Changing the model of the spear

[Juggernaut]

I really hate the default model of the un-upgraded spear(the one that looks like something used by caveman), and I want to change it's model to the one of the upgraded one.
To put it simply, I want to change the model of the un-upgraded spear to that of the upgraded one.
Is there any way to do this?

[Caesar Clivus]

1. Download and install Milkshape and GOM's Mesh to MS3D converter (links in the tutorials and tools forum)
2. Convert the models with both spear types to MS3D files.
3. Open the upgraded spear model and delete all groups EXCEPT for the spear groups (might be more than one). Save and close
4. Open the unupgraded spear model and delete ONLY the spear groups. Save and close.
5. Open GOM's converter. Use the merge function to merge the two together.
6. Convert the newly merged file back to .mesh
6. Put the new .mesh file back into the same M2TW directory that you got it from.

Note: make sure that the final file you create has the same name as the original or you'll have to edit the modeldb file...which is best left alone unless you need to

[Juggernaut]

I've completely forgotten about this thread.
I'm sorry it took so long to write a reply.
I downloaded GOM's converter and I tried to convert the spear model to MS3D file, but the converter failed to do it with the message "Non-standard file - Not Processed".
Did I did something wrong?

[KnightErrant]

@Juggernaught,
Sorry, meant to answer yesterday but everyone seems to be doing
animations and asking questions the past two days. From your last
post it seems like you are trying to convert an actual spear model and
not a unit that has a spear you like. Grumpy's converter only works on
units. Let me just convert Caesar Clivus's reply into some pictures and
see if that helps.

Suppose you decide that the spears that the armored_sergeants have
are the spears you want for your unit. Run Grumpy's converter on
armored_sergeants_lod0.mesh and produce a armored_sergeants_lod0.ms3d
file. Open in Milkshape and go to the groups tab. Select the two spear
groups. Then go to the edit menu and select the item "Select Invert".
This inverts your selection so the spears AREN'T selected but everything
else is. It should look like this:



Hit the delete button and all the geometry stuff should be gone. Now go
to the Model Tab and change from vertices to joints. (This is on the
right hand side, midway down.) Drag a selection box around the skeleton to
select it and then hit delete. You should just have the spears left.
Save this file as "spears.ms3d" for example (Caesar Clivus's step 3.)

Now go to file you want to give the spear to. Say it's some peasant unit.
Convert it from .mesh to .ms3d using Grumpy's converter and open
in Milkshape. Delete any weapons it has by going to the groups tab
and selecting and deleting. You should have a model with no weapons
like:

(I used ee_spear_militia for the example but choose anything you like.)



Save this file also and then fire up Grumpy's converter and choose the
merge option as in this picture:



Order is important for this. For the first file chooser select the big file
with the skeleton and all the geometry. For the second file chooser select
the "spears.ms3d" file, i.e. the weapon(s) you want to merge. You then
get a merged file with the unit of choice with the new weapon like:



Hope this helps, happy modding.


KE

[Juggernaut]

@Juggernaught,
Sorry, meant to answer yesterday but everyone seems to be doing
animations and asking questions the past two days. From your last
post it seems like you are trying to convert an actual spear model and
not a unit that has a spear you like. Grumpy's converter only works on
units. Let me just convert Caesar Clivus's reply into some pictures and
see if that helps.

Suppose you decide that the spears that the armored_sergeants have
are the spears you want for your unit. Run Grumpy's converter on
armored_sergeants_lod0.mesh and produce a armored_sergeants_lod0.ms3d
file. Open in Milkshape and go to the groups tab. Select the two spear
groups. Then go to the edit menu and select the item "Select Invert".
This inverts your selection so the spears AREN'T selected but everything
else is. It should look like this:



Hit the delete button and all the geometry stuff should be gone. Now go
to the Model Tab and change from vertices to joints. (This is on the
right hand side, midway down.) Drag a selection box around the skeleton to
select it and then hit delete. You should just have the spears left.
Save this file as "spears.ms3d" for example (Caesar Clivus's step 3.)

