Jump to content
The Dark Mod Forums

Ai Mix 'n' Match Bodyparts


ascottk

Recommended Posts

The templates discussion, Spring's request for removing the citywatch pauldrons, and swappable heads got me thinking about mixing and matching AI body parts:

post-476-1174589279_thumb.jpg

 

This guy is made up of:

  • Mittenhands template (used for most AI so it's a no brainer)
  • Proguard torso
  • Thief straps and buckles
  • Houseguard legs
  • Citywatch arms

If you look through oDD's files, there's a similar idea in action: separate meshes combined to make a whole. With different mixes we could populate our universe. I've also been playing around with poser 6 (I wonder if we could create tdm character templates, with our rigs, that could further customize the AI?) that uses the same basic idea.

 

I went through all of our AI & extracted body parts & I'm starting a resource for further AI customization. So far I have:

  • bp armor
  • builder forger apron
  • builder guard boots
  • builder priest torso
  • Citywatch arms
  • Citywatch legs
  • Elite City chainmail (arms & lower tunic)
  • Houseguard legs
  • Houseguard torso
  • inventor engineer legs
  • inventor engineer torso
  • Mittenhands template
  • Mittenhands female template
  • nobleman legs
  • noblewoman dress bottom
  • noblewoman dress top
  • poppy legs
  • prelate robe bottom
  • Proguard arm bands
  • Proguard boots
  • Proguard torso
  • Thief straps and buckles
  • Thief clothing ties

Most won't fit together but with a little modification & with different skins we can populate our Dark Mod universe. I may alter some of these so they have female features (wider hips, narrower waist, and breasts). & to make things even more customizable we can chop up or add to the existing meshes. For example the proguard torso can lose a few polys for a shorter tunic.

 

I was wondering if people wanted these on the model_src svn repository? If so, what format? I have them as maya binaries for now but they can be exported as *.obj, *.3ds or whatever we need because I know a lot of people are not using maya 7. & if someone customizes an AI they can upload to ftp for rigging regardless of which format they use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dont know enough about modeling to comment on the design plans, but just looking at that particular model, that's pretty cool. I think that could work for another archer type or light infantry. The leather tunic and bracers suggests more military to me than townsperson, but maybe that's just me. Maybe cloth tunic and without the bracers would suggest townsperson more?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dont know enough about modeling to comment on the design plans, but just looking at that particular model, that's pretty cool. I think that could work for another archer type or light infantry. The leather tunic and bracers suggests more military to me than townsperson, but maybe that's just me. Maybe cloth tunic and without the bracers would suggest townsperson more?
The bracers & tunic are pretty generic without that leather texture so using a different texture will make a gigantic difference. I said in another thread that a texture can make or break a model especially in the low poly department.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the best generic townsfolk would probably be:

 

houseguard legs

citywatch lower tunic (or maybe just shorten and stitch together proguard one?)

proguard torso

houseguard arms & hands

 

I think I could do a variety of generic skins with something like that. :)

 

And for a pagan, how about we add:

 

belcher tail

 

;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the best generic townsfolk would probably be:

 

houseguard legs

citywatch lower tunic (or maybe just shorten and stitch together proguard one?)

proguard torso

houseguard arms & hands

 

I think I could do a variety of generic skins with something like that. :)

 

And for a pagan, how about we add:

 

belcher tail

 

;)

I'm on a roll! Two consecutive picture attachments ^_^ Anyway. something like this?:

post-476-1174597314_thumb.jpg

I just noticed . . . belcher tail . . . :laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's awesome ascottk! Do we have a plain torso, ie without the belt? The more generic the model, the more can be done with textures...
The belt & straps are from the thief so they can be removed easily. Although there's a giant gap between the proguard torso (upper) & the citywatch torso (lower). If I combined them then extra time is needed to redo the uv map. We probably won't need to go that far, just adjust the mesh to cover up the gap without permanently attaching those meshes. Then rigging will keep those two together.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do we have a plain torso, ie without the belt? The more generic the model, the more can be done with textures...

