[MP2] Tutorial Update 0.7 - Skins, bones, & more

[Uisor]

try these 2 following files, first for male and second for female. Both skeletons are ready for animating and are tested.

[Uisor]

female

[Jehoven]

The files didn't work better... still the same old "no ""readValue"" function for undefined" error. I'm messing around with the script as we speak, so with luck I'll be able to do something with it... but if someone has had this and solved it, please do tell.

[Aztec]

This problem is 99% of the time to do with not using the default path for the maxpaynedev folder, which by default is installed on the c:\ drive.

If you have this folder located on another drive and you get this problem, then that is the cause of the error. Its the path the scripts are looking for.

Simply reinstall the tools and allow it to extract the files to its default path (C:\MaxPayne2Dev). Make sure all plugins and files are located in the correct place in the 3dmax dir and it should work fine

[N.U.K.E.E.]

I was trying out the skin modifier tonight and thought it couldn't hurt to try exporting my skin. Guess what?.....IT WORKS!

So for all you ppl out there that are sick of envelopes, it's perfectly okay to use the skin modifier to paint your skin weights, the skin weights will still export fine. Just make sure you keep the skin modifier ontop of physique in the stack and don't collapse it.

There's probably a bunch of you out there that already knew this, but just in case

[N.U.K.E.E.]

Okay, my bad, I made a mistake. The exporter won't recognize the weight information in the skin modifier, but I'm pretty sure there's a way to bake the weight information and save and load it into the physique modifier. I'll keep at it, cuz it's much easier to use the skin modifer then physique :P

[Sayantan]

ANIMATION EXPORT PROBLEM SOLVED

Well....not exactly but by this method you wont have to install it in crappy C:\ drive.Its kind of a cheap trick but it does work. Thanx to Aztec for giving clues in the above post about it.

1> First u install the Max Payne 2 dev kit in ur desired diectory(I did it in E:\Maxpayne2dev\ ).
2> Try copying the 3dsmax plug-ins in ur 3dsmax folder.
3> Try opening the official Max Payne run animation file and export it via the Biped V2 on the Remedy Toolbar.
4> It wont export giving u a "read value error" and totally cancels the process.
*here comes the trick*
5> Close 3dsmax and go to C:\ drive.
6> Make a new folder named "MaxPayne2Dev" and within that make another new folder "3dsmax5".
7> Now in that folder, make a new text file and name it as "zzzzz.txt"..........(where "zzzzz" is the name of you comp.......mine was "MEAN-MACHINE"..........also remember that it's case sensitive).
8> Now open the text file and type in a directory destination within double inverted commas..........(it is usually the animation exporting database directory......u should put this the database directory under ur Rasmaker directory.........I gave "E:\MaxPayne2Dev\Rasmaker2\data\database"......... .also remember to not put any slash at the end of the directory).
9> Open 3dsmax again and try exporting again..........BINGO ! ! !

[MrUniq]

bizzare

Seems like the remedy guys just grabbed the tools right off their customized rigs without formatting them for general use?? Aw well...who cares

[Canada_Dry]

ANIMATION EXPORT PROBLEM SOLVED

Well....not exactly but by this method you wont have to install it in crappy C:\ drive.Its kind of a cheap trick but it does work. Thanx to Aztec for giving clues in the above post about it.

1> First u install the Max Payne 2 dev kit in ur desired diectory(I did it in E:\Maxpayne2dev\ ).
2> Try copying the 3dsmax plug-ins in ur 3dsmax folder.
3> Try opening the official Max Payne run animation file and export it via the Biped V2 on the Remedy Toolbar.
4> It wont export giving u a "read value error" and totally cancels the process.
*here comes the trick*
5> Close 3dsmax and go to C:\ drive.
6> Make a new folder named "MaxPayne2Dev" and within that make another new folder "3dsmax5".
7> Now in that folder, make a new text file and name it as "zzzzz.txt"..........(where "zzzzz" is the name of you comp.......mine was "MEAN-MACHINE"..........also remember that it's case sensitive).
8> Now open the text file and type in a directory destination within double inverted commas..........(it is usually the animation exporting database directory......u should put this the database directory under ur Rasmaker directory.........I gave "E:\MaxPayne2Dev\Rasmaker2\data\database"......... .also remember to not put any slash at the end of the directory).
9> Open 3dsmax again and try exporting again..........BINGO ! ! !

