"Required texture sampler specTex not found"? Why?

[krt0143]

I've got this recurring error: Each time I make a new unit art file I get this error at first. Even if the only things changed are a name. It's very annoying.
While I've (somehow) always managed to make it go away, I never remember how, and I'd like to know what I am looking at:

ERROR: Actor units/britons/infantry_axeman_e.xml255: required texture sampler specTex not found (material art/materials/player_trans_spec.xml)

What is that error message talking about? And how do I make it go away? No, there is no nesting error, it's the first thing I checked.

 

(Here is the end part of the \art\actors\units\britons\infantry_axeman_e.xml file throwing that error, in case you wonder:)

Spoiler

  [...]
  <group>
    <variant file="biped/base_axeman_shield_fast_relax.xml" name="Axeman-Shield-Relax"/>
    <variant file="biped/carry_food.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/carry_meat.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/carry_wood.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/carry_stone.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/carry_metal.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_tree.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_grain.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_fruit.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_meat.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_rock.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_ore.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_ruins.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/approach_praise.xml"/>
  </group>
  <group>
    <variant frequency="1" name="Idle"/>
    <variant file="biped/attack_capture.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/attack_slaughter.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_tree.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_grain.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_fruit.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_meat.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_rock.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_ore.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_ruins.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/gather_praise.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/build.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/build_farm.xml"/>
    <variant file="biped/death_infantry.xml"/>
  </group>
  <material>player_trans_spec.xml</material>
</actor>
 

 

[Grapjas]

53 minutes ago, krt0143 said:

<material>player_trans_spec.xml</material>

It's telling you this file doesn't exist. Check for typos and compare it with javelinist actor for example.

[krt0143]

29 minutes ago, Grapjas said:

this file doesn't exist.

Sure it does exist! It's a stock file I've never touched (inside \public\art\materials).

 

Anyway, for those who stumble upon the same problem, and find this thread some time in the future, the explanation is as follows:

• Standard units (not-champion units) need "<material>player_trans.xml</material>"
• Champion type units need "<material>player_trans_spec.xml</material>"  Note the "_spec" part: It's specific to champion units.

[Grapjas]

Yeah my bad i was looking at SVN but those file names will change with the future alpha, just so you know. 

41 minutes ago, krt0143 said:

• Standard units (not-champion units) need "<material>player_trans.xml</material>"
• Champion type units need "<material>player_trans_spec.xml</material>"  Note the "_spec" part: It's specific to champion units.

^ This will become irrelevant for example [1] [2].

Edited September 29, 2023 by Grapjas

[krt0143]

1 hour ago, Grapjas said:

those file names will change with the future alpha, just so you know

Aw, with a17? Yikes, I'll spend a couple hours wondering what broke and how to fix it...

[Grapjas]

1 hour ago, krt0143 said:

Aw, with a17? Yikes, I'll spend a couple hours wondering what broke and how to fix it...

Some modders have way bigger fish to fry with new alphas, lol.

Btw, you might want to bookmark PortA26ToA27 – Wildfire Games if you're going to keep modding.

Edited September 29, 2023 by Grapjas