Skeleton question

How to create models in XSI and other 3D applications and make them work in Battlefront 1 & 2. Post models, tips for application usage and share anything XSI, 3DMax, SketchUp, etc.

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Battleffront_Conquer
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Skeleton question

Post by Battleffront_Conquer »

Is it possible to have a completely new skeleton used for a character, or at least new bones being used in addition to the skeleton Psych0fred made?

I want to add some flexibility to some new characters I am coming out with and I need to add a couple bones, would this screw with anything in game? Even if I made completely new animation sets?
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by DarthD.U.C.K. »

you can make a completely new skeleton (only with xsi of course) but that requires to crate a complete new set of animations but that would be atleast 20 anims if it has a meeleweapon (not counting the actual attackanims) and cant duck.
well, what i want to say is that unless you are an incredible animator its not advisible to do that

if you use a modified shipped skeleton with edited proportions or bones added you "only" need to remake all the anims which dont fit the unit anymore
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by AgentSmith_#27 »

In LOZ: Hyrule Field by Vyse, he had a new player model that was like a giant spider with new anims, though come to think of it I think the only anim it had was walking...
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by Maveritchell »

AgentSmith_#27 wrote:In LOZ: Hyrule Field by Vyse, he had a new player model that was like a giant spider with new anims, though come to think of it I think the only anim it had was walking...
Still used a human skeleton. Same idea with the KotOR-style mining droids I had for the Conversion Pack, Aquilaris, and Bakura.
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by VF501 »

A completely new Skeleton requires 70+ animations to be fully usable with all current weapon types in the game. Add more for custom weapon animations.

You can cut it down quite allot if you only make the new unit have one or two weapons, but it limits what you could do with it later or if you release it to the community.

I looked into this for the Halo Sangheli (Elite) model a long time ago. Since I couldn't be bothered with making so many animations for a custom skeleton, I just used the default one. Which is why if you look closely the legs don't deform nicely while its running.
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by Sky_216 »

Maveritchell wrote:
AgentSmith_#27 wrote:In LOZ: Hyrule Field by Vyse, he had a new player model that was like a giant spider with new anims, though come to think of it I think the only anim it had was walking...
Still used a human skeleton. Same idea with the KotOR-style mining droids I had for the Conversion Pack, Aquilaris, and Bakura.
Off-topic: just out of interest, how'd yoou fix the collision for those? If I remember right they didn't have the standard infantry collision.
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by AgentSmith_#27 »

Maveritchell wrote:Still used a human skeleton.
Very interesting, so how does that work then? Would you start with Psych0fred's skeleton and just largely alter it?

And even if you DID have the skill to create so many new animations, isn't SWBF2's engine only capable of handling a few new player animations?
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by DarthD.U.C.K. »

no, i think it rather has problems handling complex combos/damage calculations
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by Maveritchell »

Sky_216 wrote:Off-topic: just out of interest, how'd yoou fix the collision for those? If I remember right they didn't have the standard infantry collision.
Don't remember if anything special was done for them (I didn't export them), but I don't believe the collision is substantially different. It's just a trick of the eyes - you see a smaller object, so you think you're shooting a smaller object.
AgentSmith_#27 wrote:Very interesting, so how does that work then? Would you start with Psych0fred's skeleton and just largely alter it?
You don't have to alter it at all; you just need to be creative with your weights. On those models, the majority of the unit is weighted to a relatively static bone (like a pelvis bone) and the legs are weighted to connected-but-moving bones (like thigh bones).
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by AgentSmith_#27 »

Ah I see, thank you gentlemen.

So Battlefront_Conqueror, it sounds like what you want to do is technically possible, but who would want to spend the sort of time that's required unless you're getting paid for it?

I'm no expert on anything modeling related, but I know just from playing other mods there is a LOT that can be done with the stock skeleton.

I wish you luck in your quest :bowdown: .
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by agentsmith38 »

AgentSmith_#27 wrote: who would want to spend the sort of time that's required unless you're getting paid for it?
That's where i come in, i'd spend my time to model for the community because some people don't have that sort of time and for some other reasons.
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by Fiodis »

Not to steal the thread, but if I made a unit with a custom skeleton and anims that wasn't even remotely human-shaped it wouldn't have collision issues, because of the custom skeleton?
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Re: Skeleton question

Post by DarthD.U.C.K. »

i think nobody ever made an entirely new unitskeleton so you cant say for shure. i guess you are right though
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