How to bring an external model into Rome 2 Part 1: Set Up and Helmet.

**warman222** · June 08, 2014, 06:52 PM

@Ahiga

You've had problems with new standards? I got a banner to work months ago!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Ahiga** · June 08, 2014, 11:44 PM

Warman222: I can get them to work perfectly in TWeak, but when it comes to ingame their position is always not as accurate as I want them to be.

I think this is endemic to any banners, because I've noticed it with the Roman vanilla standards too. And because I had trouble getting the existing mounted standard bearer animation to work satisfactory, I've just opted to put the Draco in the spear slot - ideal would be for it to be held in the off-hand and I suppose in theory one could steal the torch holding animation and use it there, but that's above my paygrade and at this point I'll take what I can have work reasonably well.

**Biggus Splenus** · June 08, 2014, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by wangrin

We can export rigid_model_v2 using UU3D but :

UU3D isn't free
UU3D doesn't allow to convert models back to rigid_model_v2
Models are smaller than raw model, and CS2 exporter likely resize original model to game size

I've asked CA about file formats, but I've no answer yet.
And then, even if CA give us such information, we will still need programmer to create a converter.

So do you think we could import to UU3D, export it as a file to be opened in 3DS max, then exported as a rigid_model_v2 file without any loss of data? And what file type would be best to export from UU3D?

**wangrin** · June 09, 2014, 01:41 AM

It seem we lose some data, in particular those related to shaders.
You can have a look to Warman222 posts :
Sources : Warman222 - [Resource] Rome II rigid_model_v2 editor/ exporter ms3d

And, of course, the OP of this thread to solve the problem (post #1)

The process should be :

.rigid_model_v2 --(UU3D--> .fbx (2012) --(3ds max)--> importing model in a CA's model example --> resizing model --(3ds max + CS2 exporter)--> .CS2 --(BoB)--> .rigid_model_v2

**ss1472901** · June 10, 2014, 09:41 AM

I am good with the drawings myself draw for a living but i honestly can't find the required programs, does anyone know where to get those programs? can someone PLEASE give me some link / help / upload it offlink to mediafire or somewhere like that ? (demo or something , whatever.) thanks a ton >_<!
by Salinas

**spokie94** · June 10, 2014, 11:04 AM

how to give the rigid model v2 to the good size compared to the CA model? and how to export in CS2? help please

**Ltd.** · June 12, 2014, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Flikitos

My bad Warman, the problem doesn't come from the model but from the animation, still trying to solve that! Thanks anyway!

Flikitos, if you figure this out please let me know as I would need to animate the bows I have added. So I added to bow to the game, but when they shoot, the old bow model appears, ofc. I know you have played around with the .meta files, I did not manage however to get it to work by trying to change the bendy name and adding mine and so on.
All help is appreciated, obviously.

**spokie94** · June 16, 2014, 03:29 AM

thanks people ;o

**GuyD** · June 16, 2014, 04:10 AM

Is there a simpler way to assign bones for anything that is a not a helmet or a weapon? So far, selecting the bones one by one is time-consuming I tend to mess it up.

**warman222** · June 24, 2014, 07:48 AM

Unfortunately there really isn't. You could try copying the skin from one of the example files, but that only really works on similar shaped model types. Just keep trying GuyD. Also the example models come with animations in them so you can see how your rig looks when animated. Just press the play button on the bottom of the Max. Hope that helps. Also in a little bit I'm going to post another thread with some updated info, tricks and tips, stay tuned!

**Bucle_CT** · July 07, 2014, 06:16 PM

Ok,so finally I managed to get a bit of time to try this out. I've followed step by step the tutorial and I am getting an error in the cs2 convertion in BoB, here's the log :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

I can't understand why am I getting this error since the model has well assigned the texture files and these exist in the due locations, so, any help will be welcomed guys

Edit : SOLVED!....for some reason it is working despite the errors in BoB...behold!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Biggus Splenus** · July 08, 2014, 03:25 AM

WOOOOOOOOOW! Looks good man, though maybe a little big?

**Bucle_CT** · July 08, 2014, 04:08 AM

Yep! Gonna play with scale a little bit. Having understood the process, now I'm going to try it out with combined models, e.g., helmets with plumes.

BTW, does anyone know how to put attach points for vanilla crests in an imported model??

**GreenyRepublic** · July 08, 2014, 04:48 AM

Great tutorial Warman!

Having a bit of an issue with my material management in 3ds Max, in particular when I reload the ca_shader.fx file. In the tutorial you get a list of map slots like so:

However, when I hit the reset material (red X) button, I get this instead:

Any idea what's going on? I tried carrying on as normal, but when it came to running the mesh through BOB I got the following error on the .cs2 file:

Code:

Info: using kammhelm_1_lod1ERROR: Rigid mesh 'kammhelm_1_lod1 Subobject 1' is missing texture 't_albedo'.
Error: invalid texture list
Error: Failed to process weighted mesh 'kammhelm_1'
Failed.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

**warman222** · July 08, 2014, 04:52 AM

@ Greeny Well, trying reselecting the shader again, click on the button next to "reload" and select it again. See if that fixes it.

@Bucle, that is the Achilles heel with this process, me and Grudge looked into this issue for hours and we have no idea how to get the game\TWeak to recognize attach points on new models. So if you want new plumes you'll need to place and rig it manually.

**GreenyRepublic** · July 08, 2014, 04:56 AM

No dice on that I'm afraid. If I create a new DirectX Shader material the Parameters dropdown is populated, but it then goes back to 'no parameters' as soon as the CA shader is selected. I'm using 3ds Max 2014, is this a problem?

**Man of West Gondor** · July 27, 2014, 10:18 PM

I'm wondering how do you add a in-game plum to a custom helm. I tried doing that with some in the Variant Editor but the plum appears at their feet instead on the helm. Is there something I'm missing when doing this?

**Rewinged** · August 06, 2014, 06:38 AM

Really appreciate the tutorial Warman, it has helped me a lot! I hope you find the time to upload some more tutorials at some point too, that would be greatly appreciated, though I understand it's time consuming to write these guides up. Thanks again

**Rewinged** · August 06, 2014, 12:23 PM

Sorry for the double post, got a couple questions though. After using god old BOB to compile my helmet and tunic models/textures I can assign them just fine in the variant editor, but the body armour doesn't appear to be rigged at all. Its basically a tunic with chain sleeves and I rigged the sleeves up with all the arm bones but in the variant editor the model still appears to be in the T shaped position while the hands are disconnected and lowered as they usually appear. Is that normal or should the rigging be morphing the model's arms to line up with the hands?

Also, the helmet is sitting perfectly in the variant editor but when I tried throwing together a .pack file that changes the triarii to be wearing the helmet they instead just have no helmet at all. All the textures and the rigid model are in the right folder structure in the path, I've checked that over and over, so I'm not sure what's going on. I figured if it was visible in TWeak it would be visible in the game.

I hope someone can lend me a hand. If they do I'll give them a cake or something haha