on? Do I need to build it like as the a, for example, L1 layer and then L1_StageItems layer? Does the script recognize it as a step to get to the level 1 plot?
Like Din'elen says, they're just another set of SCOLs. You could technically add stage items to construction stages, but seems like a bunch of effort for no good reason to me. Also I'd personally rather strip parts from the final model, SCOL the end result and then rinse and repeat until I'm happy with the number of them. Take care to name them in a way that makes you put them in the right order on your import sheet. The script recognizes it as a construction stage for L1 via the models sheet you have prepared, IIRC the last entry on each row is the final model and the ones before will be treated as construction stages.
 
Here is what one of my Building stages in the Creation Kit might look like. I have Layers for each Stage Item Set and each building model (Base set) I have ones for each level and the Level 0 is my building stages design area for my from level 0 to 1 SCOLs. This plot doesn't change between levels 1-3 only the stage items, but I did add a few building stages from level 0 to 1 to show its progress in the initial build. When doing your stage item exports those will be for level 1,2,3, on the Model import sheet is where you set your building stages. Each row is a different level. (See below)
1630312316295.png
My import sheet will look like this. Building stages only for level 0 to 1 with the level 1 model on the last column of row 2 (the final one should be the level MODEL not a SCOL) Use SCOLs for the in between
building stages. You would do the same if you have ones in between the other levels as well. The actual Model in the last column in the row for that level. As I said this one only has building stage from 0 -1 so I didn't need any thing else but the model in the other level rows.
1630312766181.png
 
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So building stages are just little in between things that show changes. If you building doesn't change any between levels no need for them. Pro tip: use SCOLS for your building stages not models. Less file size.

I usually use about 3 from level 0 to 1 and about the same between levels IF my building does change appearance between levels.
Here is what one of my Building stages in the Creation Kit might look like. I have Layers for each Stage Item Set and each building model (Base set) I have ones for each level and the Level 0 is my building stages design area for my from level 0 to 1 SCOLs. This plot doesn't change between levels 1-3 only the stage items, but I did add a few building stages from level 0 to 1 to show its progress in the initial build. When doing your stage item exports those will be for level 1,2,3, on the Model import sheet is where you set your building stages. Each row is a different level. (See below)
View attachment 13749
My import sheet will look like this. Building stages only for level 0 to 1 with the level 1 model on the last column of row 2 (the final one should be the level MODEL not a SCOL) Use SCOLs for the in between
building stages. You would do the same if you have ones in between the other levels as well. The actual Model in the last column in the row for that level. As I said this one only has building stage from 0 -1 so I didn't need any thing else but the model in the other level rows.
View attachment 13750
Thank you for the visual! It helps a ton.
 
Like Din'elen says, they're just another set of SCOLs. You could technically add stage items to construction stages, but seems like a bunch of effort for no good reason to me. Also I'd personally rather strip parts from the final model, SCOL the end result and then rinse and repeat until I'm happy with the number of them. Take care to name them in a way that makes you put them in the right order on your import sheet. The script recognizes it as a construction stage for L1 via the models sheet you have prepared, IIRC the last entry on each row is the final model and the ones before will be treated as construction stages.
What about residential plots? Don't those need a bed at every individual stage? So how does one go about adding stage items to construction stages for something like that?
 
You can find answers in the addon wiki:
 
You can find answers in the addon wiki:
I am unfortunetly not talking about the final phase of construction for each level but the 'intermediate stages' that show up for a few seconds.....Does it have anything to do with 'StageStart' and 'StageEnd' mentioned under 'Multi-Stage Items' in the 'Advanced Building Customization' Tutorial?
 
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StageStart is the construction stage you want an object to appear on. StageEnd is when you want that object to disappear. Generally this would be the last construction stage. The number of construction stages is determined by how many building models you have defined in the building models csv file (or the level plan weapon record) for that level. That number would be the max StageEnd can be.

So using a bed as an example. Say I have 5 construction stages for this level. I would want StageStart = 1 and StageEnd = 5.
 
Is there any functional difference in naming for column I, where in one tutorial it states for column I use "Level" and the sample spreadsheet, column I uses "iLevel" with the letter i?

Or does Level refer to stagedModels and iLevel refer to stagedItems?
 
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