Checksum Error Making Random TF Models Invisible (Solved)

[Wisdom Z333]

Hello! I have had this problem for quite a while now and have avoided adressing it by finding the models I need on the workshop. Unfortunately, I have reached the point where this will no longer work.

Basically, I get invisible models with bones visible for most models before and including the tf 2014 updates. There are random exceptions, including the copilot, towwombas tunic, the zipper suit (cute suit), and a few others.

First thing I did was check the console, which spit out a checksum error like so:

Error Vertex File for 'workshop/player/items/heavy/sbox2014_heavy_gunshow/sbox2014_heavy_gunshow.mdl' checksum -2084712565 should be 112765427

After some research, I saw that most people agreed that the mdl file was placed in the wrong path or was named wrong. But when copying the file path from file explorer and comparing it to SFM's path, they were the same, unless I am blind (which definitely could be a possibility).

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SourceFilmmaker\game\tf\models\player\items\heavy\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow.mdl

c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\sourcefilmmaker\game\tf\models\player\items\heavy\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow.mdl

(Only differences were in capitilization, but I didn't think that would matter)

I am completely lost at this point and am debating whether I should validate integrity of my SFM files and add everything again using GCF Scape.

I did manually update SFM again using GCF Scape to no avail, but I wouldn't think that files as old as these would be in the dir. If there is any way to use GCF Scape to replace these old files with the ones used by tf itself maybe that would fix it. I am still really new to using GCF Scape, so it is possible that I might of messed up something during my original GCF Scape manual update.

Any help is really appreciated. If any more data or pictures are needed let me know.

Thanks so much.

[R234]

The error message states that the model should be installed at:

workshop/player/items/heavy/sbox2014_heavy_gunshow/sbox2014_heavy_gunshow.mdl

but it is currently at:

player\items\heavy\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow.mdl

However, the fact that is spits out a checksum error instead of a failed to load VVD error means that you already have a different model of that name at that location, and it is conflicting with it. If you want to be able to keep both, you'll have to hex or recompile one of them to have a different filepath and/or name.

[Wisdom Z333]

Ahh I did not see that workshop. Thanks so much, I'll probably just get rid of one of them since recompiling is very annoying to do.

[Wisdom Z333]

Right so for future reference the solution to this problem ended up being the following:
Go into "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SourceFilmmaker\game\tf\models\player\items\heavy\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow"

Delete folder

Launch SFM, which will give you the beloved giant red error sign since it can't load the model

Copy folder from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SourceFilmmaker\game\tf\models\workshop\player\items\heavy\sbox2014_heavy_gunshow"

(NOT just the .mdl, the WHOLE folder)

Paste into "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SourceFilmmaker\game\tf\models\player\items\heavy"

Close and relaunch SFM

Somehow fixed everything for me. All the models that were invisible loaded. Don't know how, but we don't question things that work.

Hope this helps people who might have this problem in the future. Thanks again to the wonderful R234, who is an SFM wizard.

[Zappy]

Team Fortress 2 (and notably also Garry's Mod, probably many other Source games too) load model files (MDL, DX90.VTX, VVD, et cetera) from where the MDL file is located.
Source Filmmaker, however, loads the MDL file from where the MDL file is, checks what the embedded "internal" path in the MDL file is, and loads the rest of the model files from where that path points to, relative to -/SourceFilmmaker/game/[folder]/models/.
In most cases, this is just fine, as the MDL's "internal" path matches up with where the model files are. In some cases, though, the model files may have been moved after the model was compiled. (This is most common with improper Garry's Mod-specific "model hexes", but it also happens outside of that case.)

Again, Team Fortress 2 (and Garry's Mod and such) loads model files from where the MDL is, so Team Fortress 2 (and Garry's Mod and such) can load the model just fine in this case, but Source Filmmaker will usually complain about not being able to find the other model files (if the model files were fully custom and then moved) ("Failed load of .vvd data for [path].mdl") or the other model files not matching up with what the MDL file says to expect (if the model files are meant to replace/override a model, but are moved to a different location afterwards) (this generally results in a "checksum" error).

The error that you got in the console and copied and pasted here says that the latter is the case.


Most models in Team Fortress 2 have their model files where the MDL file says that they should be, so most models in Team Fortress 2 work just fine in Source Filmmaker. But a few models have been made with one file location, and then later updated and changed to a different file location, with the change being done by only moving the files rather than changing $ModelName in the QC file. Those models will then not be compatible with Source Filmmaker by default. (This means that you (probably) did not do anything wrong.)


Unfortunately, there's no permanent global fix for this problem in Source Filmmaker, but on a case-by-case basis, you can try to either move all of the model files to where the MDL file says that they should be, or de-compile the model using something like Crowbar, change $ModelName in the QC file if you want to, and re-compile it.

[Wisdom Z333]

Oh wow. Didn't know that .mdl files had their own internal path, and that SFM checks this while tf or gmod does not. It's really cool to see how differently SFM does things. Also props to you Zappy, I actually saw you on the old forums that I originally looked at to try to solve the problem at first. Helping people for so long, that is really admirable. Thanks to both you and R234, you people are awesome!