Is it possible to use AI head models without the body...?

[PranQster]

I unpacked the pk4 which contains the heads for AI characters in hope of loading a head as an individual model. However I get a 'NULL joints' error and the head does not render in-game.

Is there any way around this so that the head will behave like any other model?

[Baddcog]

Exactly what I was thinking, talking heads on posts....

 

Oh, you don't want them animated...

 

I assume the heads are md5 meshes. Are you creating through the model browser? Or are you creating an entity?

 

Not sure if just making a model would work. If making an entity it's probably tied to an AI joint, and making a new def file for it could be a solution.

[Springheel]

No, a m5dmesh will not work like any other model. You'd have to import it and save as a regular model file. Note that the current heads are not closed at the bottom, so if you're thinking of putting it on a pole there would be a visible gap.

 

What exactly did you have in mind? I have most of the original heads in model format.

[nbohr1more]

 

What exactly did you have in mind? I have most of the original heads in model format.

 

 

Maybe this thread is related:

 

http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/11470-tonights-project-catapult/

 

[PranQster]

What I have in mind has something to do with a heavy duty oak block... and an axe. I already made the block and it just needs a few minor tweaks... plus some "decorations" to go next to it.

I'm hoping to put a body and a head into a map... separately, lol.

Any gaps in the model I was planning on filling in with some custom-made func-static which would be carefully placed and attached with 'bind'.

 

I'm about half way done with my first playable mission... my first map in any game... ever. It's a bit rough, has too many 90-degree angles so far and will definitely show my newb-ness. But it has a few cool features as well... some of which I have shown early versions of several months ago.

 

I decided last night to add a dungeon to what I already have, and it will be including the chopping block. Not to give too much away, but as you can surely tell, I do intend to make some players squirm a bit.

 

At some point I will be seeking assistance on making the mission 'release-worthy', probably by this summer. It will need a lot of optimizing. But for now, I am concentrating on getting the architecture and objects in place, to be followed by AI and pathing, then the readables and objectives. Then comes the tuning/optimizing and the beta testing.

[PranQster]

Maybe this thread is related:

 

http://modetwo.net/d...oject-catapult/

 

 

LOL, the catapult can be expected to make an appearance... but it wasn't what I had in mind for the head. Though I'm thinking about the siege of Minas Tirith right now

[nbohr1more]

That calls for a screen in the "What are you working on" thread and a tentative title (so I can update the Upcoming Fan Missions wiki )

[PranQster]

That calls for a screen in the "What are you working on" thread and a tentative title (so I can update the Upcoming Fan Missions wiki )

 

Ok, I'll do that soon.

[PranQster]

No, a m5dmesh will not work like any other model. You'd have to import it and save as a regular model file. Note that the current heads are not closed at the bottom, so if you're thinking of putting it on a pole there would be a visible gap.

 

What exactly did you have in mind? I have most of the original heads in model format.

 

Thanks for the tips. I'm not sure how to import the md5mesh. The only import options I see in DR are for maps and prefabs. How would I go about this?

So far I have tried loading the head model directly through the model browser as well as creating a small brush, convert to func_static and apply the head model to it. Both ways result in the 'NULL joints on renderEntity' error.

Edited April 23, 2011 by PranQster

[PranQster]

No, a m5dmesh will not work like any other model. You'd have to import it and save as a regular model file. Note that the current heads are not closed at the bottom, so if you're thinking of putting it on a pole there would be a visible gap.

 

What exactly did you have in mind? I have most of the original heads in model format.

 

Springheel, I am very interested in the heads in model format. I'm interested in using commoner_head01, and a body to go with it if you happen to have it as well.

[Springheel]

A head is easy. A body is a lot trickier because it would have to be manually posed in the position you want. You can probably do the body yourself by making a ragdoll corpse and either attach no head (if that's possible) or attach a head and replace the textures with transparent textures.

