How to import self-made 3d models into Shogun 2

[manolops3]

yep,you have the option to add a new unit.
to add a new weapon the three warscape_equipment_....... - tables are the right ones.

i dont know it,but i think :

when you add a Katana in your equipment.max file,you have to give it a unique name.
lets say, rigid_equip_mykatanaLOD 1,2,3,4 for example.
then you have to open the warscape_equipment_collections table,click on add,an write " mykatana " ( the name you chose in the equipment file ),then click apply.
then open the warscape_equipment_items table,click on add,and again write " mykatana " , then under the equipment_key Tab choose " my katana " ( your new equipment-collection you create before )
click on apply.and now open the warscape_equipment_themes table,click add,and write mykatana again.then choose the primary weapon,secondary weapon .......et cetera .
let me know if you try this.....

and the textures.....i think,there is a mesh1.variant_part_mesh and a mesh2.variant_part_mesh,so maybe you have to make a new equipment file,named " mesh3.variant_part_mesh " to add new weapons without
deleting the others.if this is correct ( i dont know ) , maybe it is the same with the texture1diffuse and texture2diffuse,so you have to make texture3diffuse ( this is the texture of your weapon ) ...........
if this is true,you have to make this step again for every single weapon ( mesh4,mesh5,......... )

but perhaps this is not correct........

and the other question,you can place a helmet in the "masks " or "back" folder too,and use it in Unit Editor.but watch out ! a helmet used in the " legs " categorie will maybe not work........

Regards

[Vikus van de Merwe]

Ok, thank you. Today I worked on the unit parts, so I'll try it tomorrow and I'll tell you if it works...

Regards,
Vikus

[wangrin]

When you create equipments, and this rule is true since ETW, you have to carefully name them.

In equipment model :

• each equipment has its own layer
• all its variants are grouped in the layer and are named rigid_equip...

Example : Katana equipment

• layer is named katana
• layer contains mesh groups : rigid_equip_katana and rigid_katana_scabard, one gor each lod (lod1/2/3 and 4)
• variants : some mesh groups are called rigid_equip_katana_variant..., probably use a variant of the original model

Then, in db tables, equipments items must have the very same name than the model in equipments

Example : katana items must be named katana in db table (and not rigid_equip_katana)


For textures, in ETW, materials were defined in the model.
It look like system is a bit different since NTW.
And I'm not sure to know how assigning texture to equipment works with these newer titles such as NTW or S2TW.

[manolops3]

i have successfully added a new helmet and it works in Unit Editor.but today i tried to add a Armor-Cuirass.
but when i have export and convert and all the steps done,in Unit Editor it is completely deformed ( you can see it at the screenshot )

it is a problem with vertex weights or have i connect to much or simply the wrong bones to it ?

Regards

[wangrin]

Difficult to tell here.
It is possible that the problem come from rigging model.
Is it possible to animate model in unit editor ?

Could you also post a picture of the model from 3ds max ?

[wangrin]

And another question to the unit parts: Have I to place the parts perfectly to the bones so there is no space between the different models later or can I place for example my head anywhere? So when I have to place the models perfectly it would be clever to add the whole figure and then delete parts, save, delete other parts, save and so on...

You have to place each parts at the right place.
And the process is like you have written :

• create the whole model with all its parts
• create copy of it where you remove all parts but the one you need (head, torso, etc.) to create variant_part_mesh

As, since NTW, the game assemble parts, it is important to respect some kind of "size" (gabarit in French) to be sure that any parts can be combined with others.

[Vikus van de Merwe]

Ok, thanks to you both

I'll try now to add my sword as a new weapon in 3ds max and in the db tables. But it's nice that you are always a little step ahead so it's a lot of easier for me, because I remain in a workflow.
I'll write you when I have done it.

Regards,
Vikus

[Vikus van de Merwe]

So I worked with the db tables now and it worked as you said:



Now I have to load my models for the unit and then I have to texture them. After that I'll change some numbers in the db tables I think, because I didn't think about it's use very much yet. But: the finish comes nearer!

Regards,
Vikus

[manolops3]

Vikus have better news then i have.
today i tried several things again.try and error,no success.