 

I was going to suggest the same thing. I love the look of the shoulder belt , but it seems to suit a warrior better than a generic townsolk/servant type. The waist belt (or some kind of waist belt) should probably stay though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a little texture & mesh work, we have something resembling a townsfolk:

 

I never know how fast you're going to be able to do stuff like this (usually faster than I expect) but I think that guy would look perfect once the shoulder belt was removed. If you want to put the model and uv-map up somewhere, I can start working on multiple townsfolk textures for it (in fact, he'd be perfect for alternate house-guards and thugs as well). That's our biggest AI gap, and frankly it's the only one that really *has* to be filled before TDM 1.0. Once we have a generic civilian male, then anything else we add is gravy. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I never know how fast you're going to be able to do stuff like this (usually faster than I expect) but I think that guy would look perfect once the shoulder belt was removed. If you want to put the model and uv-map up somewhere, I can start working on multiple townsfolk textures for it (in fact, he'd be perfect for alternate house-guards and thugs as well). That's our biggest AI gap, and frankly it's the only one that really *has* to be filled before TDM 1.0. Once we have a generic civilian male, then anything else we add is gravy. :)
He's almost ready to be put into the game w/o the shoulder strap. I'm keeping the original UVs from the meshes because it'll be quicker to customize. I'm working on a customized head but that'll take longer since I want to find a way to make decent hair. The main body will probably up within the next few days.

 

I was hoping you'd take over the texturing part anyway ;) So the base textures would be:

  • Houseguard limbs
  • citywatch lower torso
  • proguard upper torso
  • thief straps, buckles, & ties

Although we'd be using part of the original textures so it's kind of a waste :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not throwing a monkeywrench into it, just wondering: does this mean all mix-match people will be as tall as guards? They look great, BTW.
Nope. They have to rigged like any other AI.

 

They could be resized after being mixed and matched I would imagine. :)
Yep. Any size we want.

 

Ohh I get it. I thought this was being done in-game, Franken-AI style.

 

Get out your rocketlaunchers!

Doing this in-game would be tricky . . . although I think animations can have scaled joints . . . That'd be one helluva rig, Transformer style, morphing between one character to another in real time. Rotate & translate joints to flip a mesh around to reveal the hidden side of it ^_^
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, the source maya binaries of the AI parts are in the model_src repository.

 

. . . That'd be one helluva rig, Transformer style, morphing between one character to another in real time. Rotate & translate joints to flip a mesh around to reveal the hidden side of it ^_^

 

Mmmm, werewolves...
Should I be worried I mentioned anything? :unsure:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm keeping the original UVs from the meshes because it'll be quicker to customize....

Although we'd be using part of the original textures so it's kind of a waste

 

Not totally sure what you mean by this. Would the textures be spread across multiple files then? That makes it easier to do different skins...though it might not be as great for space saving.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
I have them as maya binaries for now but they can be exported as *.obj, *.3ds or whatever we need because I know a lot of people are not using maya 7. & if someone customizes an AI they can upload to ftp for rigging regardless of which format they use.

 

Now that I've got a little modeling experience under my belt, I've been looking back at this idea again. I've played around enough to prove (to myself anyway) that I can do some decent modifications to existing AI by mixing and matching. I've been using the original .lwo files and lightwave to do it, however.

 

Does working with the .lwo files differ in any important way from working with your maya binaries, Ascottk? Or will they have to be rigged the same way regardless?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now that I've got a little modeling experience under my belt, I've been looking back at this idea again. I've played around enough to prove (to myself anyway) that I can do some decent modifications to existing AI by mixing and matching. I've been using the original .lwo files and lightwave to do it, however.

 

Does working with the .lwo files differ in any important way from working with your maya binaries, Ascottk? Or will they have to be rigged the same way regardless?

I have very little experience with lwo so I don't really know.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't that the format you got Oddity's original models in? Like the forger or priest? Or were those already converted into .mb? I know the originals are .lwo files.

 

Do your 'pieces' preserve the rigging or joints or anything like that, or are they just straightforward models?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Petike the Taffer

      I've finally managed to log in to The Dark Mod Wiki. I'm back in the saddle and before the holidays start in full, I'll be adding a few new FM articles and doing other updates. Written in Stone is already done.
      · 4 replies
    • nbohr1more

      TDM 15th Anniversary Contest is now active! Please declare your participation: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/22413-the-dark-mod-15th-anniversary-contest-entry-thread/
       
      · 0 replies
    • JackFarmer

      @TheUnbeholden
      You cannot receive PMs. Could you please be so kind and check your mailbox if it is full (or maybe you switched off the function)?
      · 1 reply
    • OrbWeaver

      I like the new frob highlight but it would nice if it was less "flickery" while moving over objects (especially barred metal doors).
      · 4 replies
    • nbohr1more

      Please vote in the 15th Anniversary Contest Theme Poll
       
      · 0 replies
×
×
  • Create New...