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Hi. I wanted too know how too go about properly setting a vehicle up in XSI and getting it ingame.

What I've done so far is build the tank fully and slapped a skin on it. I did not add a null. The dummyroot is that from the TX130 tank.

tank
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this TUTO is for vehicle's weaps but about anim i dont know sorry

Thx commander. That did explain some minor things lol! Seem like the other links within lead too more questions needing to be answered lol.

Those werent really tutorials, but mere brief explanations on how to animate and where to go for more questions that need to be answered lol.
I'll return to the links when I get to the point on adding a manned turret. Thx again for the quick reply.

My goal is too get this tank ingame, piloted and get it too fire from the main cannon.
NOTE: The main turret does not rotate left or right.

1)The null, when adding a null to the tip of the barrel for a flash muzzle, does the size of the null matter?

2) If a tank has 2 cannons, does one need too add a null too each of the barrels for a flash muzzle?

This what I have so far
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1) No.
2) Depends on how the weapons fire. If it fires only 1 projectile youll have to make a new effect with a double muzzel flash. If it fires more then 1 you need 1 null for every barrel.

Usual/basic tree:
-Dummyroot
--Meshes
--(Weapon firepoints(if static)
--Driver hardpoint
--Turret root
--Bone root(if animated)

Only dummyroot has to exist, mesh should exist, others are optional.

ANDEWEGET wrote:1) No.
2) Depends on how the weapons fire. If it fires only 1 projectile youll have to make a new effect with a double muzzel flash. If it fires more then 1 you need 1 null for every barrel.

Usual/basic tree:
Dummyroot
Meshes
Weapon firepoints(if static)
Driver hardpoint
Turret root
Bone root(if animated)

Just to make sure, are you meaning that they need to be parented in that order? Can a vehicle have no weapons and still work?

no and yes

Have a look at the odf for a similar type of vehicle, in this case the Republic tank.
It has it's main guns which pivot up and down but not side to side, plus the top gun which is a full 360 manned gun.

It will at least show you the nodes and how many you would need.
If you don't have a secondary weapon for the driver you can ignore those parts as well as a second barrel for the main gun.

The hierachy you can derive from that is from top to bottom, main turret node/ aimer_y (can also be used as the main turret node) aimer_x then fire hardpoints.

Don't forget you will also need a .option file for your msh with the -keep listofyouraimers in it.

*disclaimer this was written from memory so if slightly inaccurate I appologise but the basic premise is correct.

I'm still confused. I kinda of get how to setup a turret, but how this fits into the vehicle is still confusing.


Could someone post a picture of a working vehicle with its XSI explorer window?

I will when I get home from work, but in reality the only difference between a regular turret and one on a vehicle is the vehicle tends to move around more and probably has more than one gun other than that the setup is pretty much the same.

In the mean time here is an old pic I had of the CIS AAT which shown it's hierarchy

Alright, but what if it didn't have any turrets? Could it just be dummyroot(null) then underneath, the mesh?

yes, as andeweget said

Yes, no guns should be no need for anything other than dummyroot.

Wow thx guys, this is making sence each time.

1) The null and node, are they the same thing? or both different?

A node is usally a null, you can use geometry for nodes/harpoints, too.

ANDEWEGET wrote:you can use geometry for nodes/harpoints, too.

Using the XSI exporter or Rep's only, may I add.

Using any other program/means of exporting won't work with geometry.