M2TW Chariots Alpha Release

[Bwian]

Happy Christmas to Modders everywhere.

By way of seasonal cheer, I have tucked this under the communal tree for download:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...o=file&id=2239

This is the basic kit of parts to have working 3-man chariots in M2TW. This requires that you be familiar with the mod folder approach, and being able to re-create the animation folder. This also requires Caliban's animation folders.

Sample text files ar eincluded for the model, unit and animation files so you get teh whole thing running. The animations are not perfect...the wheels..for example...need some tweaking to get the rotations perfect. Also..the death animation could use some improvement. These things will come when I have time, but I thought I would put this out there now as it will allow other mod teams to build on this for their own needs.

So...enjoy!


Special thanks to KnightErrant for his GOAT/GOAL toolkit, and endless e-mail help about animations, rotations, quaternions and eulers! I understood but a fraction....but enough to make this all work.


EDIT: For those who need the raw MS3D chariot to work from, it is now uploaded too:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...o=file&id=2241

[Banzai!]

Sweet.

I am trying to change the chariot model into a scythed chariot. However when I use GOAT to convert the included .mesh to a .ms3d it appears as if the wheels aren't assigned to any bones? What bones are the wheels are assigned to?

Perhaps I am using the wrong tool to convert the .mesh to a .ms3d? Please advise. You could always upload the ms3d.

Here is my milkshape setup:

[Bwian]

The wheels should be attached to bone_axle .... the last one in the list. If you can't get the model to back-convert, pm me with an e-mail address, and I can send you the original MS3D file to work from.

Also...make sure you are using the latest version of the GOAT toolkit. Your import has not put the horse bones where they should be, and has put the model over a stock horse skeleton. It may well be that the thing won't re-convert the mesh...so the original MS3D might need to be uploaded here as well for people to modify stuff from. I am sure KE can confirm if the tool will re-convert OK.

[Banzai!]

I have PMed you Bwian with my e-mail.

I was using 1.0 of GOAT since I presumed you had not been working with the latest version (v1.1) that was released just a few days ago.

[Icedie El Guaraní]

WOW cool mate, i have been workin gon this for a long time, now finally some one camoe up with this cool stuff, thanks men, and Vacuus Lux Lucis will definately appreciate this brake through!!
So i will provide any thing you might be interested in the future!!
Merry Christmas!! and for KE as well!!

EDITED:
GOAT does messed it up, and it doesn´t have any bone_axel it has only the normal horse bones, i use GOAT 1.0 and 1.1 , the first release of GOAT can´t convert it, only the new one does but with standard horse bones.
What are the bones scheme you are using, can you post the set of bones, i remember you mention that you have sacrificed the tail bone to add the chariot axel due to the 25 bone limit, i haven´t try it renaming the bones but it seems point less cause the bones are not assign when i hit "draw vertices with bone colors" it crashes.

[KnightErrant]

@All,

Arrgh, how often do I have to say this: THERE ARE NO SKELETONS IN A
MESH FILE! You will never be able to use any converter to recover a
custom skeleton. The skeletons live in the custom animation files that
Bwian created. You can only work with the .ms3d file that has the
extra bone skeletons, this is where they were created. If you have that
you can add any geometry to it, and Bwian's animations will work.

Here's how any converter works: the mesh is converted to geometry in
the .ms3d format. When they get to the joints section, Grumpy's converter,
my converter, any converter at all, has to supply the skeleton offsets
because they aren't in a .mesh file. Those extra little files for Grumpy's
converter contain the human skeleton (the binary ones you can't edit
easily). Mine has them hard coded near the bottom of the Toolbox file,
but you can open a Python file in any text editor and look at the skeleton
definitions: there's a lot of them for siege_engines and mounts but you
can search for def skeleton_standard() to find the human one.

Bottom line, ask Bwian nicely to supply the .ms3d model and then you
can mod geometry to your hearts content. As long as you don't touch
the bones of his model, the supplied animations will work fine when you've
put them in game.