I had 2 do that w/ particle fx too, (with the files it requested)

[Canada_Dry]

ok, is it possible 2 add more than just 40 frames, and if so how do you do it?? and I'm soo mad cause i was almost done w/ an animation just needed touch ups but exported w/ _mov file and it resets 3dsmax and i forgot to save in .3ds form...is there anyway i can get it back??!!

[Rico_Sugar]

unfortunately, you have to save before exporting.
To modify the length of animation right clic on the play button
and type the desired length.

the file may have been autosaved. in the recover(or whatever it's called) folder inside max's folder.

[Canada_Dry]

thx guys

[Sayantan]

unfortunately, you have to save before exporting.
To modify the length of animation right clic on the play button
and type the desired length.

Yes. And in case you want to lengthen the animation [ie suppose you want to make the run animation much slower or faster], right click on the "play" button and click the "Rescale" button and then type on the new length of the animation you want.

[Canada_Dry]

thanks guys now that i got all that all cleared up i have another error...about a new character though. I wanted to see how 2 export a successfull character so i imported max into milkshape, exported as .3ds imported in 3dsmax, all i did was map all the textures on there and scale everything so he was about 1/2 as big.

When i go to play i get this error "KF2: Invalid Geometry: Skin mesh "[MaxPayne.txt], lod" and SKD number of skin object don't match (skin 0, skd1) closing...

[Canada_Dry]

thanks guys now that i got all that all cleared up i have another error...about a new character though. I wanted to see how 2 export a successfull character so i imported max into milkshape, exported as .3ds imported in 3dsmax, all i did was map all the textures on there and scale everything so he was about 1/2 as big.

When i go to play i get this error "KF2: Invalid Geometry: Skin mesh "[MaxPayne.txt], lod" and SKD number of skin object don't match (skin 0, skd1) closing...

does anyone know?

[Sayantan]

all i did was map all the textures on there and scale everything so he was about 1/2 as big.

When i go to play i get this error "KF2: Invalid Geometry: Skin mesh "[MaxPayne.txt], lod" and SKD number of skin object don't match (skin 0, skd1) closing...

I didn't get you. Did you scale it down or made it bigger so that its doubly the size?

[Canada_Dry]

all i did was scale it up a little bit so if it did export right i can tell cause max is bigger. but when i go to play the game i get that error. (am i supposed to assign the materials to meshes in 3dsmax before i export, cause i did and that could be causing the error)

[Sayantan]

I think so. U can try doing the same thing in a different method.
1> Open the pre-weighed official Max Payne file.
2> Go to the motion tab and save the vertex weighing information in a text file(I think there's already one text file pre-made and supplied by Remedy).
3> Delete the "Physique" modifier.
4> Scale the model according to ur needs(Dont even dare to scale a single part of the biped. Though that doesn't matter also).
5> Add another physique modifier onto it.
6> Load the previously saved vertex weighing information.
7> Export it.

I myself never tried it. But it cd work.

[Aztec]

When your talking about scaling, are you referring to scaling the mesh or the actual biped?

[Sayantan]

I think he's talking about the mesh. It wd obviously work. But the deformations has to be bad coz while animation, the skeleton only reads the rotation of the biped parts at particular frames, but it also takes into consideration the pivot points of the biped parts (or in simpler words the joints).

Smells like a need for a new scaled up skeleton. Anybody tried it?

[Aztec]

Yes totally agree. I haven't tried rescaling the skeleton yet, but i'm going to try it in the next week or 2, needed really for one of my characters.

Hopefully it'll work fine, if not, a new skeleton will have to be sorted

[Canada_Dry]

yeah, i want to make JAWS for my 007 mod and obviously need a bigger model, i'm a complete n00b to character meshes so itll take me awile to understand your lil tut sayantan but thanx alot

[Sayantan]

Yes totally agree. I haven't tried rescaling the skeleton yet, but i'm going to try it in the next week or 2, needed really for one of my characters.

Hopefully it'll work fine, if not, a new skeleton will have to be sorted

Call this li'l devil whenever u'll need to. I am also with you in this making coz I need one in my ********** mod.