[PranQster]

A head is easy. A body is a lot trickier because it would have to be manually posed in the position you want. You can probably do the body yourself by making a ragdoll corpse and either attach no head (if that's possible) or attach a head and replace the textures with transparent textures.

 

I'll give that a try... either detaching the head or applying a transparent texture to it. I'm still trying to work around the Null joints error when loading a head by itself, but I did get a 'plug' made for the gape in the neck, which looks nice and creepy. And as far as a body position, I'll first try letting the body lay as it may (not sure of rotating it to a horizontal position will help or not).

Edited April 23, 2011 by PranQster

[PranQster]

Progress.... for the body at least. I found that if I changed the 'head_joint' parameter from "Spine2" to "Hips", I get no error and no head is visible.

Awesome... I loaded in my 'neck plug' prefab, arranged it with the body, did 'bind' to 'atdm_env_ragdoll_commoner_1' and set 'bindToJoint' to be 'Spine2'. After some position tweaking it looks exactly as I want

Thanks for the help.

Now to see if I can do something similar for the head.

[Springheel]

You've basically attached a head, just buried it inside the body where you can't see it.

 

I'll send you a head model to use if you PM me an email address to send it to.

[PranQster]

You've basically attached a head, just buried it inside the body where you can't see it.

 

I'll send you a head model to use if you PM me an email address to send it to.

 

Actually, if I walk in front of the body, I step up onto an invisible head. LOL. Also, how can I minimize the crazy chicken dance the body tends to do? I've set it not touching anything else and placed it horizontal, front-down, with the toes of the boots about 2 units above the floor. But it still tends to spasm randomly. Looks great otherwise... just needs more blood... I have to learn how to make pools, rather than just the blood smear decals.

 

BTW, I saw the artwork on your web page and think it's fantastic.

[Springheel]

Also, how can I minimize the crazy chicken dance the body tends to do

 

Not sure. It might be related to the weird head placement, as I haven't seen that with regular ragdolls.

 

There might also be issues binding a static mesh to a ragdoll.

 

BTW, I saw the artwork on your web page and think it's fantastic.

 

Thanks.

 

I've sent a head model your way.

[PranQster]

Ah yes, it may be the static mesh attached to the ragdoll. I'll play around a bit with the positioning and I might make it so the player can't get too close and make it un-frobable too.

 

Thanks again for the model.

It works well!

[grayman]

There's an AI spawnarg that offsets the head model from the body model.

 

"offsetHeadModel" "0 0 -3" is the default setting.

 

The DR comment when you hover over that spawnarg suggests it doesn't work, but I already have a headless ghost that gets his head back after a while. All I do is change the head offset and hide the separated head behind a wall, then set it back to default later. So it appears to work.

 

 

If your body isn't going to move, you could try tinkering with the x/y/z in that spawnarg to see if you can get the head to separate from the body. I don't know if there's anything you can about orientation, but you might get the effect you want if the body and head are flat on the ground.

[PranQster]

There's an AI spawnarg that offsets the head model from the body model.

 

"offsetHeadModel" "0 0 -3" is the default setting.

 

The DR comment when you hover over that spawnarg suggests it doesn't work, but I already have a headless ghost that gets his head back after a while. All I do is change the head offset and hide the separated head behind a wall, then set it back to default later. So it appears to work.

 

 

If your body isn't going to move, you could try tinkering with the x/y/z in that spawnarg to see if you can get the head to separate from the body. I don't know if there's anything you can about orientation, but you might get the effect you want if the body and head are flat on the ground.

 

Awesome! I was considering doing something like this earlier. It will definitely come in handy in the future. Thanks.

[PranQster]

The head model which Springheel provided worked very well for what I was trying to achieve. To demonstrate, without showing as much detail as will be in the final result , refer to this screenshot.

This head model works great for this since the eyes already look vacant

Saving the rest for map release, though I owe Springheel a better preview... I'll zip it and email it... don't unzip it if you don't want to see it, Springheel.

Edited April 24, 2011 by PranQster

[Springheel]

I'll wait until I get to play the mission, I think. Glad it worked.