Needed: Simple Tutorial for exporting and importing S2TW Equipment model Modifications

[Andromachos]

I have a basic knowledge of how the variant models pack is put together. I have modded equipment for Empire, but not Napoleon. I know I need to use UUWrap (which I have) and there is something with the new mod tools made by CA (which I have). I have access to Milkshape 3D, Max 2009, and Maya 2013 (which I am the most familiar with). Can someone point me to a concise step by step workflow to export the equipment (I just want to mod the existing weapons for right now). Then import them back into the game so the engine can recognize them.

I am only wanting to make simple modifications right now to the models themselves (like the lengths of the yari, etc.), so nothing too complex and get them back in game.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[wangrin]

It depends if you want to add a completely new equipment or export and modify S2TW existing ones.

If you want to add a new equipment you have created, I suggest to use the .max file CA had provided in its Assembly kit (...\raw_data\art\battle\land\models\soldiers\VariantModels\UnitParts\Japan\equipment).
You can have a look here : Rigging up new models in 3DS Max for Shogun 2

On the other hand, if you want to use existing models that are not in the equipment file provided by CA :

• step 1 : opening equipment(s) model(s) from \variantmodels\equipment and .variant_part_mesh files using UU3D + ETW plugin
  ETW plugin is only able to open S2TW models, not convert them back to S2TW file formats
• step 2 : exporting equipments to .fbx file format
  If I remember, UU3D allow to export to .fbx 2010 and .fbx 2012, so, as you have 3ds max 2009, you could have some problems here.
  If .fbx file format doesn't work, try to use .obj.
• step 3 : opening equipement.max provided by CA and use it as a base
• step 4 : importing equipement(s) you've exported in step 2

Notes :

• eventually remove unwanted equipement from the file obtained after step 2 before importing in .max model
• like with ETW, equipments must be named rigid_equip_<equipment name>
• like with NTW, equipments have 4 lods (lod1 to lod4 from the most detailed to the least detailed one)

To import equipments in game you will have to :

• step 1 : run CS2_converter
  It will create a CS2 file containing all data needed for equipments
• step 2 : run BoB
  BoB will use CS2 file create by CS2 converter to create all model file formats needed by S2TW/FotS game engine
• step 3 : use DaVe to create db tables entries for your new equipments

[Andromachos]

Wangrin,

Thanks. I forgot I had Max 2012, so I am good there. I have two questions.

1. In Max, is there a way to isolate individual rigid_equip models? As an example, I just want to modify the basic yari (lods 1-4), just so I can adjust the vertices to shorten it a bit. I am having trouble finding that in the Modifier Box. I just want to be able to see the yari. (sorry I am more familiar with Maya than Max, but I need to learn Max (I only have a very basic knowledge of it), so doing this is a good first exercise.

2. Is it necessary to retain all of the lods for each piece of equipment? If I only use the highest detailed lod, will the engine revert to using vanilla lods for the missing lods I removed? Just curious...

Thanks again for your help with this!!

[wangrin]

Notes that CS2 converter only work with 3ds max 2009 and 2010.

I'm not a 3ds max specialist too ^^
The easiest way to see only the model you want is to hide all others :
Select the model you want to work with and then : RIGHT CLICK > HIDE UNSELECTED
Doing so, all models but those you have selected will be hidden.

CA add lods to equipments since NTW.
It is absolutely necessary to have 4 lods (lod1, 2, 3 and 4), if not, game crashes.
You can simply copy/paste/rename lod1 model, but it is not very good for game performances, particularly if your model is highly detailed.

[Andromachos]

OK, well I am having some trouble here. I might be a bit confused on some things. I found this thread with some helpful information on the exporter.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ng-Tools/page8

Also, I am having issues with the exporter not being recognized by my version of 3ds Max9... SO I now have 3dsMax 2010, and I have the exporter and scripts loaded.

I am still have just the basic issue of trying just to show the yari by itself, or even finding a list of all the rigid_equip... meshes. If I select one of the meshes, whether vertices, polygons or elements, and HIDE UNSELECTED, it hides the skeleton, but its like the equip_mesh is all one mesh bound together. There has to be a way to get to those individual models.

Sorry just a little clueless on that part. I think once I can find some kind of list of groups or components of the equip_mesh, hopefully I should be able to move forward.

Let me know if you figure anything out on this, or did someone else on the forum figure it out. It just seems to be an issue with knowing the intricacies of Max.

(EDIT)
I think I got this now... I was trying to work with a .fbx I got out of UUWrap3D... I open up the equipment.mesh that is in raw data, and I was able to isolate the yari... I am a little slow... LOL

(EDIT2)
Wangrin, what are the settings for the CS2 exporter... are the defaults OK? Also, since I modified only existing models within the game, and did not add new ones, I should only have to use the BoB program right?

Thanks

[Andromachos]

Wangrin,

Ok, I have selected all of the equipment in the equipment.max, exported that to a .cs2. I then open BOB, follow the instructions found here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ng-Tools/page8, and then press start. BOB then shows this error:

"t:\branches\shogun2\modders\common\calibs\include\CAVector.inl(552): ca_checkvalid(m) Failed"

I keep clicking Ignore, but it still shoes the same window. If I click retry, BOB crashes...

