Implementing the EB animations

[florin80]

This is not a guide. I started this topic because many people here want to get the EB animations and they do not know how to include them in the mod or don`t have the time for it. So, if there are people in this comunity with the skills and the time to do such a thing post here. Also post here with suggestions about which animations you want to include. However, you do need someone to do this, `cause I`m not offering myself. I changed my mind and I`m gonna give you some suggestions on how to do it if you want to try this and don`t know how.

I. You should know what EDU and DMB mean.
EDU comes from "export_descr_unit" and is located in "Rome - Total War/data"
DMB comes from "descr_model_battle" and is also located in "Rome - Total War/data"
Also there is another file named "export_units" located in "Rome - Total War/data/text"

II. What you need to do is to download the "RTR Platinum v1.6 Optional add-ons.zip" from here:
http://beaglepc.net/rome/downloads/R...al_Add-ons.zip
Then extract the files fromit and install the animation pack as the instruction from its readme tell you.
III. Then you need to add the animations in the DMB for each unit. In order to do that you need to know how to find the unit you want. Here`s how you do it: open the file "export_units" and search for the name the unit has in the game. For example triarii. You will find this part "{rtr_roman_triarii} Triarii". Then open the EDU and look for what is between {} in the export_units file (i.e. rtr_roman_triarii ). After you find it look at the entry "soldier". It should say in this example "soldier roman_triarii, 40, 0, 1". The red part is what you`re looking for. Now, open the DMB and look for "roman_triarii". You will find:

type				roman_triarii
skeleton			fs_spearman

The entry for the skeleton you need to change.
Now, go (after you have installed the animation add-on) in this location:
"Rome - Total War/Docs/RTR Platinum Optional Add-ons"
Open the file "RTW-BI Unified Skeletons List" and search for "fs_triari". Add to the DMB this so it will look like so:
type roman_triarii
skeleton fs_triari
You will now have kneeling triarii.
If you want them to hold their spears overhead(just an example) check the file "EB Animations Pack Readme" from the same location as above. You have a list of animations there that you can use. There is also an explanation there so you`ll know what the animation is for. For example:

Overhand foot spearman:
fs_o_f_spearman, fs_fast_o_f_spearman and fs_o_f_spearman_p

Choose one of them and add it to the entry for triarii if you want. Like so;

type				roman_triarii
skeleton		       fs_o_f_spearman_p
indiv_range		      40

Save the file and exit.

NOTE: REMEMBER TO MAKE A BACK UP OF THE DMB BEFORE YOU START MESSING WITH IT SO YOU CAN REVERT THE CHANGES IF YOU WANT.

PS: I`m not really an experienced modder so if anyone sees any mistakes in this guide please say so. Also post if you want to add something.
Note that I have used the examples above just as such. They are examples and don`t start asking why should a triarii hold its spear overhand. Also you will find that not every animation there fits so well so.... its your choice.

NOTE#2: If you make a modified DMB with new animations upload it on rapidshare for example and let the others have it too. Thanks!
http://rapidshare.de/

EDIT: Also check this thread here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=58388

[Sarkiss]

thnanks!
i cant implement them but if someone does, 2 handed pikemen and cataphracts would be cool to have.

[Panama Red 51]

florin80:
I would not suggest that people use any of the EB skeletons/animations at end in the "_p". The reason is those skeletons/animations are "less" developed than the same skeleton/animation without the "_p". The reason is that the "_p" skeletons/animations are still there is because they still part of the EB pac so they were included.

Such as: "fs_fast_thp_f_spearman" is better and animation is smoother than the "fs_thp_f_spearman_p"

[florin80]

Thanks very much for the info! Every suggestion from you is more then welcome in this thread.
I used the fs_o_f_spearman_p just as an example on how to put it in and not as a recommendation.
For those who do not know, Panama Red 51 is the one that put together the Unified_Skeleton-Animations_Pack for RTRPE.

[Panama Red 51]

florin80:
Any success in your experiment that we talked about ???

[florin80]

florin80:
Any success in your experiment that we talked about ???

No, because I had a little snow problem here and I had to uninstall and then I`ll have to reinstall RTW and I don`t think I`ll reinstall RTRPE until the final version is released. So, I`ll wait a while before doing that.

[evil-SHADOW]

2florin80

type roman_triarii
skeleton fs_triari
You will now have kneeling triarii.

They are kneeling, yes. But they stand up and kneel down when they want themselves. Moreover, there is no animation for standing up and it looks terrible.

[florin80]

2florin80

They are kneeling, yes. But they stand up and kneel down when they want themselves. Moreover, there is no animation for standing up and it looks terrible.

Right! That`s why I said it is a matter of taste. We were just as excited when we first found out about the kneeling triarii. I remember Candelarius said something like "Mother of God! Kneeling triarii!". Then we realized that it can be annoying having them kneel all the time and from the discussions in the privat forum we decided to let the unified pack as an optional and let people decide what they want and implement it themselves.

[King_Azzole]

Generic error "fs_o_f_spearman" not found.

I have the unified animations installed. Any ideas? Tried the fs_o_f_spearman_p as well same error. Only the fs_fast_o_f_spearman works. The Phalanx two handed work as do the overhand hoplites (but you know the hoplite overhand looks bad on square shield units).

[florin80]

Generic error "fs_o_f_spearman" not found.

I have the unified animations installed. Any ideas? Tried the fs_o_f_spearman_p as well same error. The Phalanx two handed work as do the overhand hoplites (but you know the hoplite overhand looks bad on square shield units).