[MrUniq]

Anyone have any clue how to create skin variations? y'know have multiple textures for the same character? In MP1 all I did was create several kf2/skd skins for the same model and list them as texturesets...but when i do that for MP2 it gives me an error.

[Uisor]

did you used that export skinvariations exporter?

[MrUniq]

i'll try...see what it does. The first time i tried it it crapped on me.but at the time i didn't have that plugin NUKE provided.

[thekillerwithin]

Anyone have any clue how to create skin variations? y'know have multiple textures for the same character? In MP1 all I did was create several kf2/skd skins for the same model and list them as texturesets...but when i do that for MP2 it gives me an error.

at the bottom of some txt's, you'll see the following:

------
[TextureSet]
ExportData = Cleaner_B_Set01.kf2;
[TextureSet]
ExportData = Cleaner_B_Set02.kf2;
[TextureSet]
ExportData = Cleaner_B_Set03.kf2;
[TextureSet]
ExportData = Cleaner_B_Set04.kf2;
-------

When you export your character, create a few copies of the kf2 file (as many as you want for the sets). Then, open them in a hex editor, and change the textures it used to make a variety of them (note: the texture names must be of the same character length). Now in your txt for the skin, make a code similar to the one above and it will randomly choose which one it uses.

[MrUniq]

gotcha

Okay, I looked my ass off, for that damn remedy UI for 3dsMax, and i know it's there somewhere... anyone?

[MrUniq]

I have an image of them on my page..has the menu where they are located too.

[Uisor]

...

thanks a bunch, you have no idea how much that helped. i recently formatted, and lost most of my max stuff...

[Jerry]

ANIMATION EXPORT PROBLEM SOLVED

Well....not exactly but by this method you wont have to install it in crappy C:\ drive.Its kind of a cheap trick but it does work. Thanx to Aztec for giving clues in the above post about it.

1> First u install the Max Payne 2 dev kit in ur desired diectory(I did it in E:\Maxpayne2dev\ ).
2> Try copying the 3dsmax plug-ins in ur 3dsmax folder.
3> Try opening the official Max Payne run animation file and export it via the Biped V2 on the Remedy Toolbar.
4> It wont export giving u a "read value error" and totally cancels the process.
*here comes the trick*
5> Close 3dsmax and go to C:\ drive.
6> Make a new folder named "MaxPayne2Dev" and within that make another new folder "3dsmax5".
7> Now in that folder, make a new text file and name it as "zzzzz.txt"..........(where "zzzzz" is the name of you comp.......mine was "MEAN-MACHINE"..........also remember that it's case sensitive).
8> Now open the text file and type in a directory destination within double inverted commas..........(it is usually the animation exporting database directory......u should put this the database directory under ur Rasmaker directory.........I gave "E:\MaxPayne2Dev\Rasmaker2\data\database"......... .also remember to not put any slash at the end of the directory).
9> Open 3dsmax again and try exporting again..........BINGO ! ! !

You can also change the path in the Max-script .

- Rightmousebutton click on the "EXP BIP" (or other export) button, then click "Edit Macroscript".
- Now go down to this line:

optionsFile = openFile ( "C:/MaxPayne2Dev/3dsmax5/" + sysinfo.computername + ".txt" )

and change it to:

optionsFile = openFile ( "j:/mp2dev/3dsmax5/" + sysinfo.computername + ".txt" )

(With your own path in which you installed the tools offcourse ).
- Restart 3dmax!!!!

And voila the biped exports nicely .
When you don't got a C-drive (like me -- don't ask). The method Sayantan gave doesn't work .

[Samji]

Ya know its not that difficult to change your drive letter.
If you change to C:/ it might save you a lot of time with stuff like this.

[Jerry]

woohoo got my first animation working ingame . Tnx to this topic .

Download video -- 730kb (xvid codec)

[MentalSentinel]

Xvid sucks....
DIVX please
I can't view it, and there's an error locating the servers to download the codecs too...

[Jerry]

Ok, for TMRsentinel .

Download avi -- 450kb

[Kozak]

Looks good but the anim is a tad to quick.

[MentalSentinel]

Very good, just the end of the animation when he's back on his feet isn't that well, he's posing like the models do when they're not animated.