Weapons in Milkshape

[Rusted]

Hi everyone, I see in mods like SS 6.4 units with a shield in his back or another part, and when I'm trying to make it with milkshape(changing names like shield_1 to inactive_shield_1) my unit don't change the position of the shield, and if someone asks I changed the ModelDB

[makanyane]

Suggest you convert their models to ms3d and check/compare the comments.

I don't think the 'shield' comment is a magic word like 'primaryactive' for weapons. I suspect you actually have to move the shield bit of the model and assign it to the back bone instead of hand.

(disclaimer - I haven't done anything with battle models for years)

[Rusted]

Sorry, I don't explain well, I will start again
1: I have my model 3d into milkshape
2: I move every part in the place that I want it
3: the names of the parts are like this primary_active_1 and I change it to primary_inactive_1 copying the name of the shield in-unit huscar'l English
4: I save my model
5: when I play with it the shield continues to hand and not in the back

[makanyane]

have you re-assigned the vertexes in the shield to a bone in the back?

my current model with shield on arm has verts assigned to Lelbow






you can also view the assignment, if you have 'Draw vertices with bone colors' switched on (colours repeat a bit but you get an idea...)

[Rusted]

no, I don't know how make it, do you know some tutorial for how to make it?

[makanyane]

I can't find a total war specific guide at the moment, but this:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~abyrne/M...ials_tut11.htm
has pictures which show the buttons you need to be using to assign verts to bones

[Vladyvid]

Ok im not really sure what you are trying to do with that shield:

1. Do you want to have the shields on the soldiers backs the whole time?
2. Do you want the shields to start on the back (with primary weapons being two handed for example), but then shield being used with a secondary weapon? Or the other way round?

1. In this case this is rather easy, take the group that is shield, and while it is selected (can be only as vertices), assign it to the torso bone in milkshape (you assign bones in the Joints toolbar), then place the shield in the correct position like it should be on the back. In such case, there is no need for any specific group comments, definately not necessary to make it part of group with any weapons.

2. This is where it can be more complicated. Both the shield in the position on the back, and the shield in hand, must be part of weapon groups. Those weapon groups will need standard primary/secondary comments. Both the shield on the back and in hand should be rigged to their respective bones, torso for the back shield and left elbow for the hand held.

[Metal.Pigeon]

I'm going to assume that you're talking about archers that have shields on their backs when they shoot, then take them off in melee. That's pretty simple. You'll want to use "shieldactive0" for the shield paired with the unit's primary weapon, and "shieldpassive0" for the shield paired with their secondary weapon. Most of the time, you'll want to use "shieldactive0" on the back and "shieldpassive0" in the hand. For instance, your comment on the back shield might look like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

shieldactive0
buckler_01
0

...which will be paired up with this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

shieldpassive0
buckler_01
0

Just be sure that both "buckler_01" parts share the same model and texture, and assign the shield on the back to the skeleton's torso. It doesn't just work with missile units too; in Broken Crescent, some heavy cavalry units have the shield on their back when they have their lances out, and grab their shields in extended melee. Also in Broken Crescent, the Varangians carry their shields on their hand by default, but put it on their backs when they charge into melee so they can use their axes with both hands.