Mesh/Cas/Engine - MaxScript version of GOAT tool

[johnwhile]

uhm... good question, i never look this. Example, for torch i remember that there are a bone name (bone_rhand) in export_units or battlemodels.... (i must ask to Ryhamo). But in the mesh and cas file there aren't any reference or data to this, i think the value of starting point is in other files, like siege engine where the file is *.ModelReferencePoints

[Babyloni]

john, is it possible to animate a projectile like a throwing axe in air? like thhe Franciska projectile in rtw:bi?

[johnwhile]

Ryhamo answer me that to enable Torch you must apply this numbers in battlemodel... :

no torch

...
1
4 None
17 MTW2_Legion_Pilum
16 MTW2_Fast_Legion 2
20 MTW2_Javelin_primary
14 fs_test_shield 2
18 MTW2_Sword_Primary
14 fs_test_shield
-1 0 0 0 0 0 0
....

torch

...
1
4 None
17 MTW2_Legion_Pilum
16 MTW2_Fast_Legion 2
20 MTW2_Javelin_primary
14 fs_test_shield 2
18 MTW2_Sword_Primary
14 fs_test_shield
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002
....

and i noticed that "16" is the <BoneID> properties in my script, or is the 16th bones in Milkshape
the other coordinated can be some rotation because the vector module equal always to 1.0 but try ti change example 16 with 1 and i suppose that torch will be linked to bone_pelvis.

[johnwhile]

john, is it possible to animate a projectile like a throwing axe in air? like thhe Franciska projectile in rtw:bi?

uhm... the projectile are a cas file without skeleton so without animation... but int the file descr_projectile.txt there aren't any reference to a sort of animation... so i think isn't possible.
You can change only the time frame where missile appear and start its animation:

descr_skeleton.txt

anim attack_missile_release data/animations/MTW2_Slinger/MTW2_Spear_attack_missile_release_modified.cas -fr -id:0.0, 1.5, 1.0, -if:34

but you must load animation into 3dstudio and see the time frame.
The Missile objects and units model are two things separately..

[Prisoner]

and how i can set the bone of mount skeleton, which attach the rider ?

[Babyloni]

uhm... the projectile are a cas file without skeleton so without animation... but int the file descr_projectile.txt there aren't any reference to a sort of animation... so i think isn't possible.
You can change only the time frame where missile appear and start its animation:

descr_skeleton.txt

anim attack_missile_release data/animations/MTW2_Slinger/MTW2_Spear_attack_missile_release_modified.cas -fr -id:0.0, 1.5, 1.0, -if:34

but you must load animation into 3dstudio and see the time frame.
The Missile objects and units model are two things separately..

Thank you for answer that but Iam may not be clear I meant the rotation of the projectile of an axe, as in projectile of the mangonel of the kingdoms crusades campaign the barrels are roling in the air!

[johnwhile]

Ask to Eothese because I know that he have made some experiment with the effects.

I never made change about effect because is too complicated and my first tentative crash the game but i think this is the way

descr_engine.txt

type mangonel
culture all
class mangonel
...
fire_effect engine_fire_medium_trebuchet_set
...

but now i lost the reference because the other files are
descr_flaming_projectiles.txt
descr_projectile.txt

[Babyloni]

Find this: if I add this
display aimed spin to the projectile the object will rotate in the air, thank you very much john.

[Cromagnon2]

First of all, thank you for this tool!
I am a beginner with 3dsmax, but thanks to your tool i am able to do some editing.
However when i try to edit some meshes and save it in Utilities > mtw2 mesh > save mesh,
my model appears heavily deformed, see attachment.
I think it has something to do with the bones but since i am a noob i can not find it.
Any kind of help appreciated

[johnwhile]

simply because you have bad assigned the skin modifier, send me the max file (not mesh).

[Cromagnon2]

simply because you have bad assigned the skin modifier, send me the max file (not mesh).