Edit: I apologize, it's Christmas Eve. It's a model, a really cool model.
No need to fly off the handle. I'll check back tomorrow, if there's any
questions on how to customize or play with the model I'd be happy to
help. This was a really fun project to be part of. Off to play with
worldcollision files.

[Banzai!]

Sweet.....
(chariot base model from EB)





Don't let them go amok lol.

BTW KnightErrant any more info why my slingers don't work?

[Bwian]

Sorry folks...should have spotted the lack of the MS3D and remembered that it was needed ... I blame the large glass of Tequila I had in my hand when I did the upload

The link to the MS3D file is in the first post of the thread.

@Banzai ... I had a bit of a sneak preview on GOAT 1_1 .... KE sent me a bugfix for the horse related bits when I spotted them. At the time, ther ewere other bugs being fixed, so he held off a full release until they were all sorted. Basically, the more the tool was used, the more bugs got found and cured. The bits KE fixed for me needed testing...so I got them first

Are those chariots running with the new anims? I like the shot of the holes they cut in the Romans line ... just likethe history books

[Icedie El Guaraní]

Are those chariots running with the new anims? I like the shot of the holes they cut in the Romans line ... just likethe history books

Hey they are way over powered, i have 110 units or 40 chariot units againts 860 northumbrian soldiers and i beat the hell out of them, i know i can easily change this but its funny they are amazing dude!! i killed about 600 of them then 2 of my units run amok. i lost 60 units maybe 20 chariots, what i would suggest it to make the mass lower and see if the chariot doesn´t become in a sort of suicide bomber , that when it makes a frontal attack they should almost all die, but might as well cause a huge damage to the enemy formation.

[Nakharar]

this is great,

[Icedie El Guaraní]

@Bwian
I will try to make the improve version or at least try it to do it by remeking the animation, not by changing the quaternios and eulers.
Here is my successfull set up, though you might wanna add the .evt for the animation as well because i could only get them to work in a kingdom mod by copying the .evt from the elephants one, what is exactly this .evt files or, i know they appear in the descr_skelton but is there a way to remake them?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[eddy_purpus]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat <3

[paradamed]

Can you guys make a vid of the chariots in action, pls? Im very curious about the chariots in action.

[D.B. Cooper]

Scythes are way too long.

[Bwian]

@Icedie ... the 'run amok' is just a flag in the unit stats. Take it out and this won't happen. As far as mass and unit stats go, that is really a question of balance to personal taste. I didn't bother changing them from the elephant numbers .... was more concerned with making it work than making it balanced

As far as a video of them goes...can anyone recommend the best free software to do this, and somewhere to upload it?

[Icedie El Guaraní]

@Icedie ... the 'run amok' is just a flag in the unit stats. Take it out and this won't happen. As far as mass and unit stats go, that is really a question of balance to personal taste. I didn't bother changing them from the elephant numbers .... was more concerned with making it work than making it balanced

As far as a video of them goes...can anyone recommend the best free software to do this, and somewhere to upload it?

Yeah i now its pretty easy, sorry for the complain!!
To make the video preview of my mod VLL i use the cine editor, D/need has created excellent tutorials found here with the Downloads
CINE_EDITOR


EDITED
Here is a lil video of the Angel of death.

Icedie of South

Enjoy

[Banzai!]

Scythes are way too long.

All the better to cut you with my darling.

[Arto]

Lovely.

[GrnEyedDvl]

Those guys flying all over the place are hilarious.

[Bwian]

Like the video Icedie

The troops are flying having been hit with half a ton of flying wood and horsemeat ... I reckon that would knock over a few warriors! The effect is determined by the weight of the unit...so you can tune it to your own desires.

@Icedie ...I noticed you had some ghost weapons showing up. This was something I found when the unit weapon stats were out of step with what the game will allow on an elephant. The secondary stats should be blank...the melee values come from the chariot itself. This is about the only flipside to having the chariot operate as an elephant. I think it is well worth the price to give chariots proper riders and that kind of battlefield impact.

It's good to see you got this in place and working. I hoped someone would!