Now go to file you want to give the spear to. Say it's some peasant unit.
Convert it from .mesh to .ms3d using Grumpy's converter and open
in Milkshape. Delete any weapons it has by going to the groups tab
and selecting and deleting. You should have a model with no weapons
like:

(I used ee_spear_militia for the example but choose anything you like.)



Save this file also and then fire up Grumpy's converter and choose the
merge option as in this picture:



Order is important for this. For the first file chooser select the big file
with the skeleton and all the geometry. For the second file chooser select
the "spears.ms3d" file, i.e. the weapon(s) you want to merge. You then
get a merged file with the unit of choice with the new weapon like:



Hope this helps, happy modding.


KE

It worked perfectly!
Thanks!

[KnightErrant]

Your very welcome, glad it worked for you.
Happy modding!

[OTZ]

@Juggernaught,
Sorry, meant to answer yesterday but everyone seems to be doing
animations and asking questions the past two days. From your last
post it seems like you are trying to convert an actual spear model and
not a unit that has a spear you like. Grumpy's converter only works on
units. Let me just convert Caesar Clivus's reply into some pictures and
see if that helps.

Suppose you decide that the spears that the armored_sergeants have
are the spears you want for your unit. Run Grumpy's converter on
armored_sergeants_lod0.mesh and produce a armored_sergeants_lod0.ms3d
file. Open in Milkshape and go to the groups tab. Select the two spear
groups. Then go to the edit menu and select the item "Select Invert".
This inverts your selection so the spears AREN'T selected but everything
else is. It should look like this:



Hit the delete button and all the geometry stuff should be gone. Now go
to the Model Tab and change from vertices to joints. (This is on the
right hand side, midway down.) Drag a selection box around the skeleton to
select it and then hit delete. You should just have the spears left.
Save this file as "spears.ms3d" for example (Caesar Clivus's step 3.)

Now go to file you want to give the spear to. Say it's some peasant unit.
Convert it from .mesh to .ms3d using Grumpy's converter and open
in Milkshape. Delete any weapons it has by going to the groups tab
and selecting and deleting. You should have a model with no weapons
like:

(I used ee_spear_militia for the example but choose anything you like.)



Save this file also and then fire up Grumpy's converter and choose the
merge option as in this picture:



Order is important for this. For the first file chooser select the big file
with the skeleton and all the geometry. For the second file chooser select
the "spears.ms3d" file, i.e. the weapon(s) you want to merge. You then
get a merged file with the unit of choice with the new weapon like:



Hope this helps, happy modding.


KE

This worked to get the unit in game, but now I've got the Jeebus disease...any tips to rid me of this problem?

[B. Ward]

This worked to get the unit in game, but now I've got the Jeebus disease...any tips to rid me of this problem?

Make sure all your vertices are assigned to the appropriate bones and also that all you groups have comments.

I am yet to find a way to get models working in-game after using the Milkshape merge function. It completely screws them up because you end up with a model with multiple skeletons and more than one set of materials. It's either GOM's converter or it's nothing.

I've gotten the same subversion error that you received but I am yet to work out why it was happening.

The merge function in milkshape won't work. GOM made that clear when he made the converter. As I said earler you get the subversion error when you go to merge to .ms3d files and one or both of them have more than just the standard figure and attachments in materials. If you are adding new materials to see how your current model looks, delete them before you save the file. In materials you should only have figure and attachments in the .ms3d file when going to merge and convert to .mesh.

[Lonck]

is this a tut on how to change weaps? Can I use this to change other weapons?

[KnightErrant]

It can be. Grumpy's merge facility is a general way of bringing in
geometry to a model. It can be for weapons, like the above, or shields,
helmuts, heads, etc. Any piece of mesh from one model that you like
can be put on another one with Grumpy's merge facility. The caveat,
and Caesar Clivus points this out, if you swap a sword for a spear, say,
then your model needs a different animation set and you have to mod
the modeldb file to do that. Or if you want your modded model to be a
new unit, you have to put it into the modeldb file and put it into the EDU
so it's a little more work.

