Needed for Standalone: Animated Werebeast

[Diego]

I'm using Max 2012. I tried saving and opening again (with editable mesh and a skin modifier only)

 

This exporter throws an unknown exception and points me to a point in the script where it seems to be iterating through all vertices.

 

The other exporter I'm using I can't find a link anywhere, I don't remember where I got it. But it's from a guy called Jonathan "BeRSeRKeR" Garc, . Anyway, this exporter seems to generate the md5mesh but not the animation file. 3ds Max stops responding, which leads me to believe the script is probably stuck trying to do something.

 

Both of these scripts are at least a couple of years old, it may be a compatibility issue.

[Diego]

WAIT!! I can't believe this... after 3ds max stops for a several minutes I usually crash it but this time I forgot about the whole thing (I was writing here), went to the kitchen and made me a sandwich, watched some tv and, when I came back, both files were generated. Well, how would I know... it just needs time. A LOT of time.

 

And the MD5 viewer loaded the file with no problem this time. Except one tiny weeny problem, but that's totally my fault and I know how to fix it.

[Diego]

Spring, can you test this? Just to make sure my workflow isn't fundamentally flawed...

 

This is the md5mesh file

 

This is the md5anim Idle animation

 

If this works out my final workflow is a nightmare, but works. After animating I have to export the whole thing to an FBX file because that bakes the animation to the bones directly the easiest way, create new file, import the fbx, export as md5.

 

edit: Forgot the textures. Here they are: link

Edited April 7, 2013 by Diego

[Springheel]

Well, I can't get him to play his idle animation for some reason, but I did get him to show up in game...might need a liiiiiittle bit of a size adjustment.....

[Diego]

You think? that guard probably agrees with you.

 

Anyone knows how 3ds max units relate to TDM units? if not I can just import a guard to compare.

 

I can see the hair transparency is working, that was one of my concerns. They weren't supposed to cast shadows though, models have shadow models, right? I could just remove the hair planes for the shadow model.

 

Normal map and texture looks ok too.

 

That leaves only the animation problem to solve.

 

All right, thanks for testing The first important issue to solve I think is the animation not playing, do you have any clues if the problem is on the file generated? I was so happy to see that after half an hour not responding it actually generated something, but it might be just garbage

 

edit: well, the md5 viewer did load the animation...

Edited April 7, 2013 by Diego

[Springheel]

They weren't supposed to cast shadows though, models have shadow models, right? I could just remove the hair planes for the shadow model.

 

Yes, there should be a more primitive mesh that casts shadows inside the main mesh. I just made a quick default material shader.

 

 

 

edit: well, the md5 viewer did load the animation...

 

I'll look into it and see if I can find anything.

[Bikerdude]

You think? that guard probably agrees with you.

that was the first thing i thought as well

[Springheel]

I haven't had time to look into the animation error yet, but I'm sure it's just something with the way I've set up the def file--likely because I haven't properly set the joints that should be in the torso and leg channels.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a list of the basic animations we would need to go ahead with TDM2.0. If we don't have these, we won't be able to release the maps that have werebeasts in them.

 

1. Basic idle.

 

2. Basic walk. (can be sped up with spawnargs for a run, slowed down for search)

 

3. 1 melee attack

 

We could probably manage with just those 3, in a pinch. The other highly desirable ones would be:

 

4. Searching

 

5. Basic pain

 

6. Turning in place (a simple leg-lifting animation so he doesn't spin in place).

 

7. Combat idle

 

Everything on top of that would be gravy and could be added later.

[Diego]

Right. Sorry for the slow progress, been busy with other stuff. When I get home next week I'll work on getting at least these animations done! even if they don't turn out perfect.

[Diego]

Oh boy, how much fun I am having. Rescaling the mesh destroys the rig, rescaling the rig destroys the mesh, rescaling both destroys both. My mext attempt will be rescaling the whole 3ds max scene units, but for every attempt I have to wait the md5 exporter do its thing, which takes about 20 minutes.

[Springheel]

[Diego]

I think I solved that problem The complete workflow is horrible but works

I want to ask your opinion on something. I'm using the md5 viewer to compare the size of the models. Do you think it should be bigger?

 

[nbohr1more]

Great stuff!

 

That looks like it has good proportions to me (non-expert opinion)

[Diego]

Also, is it a problem that he is oriented differently?

[Springheel]

I think if it stood straight it would be about the same height, but it's hard to say.

 

 

Also, is it a problem that he is oriented differently?

 

That is an excellent question. I suspect so, but I don't know.

[grayman]

Orientation is a problem. Consider that a mapper might have placed the old werebeast looking in a specific direction, perhaps to see the player as he walks by. If the orientation is different with the new beast, it screws up this setup.

 

That having been said, only two released maps used the werebeast: Mandrasola and Samhain. The campaign uses one instance that I know of, but that hasn't been released, so it could easily be changed. I don't know how easy it would be to update the two existing maps.

 

Edit: Re the beast's height. We would need to change some of the spawnargs on the beast to account for the new size. That would be trivial.

 

Will there be a crawling version?

[Diego]

Eventually there will be a crawling version, right now I'm pushing to get the bare minimum for the 2.0 release.

[Springheel]

The orientation problem could be more serious than that; I'm pretty sure if it's not facing the correct direction, it won't walk properly; I remember in the early years having an inquisitor model that constantly walked in circles and eventually we found it had been exported at a 90 degree angle.

[Springheel]

Any luck solving this?

[Springheel]

right now I'm pushing to get the bare minimum for the 2.0 release.

 

Do you think it's realistic that this could be done in two months?

[Diego]

It is. It's realistic to say it can be done in a couple of days, actually. I'm having two problems: always traveling (applying for work) and when I have free time it's just hard to to find motivation, I've been tired and a little depressed. It will be done though, I know that when I get my hands on it again it'll be done in one sitting (that may be an exaggeration)

Edited July 4, 2013 by Diego

[STiFU]

Sorry to hear that, mate. Let's hope things will turn for you soon!!

 

And as far as motivation is concerned: Your werebeast looks pretty damn cool! Just think about how amazing it would be, if your very own work, your sweat and tears were included in the launch of a new and amazing standalone game. Gamers and mappers all over the world will be thankful not only to the core team but also to you, for implementing such a cool creature into the game.

 

And here is a trick that usually get me motivated: If you find yourself lingering around and not really motivated to do anything, just start working no matter how bad you don't want to. Usually the ambition to finish a certain task kicks in after a few minutes and then you can work for hours and really progress a lot.

[Lux]

@Diego, its ok to be depressed as the job market is what it is currently. Don't sweat it, just shake it off, man, cause you're not alone. Keep your spirits up cause you've done some great work.

 

The Werewolf model is fantastic. It looks miles better than the old one and much more authentic. The double hinged lower legs and the model in general is awesome and I plan on using a pack of these in a future FM in my series.

[SeriousToni]

WEREWOLF! WEREWOLF! WEREWOLF!

 

Just encouraging you

[Diego]

Thanks for the kind words It's just a phase, no biggie.

Unfortunately I lost the roar and walk cycle I've made before. Because of the scale and rotation issues, adapting the existing work was more trouble than to start over with the correct workflow (I did save the idle, which I kind of hate now). At least now I have the files in a convenient way to add any animation I want.

I'll keep working on more animations but, just in case I'm hit by a bus, here is the very basic needed: (model, textures, idle, melee and walk cycle)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8011761/WereBeast.rar