Thank you very much for the tip! I just changed the helmet a bit for experimentation, I want to do allot more.
I did a google for '3dsmax skin modifiers' and there seem to be some tutorials.
Does it mean every time i load a .mesh file into 3dsmax I have to manually assign all vertices to bones again?
or is it maybe i was not using a vanilla model?
I still have a lot to learn.

[johnwhile]

-----

[johnwhile]

If you load also a skeleton when importing the mesh file (see the tutorial), i make a tool that assign automatically the vertex to bone, the result i think is very good, you can also apply a random animation to see if the assignments are good, otherwise is sufficient change only some vertex.

Go to "m2tw_3dstudio_scripts.chm" > "Mesh" > "Using Auto-Weighting". But obviously i don't write now assign and use skin modifier, i suppose that if you use 3dstudio you already know some basic

PS: if you add only one bone into skin modifier list, the script automatly assign all vertex of this object to bone, example, if you select the head object , you apply a skin modifier and you add only the bone_head, the result is that all vertices of head mesh was assigned to bone_head.
This can be a good beginning to see quickly the result in game.

[Kasimashi]

Hi johnwhile !!
Can you reupload the Animation (basic) In first page
Because we have a error :
Error (404)
We can't find the page you're looking for. Check out our Help Center and forums for help, or head back to home.

Thanks for help

[johnwhile]

ops... dropbox delete me the files... and i don't find a copy in my pc... i must rebuild tutorials... In the chm Help there are some info about cas files.

[Cromagnon2]

If you load also a skeleton when importing the mesh file (see the tutorial), i make a tool that assign automatically the vertex to bone, the result i think is very good, you can also apply a random animation to see if the assignments are good, otherwise is sufficient change only some vertex.

Go to "m2tw_3dstudio_scripts.chm" > "Mesh" > "Using Auto-Weighting". But obviously i don't write now assign and use skin modifier, i suppose that if you use 3dstudio you already know some basic

PS: if you add only one bone into skin modifier list, the script automatly assign all vertex of this object to bone, example, if you select the head object , you apply a skin modifier and you add only the bone_head, the result is that all vertices of head mesh was assigned to bone_head.
This can be a good beginning to see quickly the result in game.

Very helpfull john
I only have 3dsmax a couple a days, but i learn fast
I am studying your words from your post above.
Next thing I will need to know i think is how to import a skeleton with a mesh file. Unfortunately your tutorials are gone and the ones in the help file does not say how.

[johnwhile]

mesh file don't contain skeleton, only bone assignements, in fact the script place all bone in position [0,0,0].
The skeleton is in cas file, so if you open cas file as default, the script build the skeleton, next you can save it to skelexport file to save the skeleton information. When you open a mesh file and you select his skeleton, the script build both mesh's units and skeleton's bones.

This is the concept of siege engine and mount units. The normal human soldier (90% of units) use a sum of differents skeletons, so when you open a mesh units with 02_human.skelexport file you will noticed that some bone are missing and set to [0,0,0] position. The skeleton + mesh was used tipically to edit animations.
The 01_KE'solution.skelexport isn't the skeleton used for human animation but is a humanskeleton + weaponskeleton + shieldskeleton, is the same skeleton that you can see with Milkshape tool, but is possible that game use example a weaponskeleton1 for knight and weaponskeleton2 for lancers... so two different secondary skeleton, so the position in Milkshape can be wrong.

Example for Musketeers, the weaponskeleton that contain the bone_weapon01, bone_weapon, ecc... isn't like you see with Milkshape tool (all in the same position of bone_Rhand), so you can't understand or animate correctly the relative weapon's animation.

[johnwhile]

but secondary skeleton concept is a little complicated, for basic use of my script simple select "01_KE'solution.skelexport" and open a soldier mesh.
If you want open a Horse, elephant or siege engine you must extract these skelexports files from relative cas animation. Mount and Engine model contain only one skeleton so is easy.

You can also open a mesh file without select a skeleton, is a pure conversion, all bone will be set to [0,0,0] position and your work consist only to assign vertex to bones with skin modifier, but the only issue is that you can't understand there exactly the bone was placed in game.

[Kasimashi]

When can you reupload it?

Regards

[Cromagnon2]

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