[Icedie El Guaraní]

i am on it right now but i have a problem with the grumpy converter it crash when converting , but later i find the file i was converting but i try it to open again and it prompt me some unknown subversion for comment 808463936 and vertex ertra , model extra, joint extra but still it open it does that mean that it work?
and also why is when it can´t convert some mesh ? not standart file . not processed!
maybe is because i use a unit "highland rabble" and add a mace from "dismounted imperial knight" it has the jesus chrits sindrome and the model only has head, arms and weapons "targe, mace"
here is my lod file for "highlanders, in en_highlander for kingdoms" can you check the problem? please!!

[KnightErrant]

@icedie
That error message means you did the merge in the wrong order.
Remember, "Order is important for the merge". In the first file chooser
that appears when merging, you select your main model .ms3d file,
the one that has the skeleton. In the second file chooser you select
the file that has the weapon or shield or whatever small piece of geometry
that you want to merge.

Your mesh file has zero weights in it and no bounding sphere and invalid
triangles, which is what usually happens. So try the merge again.

[B. Ward]

try it to open again and it prompt me some unknown subversion for comment 808463936 and vertex ertra , model extra, joint extra but still it open it does that mean that it work?

no the model is pretty much screwed, for lack of a better word

that error is caused when you're trying to merge a file that has more than the two material groups "figure" and "attachments". if you have more than that when trying to merge you'll get that error

[Icedie El Guaraní]

i did it with the milkshape merge botton in file menu and it did work but i haven´t tried yet bacause i was waiting for our reply, will it work that way? the converter it work the way you said it, i open it back with mmilkshape, add the commnet but when i try to convert the ms3d to mesh it crash, i´ll send you a ms3d copy and if you can check it. that would be nice!! thnx for replying so soon.

[Caesar Clivus]

i did it with the milkshape merge botton in file menu and it did work but i haven´t tried yet bacause i was waiting for our reply, will it work that way?

I am yet to find a way to get models working in-game after using the Milkshape merge function. It completely screws them up because you end up with a model with multiple skeletons and more than one set of materials. It's either GOM's converter or it's nothing.

I've gotten the same subversion error that you received but I am yet to work out why it was happening. :hmmm:

[Icedie El Guaraní]

is that mean that i can only merge one or two components at the time? or just ones i may add another attachment/figure? to be honest i don´t get it!! i try adding just one attachment and bung again crush but it create a merge that said exrta model, extra joint, unknown comment and vertex , is there anoter tuto where i can look better? anyhow this is the other test i did the way you explain it !" archer test i add a secondary weapon " thanx

Now i ran into a bigger problem, i succesfuly merge the weapon without the converter crashing, but , when i try to open it back in milkshape error runtime occur," this aplication has request the runtime to terminate it in an unusual way, it´s refere to the ms3d.exe" and it crash now the milkshape too, cr&%%&$%$p!!

[Icedie El Guaraní]

no one?

[Icedie El Guaraní]

by now i can only make the uvmap for the skin work, and and if i make a shield or weapon change it crush so i quit untill another release or another better tuto, although the KE tuto is really good but is just not enough for beginners, for now i´ll stay tune waiting for answers.
Another question out of topic does anyone know if the lod file from SS work with vanilla or kingdom? if this is much to ask just ignore it!!

[Icedie El Guaraní]

depends of what you exactly you do , because sometimes i dnk why the bone weight and you get a buggy unit, or sometimes it does not have a comment, so you just check those , after a long process of weighting bones i have successfully merge what ever i want now, so this tuto is very good!!

[OTZ]

Do you change the weighting of the merged unit, or the individual parts? How exactly is this done?

Also, anytime I try to load a merged Ms3d into milkshape it crashes on me - any advice?