Any ideas?

[wangrin]

CS2 converter :

CA provided 2 converters, one for 3ds max 2009 and an other for 3 ds max 2010.
I use default settings.

Note that I've tried to export equipment.max provided by CA (after converting it to .max 2010 file format) but have had an error message. Some meshes or vertices seems to not be tied to bone.

BoB :

I suppose that BoB need the rules.bob as this file seems to contain some information about the target.
But I didn't use BoB yet as models I work on are not completed.
On the other hand, you can eventually contact Ygge as I think he has already try to create new models for S2TW


Converting variant_part_mesh to fbx file format :

When you convert variant_part_mesh to fbx file format using UU3D plugin, take care to select "EXPORT GROUPS AS MESHES"



Doing so, each vertex group will be converted as mesh and not merge in a single one with all other groups.

[Andromachos]

Wangrin,

That helped me immensely in editing in 3dsMax. I finished modifying existing weapons (I did not add new ones). I selected everything and saved as a .cs2. I then opened up BOB and it appears to work fine, creating the mod.pack. There was a lot of other stuff in there, was it necessary for what appeared to be unnecessary files to be in there? Especially the unit_varaint files, as I have already made extensive modifications of those through the tables.

Anyway, when the new pack, only containing the modified weapons pack, and my own mod packs (there are no other mesh1.variant_part_mesh in any of my other mods, the weapons do not show up in game. Its like they are not there. I was wondering if this had to do with either with texture linking? or the skeleton. I checked and the skeleton is on the max file that I saved as a cs2...

Any ideas?

Thanks for your continued assistance.

(EDIT)
I think part of my problem may have been when I was in UUWrap3D I didn't assign materials through the Material Editor, so if I exported the .fbx, I would assume there was no information to be translated concerning textures. There are 4 categories of textures, Diff, Opacity, Bump, Spec. Now the Equipment has a diff (goes under diffuse), normal (goes in bump...I think), but there is no place for gloss. SO, I have already modified the equipment models several times, is there a way to go into the variant_weight_mesh that I have modified and maybe reconnect the links for the textures... that's if they are missing...

Is there a way to insure either in the variant weighted mesh or in the max file that the materials are setup correctly. Let me know if you want me to post any of my files to look at, if you have time.

(EDIT2)
I found the Materiel Editor in Max, appears that every item is there, but not sure how to determine whether the right textures are linked to the models. Does CA have a proprietary material they use, or do they use like a standard "blinn" from Max and then the textures get plugged into there. I hope I am not confusing you by what I am asking...

(EDIT 3)
OK, I hope I am not annoying you... LOL I just double clicked on the materiel for the object in the editor and the Material comes up as a Phong, and there is an ambient, diffuse and spec map entries, Right now they say none, I am going to test this and add textures for these and see if that solves my issues...

(EDIT 4)
I believe its the textures causing the issue. After running BOB, it seemed to run normally, but told me that the .CS2 conversion had warnings. I read that, and it tells me that textures are missing.

0: material: standardequipment.CS2: Started reading material map 0.WARNING: Could not find diffuse texture.
Dummy texture will be used instead.
WARNING: No normal texture specified in file.
WARNING: No gloss texture specified in file.
WARNING: No level texture specified in file.
ERROR: No maps found! All maps will use dummy textures.
ERROR: No maps found! All maps will use dummy textures.
equipment.CS2: Ended reading material map 0.Valid.

, valid
1: material: standardequipment.CS2: Started reading material map 1.
WARNING: Could not find diffuse texture.
Dummy texture will be used instead.
WARNING: No normal texture specified in file.
WARNING: No gloss texture specified in file.
WARNING: No level texture specified in file.
ERROR: No maps found! All maps will use dummy textures.
ERROR: No maps found! All maps will use dummy textures.
equipment.CS2: Ended reading material map 1.Valid.

, valid
2: material: standardequipment.CS2: Started reading material map 2.
WARNING: Diffuse map found but no key was generated since it doesn't have a _diffuse extension.
WARNING: Could not find diffuse texture.

So this is what I have, I wasn't going to post the entire file, its way to big, but I was going to try and attach as a text document, but not sure how on here. Anyway, I think I have narrowed it down to the textures let me know if you or anyone knows how to fix this. Thanks!!

[wangrin]

Equipments not showing in game :

Generaly, when the problem come from texture, model are paint in black in game.
It could be a problem with bones or hidden object.

Can you open your equipment variant_part_mesh using UU3D ?
If model look like messed up, this would be definitvely a problem with vertex weights.



Assigning material to variant_part_mesh before converting to fbx file format :

I've done a small test :

First, I've opened the mesh2.variant_part_mesh from FotS and link material to textures :



Then, I've converted mesh2.variant_part_mesh to .fbx 2012 file format and then open it in 3ds max.



