Model Requests? (or help)

flametard · Post by **flametard** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 3:53 pm

oh yeah, also

And in my second to last post, I misspoke when I said that all of a model's animations had to be redone. This would only be the case if were adding or removing something from the model, but not if I were just coming up with a new animation for it.

what if you didnt need to add anything to the model, but on the new animation you had to put a dagger in his hand... but the dagger could dissapear in the running anims. that would be fine is that possible?

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:04 am

Although I've never actually tried it, my gut tells me "no"...Fooli might be able to verify this.

The dagger in your hypothetical situation would have to be made part of the model. Parts of models can't pop in and out of beng at will. I'd have to add the dagger in at least some form (can be infinitely small) to the other animations' keyframes.

In a desperately creative way to to make it work, I might be able to take an existing model and mess with the texturing just a bit then hideously distort part of it (in this case the weapon-wielding hand) to make it appear as though it had a weapon (maybe by pulling at then elongating part of the palm). During the rest of the animations the only trace of it would be the discoloration where the texture was modified for the weapon (some metal colored bits on the hand).

This is entirely assuming the model has enough extra vertices in the region to make something resembling a weapon which is a big assumption given the typical model complexity in TU.

Post by **Fooli** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:36 am

You're right fhko. There are only really a handful of ways to do this, none of which is ideal.

1. Build a model that holds a weapon all the time, put the weapon attach point on the end of the blade (or whatever), use an invisible weapon model and just animate the attacks as normal.

2. Build a model that has a weapon sheathed most of the time (which would make running etc a bit more natural) but that draws and attacks with it when you press fire, using the same weapon attach point/invisible weapon model approach. Of course the model would have to sheath the weapon again after, which isn't great.

3. Build a model without any sort of weapon in its hand, and just use a dagger/sword/whatever as the weapon model, so it appears when you press fire, then disappears. As well as looking a bit odd when it appeared/disappeared, you'd also have to work out a way of aligning the weapon and the animation so it looked vaguely like "an attack", not just someone pushing a vertical sword towards someone. Quite tricky.

fhko wrote:In a desperately creative way to to make it work, I might be able to take an existing model and mess with the texturing just a bit then hideously distort part of it

I'm not sure I see the point of that - if the weapon is going to magically appear in the hand you may as well leave the main model alone and just use weapon models, as above.

None of these is ideal. We just don't have an animation system that can do melee, to be honest. The only way I'd even try to do this is just sticking to one weapon type per model, building the sword or whatever into its hand, and swinging it about for attack animations. I'd also probably do it using a turreted model, cos that makes life a bit easier sorting out different combinations of walking, standing, running and fighting. But that's a bit restrictive for proper humanoids. What's really needed is skeletal animation. Even then I doubt the lag model we use will work very well - it's designed for ballistic weapons.

But I'm sure you'll have a go anyway, so good luck :]

f

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:21 am

After some trouble with getting gmax to run, I've finally started my efforts to model a medieval suit of armor. I know it's not much, but it's not too bad for about an hour's efforts while also watching the DNC. I should have a good chunk of time this weekend to devote to modeling.

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:34 pm

The torso is coming along nicely. Something went a bit funny on the anterior part, but it's nothing noticeable (oh-no! I've done it! I've reached the point where my 'errors' are invisible! I never thought this day would come.

). Don't think you're getting a face out of this deal, flametard. I'm just using that to better shape my helmet. It won't last.

flametard · Post by **flametard** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:53 pm

oooh! wow!

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:06 am

I'm planning a ways ahead here. It seems to me that using a spiked mace for a weapon is a lot more poly intensive and not as cool as using a shiny sword. So, can I go with a nice little gladius or katana, instead? What sort of shield do you want this guy to have? Buckler, round wooden, kite, or tower?

flametard · Post by **flametard** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:17 am

a sword would be awesome instead of a mace! i would like a longsword or broadsword if possible. or just something medival looking. as far as the sheild is concerned, i would say any of those types would be awesome! whatever is easiest to make i guess!

zaroba · Post by **zaroba** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:52 am

fhko wrote:

hey, its a lobster claw

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:11 am

Oh yeah....you're right! It does look like a lobster claw.

edit: I remember my high school art teacher telling me that people draw others in their own image. I think she was right. Because as much as I try, I can't seem to make this guy look more chunky.

edit2: then again, the suit of armor you gave as an example doesn't have very chunky arms either.

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:58 pm

I hate having to do the pelvic region. It never looks right...

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:12 pm

Being the lazy person that I am, I just stole the lower body off my exoskeleton and stuck it on the knight to save time. Now pretty much of the preliminary modeling is done assuming flametard has no comments or complaints. Next comes the arduous task of bone-ing my gelatinous man-o-steel.

flametard · Post by **flametard** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:33 pm

wow! thats cool man. i wish i had your skills! thank you!!!! been asking for this suit of armor for like, over a year i think.

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 4:06 pm

En Garde!

(Almost done with bones)

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:23 pm

Obviously it's not done or I would have posted it. Been too busy with school and settings up for FN to worry about it. I'll get it done eventually.

flametard · Post by **flametard** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:08 pm

no rush at all! do your thing, I'm quite busy as well! thanks for trying it out you must be learning alot, being as this is your first humanoid, right? its amazing.

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:19 pm

It's my second humanoid actually...

Now that I have time, I've finally gone back and messed with the exoskeleton's animations. I removed the move start/stop animations to cut down on file size and rigged it so the model will fire a weapon so that it matches the punch animation.

You have two choices as far as versions now. One is set to not be effected by external lighting and therefore appears to glow and the other is the normal version. The texture link is back on page 7 of this thread.

ExoSuperSkel_Glo
ExoSuperSkel

Remember to rename any model file if you modify it in anyway, thanks.

Now back to that Knight guy...

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:59 pm

He has a face only a modeler could love.

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:30 am

I just want to vent that you better love this model when it's done, stimmy, because I'm in the middle of a couple hours of just working on the side of the torso's texture which includes 4 handcrafted leather buckles that I'm beginning to hate. That is all.

fhko · Post by **fhko** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:38 pm

Gah! It's finally done. I hate texturing...

Yes, I know it looks like one of those improvised-post-apocalyptic suits of armor in the movies., but I don't care...it's finished.