Wangrin,
i have wrote you a message,i uploaded the max file into my gdrive folder you have access for.maybe you look over this.....

and i think it is not possible to animate a model in Unit Editor.

but i uploaded two Screenshots here too.

Regards

[wangrin]

Skeleton use a T pose, so, your model should use it too.

Note that you can animate your model in 3ds max, it is a good way to look if rigging model is fine or if vertex weights must be modified or optimized.

I will try to have a look to your model this weekend, I'm quite busy right now.

[manolops3]

Hi ,
yes,i will make the T pose for this Cuirass.i dont get this Model to work.but i tried today to integrate a Samurai-Mask-Model,with no problems.it was ok with the first try.it took me 5 minutes.but something is wrong
with this Cuirass........

[Vikus van de Merwe]

I'll have a look at the different unit variants today, too. Have I to add all bones which are in the model of have I to add only special bones for the different body parts?

Regards,
Vikus

[manolops3]

i think it is best you import a vanilla-unit part just to see which bones are connected to it.if you want to make a helmet for example,the most helmets only use the " head " - bone.but another unit parts will use another bones.

Regards

[wangrin]

When you create a model, you need to use a complete skeleton.
But you do not have to use all bones for the rigging model.

The helmet example from manolops3 is a good one.
When you create a helmet model, the rigging model will have to use only few of the bones.
Head is one of them, but if the model use a articulated Shikoro (neck protection), you can also use "neck" or even "spine2" bones.

But, the rule is that a vertex cannot be tied to more than 2 bones.
This means that a vertex can be tied to 1 bone (vertex weight is then 100%) or to 2 bones (a% to bone A and b% to bone B, and a+b=100).

Note that you can copy/paste a skin modifier from a vanilla model.

To assign geometry to bones, you have to add a "skin Modifier" to the model, and add the bones you want to be used. After that, 3ds Max is weightning the vertex automaticly but most likly you have to edit them, via the "Edit Envelope" Button and then playing around.

More easily it would be to load in a basic shogun model and then copy/paste the skin modifier to your model - works in most cases and you only have to do some minor tweaking, when the model is a bit offsize.

Source : Primergy - Modding Shogun - "Rise of Prussia" > Ideas/Discusion etc > Brainstorming

[Vikus van de Merwe]

Ok, this a good way how to do it, but as you said in another thread, the unit leg part is corrupted and the skin modifier has false bones I think. Do you know what I can do there? And:

You have to place each parts at the right place. And the process is like you have written :

• create the whole model with all its parts
• create copy of it where you remove all parts but the one you need (head, torso, etc.) to create variant_part_mesh

-> so is there any way to import all CA models in one max scene so I can copy all skin modifiers and can paste them in my different models?

Regards,
Vikus

[wangrin]

I'm not very skilled with 3ds max.
I don't know if skeleton are "merged" when adding unit parts or not (having only one skeleton instead to "n", one for each parts).

One of the possibility would be to do this using MilkShape and UU3D :

• exporting parts from variant_part_mesh to ms3d using UU3D
• reassigning vertex weights and deleting extra-skeletons using UU3D
• exporting the complete model from ms3d to variant_part_mesh or fbx file format using UU3D

[Vikus van de Merwe]

Now I added the arms of the whitchking and it worked without deformations. I had my whole model and cut them like the models from the CA are cut. I'll do the same thing for the other parts, too and then I have to texture them.

[Vikus van de Merwe]

Whoa, I have successfully added the body parts and can use them in the editor now. But there they are deformed. Looks it like that, because I havn't textures on my models yet or is it because of the models? I used an articulated model which I saved in different files. I'll send a picture of it in a few minutes...

[Vikus van de Merwe]

[manolops3]

Hi,

put the right texture in the "tex" -folder inside of the folder you have the variant_part_mesh in.then you will see it,but it looks for me not like a texture-problem.....

Wangrin,

i deleted the first version of my max.file and added the new version with the model in T-Pose.
i was not able to fix the deformation.
i tried several things,and now i will try the last idea i have.....split the armor in parts.

Regards