It is not a very good idea, because when you open the fbx file in 3ds max, it upload textures too... one for each mesh.
Result : need nearly 6 Go of RAM...

Looking at its materials, (click on M to run the Slate Material Editor) :




So, assigning textures to variant_part_mesh before converting it to fbx file format is definitively not a good idea.
On the other hand, you have to be sure that all vertex group are assigned to a material (generally mat0).



Then, I've done an other test using equipment .max files provided by CA.

I've open it and assign textures to existing material :



Problem : I don't know what to do with 4 of the 7 textures

• texture1_Colormask.tga
• texture1_Colormask2.tga
• texture1_Colormask3.tga
• texture1_Level.tga

To conclude, I suppose you will have to take care to assign you mesh to a material but not to textures.
For ETW equipments, it is possible to use more than one material, but here I'm not sure if you can define more than one material here.

On the other hand, when I look to warning message you've posted above, it look like you have a problem with texture and not materials.
Maybe because textures were not in the same tex folder where your .max file is ?

[Andromachos]

I opened the variant_part_Mesh I modified in UUWrap3D and the skeleton is there, the groups are in the list, but the meshes are gone. Sounds like you are on to something about the bones and vertex weights...

[wangrin]

It look like vertice are not assigned to bones.

It's a problem I've seen. Sometime, vertex groups, or parts of them, look like they are merge in one point because they are not tied to any bone.

[Andromachos]

Wangrin,

Hello, I have been away a bit.. So if the vertices are not assigned to the bones and are getting merged inot one point, is there a way to rectify this, or was it something I did wrong in the conversion process?

I did not add any new models, I just modified the existing vanilla models by just pushing and pulling verts. No new geometry was added. If I need to go through and assign a vert to a bone, which program should I do that in? When I did this in Empire, I used MilkShape 3D, so I assume I need to use 3dsMax, in this case. Let me know if I am on the right track, and any further suggestions from your experience would be quite helpful.

Thanks!!!

[wangrin]

To eventually correct vertex weight, you will have to do this on .max model before converting it.
But I think that something is wrong with .max models as I can't find weapon1, weapon2 and weapon3 bones.

When you use BoB, do you have error messages ?

[Andromachos]

Yes, I do... let me run through the process again, and see if I can publish a report for you...

Here is the first error I get:


Here is the 2nd error window:


I have the error report from BOB, saying that the equipment.cs2 failed... I would post it, but it is very long... how would you like me to send you the report??

[wangrin]

I think I've exactly the same error.
I fear that something is wrong with .max models provided by CA or with CS2 converter.

I will try to export a variant_part_mesh from S2TW to .fbx file format using Ultimate Unwrap 3d + ETW plugin (had been updated to open some of S2TW models) and import it into 3ds max.
Doing so, I should be able to extract S2TW man_skeleton.

[Andromachos]

Wangrin,

That would be very helpful, let me know if I can help in anyway.

I appreciate this, cause I am at an impasse right now...

Thanks

[wangrin]

We are all in an impasse... you, Xorte-Renshe, Ygge and me...
CA is aware of the problem as Ygge and I have contacted Will CA. But it seems they are busy with R2TW, so, we have no answer yet.

I've extracted the French Marine coat model from FotS and the convert it to .ms3d, .fbx (2012) and . dae.
Could you try to open, for example; .fbx model in 3ds max and compare its skeleton with the one from CA's .max file ?
Then, could you try to convert the model using CS2 converter ?

I'm quite busy with some models for I.S right now.
Moreover, I have to go back to work tomorrow... Holidays are over for me.

[Ygge]

I wish I could assist you guys but my knowledge of bones is almost non-existent.

[wangrin]

It's the same for me, at least with 3ds max : I will have to learn how to do.
It's always like this.

[Andromachos]

Wangrin, Ygge,

This is what I get when I first import the model of the french jacket, .fbx, inot 3ds Max 2010:

The Initial position (or Initial Pose) of the skinned objects is missing. The plug-in will create a pose automatically but running the 'Assume Skin Pose' command may create unexpected results.

SO it looks like the skeleton being used is one generated by the plug-in... I think, so I am thinking that the CA skeleton is not even in the /fbx... maybe... LOL

I am going to compare both as suggested by wangrin and report back...

(UPDATE 1)
I opened up the .fbx using Max 2010, and a skeletons was provided from somewhere, not sure yet, perhaps by the plug-in used as it told me.

I opened the CA equipment.max in Max 2012, there appears to be no skeleton, but shows bones Weapon 1, 2, 3 etc when I select certain pieces of equipment (which is what bone the equipment is attached to)... You all probably already know this stuff, so sorry for repeating known knowledge.

(UPDATE 2)
Just so I make sure what I was looking for was right... the French coat is bound to the Hip bone, but shows the entire skeleton.

Also, sorry your holiday is over wangrin, I am currently look for work, having to go back to engineering as in my area there just isn't much in the gaming/animation field here, and I am planning on staying here for now. So I know how you feel, working will be coming soon for me too. It would be nice to figure this out, or CA to figure it out before R2TW release...