It should work. I tried the exact animation and did not have that problem. Are you sure you have placed the animation/skeleton pack in the right location? You may want to try and install it in a new folder and then copy paste the 4(IIRC) files needed in the Rome - Total War/data/animations. But, I suppose you knew that so....

[King_Azzole]

How odd. I used the self installer that came with the PE addon pack. And the fs_os work but I am getting the following visual error:



I will try to install the files manually and I will tell you the outcome.

[King_Azzole]

Still not working. I even re-downloaded the animations and inserted them manually. I am getting the same error message. I am copy pasting the animation string from your first post in this thread "fs_fast_o_spearman"

edit: Ok I apologize, I had misspelled something, but I am still getting the graphical error shown above where they are holding the spears backwards. Perhaps its the type of spear I am using for the unit?

edit: sorry for the double post, I thought I hit edit.

[florin80]

I do remember reading about something like this, but I don`t know exactly how/if it can be solved. As I said I only posted some suggestions on how to implement them, but I haven`t played with them long enough to know this. Panama should be able to tell you more.

[Panama Red 51]

The reason that you are getting these "graphical errors" is that you are using the EB overhand skeleton/animation with a CA/Sig1 model.

The reason that I say this, is that EB designs their overhand models 180* from the normal CA/Sig1 overhand models. The CA/Sig1 models when marching hold the spear upright and when charging "flip" the spear into the overhand mode with spear point forward. EB on the other hand has their overhand models hold the spear point towards the ground when marching and when they charge, the models bring the spear up in on clean sweep with the spear point forward.

In essance, a model designed to use the Sig1 overhand spear (which is 90% of most spear models) looks wierd using the EB overhand skeleton/animation and visa-versa.

Currently the only mods using the EB version of the overhand spearmen are EB 0.74, SPQR 6.1, and ROP 1.5, all the other mods use the Sig1 overhand skeleton/animation. As a result, looking at you attached picture tells me that it is a regular CA/Sig1 model trying to use the EB overhand spear skeleton/animation. Oh, and it takes someone with 3D Max to change the spear models from one version to the other.

[King_Azzole]

Thanks for the clarification! I appreciate the help.

[alin]

Hey evreyone, since this is related to what i've done some time ago i decided to read the thread a little and wanted to make some things clear.

florin80:
I would not suggest that people use any of the EB skeletons/animations at end in the "_p". The reason is those skeletons/animations are "less" developed than the same skeleton/animation without the "_p". The reason is that the "_p" skeletons/animations are still there is because they still part of the EB pac so they were included.

Such as: "fs_fast_thp_f_spearman" is better and animation is smoother than the "fs_thp_f_spearman_p"

That's not true, the skeletons with _p at the end are for phalanx units, i had to change some animations so that they work in the phalanx formation without any bugs that the cas editor may cause and also because of how the units held the weapon in phalanx formation.

2florin80

They are kneeling, yes. But they stand up and kneel down when they want themselves. Moreover, there is no animation for standing up and it looks terrible.

Well that skeleton was in progress and never had the time to finish it, however maybe the eb team will finish it for the 0.8 version of EB.

The reason that you are getting these "graphical errors" is that you are using the EB overhand skeleton/animation with a CA/Sig1 model.

The reason that I say this, is that EB designs their overhand models 180* from the normal CA/Sig1 overhand models. The CA/Sig1 models when marching hold the spear upright and when charging "flip" the spear into the overhand mode with spear point forward. EB on the other hand has their overhand models hold the spear point towards the ground when marching and when they charge, the models bring the spear up in on clean sweep with the spear point
forward.

This true, the reason why the models have the spear rotate at 180* is that idle animations required this so this wan't designed for the ca models.

Currently the only mods using the EB version of the overhand spearmen are EB 0.74, SPQR 6.1, and ROP 1.5, all the other mods use the Sig1 overhand skeleton/animation. As a result, looking at you attached picture tells me that it is a regular CA/Sig1 model trying to use the EB overhand spear skeleton/animation. Oh, and it takes someone with 3D Max to change the spear models from one version to the other.

I don't know exactly this but i got plenty of Pm with requests to use the eb animations and so in the future there should be more mods using it, but again it requires some editing in max to make it work and look as they were designed, however it's really simple to make the models compatible with the overhand skeleton in max.

[florin80]

Wow! alin is here! Thanks for the info!
Mulţumesc!

[evil-SHADOW]

Well that skeleton was in progress and never had the time to finish it, however maybe the eb team will finish it for the 0.8 version of EB.

Thanks for explanation

This true, the reason why the models have the spear rotate at 180* is that idle animations required this so this wan't designed for the ca models.

I had the same problem but since it's all clear now I have no need to ask a question

There is another problem:




Look at the officers of Seleucid gold-shielded pikemen and argyraspides (they have fs_thp_f_spearman animation).
They stand at the proper place after moving at the position while the rest (the rest = 240 men ) stay in a few metres behind (at the wrong place).

It is an animation-specific issue - you can see that the bronze-shielded pikemen stand at the рroper place as they have simple fs_spearman animation.

[Panama Red 51]

evil-Shadow:
What happens if you use the "fs_thp_f_spearman_p" in place of the "fs_thp_f_spearman" ???

[evil-SHADOW]

evil-Shadow:
What happens if you use the "fs_thp_f_spearman_p" in place of the "fs_thp_f_spearman" ???

I'll report tomorrow (i.e. about 15-16 hours later).